FRIENDS' REVIEW. VOL. I. A RELIGIOUS, LITERARY AND MISCELLANEOUS JOURNAL. PHILADELPHIA, FIRST MONTH 15, 1848. We find the diary of William Allen for 1821 opening with the expression of a desire for purification from whatever obstructed the work of grace in his own soul; and this is quickly followed by notices of active exertions for the reformation of the most degraded classes of society. The connection of ignorance and neglected education with crime, was a subject which claimed his attention at this time; as the evidence of this connection supplies a stimulus for the extension of education to the poor, and particularly for the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures amongst the neglected classes. The acquaintance which he had formed with men occupying conspicuous stations in the world, and the estimation in which he was held by many of them, furnished opportunities, which he was careful to improve, of calling the attention of such men to the melioration of the condition of the poor. In a letter to Lord Bathurst, we find his attention solicited to the situation of the poor in Malta and the Ionian Isles; and in this communication the necessity and practicability of raising the moral and physical condition of the poor in those islands are urged in a pleasing and Christian spirit. Near this time we find the subject of this review interesting himself in a renewed effort to improve the criminal code of his own country; he, in company with another person, carrying to the Houses of Parliament no less than thirtynine petitions upon this subject. In the summer of this year, he performed a religious visit to the meetings of Friends in the counties of Sussex and Surry, in the course of which he had occasion to observe the great want of a proper system of education among the labouring classes; and he not only made exten No. 17. sive inquiries himself into the state of the agricultural population, but employed a person to visit the villages in Sussex to collect information relative to the instruction received by the children of the labouring class. This investigation increased a desire, which he had long entertained, to promote the establishment of schools of industry, in which the children might be so employed, during a portion of their time, as to defray, at least in part, the expense of their literary instruction. Finding many benevolent persons willing to unite with him, he prepared a plan for carrying his desires into effect; and was eventually led to engage in an extensive scheme of philanthropy, which he carried on at Lindfield for many years. To prevent the necessity of recurring to this subject, a brief account of this establishment, as collected from subsequent pages of his biography, will be given here. We do not find that anything effectual was accomplished until the year 1825. The object in view was to meliorate the temporal, moral, and social condition of the agricultural class, by inducing habits of industry and economy, and cutting off the servile dependence on parish relief, that last resource of indolence and neglect, on which the labouring poor were accustomed to rely. Regarding the education of the children as essential to the attainment of his object, he was at the expense of erecting, at Lindfield, commodious school-rooms with work-shops adjoining. Separate schools were formed, viz., one for boys, another for girls, and a third for infants, with suitable teachers for each. The elementary branches of learning were taught, and their religious instruction was deduced from the Holy Scriptures; and none were excluded on account of the religious opinions of their parents. The children were employed, during a part of the day, in occupations suited to their ages and sexes, under the supervision of suitable instructors. Soon after the establishment of the schools, John Smith, M. P., being actuated by sentiments similar to those of William Allen, purchased an estate, called Gravely, consisting of about one hundred acres, in the immediate vicinity of Lindfield, and subsequently built upon it eighteen cottages for labourers, with an acre and a quarter of land to each. Other cottages were afterwards erected, with larger apportionments Soon after their arrival at Vienna, the Emof land. By these allotments of small pieces of peror Alexander gave William Allen the deground, which the labouring classes were per- sired opportunity, assigning an evening from mitted to cultivate for their own advantage, con- eight till after ten to conversation with him. siderable improvement in their physical comforts The cordial manner in which this visit was reand moral habits were experienced; the appear-ceived, set our friend entirely at liberty to open ance of the children became more respectable, his mind to the Emperor on various important and the former dependence upon parish relief was to some extent withdrawn. At a subsequent period, William Allen instituted an experiment to ascertain how far an institution, in which the children should be boarded, clothed, and instructed, could be made to support itself by the labour of the pupils. With this view he made preparations at Lindfield for the accommodation of twelve boys, whom he proposed to receive upon low terms, and educate in habits of industry. Though he paid close attention to the establishment at Lindfield, and