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A PLEA FOR OPEN-AIR PREACHING.

"forasmuch," says the letter, "as he asks nothing new, but follows the examples of his predecessors, that the bishop of Rome, if his cause is not trusted to a council, should defend himself before the Emperor's own council.

For Pope Silvester, when accused by sacrilegious persons, maintained his own cause before your ancestor, Constantine. And similar examples, from the Scriptures, are at hand; for when the holy Apostle was oppressed by the presiding functionary, he appealed to Cæsar, and to Cæsar he was sent."—Labbe. Concilia, tom. ii. col. 1003.

It cannot be necessary to say any more to prove this first statement of the Oxford addressers an untruth; and such as any person at all learned in ecclesiastical history ought to have known to be an untruth. They have told, or are about to tell, her Majesty, for I do not know whether the address has been presented, that the only authority claimed by christian emperors, and acknowledged by the Church, in ecclesiastical causes, has been to give, upon appeal, new episcopal judges; whereas this ancient Pope, and his co-addressers, tell the christian emperors of their day, that the bishops of Rome had always deemed it their right to be judged,

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upon appeal, by himself and his counsellors.

A narrative of the course of proceedings in the fourth general council, assembled at Chalcedon, thirtytwo years after the African synod of 419, would exhibit a more ludicrous contrast to the Oxford addressers' statement. But the length of this article will only allow me to mention, briefly, that the Emperor Marcian commissioned a number of his chief ministers of state to attend it; and they occupied the chief place of honour; and when these laymen had examined certain prelates who had borne a prominent part in a previous council, they drew up, and read to the council, a sentence pronouncing that half-a-dozen reverendissimi, including the bishops of Alexandria and Jerusalem, should be deprived of the episcopal dignity, if it should so please the emperor; upon which the assembled prelates and ecclesiastics, whom our addressers would style the Church, instead of protesting against this lay interference, exclaimed, very generally, "This judgment is just! Long live the senators! Long live the emperors! Whilst the dissentients only ventured to cry out, "We have all erred; we should all be pardoned." Basnage, tom. iii. p. 457. Hasilbury Bryan, Jan. 10, 1851.

A PLEA FOR OPEN-AIR PREACHING.

IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE INCUMBENTS OF ALL LARGE TOWN PARISHES, AND RURAL DISTRICTS, THROUGHOUT THE UNITED CHURCH OF ENGLAND, IRELAND, AND WALES: BY THE REV. J. H. TITCOMB, M.A., PERPETUAL CURATE OF ST. ANDREW THE LESS, CAMBRIDGE.

BELOVED brethren in the ministry, Nothing but the deepest conviction of duty could urge me to address you; nor should I do so, now, without the concurrence of wise and good men. I am aware that I possess no personal claim on your attention, except, perhaps, that I write with an experimental acquaintance of my subject. I am aware, also, that the cause I intend to advocate is a strange one, and that the very mention of it is sufficient, with many persons, to raise a prejudice against me. But

the time has now arrived when things are no longer to be condemned because strange. We live in an age which is marked by the deepest and most heart-stirring realities. We are surrounded by evident proofs that great and wondrous transformations are taking place throughout all the moral, social, and political circles of our country. Some of these, no doubt, are for the better; but many, alas, are for the worse. Never was there a time when the enemy of souls proved himself more active. The

press teems with infidel publications. The railways groan under the burden of their sabbath desecration. The Church itself is so split into contending parties, that the masses of our fellow countrymen may reasonably turn round upon us with the question of Pilate, and ask us, "What is truth?" Think of the perversions that are daily taking place to Popery. Contemplate the bold invasion of the land by the Papacy itself. Reflect upon the utter indifference to religion which runs throughout multitudes of nominally professing Christians. Call to mind the fearful state of spiritual destitution which exists in our large and overgrown parishes. Is it not evident that our most energetic efforts at the present moment are failing to keep pace with the rapid progress of evil? What, then, are we to do? Shall we content ourselves with empty complaints? Are we to sit down with folded hands, and say, We have done all,—v

