{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_52042/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_52042","id":"gutenberg_52042","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52042","summary":null,"tags":["British and Foreign Bible Society","Category: History - British","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"Transcribed from the 1817 J. Keymer edition by David Price, email\nccx074@pglaf.org\n\n\n\n\n\n                                 REASONS\n                                   WHY\n                              _A CHURCHMAN_\n                          MAY WITH GREAT JUSTICE\n                          _REFUSE TO SUBSCRIBE_\n                                    TO\n                               THE BRITISH\n                                   AND\n                          FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.\n\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                YARMOUTH:\n                    Printed by J. Keymer, King-Street.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                  1817.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nAs this small tract seems destined for a more extended circulation, than\nwas at first intended, from the author\u2019s being strongly solicited that it\nmight be made more public, it may in some degree be necessary to explain\nhis motive for its original publication; lest it should seem to have been\nsolely brought forward, with a view of entering into the controversy\nrespecting Bible Societies.  Which was certainly far from the case,\nbecause he is of opinion, that though controversies will, when conducted\nin an argumentative, dispassionate, and manly manner, draw out and\nconfirm the truth; yet, if conducted otherwise, they more frequently tend\nto confuse others, but very rarely to convince the parties engaged.  His\nmotive, therefore, was very different.  Being minister of a populous\nparish, and observing, what he conceived to be, an unwarrantable\ninterference in it, to assist and forward the views of the British and\nForeign Bible Society, though it was contrary to his known and expressed\nwishes; he was, in a manner, compelled to give his reasons to his\nparishioners, who were churchmen, why he objected to that society; and to\nshew that his objection did not arise, as the general insinuation is,\nbecause the Bible was circulated, but because there was a society\nestablished, which, to churchmen, afforded greater means of circulating\nit; and which, also, held forth greater advantages and security to the\nEstablished Church.  His object was to keep the members of the\nEstablished Church steady in their obedience to it; and to put them on\ntheir guard against the invitations of the Bible Society, which would\nonly distract them.  He has concisely told them his reasons for forming\nthis opinion, and has furnished them with a reasonable excuse for not\nsubscribing.\n\nThe author will now merely repeat, that, had it not been for the\nsolicitations of many of his friends, this tract would have been confined\nto the use of his parishes.  He wishes, therefore, to observe, that, as\nthat was his first intention, and as he has not been in the habit of\nwriting for the press, he hopes he shall receive indulgence for its\nimperfections.  His desire was, that it might be useful to those for whom\nit was at first intended; and he trusts it will be equally so, when more\nwidely diffused.\n\n\n\n\n_REASONS_,\n&c., &c.\n\n\nFROM the increased activity which has of late been shewn by the advocates\nfor the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the reflections which have\nbeen cast upon those who do not choose to join them, it seems necessary\nto set this subject in its true light; and to shew that the refusal to\nunite with them, is not, as they have falsely said, because those who\nrefuse are against the circulation of the Bible; but because they foresee\ndanger likely to be incurred by it; and because there is another Bible\nSociety, which was established above 100 years before their\u2019s, and which\nholds out to its subscribers, particularly churchmen, superior\nadvantages; and, therefore, a person may be thoroughly justified in the\npreference of the one Society, and the rejection of the other.\n\nBefore, however, the subject is entered upon, it may be necessary to say,\nthat these observations are intended to be addressed particularly to\nchurchmen; and to that class of churchmen, who have had neither leisure\nnor opportunity to attend to the consideration of such subjects; but who\nyet may be desirous of knowing the merits of them, if brought forward in\na concise manner.  