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I ¦ « , ¦ .. » ¦ . To the Editor of the Monthly Repository .
Sir , I have perused with great pleasure a late publication by Basil Montague , Esq . entitled , iC A Selection of the Principal Treatises , which have appeared on the Subject of the Punishment of Crimes by Death . " It gave me much satisfaction to observe , that this Selection had been made bv the
desire and published at the expense of a Society formed in London , for obtaining a revisal of our criminal code ; and this sa ~ tisfaction was increased on observing , that this important subject was in the hands of that eminent lawyer , Sir Samuel Rom illy , whose excellent " Observations on
the- Thoughts on Executive Justice ' ' are among the most valuable articles in the volume above referred to . It is a subject which has long engaged the attention of your present correspondent ; as
this sanqe valume will perhaps enable some of your readers to discover , whether any of them will be likely to feel an interest in the perusal of the following family prayer , composed and used on the morning of the day when an execution of two unfortunate convicts was , to take piace shortly after his settlement in an assize towiij you will perHaps be more capable of forming an impartial judgment . If you think it likely to excite or strengthen any sentiments favourable to the cau ^ e of humanity , it is . at yo \ ir service , Iain , &c , V . F . Aug . 37 , 1784 . <* O Cod , the former of our bodies , the father of our
spirits , and the ' giver of every good and every perfect gift ; whose favour is life , and whose loving kindness is better than life ; on whose protection we
continually depend , of" whose bounty we daily partake , and to whom we are indebted for every thing which we enjoy . We bless theefor the comforts of the present life , but especially that thou hast placed ua in Jft that we might be educated and fitted for another . We bless
thee for the means < w instruction < with which we are favoured , in the works of thy han ds * the , orders of , thy providence and especially the gpspel of our Lord Jesus Christ , whose precepts we would take for the guides of dnr
conduct , whose example we would set before us aa the pattern of our , ; lives , and whose promises we . wpuld receive as our most animating motive to a patieut continuance in all weil-doing .
** We pray that we may fee enabled to make a proper use of all the various occurrences an 4 cyents , wjiich , ia ; the course of thy providence , may be permitted to befal ourselves , or to happen to others . Particularly dispose us , gracious Eadher , deepjy affected , as we m , ust be . vyith ihe awful public spectacle whicn will lie exhibited this day , to
make the due improvement of it . We lament tHat the effects of ignorance and vice on the passions and hahit ^ of any of bur fellow-men should be so powerful as to lead to flagrant violations of the peace and good onder of society , and call for severe restriction and punishment ; we lament that it should even be judged
expedient to enforce the laws , in many cases , with the awful sanction of Death . We presume not , in « ur addresses to Thee , to arraign whit Thou hitherto permittest to continue ; we rather desire to unite our fervent prayers , that it may please Thee deeply to impress our minds , and the minds of all our
fellowtownsmen and peighbours , with the awful consequences , of offending against ( he laws , of which our unfbrttiffete fel-Ibw-creatures are this cfey tb Bettime so 4 readful an example . And ^ ijatfifiiminal habi | S are contracted by dqtffjits , fyc beseech . thee guac < f us frojfiV tlitt mo $ t distant approach to any ' tHlng wixicji is evil ; I <; st by yielding - ^ Mf ^ met , &
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A FHAYEB O"N TJIE HOUNING OF AK . IX ^ CUTIQS ...
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1810, page 578, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2411/page/6/
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