Since that period I have weighed the subject maturely, and feel more than ever persuaded of the necessity and utility of a National Church, from the example of the Mosaic rites, which were instituted by Divine authority, that all Israel might worship God in the same way; but as soon as they swerved from the National Establishment, they departed from the worship of God to serve the works of man's hands," and the conceits of bewildered imaginations. And this, I fear, is too much the case even now. When men separate theinselves from the Established Church they are frequently in danger of falling into error; "being tossed to and fro, and carried about by. every wind of doctrine, by the leight and cunning craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." Christ came not, as he tells us, to abolish, but fulfil the law. He did not forsake the temple of God, because corruption had crept in; he took a more effectual method of purging it, for "he drove out the money-changers †," &c. And this I conceive he did, as in other instances, for our example, that, by adopting a similar conduct, we might purify our National Church from her corrupt members, rather than, by desertion, leave her a prey to Antichrist. Suppose there were no National Establishment, would the state of society be benefited by such a change? Alas! no one acquainted with the human heart, and its natoral aversion to godliness, can suppose such a thing. Let those who wish for the abolition of the National Church, examine the accounts of a neighbouring nation during the suspension of the established religion, individual was left to when Exodus, xxxii. 1, 6. Mark, 15. think for himself on this important matter; and let us inquire, why the Almighty gave the Jews a form of religion; why did Christ come to collect the scattered sheep into one fold? why did he tell the leper §," &c. to go and offer for his cleansing, as Moses commanded? why do the Apostles constantly exhort to unity || of spirit? why did the noble army of martyrs submit to the stake? and why do these very Dissenters " compass sea and land" to persuade men, if it be better for all men to enjoy a freedom of conscience?-I trust every heart will find an answer to these questions. If unanimity be desirable in any thing, it is more particularly so in religion; for, where diversity of opinions exists, we may naturally expect doubt and infidelity to exist also. It is evident, therefore, that to worship God in the beauty of boliness, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life, are matters worthy of national solicitude; and if so, the propriety of a nátional provision for the encouraging, persuading, and enticing men to turn to the Lord their God, is not only a duty incumbent on a good and wise King to make for his subjects, but for all good subjects to support to the glory of God and their own profit. I remain, Sir, yours, &c. MAJOR, P. S. I hope some more able friend to the Established Church will take up the subject. To the Editor of the Christian Guardian. SIR, YOUR attachment to our excellent Establishment prompts you at all times to give publicity to those observations, which are calculated to elucidate her doctrines, or to correct those errors which the cor Matt. viii4| Rom. xv. 5,6 ruption of her members may have introduced. Now, Sir, I wish to know when, or for what purpose, were voluntaries introduced into the service of our Church? They are, in general, quite devoid even of ordinary solemnity; and in many instances they are calculated to excite great levity in the mind, and to unfit it both for meditation and prayer. In some churches, the organ is played by men who are performers at the theatre; and on particular occasions they assemble their fraternity in the house of God, to amuse a gaping congregation, by singing an anthem, after having contributed, on the preceding night, to pollute the minds of perhaps the very same people by loose and improper songs. The irreverence of choirs is notorious, and demands the pointed censure of those Clergymen under whom they immediately act. Does reason, religion, or common sense, authorize the playing of a tune immediately when divine service is ended? It seems to be a proclamation to the people, that the purpose for which they met is at an end; that they may banish reflection, and amuse themselves for the remainder of the day. Perhaps some of your correspondents may have given serious consideration to this subject, and might favour your readers with a judicious paper upon it, I am yours, was also glad to hear of your return to England, and should be happy to see you again in Manchester; but I begin to fear that will not be soon, on account of your sending for your books. Our Almighty Father is however in all places, and always nigh unto them that call upon him in sincerity. Here we have no continuing city, and we know neither the time nor place of our dissolution; but our heavenly Father knows, and we are under his guardianship. At that hour, how shall we regret that we were not more earnest for the glory of God, the good of men, and our own eternal welfare! We have now a short delay to redeem time and work out our salvation; and we need to tremble lest we fall short of the mark. Let us take no man for our example; Christ hath left us an example, that we should follow his steps. In / following others we are in danger of erring, in imitating Jesus we cannot mistake. The world, formerly a paradise, is become a scene of snares and temptations, but Jesus accompanied the Israelites through the wilderness: to them he was, what he is to every true Christian, a sun by day, and a pillar of a cloud to give light by night. This I have experienced in my affliction, from which I am yet scarcely recovered; but let us sing praises, sing praises, for his mercy endureth for ever. T The news of the country I need not repeat to you, as you have the same means of conveyance that we have; but I thank the Lord of lords that his little Zion here, I hope, does not decrease, but rather increase in number, and I landed safe in the haven of eternal trust in grace, and some have felicity. I trust the Lord will bless and quent and earnest at the throne of Grace: you have known the sweetness of it. Stir up yourself, and the Lord will help you. I wish I could say something that would encourage and comfort you. Keep humble before the Lord; strive to act faith in the promises, and cleave unto the Lord with full pur call us to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Mrs. Bayley and all my family unite with me in prayer for your welfare, temporal and eternal. I am, esteemed Sir, C. BAYLEY pose of heart. The Lord will give St. James's, Manchester, grace and glory, and soon will Sept. 1808. THE POOR MAN'S FRIEND. AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF WILLIAM BIRD, WHO WAS EXECUTED AT CAM BRIDGE FOR FORGERY, ON THE 28TH OF MARCH 1812. WILLIAM BIRD, whose history is here related, was not at all known to the writer of these pages until after his condemnation at the Cambridge assizes. The account which is here given of him was collected by intercourse with him during the last fortnight of his life, and from his family since that period; and it is now presented to the world, with the hope that the publication of it may be useful. His father, who was a carpenter, resided in London, and was ambitious to give his children somewhat more education than is usual with persons in his sphere of life. His son William not only learned writing and arithmetic, but began Latin, and read such other books as boys generally do in the higher walks of society. When he arrived at the age of fourteen, he went to work with his father. His occupation sometimes called him into different parts of the country; but no circumstances occurred in these early years worthy of notice. During this period, however, 7 religion had been altogether a stranger to his breast! He had had no instruction in it, he had attended no place of worship, and had no fear of God before his eyes. Here, then, was a young man of quick talents, of a lively disposition, and an amiable temper, exalted, in some degree, by an edu cation above his rank in life, withs out any religious principles whatever, and with parents entirely destitute of inclination to guide him right. 'When he was about twentythree years of age, he went to work at Woolwich in Kent, and lodged in the family of a pious and respectable man, who had en deavoured to educate a large fa mily "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," who had received a rich recompense in the spiritual blessedness of many of his children, and in whose habita tion peace and prosperity were found. He always attended the same place of worship with this family, while he resided in it; and although there was nothing in his mind which at all indicated to them any bias towards religion, yet, during the three years that he lived with them, they found him an ho nest as well as a sober young man. Ther lamented, indeed, that there was a lightness in his behaviour, a fondness for company, a pliancy in his character, which were likely to prove a snare to him, but which were not marked by any of those features that are calculated to disgust the more sober part of mankind. Indeed, he occasionally read the Bible, and gained somewhat of that knowledge which afterwards, in the hour of affliction, proved very beneficial to him. During the period of his resi, dence with the person before mentioned, he formed an attachment to one of his daughters; and though the parents refused their consent to the connexion, yet, as the affections of the young persons was mutual, they were at length privately married in the year 1809. He then went to reside at Walworth in Surry, with his wife, designing to carry on the business of a carpenter and joiner; and was very industrious for some time. He had, however, set up for himself without sufficiently understanding the nature of his business; and, perhaps, this desire of aggrandizement and independence was one of the first steps towards his ruin. He very soon became embarrassed in his circumstances, but did not acquaint his wife with his difficulties. He had bought some of his materials for trade of a man who afterwards led him into all his troubles: this man, having failed in business, was imprisoned for debt; and after his release, Bird, who was still indebted to him, employed him as his workman, and thus became more closely connected with him. When Bird and his wife left Woolwich, they forgot those good habits which they had been accustomed to in their father's houses their hearts were not engaged in religion; they left off