36 Cruelty and Sin of employing Children for Sweeping Chimneys. [JAN. -shew that Dr. Paley, in 1777, said that we have nothing to do with "conversion," which he did not say; or that in his latter years he admitted that we have something practically to do with "regeneration," which likewise he did not say :-I mean in the passages peferred to by Mr. Bickersteth. In fact, he keeps the two classes of terms clearly, and, I think, significantly, distinct. If Mr. Bickersteth has other proofs than the passages which he specifically refers to, I shall be glad; my observations go only to the extent of shewing that nothing certain can be concluded from what he has quoted. SOSIPATER. ON THE CRUELTY AND SIN OF EMPLOYING CHILDREN FOR SWEEPING CHIMNEYS. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THE sin of employing little children to sweep chimneys is, in many cases, a sin of ignorance or inadvertence, notwithstanding all that has been said and done to convey information; but the subject is now awakening the sympathy of the country to a degree that would astonish those who have for years grieved over the apathy which has existed were it not that Heaven has promised to hear the prayers that are offered up, if faith is but exercised. A bill was passed in 1834 to regulate this trade, and by degrees to abolish a practice alike opposed to the laws of God, and the better feelings of every refined person; but it will expire on the first of January 1840, and another bill must be then introduced; and it is very important that the friends of religion and humanity should be prepared to aid the object. As there are always some persons to be enlightened, even in a matter that has been so long before the public, I beg leave to state that this trade varies from every honest calling in the following particulars. 1st. The children are apprenticed before they are capable of forming a just judgment in the matter, and they are misled by the false and fraudulent statements of those who buy them of their relations, or procure them from a work-house. 2nd. Their sufferings are extremely severe during their initiation; and, indeed, throughout the whole of their apprenticeship. 3rdly. The trade affords them no employment after they have attained the age of sixteen or seventeen, at which time they are thrown upon the world, ignorant in the extreme, and destitute of the means of support. And, lastly, this early association with the soot, produces a cancer in after life, which is seldom cured; which none but a chimney sweeper ever has, and which carries off its victims in a state not to be conceived of by those who have never seen this particular species of that awful disease. Even if there were no apparent alternative, the propriety of thus employing children would be very questionable; but it is clearly proved that they are not wanted, by the fact that the London Fire Offices have abandoned their use for their own chimneys. The time appears to be come for giving up this disgraceful prac tice, and I can never believe that the want of funds to procure an act of parliament, will retard the accomplishment of such an important object. If the merciful only are to be eventually blessed, who would not shew mercy? If children are the objects of God's especial care, who would venture to disregard their claims? If West India slavery has been abolished, how can these captives remain bound? I am, &c. ROBERT STEVEN. Our correspondent is the indefatigable honorary secretary of the Society formed many years ago for abolishing the practice of using children to sweep chimneys. Chiefly by the benevolent exertions of this Society, great information upon the subject has been widely circulated, and much has been effected towards suppressing the evil; but nothing short of a prohibition of the practice by law will be wholly effectual; and we would urge the Society to continue its endeavours to attain that object in the proposed enactment. Machinery having been found perfectly adequate to the sweeping of chimneys, there can be no shadow of reason why the Legislature should not forbid the employment of climbing boys. ORIGINAL POETRY. MAN'S IMMORTALITY. 'Tis the soft hour of eve-the summer sun A gleam of bursting bliss had won its way from Heaven! At such an hour as this, the pensive soul, Entranced in thought, unfolds for flight sublime Her immaterial wings, and spurning all The narrow boundaries of Space and Time, Feels that immortal strength which God hath given, Oh yes! despite those bonds that drag him down, Its high extraction doth his spirit own, Designed for Heaven, it hath from Heaven its birth; Behold all Nature's works-above abroad, For why was all this tracery of Love Hung round the Earth ?—those ever-during fires, Woo the rapt spirit to sublime desires, What mean they all, if this brief earthly span Be all that spirit's life, and death the end of Man? There is, there is, a world beyond the sky: The path to Heav'n, and shews a wondrous plan, May reach in peace at length its home of quiet rest. J. E. P. KNOWING THAT SHORTLY I MUST PUT OFF THIS TABERNACLE." As o'er the fields by evening's light I stray, I hear a still small whisper-" Come away! The mandate I obey-my lamp prepare, Thou sun, to whose parental beam I owe Ye verdant meads, fair blossoms stately trees, Farewell! Ye patient servants of Creation's lord, Ye feebler, freer tribes that people air, Farewell! Books, that have been to me as chests of gold, And for you love, health, friendship, peace, have sold Farewell! Blest tome, to thee, whose truth-writ page once known, Farewell! Dear kindred, whom the Lord to me has giv'n, Farewell! Then shall my new-born senses find new joy, M. A. E. ***We do not often add a note to a poem; but if St. John found no temple in the New Jerusalem, neither will there be any need of a Bible; for we shall not then see through a glass darkly,-through the veil of sacraments or the written word but face to face. The Bible is God's gift, but not for heaven's use. Still, on the very verge of heaven we may cling to it, after we have bid farewell to every thing rthly; and this perhaps is what M. A. E. means. 