had the satisfaction of witnessing the benefits resulting from his labours, we do not find a specific account how far the experiment of the boarding school succeeded or failed. In the autumn of 1822, a congress of ambassadors from the allied sovereigns, viz., Great Britain, Russia, Austria, Prussia, and France, being about to convene at Verona, to deliberate on the general concerns of Europe, William Allen, feeling particularly anxious that some measures might be adopted, effectually to stop the African slave-trade, could not feel himself excused from attempting an interview with the Emperor of Russia, upon whose co-operation he fully relied. As it was known that Alexander would pass through Vienna on his way, W. Allen concluded to procure an interview at that place. He accordingly addressed a letter to the Emperor, reminding him of the visit paid to him at Petersburg, and of the heavenly covering with which they were then favoured, and soliciting permission to see him as early as convenient after his arrival at Vienna. This letter was delivered to Count Lieven, the Russian minister at London, who promised to send it by the first opportunity. Having obtained the concurrence of his monthly meeting, and the needful documents from the officers of the government, William Allen set out on his journey, on the 6th of 9th month, 1822, accompanied by his nephew, Daniel Hanbury. In passing through Nuewied, a town of Westphalia, they found a society, denominated Inspirees, which was said to have existed upwards of a century. On several points they hold the doctrines of Friends. In respect to the influence of the Holy Spirit, the unlawfulness of war and oaths, and the obligation of water baptism, and the use of bread and wine, they agree with us in regard to silent worship their practice is different from ours. To some of them, W. Allen was able to address a few words in their own language the German. subjects. He explained the plan which he was then forming, and afterwards carried into effect at Lindfield; and suggested the idea that a scheme of that kind, if introduced among the peasantry of Russia, might be of essential advantage to the seigneurs as well as the serfs. The suppression of the African slave-trade being a subject in which he was most deeply interested, he endeavoured to impress the Emperor with a just conviction of its extent and atrocity. He showed him a drawing of a slave-ship, which had been recently captured; and the instruments of torture employed in the traffic. The object which William Allen wished to accomplish was to procure from the Congress, about to convene at Verona, a joint declaration that the African slave-trade should in future be regarded as piracy, or, if this could not be done, that those engaged in it should be placed out of the protection of their countries' laws. It appeared, by this and other interviews, that the Emperor was very desirous of putting an effectual stop to that odious traffic. The Duke of Wellington, who appeared in the Congress on behalf of the British Government, favoured the extinction of the trade. The Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia were similarly inclined, but their ministers took but little interest in the subject; and the representatives of the French Government appear to have opposed the adoption of any effort to annihilate that cruel trade. The Emperor assured William Allen that he had given his minister positive orders to urge the extinction of the traffic. As only the five powers already mentioned were represented in the Congress, the authority of that body was not judged competent to declare the slave-trade piracy by the law of nations; and the various powers were left to adopt their own regulations on the subject. The African slave trade had previously been declared to be piracy by the laws of the United States, as far as our own citizens are concerned; and a law of similar import was enacted by the British parliament in 1824. In the interview already mentioned, the situa tion of the Greeks was brought to the view of the Emperor, who appeared to feel deeply for them, but could not see in what manner to interpose his authority for their protection, without involving his own nation in a war. In the unvarnished narrative before us, we find the subject of this review conversing on familiar terms with the master of nearly sixty millions of subjects, seeking no advantages for himself, but striving to engage the power and influence of that potentate to arrest the hand of the destroyer, and to scribed. extend the benefits of Christianity and civiliza-ceedings in relation thereto are not minutely detion wherever that influence and power were felt. William Allen paid four visits to the Emperor, in each of which, after the subjects which pressed most weightily upon his mind, were freely discussed, an opportunity was taken for silent retirement and religious communication. By the interference of Alexander, permission was obtained to print and circulate at Vienna, an address on the slave trade, issued by Friends in England, a copy whereof, translated into German, William Ällen had with him. Near the last of the year he reached his own residence, peaceful and thankful for the preservations experienced in this diversified engagement. At Stuttgard he had an interesting interview of nearly two