The New Hampshire Gazette Newspaper, October 23, 1761, Page 1

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“RIDAY, Ocroszer ;’%;1761. SeR 'u—‘. N\ BSERVING in your Bgier ( No. 261. ) an Effay upon the Chara of Minifters, dated from the MaflachufettsBay, ‘which contsins . fome things of & dangercus tendency; I cou'd not but think it the duty even of a Lsyman to en- deavour to guard Religion from the Mifchief of fuch an ill timed and injudicious performance. Hope therefore you will do fo much juftice asto infert the following general Remarks in your next;- - Ope woud have tho't, by the £ather's poribins. folenifi Thtroduction; he 'findélm vice and irreligion of the age, and bend his whole ftrength to perfwade People to believe and obey the Goolpel : but st length it all comes to chis, viz. to fettle a Controverly which he fays there is at thisTime betwixt Miniftersand People about Pittoral Vifits. g Where he got his notion of paftoral wifits I £an- not tell, or what contentions about the ‘matter there may be in his neigbourhood ; buthe feems a little too fanguine dpon this point, and dilcovers fome tinéture of Enthufia{m. ' If by paftoral vifits he means a Minifter’s vifiting, inftructing, and comforting his’ Flock wunder sny fpecial difficulties or troubles, or at other times as apportunity offers, it is in general acknowledged by Minifters to be a duty, and I believe they endes- vour to praltife it as far as they are able, afllowance being made for human miftakes and failings. But if he means a ftated courfe of vifiting yearly thro all the Parifh, tho’ this may be sllowed to be good when it can be done profitably, yet neither Chrift nor Ris Apoftles have eftablifh'd this rule,but intirely left it as a meer difcretionary thjng. That Gentlemen however feems to be of another ingp and to aim at proving a courfe of vifiting to be n indifpenfible duty, or rather making his opinion ‘ this matter of equal weight with s commsnd of Chrilt. For how does he prove it to be a duty ab - folutcly effentinl-to theChare&er of = Minifter 2 Why very ‘artfully, by drawing out feveral defcripti- ens of ‘w good Miniiter, and crgwding in this flily among them, ¢ that he is peculiarly careful and dili- gent to know the ftate of his particular Flock in his paftoral vfits” : but how does this prove the thing intended ? why we have his word for it, asif there were no fuch thingas knowing the ftate of the flock but in this particular way : But Jeft this fhou'd not be fufficient, he tells us, /ike bis Mafler Fefus, after preaching, be afes bis bearers if they underfland bis doftrines, and takes their anfwer, and converfes much with them abeut the things of the Kingdom of Heaven : now does he [uppofe that Chrift went about among all his hearers after every Sermon to afk them fuch Queftions ¢ no certainly, for it was only a peculiar privilege granted to his chofen difciples whom he was training up to be the firlt Minifters of his Kingdom ; and all that can be concluded from it is this, that Minifters mult take pains to inftruét their people bath publickly and privately ssthey have opportunity; but efpecially that Heads of Families fhou’d take care to inftruét cheir houtholds in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and fee how they profit by the preached word. It feems this is all he has to fay, and he expe@s it will be readily received upon his authority. - I think the true ftate of the cale is this. ‘Some Minifters have a peculisr ‘Talent for free converfa- tion and scquaintance, snd can do much better this way thanin preaching ; and fome have (mallParithes, or fuch = fupport as frees them from the burden of domeflic Cares, and gives them leifure encugh to go from houfe to houle: now {uch may and ought to improve their Talents and opportunities this way as far they cando it to advantage, and I fuppofe they commenly do. But when a parifh is lIsrge,and there are conftant calls of Providence for occafionsl vifits, and extraordinary care and labour required for a Minifter’s own improvment in knowledge as wellas the public edification of his hearers, and when { -.to sim st a general acquaintance and familiarity wou'd {wallow up that time which ought to be taken up in greater daties, and a courfe of vifiiting cou’d at beit be but a {ort of religious compliment paid now and then for & few minutes to every Family ; in fuch Circumftances both prudence and duty will direét bim to fpend his time in the more imporiant parts of his office ; nor will any thing but pride, captiouine(s or want of confideration tempt people to raife a