Lines by the Late Mr. Butcher. from Dissenting pulpits; and I have no doubt that many will be ready to avow themselves friendly to a reformed liturgy, who now frequent the Established Church. It would be particularly desirable to have the service conducted by a gentleman who had received his education at one of our Universities; and whose conscientious scruples would add dignity to his station, and be a powerful motive to others to inquire into the reasons of his leaving the connexions he once loved. As a confirmation of the reasoning I have employed, I will mention a fact which happened when I was stationed in a market-town. I went one Sunday to a parish church, a few miles distant from our head quarters. I was put into a large pew, which I afterwards found belonged to the 'Squire of the place, who was also a Justice of Peace. I opened a Prayer Book, and to my surprise found it was Clarke's Reformed Liturgy. I stated the fact to a clergyman with whom I was intimate. He told me, when he resided near Bury St. Edmunds, he knew many instances of the same kind; and he was often at Essex Street himself during Mr. Lindsey's life-time, and once saw two other clergymen there, and a gentleman that now holds an elevated station in the Administration. Since I read J. P.'s letter, I have been with two persons whose religious opinions are like my own; one reads the Monthly Repository, the other not. I asked them what they thought, as 471 tol." "Yes, we have heard 80.-But I do not like to be a marked character," was the reply of one. "I belong to no party," said the other. "But would you join a congregation of Unitarians who used a printed form, and had services like the Church of England ?" "Yes, and be glad to do it, and to have my family attend, which you know I never do at home in the morning. I have lately read a Sermon and part of the Liturgy to my family, but I should prefer joining others, and I wish Mr. would follow Mr. Fripp's ex ample: a supply of ci-devant clergymen might be secured which would greatly serve the cause." I trust to your candour, Sir, when I remark, that Unitarian Dissenters do not know the number who hold their opinions, nor do they adopt the best means to promote co-operation. They are too severe towards those who have not firmness to brave popular prejudice; they dwell too much on non-essentials; because unjustly accused, they allow themselves to indulge bitterness of expression towards their opponents; and they mix too often politics with their creed, which increases the distance between them and the friends of an establishment. I intend no offence, and I hope I shall occasion none, by my feeble effort to serve the cause of truth. SIR, R. S. Tenterden, June 3, 1822. they both occasionally visit Clifton,READ with much interest your of the probable success of erecting there an Unitarian place of worship, with a Reformed Liturgy. Both thought it would be very useful; but the reader of the Repository, who also frequents Brighton, added, Let the planners of such a scheme first sit down and count the cost, and not like the people of Brighton be unable to complete their scheme. Let the expense of the building be known and the money advanced before the undertaking be resolved upon." I do not know the case of Brighton, I only mention the advice given. I put another question to both parties. "Where do you attend when at Clifton?" "No where." "You know there is a very respectable Unitarian chapel in Bris account of the removal, by death, of the Rev. E. Butcher, [pp. 247, 309 312,] and, struck with the testimony given to his memory by his beloved widow, I cannot refrain from conveying to you for insertion, as in beautiful unison with it, the following lines. I have been favoured with them by a lady who personally knew the parties; and Mrs. Butcher will, I hope and am persuaded, not be displeased with their being brought under the public eye. They were addressed to her by her beloved companion on the 24th anniversary of their wedding-day: To Eliza, July 6, 1814. This ball of earth around the sun, Now four-and-twenty times hath run Since, by the gracious hand of Heav'n, Eliza's hand to me was given. I took it then, my dearest love, age. The lapse of time has only shewn Thus far together we have trod SIR, LAWRENCE HOLDEN. HE following mode of explaining gested to me, and appears so simple and satisfactory, that, though it professes to set aside all the systems of former commentators, I venture to submit a specimen to the criticism of your intelligent readers. Chap. vi. 1, 2: "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white (λuxos) horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer." This is an appropriate type of the earliest ages of the Christian Church when clothed in the white and shining garment of innocence; and, as St. Paul says, having "put on the whole armour of God," it "wrestled against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places," and went forth conquering and to conquer. But, alas! scarce three short centuries, and the very success of the church became destruc tive of the spirit of Christianity. No longer could the Pagan say, See how these Christians love one another! Christians began to persecute Christians. Vers. 3, 4: "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red (uppos): and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword." From this time the attention of the church became more and more engrossed in worldly matters, grasping at riches and dominion, till at length, about 741, Pepin bestowed the exarforward the church became a tempochate on Pope Stephen II., and thenceral power; and the sole care of clergy as well as laity of every rank was devoted to the acquisition and enjoyment of the good things of this life. Vers. 5, 6: And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I behield, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of for a and three mear sures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” Can the Christian Church apostatize more completely from every Christian She can and does. She principle ? becomes a fanatical crusading church. About 1096, the cross of Christ, the emblem of a