-we can do no more? God forbid! While there is a single effort left unemployed, it is our duty at once to embrace it. Every day that we delay, our national responsibilities are increasing; the moral plague is spreading; immortal souls are perishing. And may I not assume, beloved brethren, that you have a love for immortal souls? Ought not this to be the one constraining motive of your ministry? May I not appeal to it as an a priori argument in favour of your attention to the proposed subject of consideration? True, it may be a novel and unpleasant subject. But what degree of novelty-what amount of naturally inherited prejudice ought to weigh for a moment in the balance, when the salvation of thousands of immortal souls, and, I may add, the welfare of our own Church, are at stake? Slender indeed would be the hopes I should entertain for our Church if I could not appeal to you with firm confidence that you will respect motives such as these. I therefore commend the following views to your most careful and prayerful attention; and pray the Lord, in mercy, to unite all our hearts in this great work, as the heart of one

man.

Let me then bring before you a system of open-air preaching under the five following considerations:

1. The Bible authorizes it. 2. Ecclesiastical usage sanctions it. 3. The state of the country requires it. 4. Ministerial responsibility demands it. 5. Love for the Church of England invites it.

But before I enter upon these points it seems right to define what I mean by open-air preaching, and to explain the limits within which it is here proposed for adoption. In doing which, I shall only be clearing the ground away from difficulties which almost necessarily suggest themselves to cautious and sober-minded men, and which seem to stand at the very threshold of the subject as an insurmountable barrier to its usefulness.

We commonly associate with openair preaching, the idea of some ignorant man standing on a chair or tub, and there enforcing the Gospel with wild gesticulations. We are apt to think of it as the combined effect of indiscretion and excitement. But this is by no means necessary. In proposing it to you, my beloved brethren, as an important element in the work of evangelizing your parishes. I

appear before you as no ignorant fanatic, nor as any irregular church

man.

It is my profound conviction, that if we act in the matter judiciously, it will be possible to commence this bold and arduous scheme with a strict observance of church order, and so far from injuring our influence for good, to widen and establish it throughout the country.

To effect this, I would suggest that every Incumbent who ventures to adopt the course, should be very careful, in the first place, not to let it in any way interfere with his general ministerial duties; otherwise, what he gained in one way, he would probably lose in another. Moreover, I should strongly oppose the adoption of it during any of the canonical hours on Sunday. And I think, in general, that the more prudent course would be to limit it to the week-day evenings, at some time when the work of the labouring classes would be over. Nor should it be adopted

A PLEA FOR OPEN-AIR PREACHING.

so frequently as to become too ordinary a means of grace, lest, instead of proving an attraction to the house of God, it should tend rather to make men think they can do without it. It would be advisable, also, to have a moveable pulpit, made for such occasions, or if this were thought too expensive, a platform might be made, large enough to sustain three or four chairs; in which case the preacher might be attended by a few of his brother clergy. I would also strongly urge the propriety of preaching in proper canonical dress, and of making it evident in every other way possible, that the whole proceeding is consistent with the observance of church order.

Thus, the practice ought to be strictly parochial. I would not, for a moment, advocate any itinerant method of open-air preaching. Such a system would introduce endless confusion into the Church,-multiplying those sad divisions which at present exist among the clergy, and raising up new grounds for schism among the people. What I wish to see is, each Incumbent taking up the matter in his own parish, and thus increasing his own influence by making himself the centre of the move

ment.

