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    drawn into closer union . They have no mean number of supporters in the bosom of the . church of England , a net they may safely reckon upon nine-tenths of the persons not in communion with the established church , Even

    the Quakers have shewn a leaning to the Evangelical religionists . In fact the liberal part of the clergy , with their adherents ai ^ d supporters amongst the ' body of the people , and the Unitarian dissenters , are the only classes that oppose any obstacle to their progress .

    Their numerical strength gives them necessarily great influence . They have invaded the Navy , they thrive at the Bank , they bear sway at the India-house , they count several votes in parliament , and they have g -t a footing in the Royal Palace . Their activity is

    incredible . They are establish - ing new institutions for party - purposes every day ; and some of the old public establishments are fast falling into their hands . Scarcely a town or village of note in the kingdom but has a place or places set apart for Evangelical preaching , which is usually

    iolloweci by crowds . Numerous academies supply annual swarms of ministers . Nay ^ every congregation is a nurser } for preachers , and that congregation is most honored which can pc ^ int cut

    the greatest number of popular preachers of its own calling * . Under these circumstances , it requires no penetration to foresee that , unless some new measures be adopted by the clergy and the rational dissenters , the mass of

    * •* He ( Mr . Aldridge , minister of a methodist chapel in Jewry Street , ) . had the singular felicity of introducing into the ministry sixteen or seventeen youn % men , from his own communion . " Hist , of Dissenting Churched , by W . Wihon ^ No . ii . p . 131 ,

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    the population of the country will fall under the management of the Evangelical ministry . The Legislature can do - nothing , and ought to do nothing . Argument must be opposed by argument ,

    preaching by preaching . The Evangelical party are a religious denomination . The spring which sets the whole body in motion \ % religious zeal . They cannot be curbed by legislative restraints , unless conscience is to be forced .

    As to privileges and immunities they-enjoy none , at least uq more than all dissenting ministers of every denomination claim and enjoy . Lay-preachers , that is persons engaged in secular employments , are exempted from no burden , by virtue of their being qualified teachers .

    It may however be taken for granted that no effectual check will be given to the Evangelical preachers by the exertions of the clergy ; and the liberal dissenters ait too small in number and too indisposed to hard work to put

    themselves forward in a service which is attended with difficulty which will lie in the face of n > proach , and which the church of Kugland who will most benefit by it , ( in a temporal sense ) will be the lasi to acknowledge . The

    consequence will be , that the people will be given up to the Evangelical body ; parish churches , except such as are supplied with clergymen of this denomination , will be deserted ; the church will gradually widen her doors to the sect , till the 39 articles will he generally believed , and the per-

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    504 Rcviezv . — Hints on Evangelical Preaching .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1808, page 504, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2396/page/48/