con- tention about the matter, fo long as they fee their Minifter laying himfelf out as far as he can for their advantage,and preacking in the meft profitable man- . SR ner. [Ifany of his peoplg frally want to fee him for any good purpole, 1tis their plain duty (o ‘go and converfe with hifn ; or a feaft it is ealy for them to let him know their defirey © ¢ I'donot find much ult with- ¢he reft of his def- criptions of a good and Bad Minifter in general : only it is neceflary to be very cautious how we ap- ply thefe charalters. It is one of the deepeft wiles of Satan, to fill peoples mings with prejudices againft their Minifters, and {o tokse pthem from hearingand obeying ghe great T the Gofpeliin o to this he pretends to pay great honour to good Minitters, and wou’d per(wade people to think they muft be but little inferiour to Angels, he draws them in the moft perfet charafters, and will hardly allow the leaft imperfefion, and then he is fure when he fets them to looking for fuch men, and watching their own Minifter, they will foon take a difgift egaintt all, ts foon as ever they dilcover the like piffions and failings in them s in other Men. And o when he has got rid of the Shepherds he can worry the flock et his pleafure. It we are determined to find fault, we may esfily blacken the beft man's charafter. Minifters are a5 a City fet on an hill, their Infirmities as well as Vir- tues are expofed to public view; and therefore in- deed it concerns them to be the more careful, and fhine the more in holinefs : but if a wicked captious Spirit prevails among us,how can the moft exemplary man efcape the flinder of Tongues ? If People wou’d obferve their own fanits more carefully, they wou'd foon learn to be more tender of the reputation of their Minifters. They who make it their chief bufinels to exclaim againft' the Miniftry, inftead of applying themfelves ferioufly to make fure of their own Salvation, little confider what danger they are in of being found fighting sgsinft God, and doing the Devil’s work ; they often difcourage good Mini- fters, and greatly hinder the fuccels of the Gofpel, and {urely -this muft be renk’d smong the mok ag- gravated and dangerous Sins. The crying Sin of the Land is contempt of the Gofpel ; and if we are not reformed in this refpeét we have reafon to fear God will punifh New England by taking his Gofpel from them, or giving them upto blind and ignorant Guides: Infinuations againft Salaries will be eagerly catched st by many unthinking people, who cannot diftin- guifh betwixt being fupported by a Salary,and preach- ing only for the fake ot one. There can be no harm citherin giving or taking a Salary if Men’s aims and Hearts are right : the Gbfpel ought to be fupported fome way or other ; and ' all judicious Men muft fee thet a ftated Sslary upon the whole is much the belt method for the People as well as the Minifter. In fat,they who have fet up moft fiercely in oppofition to Salaries, have at JAft *been glad to come into the fame method. : . In my opinion the People have generally been more to blame than Minifters for moft of the dif- turbances which Salaries have occafioned : there has been a fhameful backwardnefs in many places to do that which is ftrictly honeft and right in fupporting the Gofpel ; ahd covetonfnefs has eat out the very vitals of Religion among us. Iam far from thinking the Miniftry properly maintained in moft places,stid fhould be glad to fee a better {pirit reigning every where : and as to fmall tokens of Refpe, it cannot be looked upoh &s bribery to fhow my Love to my inifter, and refreth his Bowels in the Lord, with fuch things as I know to be neceflary & comfortable : it is rather an encouragement to go on in his work, when he receives fuch Tefimonies of his peoples affection. - As to a Minifter’s converfation, he fiou’d always indeed aim principilly at the {piritual advantage of his People, and improve every opportunity of teach- ing and recommending all the duties of Religion. But he has the fame Privilege with other Chriftians of difcourfing fometimes upon common affairs, and ina pleafant way. A wife man knows how and when to fpeak, and prudence muft diret both Minifters and People how to manage dll their converfation even upon ordinary affairs to the Glory of God: The greateft good is nos always done by an sffeétati- on to talk continually upon the moft folemn things. With thefe remiirks and cautions [ am content the Author fhou’d pafs, and that his attempt to reform all forts of Perfons fhould be accepted and fhall be ples!