hours, with the king and queen of Wurtemburg, in which he took occasion, from a notice of the visit to the Waldenses, to impress upon them the impropriety of rulers attempting to interfere with the religious persuasions of the people; and he had the satisfaction to hear them express their opinion in favour of unrestricted The interview closed with some toleration. communication which appeared to be cordially Before leaving Vienna, William Allen had received. At this, as in other places, there was ample occasion to deplore the condition of the satisfactory evidence that he was leaving an poor refugees from Scio, who had escaped the open door behind him, at which future gospel Turkish massacre. A number of Greeks, resi- labourers might find admittance. dent at Vienna, were desirous of raising a subscription for the relief of the sufferers, but the jealousy with which all their movements were watched by the officers of the government, who were fearful of offending the Turks, rendered it difficult to proceed in this charitable work. But the estimation in which the subject of our review was held by the Emperor of Russia, the Duke of Wellington, and others in conspicuous stations, gave him such influence with the Austrian authorities, that, upon his application, permission was readily granted to raise the subscription proposed. Some other important concessions to these suffering people were also obtained through his instrumentality. This is a striking illustration of what disinterested benevolence, guided by religious principle, can accomplish. (To be continued.) THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC WORSHIP. BY DR. GIUSTINIANI. I entered within the walls of the high cathedrals, with their gigantic towers and gothic architecture; there I saw the ceremonies performed with all the splendour of outward pomp; festoons, and drapery, and surplices; highly wrought pulpits, multi-coloured windows; the vault reverberating with the peals of the organ, the melodious voices of the children, the deep chant, and the majestic chorus. I saw their ritual, the From Vienna, William Allen proceeded to mitre, and the crosier; my eye was charmed, Verona, and, after labouring to promote the ob- but my heart-alas! my heart remained cold jects of his journey until the way appeared open and oppressed. In vain there I sought my for his release, he commenced his return towards crucified Redeemer-I beheld this as a Proteshis native land. In his way through Piedmont, tantism brought forth by the power of the world, he paid a visit to the Waldenses, who were which neither Luther, nor Calvin, nor other reliving in rude simplicity, with very few of formers had ever contemplated; as a weak and the usual conveniences of civilized life; yet the vacillating child, disguised in the armour of Son of Peace appeared to be no stranger to their Christianity; as a negative Protestantism; an humble habitations. He attended one of their easy pillow on which to rest with pleasure, and religious meetings, and feeling concerned to ad- sleep the sleep of death; as a Protestantism, dress them, he spoke in the French language, alas! created but for painters and poets! I left wherein, he says, the words flowed almost as the place with tears in my eyes; crying, "Ichafluently as in his native tongue. As these people bod, the glory is departed, for the ark of God is are protestants, in the midst of bigoted adherents taken! They forgot God their Saviour; they to the Roman Catholic faith, they were subject-believed not his Word, and hearkened not unto ed to numerous vexatious privations on account of their religious profession. The persecutions of their ancestors, in the early days of the reformation, hold a conspicuous place in ecclesiastical history. Shortly after this visit, William Allen wrote to the Emperor of Russia, giving him a particular account of the sufferings to which these innocent people were exposed. This communication was forwarded by a special messenger to Verona. It appears that very important privileges were conferred upon these people in consequence of this interference, though the pro the voice of the Lord," but unto man: "God desireth not sacrifices, but a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart he will not despise." He desireth not exterior worships, not chants. and notes; but the perfume, the harmony of a thankful, of a sensible heart, "of a heart of flesh." In going along the street, and meditating on what I had witnessed, and on the feelings produced in my heart, I was aroused by songs, neither so studied nor so melodious as those which I had left, but which appeared to be emanations of the heart; I felt myself attracted, to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow!' Yes; in a renewed heart only reside the qualifications of a true Christian, and not in groaning and amens; it is faith, love, hope, assurance in the promises of our blessed Jesus, which unite believers in spirit and in truth:' and in the spirit we are better instructed than by the reasoning of man; because we have the consoling promise of the Holy Scriptures, that God had revealed them unto us by his Spirit, and the spiritual judgeth all things.' In a renewed heart only," I continued, "reside these qualifications, which support them with patience amid the temptations of their life; it is