They are not intended to cast any reproach on the\ndissenters, nor to adopt the arrogant and dogmatical style of the Bible\nSociety, and say, that because a person thinks differently, he is\ntherefore deserving of every reproachful epithet, he is unmindful of the\neternal welfare of the poor, and guilty of a total dereliction of his\nduty.  This style is by no means adapted to the temper or disposition of\nthe writer of these observations, who wishes to urge what he says, in a\nclear and candid manner, void of all anger, bitterness, or clamour.  He\nbeing well convinced, that, if reason and sound argument will not bring\nconviction to a man\u2019s mind, anger or vehemence of expression will never\neffect it.  For a good cause only requires to be fairly stated to insure\napprobation; whilst a bad cause, being fearful of not obtaining any\nsupport, strives to snatch it by violence and declamation.\n\nThe chief arguments urged by the advocates of the British and Foreign\nBible Society, are the general circulation of the Bible; and the love and\nharmony which an union of churchmen with dissenters must, they say,\nnaturally inspire.  It will not, however, be difficult to prove, that\nneither the one nor the other can be exclusively claimed by them.  That\nthey cannot appropriate the former solely to themselves; nor has the\nlatter been at all proved by recent occurrences.  To prove that the\ncirculation of the Bible does not exclusively belong to the British and\nForeign Bible Society, it needs only be said, that there is another\nSociety for that purpose, called the Society for Promoting Christian\nKnowledge.  It is asserted by some, that these two Societies will not\ninterfere with, nor oppose, each other.  But how can this be proved,\nwhen, by the strong recommendation of the one, and the total silence as\nto the other, subscriptions are drawn to the one, which might very\nmaterially assist and increase the powers of the other, seems\ninexplicable.  If merely the distribution of the Bible were the sole\neffect to be produced, and no other consequence to be apprehended, there\ncould be no possible objection to either, and it might not signify\nthrough which channel it was carried.  For the Bible is the work of men\ndivinely inspired, and contains every thing which a Christian ought to\nknow and believe to his soul\u2019s health; and therefore, no book can be more\nproper, nor more useful, nor deserve to be more freely nor more widely\ncirculated.  But though it is a book which is so proper, so useful, and\ndeserves to be as freely and as widely circulated as possible, and though\nit contains every thing necessary for a Christian\u2019s salvation, yet there\nare in it some parts which are not so easy to be understood; but require\nthe assistance of fit and proper persons to point out to the unlearned\nthe proper meaning of those passages.  The explanation, however, of these\ndifficult passages will vary, according to the religious notions of the\nperson, to whom the application for assistance is made.  And as it is\nwell known, that the Socinian, the Independent, the Anabaptist, the\nMethodist, and other sects, all think they derive the tenets of their\nrespective religions from the Bible, it is surely of importance,\nnotwithstanding the ostensible object of the two Societies is the same,\nfor a churchman to consider whom he assists in the explanation of the\nBible, and what channel he authorizes for its distribution; lest, whilst\nthe letter of the Gospel is distributed, the spirit of it should be\ncompletely altered.\n\nThe Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge certainly, holds forth\nsuperior advantages to a churchman: First, Because it is a Society which\nconsists entirely of churchmen; Secondly, Because Bibles can there be\nprocured at a cheaper rate; Thirdly, Because those Bibles are more\nuseful; and, Fourthly, Because it furnishes Prayer Books and Religious\nTracts.\n\nFirst, It is a Society which consists entirely of churchmen.  A Society\nformed of persons professing the same system of religion, can have no\nother view than the promotion of that religion.  There will be no variety\nof interpretations in essential points, no confusion occasioned among the\nunlearned by different comments.  The churchman will explain the\ndifficult and doubtful parts, if applied to for an explanation of them,\nin the way prescribed by the best church commentators.  