the people—as the sun and other heavenly bodies were probably the earliest objects of adoration to mankind, and were used in the first instance as striking symbols of the light and power of the one Creator and Father, so did the professors of Christianity, pretty early present to the people, some intermediate objects of reverence and love, by which those who turned from the simple affiance to the one Great Redeemer and High Priest, might find a rest suited to their carnal, or at least imperfectly spiritual conception of Christianity. And when the temporal church boasted of its universal sway in Europe, and its entire unity, there were probably a smaller number of true Christians within its pale, than existed in the midst of pagan persecutions at the close of the apostolic age.
Let us now look at times nearer to our own, when Huss, and Luther, and Zwingle, by a power not their own, caused many rays of the glorious light of Truth to shine upon benighted nations, and disturbed the slumbers of the corrupted church. Great were, and still are the blessings derived from the great struggle. Many of the bonds of Satan were broken, and many a heavy burdened soul found its long desired rest. Yet how soon
was even the brightness of this morning dimmed, and how little progress did the cause of the Reformation make after the departure of the immediate instruments in the great movement.
In Switzerland, not inaptly called the cradle of the English Reformation, the Cantons which, in the first instance received the truth and joined the Protestant cause, continue still to bear the same name, but not one which at that time retained the designation of Catholic, has since become Protestant: and at Geneva, where Calvin taught, and where his doctrines are still professed, opinions which were not less abhorrent to him than the worst of the errors of popery, are openly maintained. Those who now preach the vital truths of the Reformation, are the few not the many.
In England, the iron rule of Elizabeth in ecclesiastical matters, and in particular her requirement of uniformity with respect to the “rags of Rome,” checked the real progress of the Reformation in the English church, but by a reaction which in the ordering of Divine Wisdom, often makes the wrath of man to praise him, it appears to have been the means of raising up an increased antagonism to error, in the persons of men willing to suffer and
to die for the cause of truth. It will perhaps be admitted that at many periods of the history of what is called the English church, whilst its nominal members numbered a large proportion of the whole population, the actual number of the genuine disciples of Christ within its pale were in small compass. The revival in some measure, of the spirit of its reformers, even in opposition to the letter of many of its formularies, has, no doubt, in past times, done much to increase its living influence and usefulness, but recent events have shown how large a portion of its clergy instead of going forward in the work of the Reformation, are rather desirous of retrograde movement, and of approximating, if not of entirely returning to the errors of Rome. Such, we ought ever to bear in mind, is the natural tendency of man, and so prone is he, even when raised by the True Light to a perception of the things which are most excellent, to sink again into the grovelling habits of his own dark nature.
We come now to the threshold of our own religious history, and shall endeavour to answer, in substance at least, the queries with which we commenced the present inquiry. It was certainly an
extraordinary period of our national religious history, in which the Society of Friends arose—a time in which old foundations were shaken, and an earnest inquiry excited in many minds after the way of truth and of real peace to the soul. We think that it is not assuming, to express our belief, that a remarkable extension of spiritual light and energy was extended to the people of England, in that day, when George Fox, and his early associates, went forth through the length and breadth of the land, and found so extraordinary a preparation for their service in the hearts of their fellow-countrymen.
The first preachers knew a being made Christians themselves, before they went forth to call others to Christ—what a deep sense of sin and of its hatefulness in the sight of God—what earnestness, or rather agonizing in prayer—what joy in the sense of the true knowledge of Christ, and of communion with him in Spirit—what subsequent watchfulness and reliance upon him in every step of their course—what zeal in making known the truth which they had found, and what constancy in suffering for it, yea thinking it all joy that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of
Christ!—Such were the men who were heralds of our religious Society, and by whose instrumentality thousands at least, were convinced of the truth; large numbers of whom gave evidence that they were not only convinced, but converted to God. Need we then wonder at their success? though still compared with the numbers to which they preached, the converts may be said to have been few. It was still the many, who if brought to see as it were their face in a glass, went away and straightway forgot what manner of men they were.