I would venture, also, to suggest that the spot selected for preaching be a retired one :-this is most important. Nothing would act as a more successful obstacle against the good results of open-air preaching, than the selection of a public thoroughfare. And very naturally so; for, in the first place, it would expose the preacher to an inconvenient pressure, and to constant sources of in

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terruption. The passing and repassing of carriages would take away from the solemnity of the discourse. And, in the next place, it would subject him to the imputation of being a disturber of public business. Moreover, if any violations of good order should ensue, there is no doubt the magistrates would hold him responsible for it; and it would instantly be argued that he was disgracing his clerical character. To meet which objections, I would propose the selection of a spot as retired as possible. In rural districts, this would be easily obtained; in towns it would, of course, be more difficult. But, even here, there are always to be found either courts without any thoroughfare, or old brickfields, or filledup gravel-pits, or patches of ground to be let on building lease, belonging to private persons, with whose consent, the clergyman of the parish might at any time secure a suitable spot for preaching. And one great advantage which would result from selecting a plot of private, not common land, would be the right of the police, acting in behalf of the owner of the property, to exclude any misbehaving person as a trespasser.

As regards the preaching itself, it would ill become me to advise; I am sure that all who attempted it in a spirit of love to Christ, and with a simple desire to save souls, would be led by Divine grace to preach with faith and power;-sparing no sins, fearing no frowns, and shrinking from no cross. And this I am bold to say, that while God says, "Those who honour me, I will honour," no one need fear for the result.

[To be continued.]

We invite the Incumbents of large parishes, whose constant complaint it is that they cannot get at the masses among their people, to follow up the valuable remarks of Mr. Titcomb, and to send us any thoughts or hints which may occur to them upon the important subject of ministering to those who will not, or perhaps cannot, come within their churches.-ED.

Correspondence.

[The Editors are not responsible for every statement or opinion of their correspondents, at the same time, their object is to open the pages of their Magazine to those only, who seek the real good of that Protestant Church with which it is in connexion.]

To the Editor of the Christian Guardian. SIR,In an article in your last number, entitled "The power of self-extrication in the Church of England," as well as in the letter of Mr. Jordan, there are remarks of great importance, which well deserve the attention of all true churchmen.

I believe that many of your readers agree with the writer of the former article, as I do most cordially, that "the actual language of the Baptismal Service, taken literally and grammatically, apart from explanation and reference to the Articles, does completely favour the view of those who build thereon the strongest argument for what they call their sacramental scheme." And I think that, with Mr. Jordan, they will "consider it a most safe and sound principle, that in nothing should we go beyond and exceed Scripture, however plausible and conclusive our deductions from it might seem to be."

In vain we petition the Queen to check the spread of Tractarian leaven in the Church, while we retain in any of her formularies, such passages as give the Romanizing party a foundation on which to build their "wood, hay, and stubble.'

Our petitions to the Queen, condemnatory of Tractarianism, should be accompanied or followed up by a humble request that the Reformation, so happily progressing in the reign of Edward the 6th, and which retrograded in the reign of Elizabeth, may be at length carried out to its completion, according to what we believe to be the intention of our Reformers.

That the more spiritually minded amongst them contemplated a further expurgation of our formularies may be fairly inferred from the recently discovered letter of Peter Martyr, bearing date 14th June, 1552; written from Oxford at the time when he was Regius Professor of Divinity in that university. In that letter to his friend Bullinger he says,

"That matter which was desired by all good men, and which the King's Majesty had not a little at heart, could not be accomplished; wherefore as yet things remain to a great extent as they were before, except that the Book or Order of Ecclesiastical Rites, and the administration of the Sacraments, is reformed; for all things are removed from it which could nourish superstition. But the chief reason why other things which were purposed could not be effected, was that the subject of the sacraments stood in the way; not truly as regards transubstantiation, since, thanks be to God, concerning these things there seems to be now no controversy, as it regards those who profess the Gospel; but whether grace is conferred by virtue of the sacraments, is a And point of which many are in doubt. there have been some who have altogether held the affirmative, and were desirous that this doctrine should be established But when others by public authority. saw clearly how many superstitions such a determination would bring with it, they made it a primary point to endeavour in all ways to show, that nothing more is granted to the sacraments than to the external Word of God; for by both these kinds of word is signified and shewn to us the salvation obtained for us through Christ. Moreover it were added that it was impossible that the sacraments should be worthily received, unless those whe rcceive them have beforehand that which is signified by them; for unless faith is present they are always received unworthily; but if they who come to the sacraments are endued with faith, they have already received through faith the grace which is proclaimed to us in the sacraments, and then the reception and use of the sacraments is the seal and obsignation of the promise already apprehended.... We were anxious that these things should be determined and established by authority concerning the sacraments, that their use might be restored at length to a state of purity and simplicity. But it was opposed...and there are innumerable impediments, and they mutually succeed one another, so as to retard day after day the restoration of the worship of God. A work of so great labour is it to bring back into the Church pure truth. But we must not on that account despair; nay, we are not a little confident that that may