But, if not\napplied to for that specific purpose, will rather recommend an attention\nto those parts of Scripture, which point out the way to salvation, and\nwhich are so clear and plain, that he who runs may read his duty.  He\nwill circulate the Bible, because he firmly believes it will best promote\nhis religion, and that his religion prescribes the best mode of obtaining\neternal salvation.  There can, therefore, be no danger in a churchman\nsubscribing to this Society, because the views of all the members of it\nmust be the same.  On this account, then, this Society must be considered\nas the most proper channel through which a churchman should distribute\nthe Bible: and it does seem surprising, when the Church of England is\nmore effectually served by an union of churchmen with churchmen, how any\none of that persuasion can hesitate to prefer it.\n\nSecondly, It is the best, because it procures Bibles at a cheaper rate.\nThe comparative advantage of the two Societies in this respect, have been\nso clearly brought forward by Mr. Norris, in his Appendix to the\nPractical Exposition of the Bible Society, that this shall be taken from\nit.  A 12mo nonpareil Bible is allowed to the Subscribers for Promoting\nChristian Knowledge for 3s. 3d., {5a} but the British and Foreign Bible\nSociety expects from its subscribers 4s. 6d. {5b} for the same edition.\nIn purchasing, therefore, six Bibles, a subscriber to the former would\ngive 19s. 6d., but a subscriber to the latter would give \u00a31. 7s.  If a\nparochial subscription should be made, the Society for Promoting\nChristian Knowledge offers superior advantages.  Because it offers\ntwo-thirds of the collection to be returned in books, valued at the\nreduced prices; whereas, the British and Foreign Bible Society only\noffers one half; and therefore, if the collection amounted to \u00a318, the\nSociety for Promoting Christian Knowledge, selling their Bibles for 3s.\n3d., and allowing two-thirds of it to be returned in books, which would\nbe \u00a312, would furnish 73 and nearly 74 Bibles; whilst the British and\nForeign Bible Society, selling their Bibles for 4s. 6d., and only\nallowing one half to be returned in books, would, for the collection of\n\u00a318, only furnish 40 Bibles.  The Society for Promoting Christian\nKnowledge would therefore allow for the same collection 33 or nearly one\nhalf more Bibles than the British and Foreign Bible Society; as,\ntherefore, this Society affords Bibles at a cheaper rate, and as the\ndistribution of them is the main object of both Societies, that Society\nmust clearly be the best, which affords the largest opportunities of\ndoing it.\n\nThirdly, It is the best, because it provides Bibles which are more\nuseful.  It has been before observed, that there are passages in the\nBible which may admit of doubtful and different interpretations.  Surely,\nthen, that Society is to be esteemed the best, which affords the best\ncomments on those difficult passages.  The Society for Promoting\nChristian Knowledge furnishes Bibles with these notes and comments.  And\nthere is now publishing by that Society, a most useful and explanatory\nFamily Bible, under the management of Dr. Mant and Mr. D\u2019Oyley, which is\nfurnished to the subscribers at a very cheap rate; and which, if it were\npossible, it would be desirable so far still to be reduced in price, as\nto allow it to be in general circulation.  For, the more the Bible is\nexplained by fit and able commentators, the more useful it is rendered.\nBibles, therefore, with notes and comments, are the most useful; and as\nthat Society provides them, it is clearly the best channel through which\na churchman would wish to distribute a Bible.\n\nFourthly, It is the best, because it provides Prayer Books and Religious\nTracts.  When we consider that there is at present hardly a town, or even\na village, which is not visited by illiterate teachers, who expound the\nBible with more confidence than the most able theologian, it surely\nbecomes doubly necessary, if we would preserve the poor of the\nEstablishment in the religion of their fathers, to provide them with a\nsafeguard against false interpretations.  At one time it was argued by\nthe advocates of the Bible Society, that the Bible alone was the religion\nof the Protestant, and ought to be alone distributed.  But those persons\nwho were desirous of preserving the present Church Establishment, and\namongst those, particularly Dr. Marsh, made every effort to increase the\ndistribution of the Prayer Book.  And when we consider that it contains\ndevotional exercises in the true spirit of the Scripture; that it is\nheard constantly at church; that it is designed equally for the closet;\nand that no churchman can join in the service of the church without it;\nsurely it must be confessed that the Society which provides these is the\nbest.  