Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 19th August 1854, Edition 2 of 2, Page 16, 784 TaE ' lEADER. CS attjrd a y ,

Page 16
Page 16
16 of 24

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Do Stiraeons Make Experoients Dst Corpob...

      tees of the science ( if we may venture so to call that which seems to consist of experiments ) . We can afford to overlook a mistake now and then , and even to pardon an experimental , a speculative incision , occasionally , where death was certain anyhow , and future sufferers might reap some benefit by the lesson in experience , —but there are cases , as that lately pronounced upon by a non-medical jury , of the most unmitigated blundering—an experiment of ignorance , conducted without skill or even humanity , and of which we are quite prepared to maintain the opinion that has so aggravated our respectable professional contemporary—viz ., that such fumbling experiments are reserved for the corpora pauperum ;

      just as the friends of the dead pauper are compelled to pocket their prejudices against dissection , because they can't pay th 0 burial fees , "It will not do for our movincial friends to be oversensitive about the naorlnty of the profession—not the personal , but the professional , honesty for the daily practice of which the fees are paid ; we can have nothing , to gain by uttering slanders and vulgar calumnies , howeyer useful such weapons may be to the professional litterateurs of the body ; but we may Temind the profession of the inany avenues of fraud , under the guise pf skill ; that are followed so profitably by so iriariy of its members ; deliberate experin > ehts upon the credulity of the trusting ^

      patients , when the man . of skill succeeds in persuading his victim , who is only too willing to find he has some terrible malady , that ther ailment exists , while lie knows it to be all a sham i ^ as an instance , we might call to mind the example ¦ of the late practitioner at Bath , who found the same horrible disease in every one who consulted him , and , that it only required Ms extraordinary skin to find it out- The sick public believedhim ; and he made a fortune We leave our provinciar jdnrn ? dist to moralise on this , and the inany similar . schemes going on ; now , which will reward ah ^ exppsture , even at the hands of a medical brother . We shall claim his thanks for having ventilated the question in bur own way . "

      784 Tae ' Leader. Cs Attjrd A Y ,

      784 TaE ' lEADER . CS attjrd a y ,

      The Duties Of The Clergy. I^^Je Dit^^Ihe...

      THE DUTIES OF THE CLERGY . i ^^ JE dit ^^ ihe J ^ ader ^ Sib , — ' ¦ You : are publishing a series of not uninteresting papers , headed " A Clergyrnan ' s ' Experience of Society , " the mqr > l of which would seem tb be that it priest or minister of the English Church must either : W a sham , a pretender , an utter unreality , or find himself , brought into the most direct antagonism to all the dogmas of M the faitU" and all the interests of society . Par be it from ine to deny that great social evils do exist in our age and land ; and ; in particular , that ; there is a wide and yawning cleft betwixt the artisan class , and their appointed teachers . The self-educated ; who are often men of keen

      understanding— -aye , and of singular intellectual ability- —are , perhaps not unnaturally , prejudiced as a body against what may be called , what is generally acknowledged as , " Orthodox Christianity ; " and as much or more so against the Church of England , which to them presents , for the most part at least , the aspect of a moral police ,-paid by their antagonists to keep the . lower glasses in a state of subserviency and quietude . It is < jmte true , accordingly , that men of this class rarely frequent a place of worship * , and still more rarely the parish church . It is further most indubitable that the clergy have an especial call to seek out such men as these , as your contri . butor alleges : but then it is further their bounden

      duty , as he does not allege , to seek to win them to the faith which their ordination vows have bound on their own souls . But if , sir , as this monitor suggests , their only duty be to deliver stirring " social discourses , " then in what respect would their teaching surpass—would it bo likely to equal even—that of Mr , JInaerson and _ Mr . Holyoake—tho teaching which these artisans " possess already , whose benighted state your contributor so inconsistently ( Jeplores ? . Qf course I am placing myself at his point of view when I say this . I believe Mr . Holyoako to be , a clear but somewhat shallow thinker ; sound up to a certain point , however , and decidedly sensible . Mr . Emerson I can only regard , despite his command of language and sometimes happy audacity of thought , aa a fullblown specimen of maniacal transcendental ism . X suppose there is no man Uving who looks

      on him aa a Bound teacher or thinker . But now , sir , allow me to say , in the name of at least a large portion of my brethren , aa -well as my own , that while'we trust we are not shams and pretenders , we ore assuredly not blind to tho « ravinga of the intellectual members of the working classes . But , sir , instead of going amongst thorn to repeat the transcendental commonplaces and inflated platitudes of Emersonianism , by which we greatly doubt if ever human heart was trained to duty—we go amongst them as brothers and as Churchmen , aa well as fellow-citizeno , toj defend and explain those fundamental verities which they have been led unfortunately too commonly to associate with wrong and oppression j to ( solve , as for aa in us lies , their honest doubts ; in fine , while we sympathise with their cares , and aeek to * elioy $ their pressing want » , to teach tho one creed