from the heart that the most elevated sentiments, the most noble effects, the most magnaniFrom this source spring the precious tear-drops of tenderness and pity, of joy and consolation. Through the heart the pleasures of this life are rendered precious, while its evils find comfort and alleviation." The following Lord's-day one of my friends came to conduct me to a chapel, to hear an eloquent preacher from the country; a storm prevented us from going as far as the desired chapel, and we were obliged to take shelter in a meetinghouse of the Society of Friends. In sitting down, and looking around, I involuntarily made a contrast between the beautiful music of the splendid cathedral, the vociferation of the chapel, and the solemn silence of this place of worship; where they who worship "in spirit and in truth, and with patience, wait for that which we see not." The luxury of the gothic temple, the insignificance of the chapel, and simplicity and neatness of the place I was in, combined to absorb my every thought. That passage which says, and was induced to enter the house where they proceeded from. An old violoncello was the leading instrument; girls and boys, who had never seen a note, were the choristers; the people not only unacquainted with music, but apparently deficient in the taste for that art, accompanied them inharmoniously. New feelings came over my soul. I asked myself, is this worshipping God? Are sounds like these agreeable to God? Is it a means of salvation for the perishing souls of men? Has Jesus commanded it? or, is it a copying after the great cathedrals? In the time that my mind was occupied in putting these questions, the hymn had ceased, and the preacher had begun to pray. The people answered with groanings, but not those "groanings which cannot be uttered; "mous actions generate. they were with utterable groanings, Amen! Glory be to God! Blessed be God! My mind was disturbed, and my heart neither elevated nor edified; the senses were excited, but that calm was not produced in my spirit so indispensable in the presence of the Eternal Judge of the earth. I asked a man who was near me, if the Lord was deaf that they prayed so loud? He replied, "the Lord is not deaf, but we think that you are deaf." Then I adored my crucified Redeemer with all my heart; and magnified the operations of his works of grace which he had done for me. I blessed his name, that through his tender mercy my ears were shut to the wisdom of man, and opened to the voice of the good Shepherd. I felt that such a worship excited the senses and "quenched the spirit;" that Christianity became a work of man, and not of grace. Salvation must come from "our God which sitteth upon the throne, and the Lamb." When the voice arises from a penitent heart, and not from" Where two or three are gathered together in the excitement of our neighbour, it will be sanctified of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; by whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." After the service was over, I joined in conversation with two pious ladies. One said, "How delightful the sermon was!" The other replied, "Oh, it was beautiful!" I asked them what their souls had profited by it, and what they remembered which could improve their mind? Neither answered; but after a short pause one groaned and sighed, and the other said, "I hope we have profited something." But I could evidently see that my fair companions were pleased without receiving spiritual or intellectual benefit; they were entertained, but not edified; delighted, but not instructed. I said afterwards to those ladies, "The reasons which your preacher adduced may persuade the mind, but not convince the heart; intellect must have its proofs, the heart equally its demonstrations and evidences; and they do not consist in trepida.ions, and in thumping the Bible, but in the power of that Word, of that two-edged sword, piercing even my name, there am I in the midst of them," forcibly occurred to my mind; and I was deeply impressed with the truth that our blessed Redeemer cometh not in the midst of us by groans and exclamations, or even by the concordance of sweet sounds, but "for his name's sake." I was so transported with joy, from this silent worship; so clevated upon the wings of faith in a sublimer sphere, that I said in my heart, If the union in spirit and in truth of the children of God is so sweet here below, what will it be when we shall worship before the throne of God, with the great congregation, with the Cherubim of glory, with the angels and the redeemed from the earth, with the prophets and apostles; what joy we shall experience when we shall enter into the temple of God, and never depart, but serve him day and night;" when we shall sin no more there, neither expose to God our wants and miseries, because "there shall be hunger no more, nei.her thirst any more, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed us and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away, and all things made new." In those meditations, without being interrupted, the congregation rose, shook hands with one another very heartily, except with me; I felt displeased to be considered by them as a stranger at the moment I had worshipped with them before the throne of grace; when I was united with them truly in the spirit of Christ. In