It may be said, that there is a Society formed for the\ndistribution of Prayer Books and Homilies, and that a churchman,\nsubscribing to the British and Foreign Bible Society, may procure Prayer\nBooks to accompany his Bibles from that; but surely the Society which\nunites both in one must be preferable to that which provides only one.\nGreat benefit is also to be derived from Religious Tracts.  They are\nuseful helps, and sure and certain guides.  That is, certain as far as\nhuman intellect can guarantee them, as to the doctrine of the Church of\nEngland.  For no Tract is allowed to be issued by this Society, without\nundergoing the strictest examination of the most learned and orthodox\nmen.  Which must undoubtedly be, to those churchmen who do not pretend to\nbe wise above what is written, nor wiser than any that have gone before,\nnor above being guided, a very great recommendation.  From what has been\nobserved, it will, it is to be hoped, be allowed, that the Society for\nPromoting Christian Knowledge holds forth superior advantages to the\nchurchman; when it is considered, that it is composed of churchmen only;\nthat it furnishes Bibles with notes and comments; that it sells those\nBibles at a much cheaper rate; and that it provides Prayer Books and\nReligious Tracts.\n\nThe British and Foreign Bible Society is composed of churchmen and\ndissenters.  The dissenter of every denomination is admitted into it, and\nallowed to have at his disposal an equal number of Bibles with the\nchurchman.  And if there be, as every dissenting minister must\nacknowledge, some parts of the Holy Scriptures, which the poor and\nunlearned cannot understand without assistance, and the Bible be\ndistributed by such a variety of persons, professing different religions,\nand consequently affording very different explanations, what confusion\nmust be occasioned!  How must the poor be tossed about by such various\nand strange doctrines!  The British Critic for November, 1815, in the\nremarks upon Mr. Gisborne\u2019s letter to the Bishop of Gloucester, says, \u201cAs\nthe most absurd and fatal errors which ever disgraced the Christian\nChurch, have every one of them been deduced from a perverted\ninterpretation of the Holy Scriptures; to place Bibles for distribution\nin the hands of those who preach such doctrines, and who can prove to the\nsatisfaction of their deluded hearers, that such doctrines are derived\nfrom Scripture, is to increase the progress of error; and every such\nBible becomes a curse and not a blessing to its possessors.  Most\ndangerous, therefore, is it to the souls of the lower orders, by an union\nof churchmen with such men as hold forth these fatal perversions, to\nsupply them with arms for their own destruction, and to give them\ninfluence sufficient to use them with success.  We do not say that all\ndissenters are thus inclined; many, especially of the older sort, are\ngood and worthy men; but the daily increasing numbers of furious fanatics\nare unhappily more than sufficient to warrant our assertions.\u201d  A\nchurchman must believe, that, in the Established Church, Christianity is\nto be found, both as to its doctrine and discipline, in its purest form:\nand he must also believe, that the further the doctrine of any sect\nrecedes from this standard, the further must it degenerate into error.\nAnd the more the sectaries are increased, the more will the Established\nChurch be endangered.  It may be said, that if the doctrine and\ndiscipline of the Church be founded on the Bible, why should it be\nalarmed at the extended distribution of that Bible on which it is\nfounded?  That the doctrines and discipline of the Church are founded on\nthe Bible we are proud to acknowledge, and ready to demonstrate; but that\nIndependency, Quakerism, Antinomianism, and Unitarianism are also\nreferred to by their several teachers to the same source, no one would\nattempt to deny.  When, therefore, by our co-operation, we enable these\nsectaries to distribute the Holy Scriptures to a vast extent, we enable\nthem to undermine the Established Church, by the means of those very\nScriptures on which it is founded.  The sectary gains an influence over\nthe poor, by the opportunities afforded him by this Society.  And every\nchurchman who subscribes his guinea to it, must suffer his subscription\nto go to promote the views of the dissenter, whatever they may be, as\nwell as his own: it must go towards the furtherance of whatever plan that\nSociety may suggest.