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Are

By teachable disposition Mr. Jacob here means, of course, the disposition to obey blindly and without inquiry.But is such a disposition really beneficial, either to the peasantry themselves, or to those connected with them? No doubt where such a disposition exists, a people may be more easily deceived; and where deception is assumed to be necessary, whatever tends to sharpen the faculties of the people must be inadmissible. But why deception? Why must men be over-reached? not men guided most surely by their interests? Are obedience and the interest of the obeyer incompatible with each other? And does not knowledge aid men in discovering their true interest? What people are so docile as the Scots, where they perceive it their interest to be so? What a contrast, in this respect, do the peasantry of Scotland present to the same class of people in England! When a new or difficult operation is resorted to; when a colony is first settled, and men are placed amidst discouraging embarrassments--which are the most tractable or teachable, -Scots or English peasants? Yet Mr. Jacob's description shows that the relations between the German clergy and the peasantry are precisely the relations which exist, or did exist till lately, in Scotland. And the same effects too are produced in Germany as in Scotland; for the German peasantry, from their docility, their careful habits, and their orderly behaviour, are preferred as settlers in America, and every other country, which receives colonists.-The habit of examination, or criticism-if Mr. Jacob prefers that word, is one of the most valuable habits which a peasantry can have.-Without it there can be no improvement.-Stubbornness will always be found where it does not exist.-It is the possession

[March,

of this habit, which constitutes the difference between the sensible Scots peasant and the stupid Hindoo.The facts of the case are insurmountable in argument, except we assume, with the late Mr. Windham, that the docility of the Scots is unconnected with intelligence, and a quality inseparably connected with raw

bones and red hair.

Men of Mr. Jacob's way of thinking seldom trouble themselves much with the examination of religious questions; what is established is always the best with them; and we dare say he knows nothing, or next to nothing, of the peculiar opinions of the different religious parties in Germany; and of the arguments by which they are defended.-It is not necessary to a disciple of his school to know any thing of biblical learning, to be able to pronounce Eichhorn or Paulus wild or worthless commentators.

We may not be much more profound in theology than Mr. Jacob; but at all events we shall be more sincere; and having never made the reasonableness or unreasonableness of the tenets of the different German doctors the subject of our investigation, we shall avoid pronouncing, like Mr. Jacob, which of them are "the doctrines of reasonable faith."We hope we may be allowed, however, to give a slight sketch of the tenets of the different religious parties in Germany, without venturing to give any opinion of our own on the subject. It will be chiefly taken from an article "on the relations of the state to the church," in the last number of the Hermes,-a distinguished German Review.

The religionists in Germany are divided into two classes, or parties, -the Rationalists and Supernaturalists.-The Rationalists, who have long been by far the most numerous and able, in the Universities and in the church, acknowledge no other test than human reason. They appeal to history, and endeavour to show that the divine truths of Christianity have, in every age, been exhibited in a diffferent form, and this, they contend, is a proof that the beneficial efficacy of Christianity depends on the degree of cultivation of the reason of those by whom its doctrines have been re

ceived and practised.-The Reforma tion was itself the result of the progress of knowledge; and the basis to which the Christian religion was brought back by Protestantism consisted in this, "that the supposed chair of St. Peter rests on a groundless tradition; that the pretended continual inspiration is a mere tyrannical assumption; that neither councils nor popes, nor any other potentates, possess a right of control over the conscience; and that the holy Scriptures are the only rule of belief."

As, however, no one can take it upon him to say, that in the interpretation of the Scriptures he had attained the highest pitch of perfection; as every Protestant is bound, as an honest man, to strive to obtain more and more proficiency in the knowledge of the sense of the holy Scriptures and the divine revelation; and as remaining stationary is a certain sign of blamable indifference towards truth,-of contemptible sloth, -and pitiful narrow mindedness,there is in the very essence of Protestantism a necessity for freedom from all obstacles to the exercise of reason. The first reformers acted in this spirit; as did also the authors of the symbolical books of the Lutheran church, who expressly declared, that their object was by no means the introduction of human authority, or limitation of mental freedom, and the investigation of the holy Scriptures. It happened, however, quite contrary to the wishes of the reformers, and their immediate successors, that the symbolical books soon succeeded to the authority of the Pope in the Lutheran church; and that all Christianity was transformed into blind and implicit belief, and fixed Lutheranism.-Thiş mental slavery, like every thing unnatural and unjust, could not last for ever; and about the middle of the last century, when a new light began to be thrown on the arts and sciences in Germany, its influence was felt in theology, in which the struggle then commenced that has continued to our times. The Rationalists endeavour to apply the results of the improved state of science, and the cultivation of reason to theology.-They chiefly rest their proofs of the divinity of Christianity, on its internal worth, and coincidence of the Christian

doctrine with the undoubted trucks of reason. Their endeavours are di rected to excite in their hearers a spirit of thinking and investigation, which they conceive they are expressly called on to do, by the commands of Christ and his apostles.They contend that the exercise of reason, instead of giving rise to doubt and scepticism, is the best preservative against them; while an obstinate adherence to the letter of antiquated dogmas, and lifeless formulæ, and articles of belief, leads necessarily to contempt for all religion. History has sufficiently proved, that when new ideas have once found a reception among great masses of men, they cannot again be completely extirpated, and that the reactions to which they give rise only serve to establish them more firmly; as was, for instance, undeniably the case in the diffusion of Christianity and of Protestantism.

