On this page

• Text (3)

  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.

  • 

    %4&2 ,TE£ LEADER, [No. 510. Pec. 31, 185...

  • 

    -Trr»»« THE STEENCTH OP NATIONS. By

  • 

    COLUMBUS; OR, THJE N^W WOliLD. A Poem, B...

• 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.

    Literary Notes Of The Week

    dependent , contingent life ; ? we « an have little doubt of its ultimate decay ; we can have no certainty of its contuauing life ; ' WJien that wMch is perfect is come , ' the .. Apostle says , ' that which is in part shall be done away . '" Putting these considerations together , it seems only natural that Quakerism should decay- The real question at issue isj whether its decay be premature ;—whether it is about to die , by its own fault , before its mission be fulfilled , before its task is ended ? /¦ Mr . Hancock points with justiciable pride to ^ he fact that Quakerism has had its mission and its task . It has borne successful witness against the world for the great doctrine of interior ,

    illumination , and in the seventeenth century established it as a theological truth , when the so-called orthodox had begun to doubt its validity . To this , it added the possibility of personaldnspiration for every man , in . modern as well as in ancient times . We may mention , by the way , that Modern Philosophy , gives its sanction to both these dogmas , and is now the main buttress of support to the Ancient Theology . The schools are in this more scriptural than the Church , and do ' their- ' duty of . keeping watch on the-latter , and of compelling her , by criticism , to correct her errors

    and omissions , sometimes from interested motives , in her doctrinal enunciations . What ^ ays Chalybaus ? His words are very pertinent and .-most important . " Philosophy must , " according to him , *' certainly look with indifference at the so-called consequences of a system * even if the latter were to consist of discrepancies with the orthodoxy of the church ; for granted , even , i & at Christianity is the pure truth , who can answer for the orthodoxy prevalent at any one period being pure Christianity ? A philosophical system which opposes the latter may possibly be more Christian than the that it is

    latter itself ; and , in feet , Mstory proves philosophy which .. has incessantly co-operated in the laboratory of the Church as a most active servant in assisting to purify her dogmas . " Singularly , enough , this- mission has frequently been entrusted by Providence to rude- and uninstructed minds , such as Jacob Bohmeand George Fox , and by such despised instruments have the highest truths been the most enthusiastically and efficiently promulgated . Even such a purifying philosophy fell to the charge of Quakerism ; appealing-, however , rather to the religious instincts than to the speculative reason .

    concert-room or the singing party . " -So of theatres , so of art exhibitions . 'Nevertheless , the Quakers have made some noble demonstrations , « s very properly insisted on by Mr . Rowntree , whose prize essay is less philosophical than Mr . Hancock ' s , and deals more with the outer life of the sect ; witness the effoKts of Clarkson and Wilberforce , how they were helped on by the Quakers , and the general character of philanthropy earned for the sect by so many of its leading members . "• Mr . Rowntsee

    principally refers the decline of the society * to its severe discipline , particularly in relation to the article of marriages with non-members , and the growing secularity of many of its younger branches . All these are natural causes , and might liave been expected . Mr . Hancock prefers to take a higher ground . The doctrines of Quakerism are no longer peculiar . The highest class of philosophical and theological minds , not excepting even the followers of Pusey , now admit and enforce the doctrines which the

    founders of Quakerism so strenuously advocated . There is a general tendency to the catholic centre * into which Quaker dogmas , with others , are refunded . The need for the sectarian badge , therefore , no longer exists—nay , its continuance is injurious . The time has coine when the . conscientious Friend must reclaim for mankind , what he had given to a party . In that case the course of conduct is clear . The formalisms of a mere sect may retain attractions for the narrow-minded or unthinking , but the larger spirit of intelligent men will repudiate them with instinctive propriety .

    The enquiries that have been made are designed , of course , to lead to some practical issue . What more practical than a public declaration , setting forth the real state of the case , and the abandonment , therefore , of all mere sectarian peculiarities , repudiating the name Quaker altogether , and demanding recognition simply as a Society of Christian Friends , who interpret the doctrines of religion in the purest spiritual eense , and avoid all superstitious customs and bibliolatry on principle f Such a society would have no chance of decay , but would daily increase in number , power , and influence .