CORRESPONDENCE-THE RITUALS OF THE CHURCH.

be accomplished at some other time, which has now failed of success.'

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Mr.Goode, in his notes on this letter, would persuade us that Martyr's "confidence," expressed in the last passage here quoted, was realized by the publication of the Articles in 1553; and that he was previously satisfied with the Prayer-Book in which the baptismal service is substantially the same that it now is. But all he says to evince his satisfaction with the Prayer-Book is contained in the following passage of the above extract, as yet things remain to a great extent as they were before, except that the book or order of ecclesiastical rites and the administration of the sacraments is reformed, for all things are removed from it which could nourish superstition." But then he goes on to say, "But the chief reason why other things that were purposed were not effected, was that the subject of the sacraments stood in the way; not truly as regards transubstantiation, or the real presence;... but whether grace is conferred by virtue of the sacraments, is a point about which many are in doubt." The plain meaning of which seems to be, that though superstitious observances were abolished, the doctrine taught in the sacramental services (especially in that of baptism, which is the especial subject of his remarks, which follow) was left in an unsatisfactory state; and that a substantial revision could not be effected

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because of opponents. His "satisfaction with the Prayer-Book, as Mr. Goode terms it, amounted to nothing more than an approval of its purification from what could nourish superstition. And it seems evident from his language throughout the above extract, that his "anxiety" is not about a dogmatic declaration, concerning the doctrine of the sacraments-such as was then in preparation, and which was so satisfactorily embodied in the Articles of 1552but about a further purification of the rituals. "We were anxious," he says, "that these things should be determined concerning the sacraments, that THEIR USE might at length be restored to a state of purity and sim

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plicity;" and he laments that so many impediments "retarded day by day the restoration of the worship of God." "A work of so great labour," he adds, "is it to bring back into the Church pure truth.' If he were altogether satisfied with the rituals, why should he be so anxious that the USE of the sacraments should at length be restored to a state of purity and simplicity? This term implies that he had in view the ritual used in the administration of the sacraments, and especially (as the sentences which follow show) the baptismal rituals.

But if, as Mr. Goode supposes, all his anxiety was about the publication of the Book of Articles, even on such a supposition, his satisfaction with the ritual could not have been very great, since, by his own admission, "the use of the sacraments was not in a state of purity and simplicity, which it would have been, if it had clearly and unequivocally expressed the true doctrine.

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Consequently, even on Mr. Goode's view of the subject (which, for the above reasons, I do not think to be the correct one) viz., that "the business, which was desired by all good men, and which the king had not a little at heart, and which could not be accomplished," was the publication of the Book of Articles; which, moreover, was accomplished a few months afterwards. Even on this view, can we imagine that Martyr had much "satisfaction with the Prayer-Book,' when he was so anxious that there should be an authoritative declaration, in order that "the use of the sacraments," and "the worship of God," should be restored to a state of purity and simplicity? If the baptismal ritual wanted an authoritative declaration to explain it,-and it is evident that the sacrament of baptism is what he chiefly has in view in his letter,-lest its use should be perverted, it could not have a very high place in his estimation.

Whichever view we take of the above letter of Peter Martyr, I think the fair conclusion we must come to is, that he, and those Reformers who were like-minded with himself, would have heartily joined in any well-con

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