The Supernaturalists again cling with peculiar tenacity to all the tenets of their fore-fathers, and admit of no enquiry into their conformity or non-conformity to right or reason.Reason, say they, must never assert a supremacy over the revelation of the Creator.-It must act under the guidance of a positive divine revelation, and we must assume that the necessity of a positive revelation for mankind was foreseen and duly provided for.-As reason cannot give us any certainty, but merely conjectures respecting divine things, if we allow a God, we must also allow that he would make his religion known to us by extraordinary ways.-A genuine and efficacious religion must be a positive and revealed one; and the belief which it produces will then, by its divine power, be a positive conviction.-Hence we find in all positive believers, both in their opinions and in their life and death, a confidence, a firmness, a determination which no natural religion could produce, the most certain proofs ot the divinity of revelation. For the life and martyrdom of a believer from reason, like Socrates, the history of Saints and of the Church affords us a thousand examples of the noblest triumph of positive belief.

The Rationalists contend that the arguments of the Supernaturalists may be equally brought to the support

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So much for the religious parties of the country in which the Protestant religion originated, and which has always been its principal seat.

Mr. Jacob is forced to admit that "the Lutheran clergy, at least, in the villages of Germany, are very attentive to the comforts and the instruction of the poorer classes."Speaking of those of Hanover he says, "they are generally well educated; after acquiring classical knowledge at a grammar school, they must pass three years at a University, two of which must be at Göttingen. Most of the livings are effectively in the gift of the crown, but are usually disposed of by the consistory according to seniority of application; but this rule is dispensed with in favour of those who have distinguished themselves in the University examinations. Any young man, who has thus displayed talent, is sure to get an early living, either from the consistory, or sometimes from a private patron.--When a clergyman is appointed to a living he must remain in it seven years before he can prefer a request to the consistory for removal to a better.-If he then applies, he must undergo an examination of a rigid kind, to ascertain if he has advanced or declined in knowledge since his former induction.If he is found to have retrograded he has no chance of promotion."Speaking generally of the Protestant church he says, "it would be unjust not to add, that whatever may be the errors and heresies of the clergy, the great body of them, especially the rural pastors, are men of good morals, have a sympathy with the distresses of their poorer parishioners, console them in their sufferings, advise them in their difficulties, and as far as their narrow means extend, relieve them when in want.-As this was a subject to which, in almost every village, I directed my attention, and as my informants were generally the farmers, I give the result of my enquiries

"If the whole revenues of the English church (he elsewhere observes,) were equally divided among all its ministers, the remuneration to each would be less, considering the relative value of money, than is received by the Lutheran clergy in Germany.' -But then, he observes, the stipends of the clergy are so nearly equal, and all so small, that young men of the best families are never destined to the sacred profession; hence the whole body have not that estimation in the scale of society which can give them weight with the higher classes.-Were there gradations in the body, so that some of them could be considered equal to the highest subjects, even the lowest of the profession would become elevated by feeling, and having it felt by others that the road was open for them to the most exalted stations: the whole mass of clergy would be as they are in England, a body more respected by the community in general; would associate more than the Hanoverian clergy do with the nobility and gentry, and not, like them, be obliged to mix almost exclusively with the middle or lower ranks.-The effect of this want of dignity in the clerical body is visible in the churches, which, though crowded with the lower classes of the people, are not visited very regularly by the higher ranks.-The appearance of the congregations is very different from that of those in England, especially in London, where they seem to be composed, perhaps, too exclusively of the superior ranks.”

To men like Mr. Jacob, who are anxious to have the members of the church moving in the superior ranks of life, we would recommend the perusal of what has been said on this subject by one of the greatest philosophers, and most virtuous men that ever lived,-the immortal author of the Wealth of Nations.-" Where the church benefices," he says, "are all nearly equal, none of them can be very great, and this mediocrity of benefice, though it may, no doubt, be carried too far, has however some very agreeable effects.-Nothing but the most exemplary morals can give dignity to a man of small fortune.The vices of levity and vanity neces

sarily render him ridiculous, and are, besides, almost as ruinous to him as they are to the common people.In his own conduct, therefore, he is obliged to follow that system of morals which the common people respect the most.-He gains their esteem and affection, by that plan of life which his own interest and situation would lead him to follow. The common people look upon him with that kindness, with which we naturally regard one who approaches somewhat to our own condition, but who, we think, ought to be in a higher. Their kindness naturally provokes his kindness.-He becomes careful to instruct them, and attentive to assist and relieve them.-He does not even despise the prejudices of people who are disposed to be so favourable to him, and never treats them with those contemptuous and arrogant airs, which we so often meet with in the proud dignitaries of opulent and well endowed churches.'

Let us look at the effects of the two systems, as described by Mr. Jacob himself. In England the churches are said to be deserted nearly by the people, but much frequented by the higher ranks-In Germany to be crowded by the people, and nearly deserted by the higher ranks.-Now whether is it most important that the many or the few should receive religious instructions? --And what are we to think of the system which is adapted to the few and leaves out the many?

which gives instruction to those who have leisure and means to obtain it in books, and neglects those who have hardly any other means of obtaining it?

We shall conclude with an anecdote illustrative of the difference of spirit in England and in Germany on certain subjects.-Professor Gesenius of the University of Halle, one of the most distinguished Orientalists now living, lately visited this country for the purpose of copying for publication an apocryphal Hebrew writer, of which a perfect MS. exists only at Oxford.-It so happens that the apocryphal work in question appears to have been thought genuine by the Apostle Paul.-The purpose of the Professor having come to the ears of a certain society, he was solicited by them to renounce it, as it might tend to unsettle the belief of the multitude.-He replied, that he had made truth his object through life, and hoped he should continue to do so to the last.-Money was then offered to him.-"Gentlemen," said the Professor, "you have mistaken your man-if money had been my object, I should not have given myself all this trouble to publish a work by which I

know, from the limited sale it will have, that I must be a loser." And he indignantly quitted an assembly so little scrupulous in its morality, and capable of offering such an insult to a man of character.

14th Feb. 1821.