to consent to an equal division of land, and to adopt various other regulations the most contrary to their preconceived prejudices? No: It was by an appeal to their understandings, in the midst of long debate and perpetual counteraction, and through the inflexibility of his courage and resolution, that he at last attained his purpose. Lycurgus thought proper, after the whole was concluded, to obtain the sanction of the Oracle, concluding that it was his duty to neglect no method of substantiating the benefit he had conferred upon his countrymen. It is indeed hardly possible to persuade a society of men to adopt any system without convincing them that it is their wisdom to adopt it. It is difficult to conceive of a society of such miserable dupes, as to receive a code without any imagination that it is reasonable, wise or just ; but upon this single recommendation, that it is delivered to them from the gods. The only reasonable and infinitely the most efficacious method of changing the Institutions of any people is, by creating in them a general opinion of their erroneousness and insufficiency. "How many arts, and how noxious to those towards whom we employ them, are necessary if we would successfully deceive [in the affairs of government!] We must not only leave their reason in indolence at first, but endeavour to supersede its exertion in any future instance. If men be for the present kept right by prejudice, what will become of them hereafter, if, by any future penetration, or any accidental discovery, this prejudice shall be annihilated? Detection is not always the fruit of systematical improvement, but may be effected by some solitary exertion of the faculty, or some luminous and irresistible argument, while everything else remains as it was. If we would first deceive and then maintain our deception unimpaired, we shall need penal statutes and licensers of the press, and hired ministers of falsehood and imposture. "Authority [it is said by Burke and others] ought carefully to be invested with a sort of magic persuasion. Citizens should serve their country, not with a frigid submission that scrupulously weighs its duties, but with an enthusiasm that places its honour in its loyalty. For this reason, our governors and superiors must not be spoken of with levity. They must be considered, independently of their individual character, as deriving a sacredness from their office. They must be accompanied with splendour and veneration. Advantage must be taken of the imperfections of mankind. We ought to gain over their judgments through the medium of their senses, and not leave the conclusion, to be drawn, to the uncertain process of immature reason.' This is still the same argument under another form. It takes for granted that reason is inadequate to teach us our duty and of consequence recommends an equivocal engine, which may with equal ease be employed in the service of justice and injustice; but would surely appear somewhat more in its place in the service of the latter. It is injustice that stands most in need of mystery and superstition, and will most frequently be a gainer by the imposition." Political Justice, Vol. II. p. 505-507. : ART. VI. FABLES, &C. IN VERSE AND PROSE-CONTINUED. The two Mules. Phædr. 2. 7. Proud of his Silver load, The foremost mule of two, along the road Less lofty hangs his head, Cross'd with a weight of Barley in a sack. Unkind and harsh would seem Nor should we him despise Who does some mean but onerous office bear. Robbers were on the way, The drivers flee, the mules become their prey; But of his burthen ease The meaner beast, and the wood's covert gain. The bashful man: a Fragment. ‡ Here is your modest man, your man of merit, Pants not to see his graven likeness hung But what says he in his heart? Ö, that my merit To freer action, to athletic struggle: Then would I do great things: my voice should ever Of self-applauding sophistry, foul vice, And full-fed insolence, with severe reproof! But come: how shall the world thy worth appreciate, Or give free scope to thy well meant endeavour, By some assault upon her enemies? Go forth in this thy might!-Alas, the first Sneer of proud scorn, or, worse, cold hearted malice Shall damp the generous ardour of his breast, And conscience, now, the soldier to the field.— They fight, and stand to it, who nought fear so much Date about 1810-but the conclusion recent. Communications may be addressed, POST-PAID, H. For the Editor of the Yorkshireman, "at the Printer's, Pontefract; at Longman and Co.'s, London; John Baines and Co.'s Leeds; and W. Simpson's, York. CHARLES ELCOCK, PRINTER, PONTEFRACT. THE YORKSHIREMAN, A RELIGIOUS AND LITERARY JOURNAL BY A FRIEND. No. XVI. PRO PATRIA. SIXTH DAY, 1st THIRD Mo. 1833. PRICE 4d. ART. I.-A Chronological summary of events and circumstances, connected with the origin and progress of the doctrine and practices of the Quakers. The following Summary will probably be found acceptable and useful to many members of the Society of Friends; as well as informing to such persons, not of their communion, as may want leisure to search their Historians for facts and dates; while they yet desire an accurate knowledge of these to a certain extent, for the purposes of religious inquiry, discussion, and controversy. I say controversy, because I believe it is better, for humanity and Christianity both, that even those who may incline to oppose this system, should set out as well informed concerning it, as a reasonable share of time and pains bestowed in the search can make them. And for our own members, who have the occasional task of the Respondent to execute, it must obviously be convenient to have such a Table to turn to. I have, inyself, a further purpose in this compilation: meaning to take such occasions as present, for a free discussion of certain points of doctrine and practice, not hitherto enough sifted by Friends (as to their necessity and soundness, on Scripture principles) or which may seem to admit of a vindication in terms not hitherto employed by writers, on our side of the great Church-Reform question. The undertaking will probably not be completed, without running, by portions like the present, through many succeeding numbers of my Periodical. A. D. George Fox born (of parents of the class of yeomanry, at 1624. Drayton in the Clay, Liecestershire) who growing up with a more than ordinary share of serious impressions, as to the nature and end of the Christian religion, in 1643 Leaves his home to travel; devoting himself to religious inquiry, contemplation and prayer, and the reading of Holy Scripture. The Civil war begins. 