1. The Church of Rome in her primitive Purity, compared with the Church of Rome at the present day; being a candid examination of her claims to universal dominion. By the Right Reverend J. H. HOPKINS, D.D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the diocese of Vermont, U. S. With an Introductory Essay by the Rev. H. MELVILL, B.D. London, 1839. 2. Essays on Romanism. By the author of "Essays on the Church." London, 1839. 3. A Key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits; to which is added, some proposals for a (hopeless) peace. By RICHARD BAXTER, a Catholic Christian, and Pastor of a church of such at Kidderminster; re-printed, with Notes, illustrative and biographical, by the Rev. J. ALLPORT, Minister of St. James's, Birmingham. London, 1839. 4. A Text-book of Popery, comprising a brief History of the Council of Trent. By J. M. Cramp. Second edition. London, 1839. 5. The Variations of Popery. By SAMUEL EDGAR. Second edition. London, 1838. 6. Antipopriestian. By JOHN ROGERS. London, 1839. 7. The Protestant Armoury; being a collection of extracts from various writers on the Church of Rome By a Lay Member of the Church of England. London, 1839. 8. Guy Fawkes. By the Rev. F. LATHBURY, M.A. London, 1839. 9. Twelve Lectures on Popery (by twelve different ministers), delivered in Glasgow. Glasgow, 1836. 10. Seven Sermons on the leading points of difference between Protestantism and the Church of Rome, delivered (by six clergymen) in the parish church of Newcastle-under-Lyne. Newcastle, 1836. We have taken up this half score volumes, (most of them published within the last few months) as they happen to lie casually upon our table; and we doubt not, if we gave our bookseller an order to supply us with other recent works against Romanism, we could easily double the number. There is surely something portentous in this. Either the love of controversy is very rife; or Popery is making serious ravages; or Protestants are grievously alarmed without cause. That the second of these reasons is the true one, we fear is the correct solution. The works before us are not all from the London press; we have taken two from provincial towns, as a sample of innumerable lectures, pamphlets, and other addresses, which have, for several years, been issuing from various parts of the kingdom, all concurring in one statement that the power of Popery has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished; -not indeed by weapons like its own; but by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We are much struck, in glancing over these volumes, to observe the numerous counts in the one comprehensive indictment against the mystical Babylon. In all of them is Popery arraigned for high treason against the Divine majesty; and every one of them supplies overwhelming evidence in substantiation of the charge; and yet the heads of accusation, and the overt acts alleged in proof of them, are astonishingly diversified and cumulative. It is appalling to survey the mass of evil which is concentred in that one word POPERY. In whatever aspect we regard the well-being of man, whether for body or soul, the Church of Rome tends to thwart it. Even if its enormities as professing to be a system of religion, were forgotten, it would still deserve the strongest censure of the statesman, the philanthropist, and the sound philosopher, for its political, social, and intellectual offences; so much so that there is danger lest the major offence should, in popular opinion, be overlooked in the minor;-lest men should be so accustomed to reprobate it chiefly for its inroads. upon their worldly well-being, that they should lose sight of the dangers with which it besets their immortal interests ;-lest they should think of it rather as narrow-minded, bigoted, superstitious, and tyrannical, than as anti-scriptural and soul-destroying. It is not as men, merely, or chiefly, but as Christians, that we ought to regard Popery with abhorrence. It would be more tedious than useful to take up a heap of treatises against Romanism, and to shew in detail what are the averments of each; especially as most of them must embrace the same prominent features; though sketched with diversity of shade and aspect. Yet the variety is not superfluous or uninstructive ; for the minds of men are differently susceptible of particular arguments and illustrations; and the proof which was not wanted for one may be serviceable to another. Local circumstances, also, and associations, may render this or that work more peculiarly appropriate or acceptable; so that, far from saying that the subject is exhausted, and that such a list as that above given might be swept off without leaving a blank, we can truly affirm that in most of these publications we have found some things which had not been wrought out elsewhere with the same particular effect. Any thing altogether novel, on so trite a controversy, is scarcely to be expected; nor, if attainable, might it be serviceable; for as Popery has not changed, so neither have the charges against it lost any of their force; and the old arguments by which it has been again and again refuted, are still irrefragable. But old arguments may be |