religion of peace, is hoisted as the standard of a war of superstition. Military religious orders are every where established, and, under pretext of honouring Christ, whole nations are excited to a terrific state of madness; and for nearly three centuries driven to the perpetration of deeds of cruelty and horror, unparalleled in the annals of mankind. Vers. 7, 8: "And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale (xpos) horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” New Scheme of interpreting the Revelation. Her measure of iniquity is complete. The pretended church of the mild, lowly, benevolent Saviour of mankind, unblushingly exhibits itself a persecuting, worldly-minded, mercenary, proud, cruel, superstitious, war-waging monster. Nothing can be added to the horrible picture. If we proceed, the whole scenery must necessarily be changed in the next act. Vers. 9-11: "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfil led." Can any one read the page of history, from the middle of the 14th century, without recognizing in these verses a characteristic sketch of those attempts at reformation which immediately succeeded, and were occasioned by the enormities of the Crusades, and by the revolting spectacle of an antichristian church, trafficking in indulgences and pardon of sins for the purpose of urging on to those diaboli cal wars? And what is the inevitable consequence of the progress of this reforming spirit? Precisely that which we see daily maturing around us-the downfall of all hierarchies, with the complete overthrow of all those wretched systems of tyranny which have stood so long, solely because buttressed up by ecclesiastical establishments. Vers. 12-17: "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earth quake; and the sun became dark as sackcloth of hair, and the moon be came as blood; and the stars of hea ven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scrowl when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the 473 mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" I submit, whether this is not at least as rational and satisfactory as the usual explanation. See Mr. Lowman, Bishop Newton, Drs. Doddridge, Priestley, &c., by whom you are told, that the seals relate to Pagan Rome. The 1st seal, comprising the period from Vespasian to Nerva, about 28 years of triumph. The 2nd seal, Trajan and his successors, about 95 years of horrible war. The 3rd seal, the Septimian family, about 42 years of scarcity and strict justice. The 4th seal, from Maximin to Diocletian, about 50 years of war, famine and pestilence, and 20 emperors, most of whom came to violent deaths. The 5th seal, the persecution begun by Diocletian, about 10 years. The 6th seal, great revolutions, the downfal of Heathenism and establishment of Christianity in the Roman Empire. They also go on to explain the 7th seal, the opening of which is described with unrivalled sublimity. Chap. viii. 1: "And when he opened the 7th seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." And what follows? The irruptions of Huns, Goths and Vandals. All heaven in suspense to behold the march of a set of barbarians; nor do they altogether agree which of the three trumpets designates which set of barbarians. And in truth, their having mustered a little to the east or west does not seem to be a fact of sufficient importance, to entitle them to separate prophecies; but commentators having brought matters to this point, were obliged to take what they could find to fill up the gap, and nothing better offered. The 4th trumpet is supposed to denote the downfal of the Roman Empire under Augustulus. The 5th trumpet, Mahomet and the Saracens. The 6th trumpet, the empire of the Turks. "And then," says Dr. Priestley, "we have a remarkable interruption in the course of these visions." It is, however, agreed, that under the 7th trumpet is announced the final happy state of the world. Dr. Priestley thinks he perceives the French Revolution in ch. xi. 13; and Bishop Newton says, ver. 15 relates to the downfal of Antichrist. The chief difference between the two modes of interpretation is, that all former commentators have applied the prophecies to comparatively inconsiderable events, greatly dependent on the dispositions and actions of individuals. * We, on the contrary, apply them to the character of whole ages, by which the dispositions and actions of individuals have been controlled. The prevailing notions of the Romans differed but little from Augustus to Augustulus. Peace or war, plenty or famine, were the mere incidental circumstances of the times, in which the mass of mankind at present are by no means interested, and of which they are and ever will be wholly ignorant; and to them, of course, the Revelation will always remain a sealed book, if it is only to be understood by a minute acquaintance with the history of the Roman emperors. Is this book intended only for a few book-worms? And even of those who have read the history, how many are there who retain a distinct recollection of these minute facts, so as immediately to recognize the appropriateness of the emblems by which they have been supposed to be designated? Does that appropriateness in truth exist? And after all, of what consequence was it to give prophecies relating to facts of comparatively trivial importance, at the same time omitting all notice of such circumstances as the changes which have actually taken place in the Church of Christ, and from which so grave a moral lesson may be learnt? We point out distinct and universal revolutions of sentiment, and shew that the Revelations are fine sketches of feelings, pervading every bosom, and forming the moving springs of all the events of the times; that they foretold a series of epidemics which have since actually affected the whole Christian world, producing an age of real Christians, an age of persecuting Christians, an age of worldly-minded Christians, an age of crusading Christians, an age of reforming Christians, an age of revolutionizing Christians. That these great changes and no others have taken place, is beyond dispute; and can it be that they have been overlooked in the