1645. 1648. Geo. Fox, returning to his native place, has conferences with his parish priest, as before with several other priests: none of whom are found capable of satisfying his inquiries about "the ground of despair and temptations," or of otherwise removing his religious trouble of mind. Episcopacy abolished by the Republican party in Parliament. Geo. Fox begins his public ministry: the principles of which, as discoverable in his account of himself, and of his previous examination of the grounds of difference between him and his cotemporaries, on religious subjects, are as follows: 1. That although it was said that all Christians were believers, both Protestants and Papists, yet that none were true believers but such as were born of God, and had passed from death unto life. (a) 2. To the question, "What is a church," he had replied, that the church was the pillar and ground of the Truth, made up of living stones, living members; a spiritual household of which Christ was the head; but that he was not the head of a mixed multitude, or of an old house, made of lime, stone and wood. (b) Let us here examine this so freely used (and as some of us think, so much abused) term. Church, Johnson says, is Kirke Saxon, Kuriaké, Greek: but this kuriaké being an adjective, a substantive belonging to it must be understood. This I suppose to be, hemera day-the meaning, the Lord's day; because on that day the members of the society came together: whence first the assembly, and then the house came to be called the Church -The Lord's day; the Lord's meeting; the Lord's meeting house; such appears to have been the transition in the minds of the unreflecting multitude. Tooke says, «Church is an adjective, Dominicum aliquid; and formerly a most wicked one, whose misinterpretation caused more slaughter and pillage of mankind, than all the other cheats put together." (c) Ekklesia, Gr. the New Testament term, signifies literally "the called out," to wit, from the world and from Heathen (a) Journal of his Life, fol. 1765. p. 5. Comp. John iii, 3-6, 16, 36. v, 24. xi, 25, 26. 1 John iii, 14. v, 1. (b) 1 Tim. iii, 15. 1 Peter ii, 4, 5. Eph. i, 22; iv, 15, 16. Col. i, 18; ii, 19. (c) Epea pteroenta pt. 2, p. 19. A. D. darkness and Idolatry, to serve God in newness of life, and 1648. worship him in society together. 3. That being bred at Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to fit and qualify men to be ministers of Christ; notwithstanding it was the common belief of people that such qualification was sufficient. On the contrary, that none can be ministers of Christ Jesus but in the Eternal spirit-which was before the Scriptures were given forth-for if they have not his spirit they are none of his. (d.) 4. That the true believers required no man to teach them, but as the anointing teacheth; for that there is an anointing within man, to teach him,—and that the Lord would teach his people himself. (e) 5. That God who made the world, did not dwell in temples made with hands, consequently, though both priests and people were used to call their temples, or churches, dreadful places, holy ground, and the temples of God, yet they were not in reality such nor had any inherent sanctity in them. On the contrary 6. That the people of God were his temple; and that he dwells in them [to wit, in their hearts individually, and collectively in the whole body of believers]. (ƒ) On these grounds, he had forsaken the ministry of the national priesthood; yet was not satisfied to join with any separate people then existing. In this year he records the following rudiments of the quaker doctrine, "The Lord God opened to me by his invisible power how every man was enlightened by the Divine light of Christ. I saw it shine through all; and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation to the light of life, and became the children of it; but they that hated it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it; though they made a profession of Christ. This I saw in the pure openings of the light, without the help of any man; neither did I then know where to find it in the Scriptures; though afterwards, searching the Scriptures, I found it." (g) "I was sent to turn people from the darkness to the light, that they might receive Christ Jesus; for to as many as should receive him in his light, 1 saw he would give power to become the sons of God, which I had obtained by receiving Christ. (h) I was to direct people to the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, by which they might be led into all truth, and up to Christ and God; as those had been who gave them forth. I (d) Journ. p. 11. 1 Cor. ii, 4, 5; vi, 17; xii, 4. 2 Cor. iii, 6. Gal. iii, 5. Eph. ii, 18. 1 Peter iv, 10, 11. (e) 1 John ii, 27. Comp. Exod. xl, 15, spiritually applied, and see Barclay in a Note forward. (f) Mark xiv, 18. John ii, 19, 21. 1 Cor. iii. 16; vi. 19. 2 Cor. vi, 16. Rev. xxi, 22. Jour. p. 5. (g) John i. 4, 9; iii, 19-21; viii, 12. Eph. v, 8-14. 1 Thess. v. 5-8. (h) John i, 11-13. |