\n\nSome persons have attempted to apologize for their belonging to this\nSociety, by saying, that their object was to watch over and prevent any\nbad consequences which might otherwise happen from it.  But surely this\nis a most senseless notion; that, because it is a Society which may be\nproductive of much mischief, they will add to the means which will\npromote it.  Nature will be nature; and a man, conscientiously attached\nto his religion, will, if means are afforded him, find opportunities of\nemploying them towards the accomplishment of his purpose, though ever so\nmuch watched.  It therefore plainly appears, that the Society for\nPromoting Christian Knowledge is far preferable to churchmen for the\ndistribution of the Bible than the British and Foreign Bible Society; not\nonly from the great advantages before mentioned, but because much danger\nto the Church Establishment may be incurred by the latter, but cannot by\nthe former.\n\nWith regard to the other argument urged by the advocates for the British\nand Foreign Bible Society; _viz._ The love and harmony which, by such an\nunion of churchmen with dissenters, will be inspired.  This may be proved\nto be as unfounded as the other.  Did this love and harmony only refer to\nsocial acts, to kindness between man and man, it would certainly be a\nmost desirable object.  For, as far as the calls of society demand, or\nhumanity can claim, so far should such an union be strongly recommended.\nDistress ought to mark the object, and not the sect.  And if that object\nbe worthy, or in real distress, whether churchman or dissenter, he ought\nto be comforted and relieved.  But surely, with regard to every religious\ntransaction, each ought to be perfectly distinct.  Let the dissenter have\nas free and complete a toleration as possible, and an undisturbed\nopportunity of observing and obeying the rites and precepts of his\nreligion; but let not the churchman contribute his means to assist the\ndissenter in the extension of his religion, at the hazard of supplanting\nhis own.  Whatever ideas may be afloat in the world, that all religions\nare to be equally encouraged, and that there are no safeguards, no\nprotection to be granted to any one in particular, let not a churchman\nharbour such.  It may be wise and prudent for a dissenter to adopt such\nsentiments, but perfectly unwise and imprudent in a churchman.\n\nThe union of all sects and denominations of Christians to distribute the\nWord of God, has an imposing sound, and is well calculated to seduce the\nunwary, and to deceive the good.  But, to form a complete and safe union\nin any scheme, it is absolutely necessary that all the consequences of\nsuch an act should certainly tend to the promotion of mutual intention\nand interest: and such can certainly not be said of the union here\nmentioned, because the purposes and interests of the various parts of it\ntotally differ.  So far then from the Bible Society producing any union,\nit sows widely the seeds of discord.  It has already divided the national\nChurch; and what is the spirit which animates it, may be seen by the\nvariety of pamphlets circulated by its abettors, and by the variety of\nspeeches made at every Auxiliary Meeting.\n\nWhatever conciliation it may have effected amongst dissenters, it\nassuredly has had a contrary effect amongst churchmen.  For there has not\nbeen, for a considerable time, a measure brought forward which has\ncreated such a division amongst them.  A division, which, if continued,\nmay, and most likely will, be productive of the most fatal consequences\nto the Established Church.  A Society, which will instigate and cause\nsuch violent and unbecoming animadversions, as are made not only from\nchurchmen to churchmen, but from the clergy of a certain diocese to their\ndiocesan, {12} must hold forth and threaten the most alarming and\ndangerous consequences.  It has already had the effect of creating a\ndivision amongst the members of the Established Church, but has not\ndiminished the number of the dissenters.  It therefore may with truth be\nsaid, that the British and Foreign Bible Society cannot with justice\nappropriate to itself the merit of either exclusively distributing the\nBible, or of inspiring universal love and harmony.  A churchman may,\ntherefore, fairly refuse to subscribe to it, without deserving to be\nreproached as an enemy to the distribution of the Bible, as being a\nbigot, or being regardless of the spiritual welfare of the poor.  