Revelation ? Yet so it is, if the usual interpretation be correct. In order to judge of the propriety of our explanation, it is not by any means necessary to be a deep-read scholar. Every person, with the slightest knowledge of history, distinctly recollects that there have been these changing fashions in the character of the Christian world. He can never forget the order in which these mania have prevailed. Not, indeed, that the prevalence of one species has precluded the concurrent existence of the others. Persecutors are not restricted to the second age; nor the worldly-minded to the third. It is even difficult to name the year in which either begins to be characteristic of the age, as it is to mark precisely the change of strata in geology; but no one can mistake granite for marble, and the several ages are as easily distinguishable in history. The types also appear strikingly appropriate. It is undeniable that the Revela tions were written long before the events to which we would apply them; yet will any one now venture to attempt the substitution of better emblems? Whilst of the old explanations we may fairly say, with Dr. Doddridge, "the correspondence between the prophecies and the events is not in all respects so clear and evident as might be expected, nor can we always say why the events in question are represented by one of the emblems used, rather than by another." Surely, in a revelation from God we ought to recognize a more satisfactory resemblance betwen the type and archetype. There are peculiar proprieties in almost every verse; for instance, ch. v., the book which none but the Lamb can open, to what must it relate? Can it be to Pagan Rome, the Huns, Goths, Vandals, Saracens, Turks ? How many prophets had been previously permitted to open the book of futurity, and predict the fate of kings and empires, and even of the Roman empire! The fate of Pagan Rome, great as she was, is of trifling importance compared with the fate of that church, to establish which the Lamb was slain. It was, indeed, natural New Scheme of interpreting the Revelation. enough for the early Christians to apply to Pagan Rome prophecies of cruelty and wickedness. They could not foresee the apostacy of the church. We cannot blind ourselves to the sad fact. Why then should we propagate their error? It cannot be any other than the history of his own church, which none but Christ can foretell. Having trespassed at so great a length, I will only add for the present, that if, as former commentators think, the seven trumpets are contained under and form the description of the events of the seventh seal; then, according to our interpretation, as the sixth seal is scarcely opened at present, the trumpets must denote events as yet buried in the womb of futurity, and conjecture, as to their meaning, would be futile and absurd. But is it not possible that the manuscripts may have been deranged; and once misplaced, who was to restore order to the pages of prophecy? With respect to what is future, the attempt must always be vain; but with respect to the past, we may surely, by a careful attention to history and a judicious comparison of the different parts of the prophecy, endeavour to effect a consistent arrangement. Now in this part of the Revelation there are very strong appearances of disturbance and confusion. The seventh chapter, in which is contained the conclusion of the sixth seal, perhaps predicts the restoration and conversion of the Jews and the Millenium, or some state of general happiness; but all this must of course be merely conjectural, and in such cases it is wiser to confess our ignorance. The eighth chapter commences with the opening of the seventh seal, under which we have six of the trumpets, ch. viii. and ix. Then comes (ch. x.) the angel with the little open book, apparently a change to an entirely new subject; then the rod for measuring the temple, the two witnesses, the earthquake and fall of the tenth part of the city, all seemingly introduced without regularity or connexion. And then, ver. 14, we return to the seventh trumpet, after which, ch. xi., comes the history of the woman and child, which from many circumstances seems intimately connected with the two witnesses. I would therefore venture to suggest, whether the tenth chapter should not · 475 follow immediately after the first verse of the eighth chapter, which would make a consistent and truly sublime finish to the seven seals: "And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire," &c. &c. John then eats the little open book, that is, he studies it, and, as might be expected from its being an open book, he is directed to prophesy more generally; upon which he has the vision of the seven trumpets, ch. viii. 2, to the end, ch. ix. and xi. 14, to the end, which relate to events not strictly dependent upon those variations of sentiments among Christians denoted by the seals. After the trumpets, follows a more minute description of the rise of Antichrist, in ch. xi. 1-13 and the twelfth and subsequent chapters. Such great transpositions must not, however, be hastily and unadvisedly attempted, nor must we hazard any rash conjectures respecting future events, knowing, as Sir Isaac Newton observes, "That the folly of interpreters has been to foretell times and things by this prophecy, as if God designed to make them prophets. By this rashness they have not only exposed themselves, but brought the prophecy also into contempt. The design of God was much otherwise. He gave this and the prophecies of the Old Testament, not to gratify men's curiosities, by enabling them to foreknow things, but that, after they were fulfilled, they might be interpreted by the event, and his own providence, not the interpreters, be thus manifested thereby to the world." Having thus thrown out the idea of a new principle of explanation, viz., that the Revelation predicts general revolutions of character in mankind, rather than particular events, I shall rest for the present. If, however, I do not find that I have by this letter incurred the censure of rashness, I shall probably, hereafter, venture to request your insertion of a few more remarks. K. K, K. |