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So much as to the Sponsorship referred to and necessitated by this Catechism: before coming to particulars, one word of general observation may suffice for the Catechism itself.

Considered as involving a declaration of persuasion in relation to a body of speculative religious doctrine-a declaration to be made, by a child but just emerged from infancy-by a being in whose mind the faculty of reason has but just begun to put itself forth-in the very nature of the species of composition called a Catechism, there is a peculiar, and that a flagrant, degree of inaptitude.

At this age, in relation to any such subject, a declaration of persuasion, what can it be but an untruth?—the habit of making such declarations, what is it but an habitual course of lying ?-the obligation to which the child is thus subjectedthe obligation of continuing in this course, what is it but an obligation to enter upon and continue in a course of lying ?-If, by the helpless subjection and blameless ignorance attached to that age, the child itself stands exempted from all guilt,—can any such exemption be for a moment supposed to extend itself to any of those in whose situation no such excuse-no such cause of exemption-is to be found? To the open-eyed, and deliberate, and determined teachers and suborners of immorality in this shape?

Meantime an indication, given in this place is that,

which may already be as of this formulary, so

of every other formulary, and every other characteristic part of Church of England discipline and doctrine, if not the justificative, the final and efficient cause, stands full in the face of every one who dares look at it: it may be seen in the situation of the rulers of the Church, and the sinister interest, that springs out of that source. Under every system of government, in proportion as it is corrupt, it is the interest of the ruling few that the intellectual, and thence the moral part of the public mind, should be in the most perfect and convenient state of depravation possible:-that, on the part of the subject many, in the words of his Lordship of London, the "prostration of under"standing and will" should be as abject and as universal as possible: that, being themselves enured and habituated to the violation of all engagements and all other moral duties, the like violation, on the part of those their superiors, should on every occasion be in their eyes an object of indifference :that to take this one example out of a thousandChurch falsehoods and Church sinecures being regarded not merely as objects of indifference, but as sacred,-State falsehoods and state sinecures may at the least be regarded as objects of indifference. And, under a system of all pervading corruption,under which, while all powers are real, all checks are nominal,-these, though never reduced to writing, nor ever settled in concert-(for where co-operation without concert suffices, concert, having its

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dangers, is worse than useless)-these then are the terms-the too well established and by the ruling few too generally understood and fulfilled termsof the so insolently trumpeted, and too really existing, Alliance,-between Church and State.

"I conclude," (says Dr. Bell, Elements of Tuition, Part II. Edit. 1814, p. 377,)" I conclude with "the conclusion of the Instructions for the establish"ing and conducting Regimental Schools."*-Good: and to the present purpose a more apt conclusion could not be found. "The attention, (continues the doctor)" the attention of every person, directing "and superintending a school, is particularly called "to watch over the moral and religious conduct of "the children; and to implant in them, as well by "daily practice, as by perfect instruction in the "books recommended for that purpose, such habits

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as may best conduce to guard them against the "vices to which their condition is peculiarly liable. "In particular, the most rigid observance should be "enforced of the grand virtue of truth, both for its

own sake, and as supplying one of the readiest "means of correcting vice of every kind. On this

ground, a lie should never be excused; and a "fault, aggravated by a lie, should always be "punished with exemplary severity."

Punished, say you?-Oh yes, good Doctor,

* Printed and sold by Authority, by W. Clowes, Northumberland Court, Strand, 1811. Price 6d.

punished they should be. Punished?-but who? the innocent or the guilty? the helpless infant, or the grey-headed suborners, and inexcusable authors of the unwitting and unwilling transgression of the thus gradually and insensibly corrupted innocents?

"Those portions of their religious books should "be strongly rivetted in their minds," continues the Reverend Doctor," which warn against lying,"

'. then follows a list of other transgressions, of which lying, we see, stands at the head:-Oh yes, good Doctor, rivetted in their minds should those books be, by which this pander to all vices and all crimes, is warned against. But, out of those same tender and susceptible minds, with how much more anxious care should be kept the poison of that book, by which that vice of all vices is not only forced into practice, but inculcated as the first and most sacred of all duties?

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THE

Church of England Catechism

EXAMINED.

Question 1.

WHAT is your name?

Answer. (Pronouncing the child's name.)
Question 2. Who gave you that name?

Answer. My Godfathers and my Godmothers in my baptism(1); wherein I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven (2).

OBSERVATIONS.

(1). [Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism.]— Thus far the answer appears not to stand exposed to any considerable objection: it being supposed, that to this examination no child is subjected, on whom the ceremony called baptism has not been performed. So far as this is true, the answer is nothing more than the statement of a matter of fact, of the existence of which, though, generally speaking, it is not possible the child should have any

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