      of the Universal Church of Christ . The clergy do not think , however , for the most . part , nor do I , that they can do men real service , however they may tickle their vanity and flatter their baser passions , by fiercely assailing all the weaker points of those around them and about them—those who are more fortunate than themselves ; though this is obviously enough your contributor's main specific . I trust , sir , that I am no bigot ; that is , I can understand honest dissent from , and rejection of , revealed religion . Having sojourned many years in Germany , during which German literature was almost necessarily my daily fare , it has fallen to my lot to encounter the arguments of Neology and Pantheism ,

      Hegelian and Schellingian , not in bpoks alone , but also in constant private converse with my friends : and thus I have seen that a Pantheist , a Deist , or an Atheist , might be an honest man . But , sir , I cannot understand ( let the frankness of this confession be forgiven ) the honour of one , who can openly proclaim and boast that he does not hold the fundamental creed of a church of which , he is an officer , sworn and paid . And , sir , to go further , I cannot admit of any possible excuse , or shadow of excuse ; for the taking orders on the part of such a man ; of one who had not only no faith in his own vocation , but no faith in that of . Christ ' s own Church . . No family or other circumstances could justify or even palliate such a sacrifice of ' right

      and truth . How should we yield sympathy to the man who employsi his powers ( whatever they may be ) for the exposition of what he conceives the essential rottenness of the very systein to which he has sworn allegiance , and by which he lives ? But , you , may answer , Does he tell the truth ? ' JDoubtless , what he believes to be the truth ; but , as he started with delusion , howshbuld heapprehend reality ? His notions of duty as a parish pridst . appear to be , that he should denbunce , roughly and iiiicomprbmisihgly , unloyingly too , whatever practical errors he hapjpen $ tp discern around him . Thus his lot is cast in st , sear faring town , which exists by favour of its trade . Forthwith inoney--getting by trade becomes the

      chosen topic- of reprobation ^ The teacher does not essay— - ( fccofcez mpi le' rhpty ) as : a broader intellect might do- —tp master the genius of that which h ? jmpugris . Hedoes not commend , for instance , honest industry , Talprbus endeavour , hearty , earnest , resolution (* Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , do it with thy might ); and thteri proceed to insist on . the necessity of leavening ibis spirit of earnest work with the love of God and man ; for making it conducive to man ' s happiness and God ' s glory ; He does not insist , and affectionately insist , as a Christian teacher ought to do , on . the duty of doing to others as we would be done by , of . dealing kindly witli those whom we employ , of wisely spending bur hours of innocent

      recreation , having , in toil and pleasure , the fear of God before our eyes .,, No : but what does he ? , Svreep ' ingly , unhesitatingly , violently , he denounces the very source of existence to all his hearers . He makes fierce and' repeated onslaughts , he says , on their very livelihood , and then he is surprised that these good people , -for he dubs them thus himself , are not , altogether gratified . Does he happen to be ' acquainted with the " Ciappino" of Mr . Browning's " Soul ' s Tragedy ? " But again he commences a . series of social sormons .-by informing his congregation , that he does not believe in the inspiration of the Old Testament , thereby keenly and cruelly distressing them , cutting away

      aU . ground . from under their feet , openly setting at nought one of the articles to which he has sworn a true allegiance ; and then he makes " a somewhat fierce onslaught ' on vices" which lie knows to prevail amongst the lower classes ( " Ciappino" again ) , which everybody finds " indelicate , " not to say disgusting . Now , Sir , could anything bo more irrational than this , on your contributor's own showing ? From what do the vices proceed which were thus fiercely denounced ? From ignorance , frorn neglect on the part of Church and State , from social mijsqry . And how then should thoy 'be dealt with ? Will the stirring up of a pestiferous mite have'any tendency to sweep that mire away ? Remove the social misery , build better dwellings for tho sufferers , teach them , above all , tho practical duty of self-denial ,

      self-conquest—Without which no wan can foe qthor than a full-grown child—and will these fearful vices still retain existence ? Sir , tho purpose of my present letter is to protest against tho English Church being judged on tho testimony of one who seems incapable of estimating tho needs of tho ago , or of taking a comprehensive viow of society as it exists j who proftsBOB to bo the teacher of a creed which ho rejects , and the prjeat of n Church which he execrates . His obvious duty is to resign the office which ho bo unfortunately holds-, and to this act of common honesty I do moat earnestly exhort him . And bo , sir , I will plainly aufoaqribo myself , not wishing to conceal my name and character , as your obedient servant , AnoixBR GnawEY , Curate of Buckingham .