    The courage of the . founders has not continued to their successors , who , forming a body in secession , have sought , for traditions to _ guide them , instead of depending on divine illumination . They have regarded Fox and others more than the iWord by which he and they were originally guided , and which would have "guided their ' followers alsorhad '* h e latter bravery claimed to be men , as their predecessors did , Thus is ¦ it ever that superstition grows on true religion . The ancient Quakers , says Mr , Hancock , bore witness against evert / . appearance of evil , in fact , against the evil principle ; the modern select certain ancient

    real and supposed evils . The . Quakers witnessed to the presence of the Divine Word in man ; the modern testify to ,: certain duties . But , then , mark the essential difference in a few expressive wobcIs : " the ancient Quaker witness does not necessarily involve Quakerism ;"—while "Quakerism hinders and contradicts that witness . " George Fox was not himself a Quaker , but a man m whose life and speech Quakerism had its origin and birth . Deep matter of reflection in that I Had every Quaker since Fox been suck a man as he , there would have been no such ism } but the common . truth bo . manifested would have shone with a pure light , and the number of men truly confessing it been much augmented .

    ; The , error , however , commenced with Gl-eorge Fox himaelf v who too strongly impressed his own personal character on theliodyof believers , and thus generated the conditions of a aect ,. and 8 ubetituted his own deductions and inferences for the principle in which they originated . In proportion lashQ did thisj Jhe leffc the catholic basis . on which ¦ he had originally- stood . His formalisms and prov > $$ biiions nodi a contracting tendency . Fox , for iinntancce * opposed himself to , music . How , music « % ;« ttin , eed f oi ~ -iaM » implanted by his . Quaker . What . iaj , thev result ' , of t , this ? ' ¦ vWihy ,.. Qunkerimn . jmuat 'i # m ««^ t « i |) b an 4 i is bo ; £ ox wo . . longer Wtitofafe ; ^^ t »« anriotMbo ^ ktagdoaw for aM ptacoij (» nd ^ tun

    %4&2 ,Te£ Leader, [No. 510. Pec. 31, 185...

    % 4 & 2 , TE £ LEADER , [ No . 510 . Pec . 31 , 185 ? -.

    -Trr»»« The Steencth Op Nations. By

    them . "In such a state of things it is manifest that the lives and properties of the sheep must enjoy but small security , either against their own , or against foreign wolves . " He quotes Mr Pulteney , as saying in Parliament , in 1732 , that "by means of their standing armies the nations around us have every one lost their libertiesit is , indeed , impossible that the liberties of the people can be preserved in any country where a numerous standing army is kept up . " With tbia cheap defence Mr . Bissett contrasts the " dear defence , "—namely , the system which for the last two hundred years has been hurrying England to her fate , and on which it is now drifting with a constantly increasing velocity . The fundamental

    THE STBENGTH OF NATIONS . By Andrew Bissett . —Smith , Elder , and Co . „' The apprehension of invasion has , at least , given us ope good book— -one , indeed , bo good that we wish it were better . The wealth of nations has been argumentatively considered ; but the strength of nations , without which that wealth cannot be guarded , still wants its interpreter , the author states , and illustrates his opinions with reference to historical precedents . Hence , in discussing his subject , he brings forward as -witnesses the Spartans , Athenians , Romans , Spaniards , and Turks . Space would fail us to pursue him through the winding paths and entangled ' wildernesses of such a route as this . The gist of all this learned allusion is , that without bodily training in the use of arms , a people must necessarily decline . Our forefathers instituted butts , and practised archery 5 we must have militiamen , who should practise the rifle and the bayonet . A nation , however brave , says Mr . Bissett , if totally unaccustomed to the use of arms , may be slaughtered like sheep . What follows is immensely important : —

    " In regard to the machinery for carryingout tho substitution of riflo target practice for the old shooting at tlio parish butts , tho parish records of England point out the course to be pursued . It appears from those records , that every pariah was bound to furnish butts and a certain supply of bows and arrows . So now every pariah should be bound by law to supply a certain number of rifles . From the extent of ground requisite , every parish will not

    bo able to have a rifle target at least , in large towns . But one thing Is evident , that if this institution is to be permanent—and otherwise it will be of no use—wo cannot trust for its permanonoy to riflo clubs or to voluntary subsoriptipn . Tho institution must be made a part of those public duties of which the law enforces the strict , and regular , and unremitted per-JEbrnaance ,- for tho common well-bwing and safety of ithe * whole nation . "