all attendance on public worship, and in dulged themselves in expenses which the profits of his business CHRIST. GUARD. VOL. IV. would not allow his difficulties gradually increased, and he had not been married quite a year, when, through the means of the workman before-mentioned, he was introduced to a man named This person was possessed of man ners the most plausible and pleasing: he saw that Bird was distressed and clever, and might be tempted to become an useful accomplice in whatever plans might be adopted for their advantage. He laid before him a design for procuring money, which he per suaded Bird would be entirely safe and certain. Bird consented to his proposals; and now, for the first time, his wife found him neglect his business, and desert her in an evening, that he might join the society of his new acquaintances, and proceed in the execu tion of all their schemes. She had no suspicion of the crime in which he was engaging, and never saw the man but once who was drawing him into it. He left her in the year 1810, with this man and a younger brother; and they were all taken up, and committed to Leicester gaol, for issuing notes manufactured by themselves for the purpose of defrauding. By some means or other they escaped punishment; and William Bird, the subject of these pages, deter mined, as he afterwards declared, when he left the gaol, that he would have done for ever with all such miserable projects." His father-in-law now obtained a situation for him at Sheerness, where he and his wife went and resided for some months; but he was proud, and loved more plea sure than he could afford to have, and could not bear all the restrictions which the wages of twenty shillings a week imposed upon him. He again found his income insuf ficient. His wife returned to her family at Woolwich, after having had some contention with him: at that time he gave a loose to pleaXx sure, which he afterwards confessed with grief and repentance. In September 1811, by his brother's advice, he came once more to London; still, however, resolving that he would have no more to do with crimes of so perilous a nature as those for which he had been tried the year before. He, worked, therefore, with good wages, at a shop in Swallow Street; his wife came to a lodging in Somers Town, and they lived happily for about three months together. About the 1st of January 1812, -and Bird's brother, who had never ceased their connexion, made another attempt to gain poor William to their party, and they succeeded! They now lived very expen sively; they rode their horses and drove their gigs on Sundays, and had their carousals. Another bro ther of Bird, only nineteen years old, had joined them; and still a fourth, only thirteen years of age, had been taken as servant to Amongst other subjects of conversation, which engaged their attention when together, religion was not forgotten; but this was introduced only to be ridiculed. The brothers had already imbibed infidel principles, and lent them books and tracts to strengthen them in infidelity; and though William's conscience smote him, yet and his brothers did so ery down every thing like serious ness, and did so show their contempt of religion, that at length he took part with them, especially as these sentiments counteran ced those indulgences in which he delighted. The second brother, indeed, who had continued all the time with , was quite a systematic unbeliever. He said, there were things spoken of in the This is an evidence that the wickedness of men first leads them to infidelity, and that their infidelity confirms them in their wickedness... TO B bow Bible which were quite impossible. He had, in his way, studied astronomy; or, rather, had borrowed some notions about it from the infidel books before mentioned. He said, "the sun could not pos sibly stand still," and a variety of hackneyed things which foolish in. fidels had often said before. More over, he was exceedingly fond of dress, and thought it was much pleasanter to be a gentleman than a carpenter. This was, by all accounts, a clever and fascinating man; and even the boy of thirteen, who was mentioned before, had not lived with him a fortnight, when he came home boasting that he knew how to be a gentleman, and was so inflamed with pride as to be quite intolerable to his family. In the month of February 1812, and the three elder brothers, William, John, and Charles, en gaged in an expedition which was to fill their pockets with money, and which they thought so admi rably contrived, as that even on detection they should evade all punishment; but two months have not yet elapsed since these men set out on their horses to travel different roads, exulting in their admirable ingenuity, when already one of them has been hanged, another has narrowly escaped, a third, having escaped once, has been again committed, and the fourth, who was the leader of them all, is now in gaol waiting his trial. William, the elder of the three brothers, was tried and condemned at Cambridge, in the month of March. The author of these pages will now begin such part of hit history as he was himself eye witness to, after William Bird had sentence of death passed upon him. uro goi I saw him, for the first time, at the chapel in the castle, on the 15th of March. His countenance struck me at once; it was marked |