      [ The author of a " Clergyman ' s ; Experience of Society , " haa coaacd to hold any clerical office . —E » . JiBADMU . J

      Sir B. Hall. (Ito The Editor Of The Lead...

      SIR B . HALL . ( ITo the Editor of the Leader . ) August 15 th . Sib , —If ever there was aa injudicious and unfit appointment in a sanitary or in any other point of view—it is that of Sir Benjamin Hall as President of the Board of Health . I have long considered Sir Benjamin ( commonly called " Bishop Hall" ) as a charlatan in politics , and an ignorant pretender . To illustrate my meaning I will relate one circumstance connected with the Free Library movement in Marylebone . Sir B . Hall is President of this socalled « Free Library , " and on my writing to him to

      request his support of the second reading of Mr . Ewart ' s bill , &« ., fixed for April the 5 th , he replied that his time was c < too much occupied to attend to such questions . " Observe , a petition was sent up from Marylebone and presented by Lord Dudley Stuart , signed by upwards of 1600 persons , praying the Libraries Act of 1850 might be so amehded « as to be capable of adoption for their borough . Will it be credited that Sir Benjamin did not even condescend tp record his vote on the occasion of the second reading of the bill , and that Mr . Ewart ' s amended Act was rejected by a Xiberai , Government—the numbers being 88 against , and 85 for this most enlightened and humanising measure . . ¦ .. ' ¦ ¦¦ Xam , Sh " j your obedient servant , Matthew Hbnky Fbilde .

      The Naval Service. / (Toife Editor Qf Th...

      THE NAVAL SERVICE . / ( Toife Editor qf the Leader J ) SiE ,--Your insertion of my previous letter emboldens - me to addres 3 you again . At the' present time ] when such attention is cfiied to tlie bullying in the Army , ; when recently such a tumult was excited about bully ing in public schools , it is as well that the ill- treatment of youths in tb £ Navy should : nbt be passed over ; for not only a . Te they subject to such evils as those I recorded in my former letter , though such might seem amply ' . sufficient . " for any one to bear- —those are onlyevils to be met with on shoreon board such measures cannot be adoptedr—but in the gun-rooms of . most , vessels , a regular systematic

      course of bullying am ** tyranny : is introduced , a knowledge of which beforehand would dissuade many youths from groing to sea . Tor why do boys go into the- Navy ? Many are sent by their fathers , many go to escapeschpolj and some few are enthusiastic about glory ,, & c ., Those who are sent against their will , do not expect to meet with any pleasure in the service , and are , in consequence , prepared to " rough it out , " and come home to . their . parents after their -first pruize to swear , drink , and corrupt half the village in which they reside . Those who go to escape school ,

      and the disagreeable system of intercourse , the faggings and the " lickings" that generally exist there , find that in the Navy there is school as well as watch , and far more thrashing and tyranny in every shape , than there existed in the school they have escaped from . Those who go from enthusiasm are very soon wearied , and find that the only means of attaining glory in the Na . vy is by being rich and titled . The consequence is tliat Naval men , generally , detest their profession , and say they -would sooner place their sons in a pigsty than in a man-of-war .

      At this stage I shall hear a great outcry raised , and I shall be . told that Captain Cavendish has always thought the Navy one of the best professions that could be chosen . Captain Cavendish , being of a certain family , has always served with certain captains , and has always met with the speediest promotion . Ilia messmates know bettor than to bully him , and the Admiralty knew better than to send him to disagreeable stations , or tp make him servo Under obnoxious captains . If he did anything that required notice , Ins conduct was extenuated ; if ho was to be tried by a court-martial , a picked selection of captains was sent out to try him . He has walked through the service on velvet , and if )} 0 likes it , no one can wonder at his taste . , Qthor officers too havo expressed their sentiments about tho service in a favourable manner . Certainly they have , it is tho

      custom to praise the Navy when you are on shorn . But let any one divide tho warUroom officers of any ship , or tho midshipmen of any ahip , on tho subject , and source two out of forty will deckle in favour of their profession . While in tho Navy inyself , I have frequently asked messmates for their impressions of tho Navy , and I have often heard tho opinions of superior offleors , but I do not recollect hearing one Naynl man , from a captnin down to a cadet or clerk ' s assistant , give a favourable verdict . I havo heard admirula declare their utter unwillingness to send their sons to sea ; and distasteful indeed must that profession be , that is condemned by those who havo ourned its highest posts . Why it should bo so universally doteated , ia porlmpa a question that cannot be caaily answered : some ronsona I will endeavour to suggest in a , future letter , Yours , & Q . Late a Midpy .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 19, 1854, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19081854/page/16/