He may\nsay, \u201cI love and revere the Bible as much as any person can do, and am as\nready to associate for its distribution; but I wish, whilst I am\npromoting this laudable work, to perform at the same time my duties as a\nchurchman.  And, therefore, as the Society for Promoting Christian\nKnowledge consists entirely of churchmen; will provide me with Bibles at\na cheaper rate: such as are more useful, from their notes and comments;\nand will also provide me with Prayer Books and Religious Tracts, I shall\nprefer that; because no harm can thereby happen to the Established\nChurch; and because I shall thus be enabled to do my duty as a Christian,\nand at the same time my duty as a churchman.  Whilst, by uniting in the\ndistribution of the Bible, through the hands of sectaries of every\ndescription, I should consider myself, by promoting their means of\nconversion, in every convert who was made, or in every intention formed\nby them for drawing persons from the Established Church, not only an\nassistant, but an accessary.\u201d\n\nThese are certainly very fair and reasonable objections to a churchman\u2019s\nsubscribing to the British and Foreign Bible Society.  If there were no\nother Society formed for the distribution of the Bible, the case would be\ndifferent.  But since there is one, which offers superior advantages, and\nwhich affords him an opportunity of performing the duties of a churchman,\nat the same time that he is performing the duties of a Christian, there\nis abundant reason for his rejection of the one Society, and his adoption\nof the other.\n\nThere is one other plan proposed by the British and Foreign Bible\nSociety, which requires to be shortly noticed; _viz._ The pennies\ncollected from the poor.  If the representations of Mr. Gisborne are\ncorrect, as to the flourishing state of the Auxiliary Bible Society, that\ntheir revenue amounted in 1815 to \u00a3124,019. 7s. 7d.; that \u00a326,687. 16s.\n5d. was expended for the foreign department; that there was left for home\nconsumption annually the sum of \u00a397,331. 11s; 2d.; that, in addition to\nthis income, there are exchequer bills to the amount of \u00a333,822. 3s. 8d.,\nbesides funded property to the amount of \u00a310,000 more: with such an\nimmense sum, an unappropriated surplus of \u00a343,000 and upwards, and an\nincome for home consumption of \u00a390,000 and upwards, it may be fairly\nasked, for what Christian purpose are the poor to be taxed a penny a\nweek, in support of a Society whose income exceeds it expenditure?  What\nreason can there be to tax the paupers of this kingdom to supply foreign\nnations with Bibles?  There is no poor family in the kingdom, to whom 4s.\n6d. is not, at the end of the year, a real object, in the purchase of\nclothing for children, payment of rent, or procuring food and fuel.  To\ndeduct such a sum, therefore, from a poor family, is a cruel, a wicked,\nand an unchristian act.  If the poor cannot claim a Bible gratuitously,\nfor what reason is \u00a390,000 taken every year from the pockets of the rich?\nIt is greatly to be feared, that the real purport of this vexatious\nimpost has a more mischievous tendency; and though there are some who\nhave united in this scheme, more from error in judgment, than from\nbadness of intention, yet there are others, whose aim and ambition it is\nto puritanize the whole community, and to raise the fabric of enthusiasm\nupon the ruins of Church and State. {15}\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                  FINIS.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n            _Printed by J. Keymer_, _King-Street_, _Yarmouth_.\n\n\n\n\nFOOTNOTES.\n\n\n{5a}  That edition of the Bible is now sold by the Society for Promoting\nChristian Knowledge for 3s.; and therefore, the advantage is still\ngreater than here represented.\n\n{5b}  It has been asserted, that the Bible Society affords to its\nsubscribers these Bibles at 3s. 9d.; but as the poor do not receive them\ntill they have paid one penny weekly for a whole year, to them it is not\nallowed at less than 4s. 4d.; and there are instances, where they have\nnot received them even for that.  Whatever indulgence, therefore, the\nrich subscribers may receive, the poor are not in the least benefited.\nAnd the price is far above that allowed by the Society for Promoting\nChristian Knowledge, as may be seen by the note above.\n\n{12}  The Bishop of Lincoln.\n\n{15}  See British Critic, November, 1815.","title":"Reasons why a Churchman may with Great Justice Refuse to Subscribe to the British and Foreign Bible Society","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":4423}