- ed to fee the defired Effect. L e A U b Wy || PP | ~] v’ “NUMBZ 264. [ WEeEks fince this Parzp : {"was firt Publifh’d. /'S, Foreign and Domefiich. »'g Grear Grocav, July 6. Mijor Genersl Tot- tleben's traiterous Correfpondence was dilcovered by fome letters found upon two Jews, father and {on of the name of Sabaky, who csrried his letters. Since the difcovery of Gen. Tottlenben's fraiteous corre(pondence, the Eprels Qaeen begins to {ul- pect fome Perions at Vienna of holding intelligence with the king of Pruflia, and hath ordered them to be narrowly watched. Cologne july 27. The French, to conceal the lofs hey 1n@ained ips the late battle, bring’ in. their wounded officers 43 well as ‘foldiers in the night. However, we know the number of the former brought into our hofpitals exceed two hundred ; of the lutter there are neer three thoufand. Lisbon. Fuly 28. The St. Grigory, from Martineco to France, loaded with Sugar, Coffee, and Cotton, is taken by the Le Blond, Capt. Keanedy, and brought into this Port: ; 3 : Plymsuth, Augsf? 8. Lak Sunday &s fevere aPrels was?” btgun here as ever was known. L O N D O N, Augutt 11. We hear from Harwich, that on F riday Morning’ laft, after Ten, Lord Anfon arrived, and went imme- diately on board the Charlotte Yatcht, and failed in two Hours after, and got to the Mouth of the Har- bour ; when the Wind coming to the South Eaft,’ and but little of it, was obliged to come to an An-; chor ; but between Three aud Four in the After- noon the Wind changed to the S. W, when a Gun' was fired from the Admiral, for weighing, and all got under Way ; but the Swallow Siore Ship in going out got on fhore onthe Andrews, which being ob‘erved by the Admiral, the whole Fleet brgughe to, and the Lurcher Cutter was difpatched to hefif fitance, with Orders to get all poflible Help“ro Harwich, = The Frederick and Willism Fithing Vel fel, Benjsinin Barter went off, and at four the next Morning, by carrying an Anchor out, got her off : wind the Signut being made thist (e was off; the whole Fleet procecded to Ses, and were foon out of Sight.. _ The Suit of Cloaths in which his Majefty is to re- ceive his intended Queen, is & rich Silver Ground,’ decorated with Gold Flowers. July 17. As an inflance of the great eagerne(s ta view the grand fthew of the cordnation, we are in- formed, that & gentleman has been prevailed upon to take a room for his lady at the rate of 140 guineas; but the appointment of the foleminity of the corona- tion falling unhappily exaétly at the time when the lady expeQts to be delivered,fhe has further prevailed on her hufband, to let a fkilful man-midwile, nurfe, &c. attend her, and to hire an additional withdraw- ing room, leaft the great hurry of the dayfhould bring on her labour, whenit will be impoflible for her ta bé carried away without endangering her life. Auguft 3. The ground rent to build the fcafold~ ing on in the Broad Santury to fee the coronation lets at 3l. 135, 6d. per foot. And the ground within the rails, inclofing the Abbey, we hear, lets at 5l. gs per foot. : It is faid the materials of Pondicherry will be em- ployed in rebuilding For St. David’s demoiifhed by, the French in the beginning of this war. ‘ Auguff 1. The laft revolution in Bengal is faid to be the moft important one for the EaftIndia company, that ever before happened. Thirty two pieces of fine brafs cannon pafled over London Bridge for Portimouth, the z4th ult. ® be embarked for the new expedition. 30. The majeftrates of Augfburg have publifhed an ordonnance, by which they forbid the inhabitants ta fpeak of ftate-affairs, or macters of religion ; they ex+ hort them to pry a proper refpect to all the ambaf- fadors, and thofe belonging to them: they likewife regulate the price of lodgings, and ftrong.y recom- mend the dbfervance of order and decency. CHARLES TOWN, S. Carolina, Sept 22: On Thur{day lsft arrived Capt. Taylor and Capt. Dunesn from the conft of Africa, by whom wehayé the following information, viz. That the Amethifte. Freneh #rigate, fome time fince mentioned to have arrived on that coaft, came on the 15th of June ta the Banana iflands, within which is & very good rosd, where than lay the Flora of London, James Taylor imafter, with 200 {laves on board, and the Fare, of Liverpoo), Captain Colley, with 500 more ; but fhe arrived too late to come within gunfhot-of theEnglift veflels : Captain T'aylor fent his boat to enquire whe the was, when theCommander of the frigate teok twer negroes out of her, and making fure of the fhips, fent her back for the mafters aad their papers : Captain

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