So that “the conscience of the Christian community has not left these practices unchallenged and unnoticed until now,” [19a] as you think; but as far as the cognizance of the Christian community goes, this is the first attempt at the sin in London, and is resisted as such. And we think that this is the proper time for meeting the evils, and act therefore on your own advice. [19b]
“Principiis obsta; sero medicina paratur,
Cùm mala per longas convaluere moras,”
is not the less valuable advice because often repeated; and no man should know the truth of it better than yourself.
I need scarcely mention the voluntary labors (which was a mere palliative afterthought): for he must be a very prejudiced man who calls the poor clerk a voluntary agent in the matter, when he is enticed by a bribe, which his small salary makes an irresistible temptation, or compelled by the fear of the loss of his only means of subsistence.
And here I may leave the minute; for you now know how honest men value it, and why they resist it. It is one move in the contest for the mastery, wherein the question is, whether the will of the Lord or the petty gains of the Government shall rule in the Post Office on the Lord’s-day.
It is scarcely possible that the writer of that minute could have abstained from laughing when he read the first two paragraphs of his own paper, and saw with what ingenious affectation he was entrapping his religious adversaries. But the craft is too transparent; and he has neither evaded their vigilance by the mystery of his statements, nor disarmed their opposition by his specious profession.
Neither the minute, nor your own letter, enters upon the question of works of necessity, and of mercy; and I am, therefore, not called upon to meet those hackneyed and misapplied expressions. I must, however, be permitted to lay down one or two points, as necessary elements in the discussion whenever these terms are used.
Nothing can be necessary which is not in accordance with the will of the Omnipotent Ruler of all things.
Nothing can be an act of mercy which does not emanate from the God of all grace.
When men find necessity, or mercy, militate against duty, it must be from their own ignorance.