going out, my friend, who was more accustomed to a noisy sacrifice than to that of the contrite heart, said, "Have you noticed the 'dumb dogs,' they appeared as if they were all dead?" I asked him what had been the subject of meditation with him the whole time? He answered, "Nothing! I like a good sermon, and a lively prayer. They seemed to me as if they were sleeping; do they not pray?" On my answering that they did, but that they were waiting for the Spirit; he said, "How can they know that they have the Spirit? And where does the Bible teach the church to meet together without saying anything?" I replied, it is impossible for me to answer so many questions at once; but, if you will allow me, I will endeavour to give you reasons from what I have gleaned from the Bible; though, as you are aware, I am not one of their body. You ask me, "Why they do not pray?" How can you say that they do not pray? Prayer is nothing more than an elevation of the soul towards God, in paying homage of adoration and gratitude to him; or a humiliation of our hearts before the throne of grace, to implore his pardon and assistance: this it is properly which constitutes prayer. I know that the elevation of a sanctified soul, or the humiliation of a contrite heart, can be expressed in words; but words are nothing if they are not the sincere testimony of the feelings of the heart. If a man meditates on the infinite attributes of God, and on the nothingness of self, and feels profound adoration in his affected heart-behold, he has prayed! If he elevates his eyes to the Most Holy, and the uneasiness of his conscience moves his heart to feel his sins, and hastens his mind to his Father which is in heaven, to bless his mercy, to implore his favour-behold, he has prayed! The thought only of the benefits of God, of the unworthiness of man; of his justice and our rebellion; the immense riches of his grace, and of the profound misery of human nature, a sigh escapes from his heart-behold, he has prayed! The penetration only of deep feeling, of repentance and gratitude, and the desire to approach his Maker with the greatest confidence, through the intercession of Jesus Christ-behold, he has prayed! A sinner subdued by the influence of the Spirit of God, and soaring freely with the sentiments which fill his bosom-behold, he has prayed! A sinner who is desirous to bless his Redeemer, to confess his disobedience, to entrust his misery to him "who searches the heart and tries the reins of man," and finding no words to express his love to him "who had before loved us," his swollen heart redoubles its palpitations, his eyes become involuntary fountains, and fixed on the blessed cross of justice and love-has he not prayed? The intensity of our feelings towards those we love is at times so overpowering, that words fail to convey it; how can you say, then, that a people who wait in silence for the Spirit of God, to incite them to the utterance of their feelings, are dead; that they are asleep? Or, how can you ask, Why they do not pray? Your second question is not less futile than the first. "How can they know when they have the Spirit?" How can you know that you are in life, but by the effects which the living power produces in your body—the activity of the senses? It is the same with the spiritual life: "where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." A Quaker, who feels liberty to speak of the goodness and mercies of God, and to soar with his soul to his crucified Redeemer, has certainly the Spirit of our blessed Jesus. One of the effects of the Spirit is also faith. Like a child that is never suspicious of its nurse, and believes with all its heart the most extraordinary things that are related to it; in whose mind the idea never enters that it can be deceived; so the Spirit of God is a spirit of faith, which bends natural resistance to the truth, humbles pride, and makes it submissive to his holy will to believe in his Word, without suspicion of that Word: "Thus saith the Lord," dissipates all doubts and objections; and the greatest use he thinks to make of his reason is, to cease to reason with the infallible and eternal One, and to submit, like the child to its nurse, believing God to be a greater philosopher than man. Charity and love are another sensible effect of the Spirit of God; and as the visible thing can only be enjoyed through the senses, so the spiritual thing can only be discerned through the Spirit. "God revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." You may ask, Is the power of music, of chants, and songs, to excite or to produce, faith, charity, and love in our hearts? No! "God alone revealeth them unto us by his Spirit." As the source of the spring is not to be found in the roaring of the torrent, but in the silent forest, so the Spirit of God is not manifested in the boisterous movements of our senses and passions, but in holy patience, and silent waiting on that "Spirit who helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us." Your third question is equally simple:"Where is it in the Bible that the church shall come together, remain, and separate withou saying anything?" Where is it found in the Bible that there should be external trappings, surplices, and mitres, violoncellos, and chantings? Jesus has taught us by his example the way we ought to |