    This system the author calls " tho cheap dofonoo of , . jiations , " and opposes to Adam Smith ' s theory of . Oj , Rtft » 4 » ng , a 0 ny , which he characterises . as . a planvioi ? frqgar 4 ing the population of a country as a flock of sheep with a pack of wolves , to 4 ettw * d

    constitution of England has been fatally abandoned in favour of new and dishonest schemes for the benefit of the landowners . According to the former , England now , instead of having a debt of more than eight hundred millions , would , allowing for the increased population , and the increased value of the land , have the power of raising , at twenty-four hours' or twelve hours ' notice , an army of six hundred thousand of the best soldiers , and a navy in proportion of the best sailors in the world . The relative condition of England and France enhances greatly the value of Mr . Bissett ' s remarks ; and his work , on the whole , though in some parts inclined towards pedantry , deserves careful perusal and serious attention .

    Columbus; Or, Thje N^W Wolild. A Poem, B...

    COLUMBUS ; OR , THJE N ^ W WOliLD . A Poem , By Britannicus . —Alfred W . Bennett . This poem is an ambitious attempt fit the heroic in a new style—namely ,, the familiar . . The different cantos , amounting to thirteen , are" in various measures , the ballad form prevailing . We select a passage from a canto in a more quiulous vein . It will be seen , however , that Britannicus sticks to facts as they are chronicled , and rises very little above the plain historical statement : — The . inonaiiM * roso npoh a boundless sea ; Oh every hand deep , only called to deep ; No other sail the dome around enclosed , As gazing- forth from their unquiet sleep The sailors thought but on their woes to weep . Not so did he who led the bold emprise , His faith grew stronger as each wave wjih crossed ; He summoned them each morn and eve to prayer . And in the future all the past he lost , Whilst bis good ship was on the billows tossed . Nothing was left undone which could ensure Success to his long-cherished enterprise ; Each star was marked , from the great cynosure Which did entrance the common seaman ' s eyes , Down to the humblest , in . the northern skies . And soon he noticed what , unknown before , Is now received , and as a world-wide fact . The needle vary from its steady pole , And then the cause his busy reason racked . Which soon he found ns ho tlio bright star tracked :

    At least , he thought that ho had found the cause . And this suUlced his fears to set at runt ; So when the pilots noticed the same thin ;;' . Ho said " thCtStar did morv "—roaalvu the b <' . sf , Since for the cause deep thought is still iu < juost . Now food for wonder was each day supplied . As onward still the daring Hoot advimcvu ; Now iu the air , then in the uky or llooil , As to each clement in turn tlioy primmed . Whilst o ' or the rolling wuvo their light ships danced . To-day a bank of cloud , as like the land Ah anything so aerial could be , A meteor , a lightning streak , a band Of porpoisofl upon tho distant sou . Puzzling tho sailors much what they might In . And then a plank , rent like a pioco of rnw From some strong bark , or else a brokon npar , To nourish thoughts of danger yot to conn ' , , How near they could not toll , nor yot . how Jar , But aunt by henvon thoir lurcher oourwo to bar , Ho reasoned all , save but a fow nt most , Upon each fragment of tho dcup oast up ; . .. They wore , they thought , but courting certain donth , And / llllng for their draught ita bit tor oup ; Why not givo thoir rash luador hiu last « up ? Who among nil tho crow his loan would mourn , If ovorboard tho Admiral thoy hurlod ? HiH body by no ohanco eoul < J o ' tir b < i borno Upon tho Atlantic waters , smooth or ourlod , To toll tho talo of blood to tho old world . And then nomo bettor thoughts booamo supremo , And thoir wornfc nature for n lime laid by i To evil drawn if in tho aoa they loolcod , To butter things 1 ! 'gazing on tho sky , Ah if they saw therein tho Omntooiont oyo . And bo on , acoording to the letter of the record . The reader will pevooivo , from aomo nuStwcontuationa , that tho author haa yot tho art ot writing in motto to learn ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 31, 1859, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31121859/page/18/