The projected Aggression of Pleasure in 1853 is to me a greater object of dread, than the Aggression of Popery in 1850: because it falls in with the taste of the vast majority of mankind. The danger of Popery I do not under-estimate. It is a scheme adapted to fall in with the Formalism and Self-Righteousness of Man’s heart. There was also treachery in the camp of the Church of England, at the time when Popery took aim at the Royal Supremacy, and asserted its claim to be Lord of the consciences of all mankind: England, of course, included. But England repelled that aggression. The Aggression of Pleasure is more subtle, more extensive, more congenial. It is a subject, therefore, on which I must expatiate with the honest and affectionate freedom of a Clergyman.
Let me then observe, first, that it is a very difficult task To move great masses of people in a right direction. In a wrong direction, it is not so difficult. To rouse them to revolution, and then screw them down by despotism, has been the work of a short time, in some neighbouring countries. But to draw them back from an evil purpose, and lead them into a right channel of feeling and action, is a hard work:—a consideration this, which makes it the more imperative to check at once this flagrant scheme of Sabbath-breaking before it begins. Once broken out, what human hand can turn back the torrent?
But is it not equally difficult Rightly to move the heart even of one individual? We speak of “The Million:” but that million is composed of units. To lead any one individual, be he rich or poor, to feel the value of his own soul, is a work worthy the labours and sacrifices of a whole life. To move that one heart, however, is not man’s work. With man this is impossible: but with God all things are possible.
Hence appears the importance of the Prayer of faith. Christ is the Strong One, stronger than Satan, in whose name prayer is to be offered to the Father: and in answer to believing prayer, the Holy Spirit is poured forth, on individuals, on Churches, on Nations, on the whole World. Who can overpower the Almighty Spirit, when it pleases Him to work? Without his influence, nothing, even under the most favourable circumstances, can be effected: with His influence, every good work, under most unfavourable circumstances, may and will be effected. Not by power, not by might, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain! before Zerubbabel, thou shalt become a plain. By the power of the Spirit, every difficulty presented by the Million shall vanish. The heart of the Million shall be bowed, as the heart of one man. This will be in answer to prayer; whether secret prayer; or both secret and social prayer.
Another consideration deeply affecting to my mind, is this. Among the various means for the promotion and preservation of a nation’s welfare, there is not one of higher importance than the exercise of A faithful Gospel-Ministry. I am, on principle, a Clergyman of the Church of England: but I honour Ministers of every Communion, who with simplicity and godly sincerity preach Christ. In the present eventful crisis, we need the aid of all. Here is no question of Church and Dissent: the question is, whether or not Popery and Pleasure shall over-run the land—whether we shall uphold the Law of God, and Christ’s Gospel; or violate both.
There is a great Duty now lying before us: namely—To make the Lord’s Day profitable and interesting to the People. By the Crystal Palace scheme the People are invited to Pleasure: at least for the second half of the day. The favourers of this scheme expressly undertake to teach the People “to amuse themselves:” and Sunday, from one o’clock till night-fall, is selected for the purpose of promoting this object among the working classes. As Ministers of Christ, then, are we not now brought to the test? “Will we endeavour to make the Lord’s Day—the whole of it—interesting and useful to the Million? How likewise may we put the people into the way of making this day interesting to themselves?”
I feel the difficulties of this part of the subject: nor can I remove them by proposing so many more Sermons, Services, Sabbath-Schools, &c., although works of such kind would naturally form a part of any plan of extending usefulness. But I feel, and long have felt that there is one great, vital measure; which, if God should bless us in the universal promotion of that measure, will diffuse spiritual health and happiness through all classes of society.
To render the Lord’s Day interesting, Religion itself must become interesting to a People. Every-day Religion is the only thing that can make a Sunday-Religion profitable and interesting. The one topic of pre-eminent importance in this point of view is—The General introduction of Family Prayer. Domestic Worship is among the greatest of earthly blessings, both to the Rich and to the Poor. We say in England, “Every man’s house is his Castle.” For all domestic purposes, let every man’s house be also his Church! In setting up this standard, the Ministers of Christ have a noble task before them. Our public Congregations on the Lord’s Day will not be diminished by the multiplication of these Domestic Sanctuaries during the week: these, on the contrary, will render our every-day Religion interesting, and thus make also the Sabbath a delight. They will fill our Churches, and thin the throng of Sabbath-breakers, please God, to nothing!
As to the notion that this violation of the Sabbath will give rest and mental refinement to the people, it is an utter delusion. Last year I was conversing about the Excursion-trains with an aged relative, who has since been removed to the eternal world. When under twenty years of age he was for a while engaged in mercantile business, in one of the most active and opulent of our manufacturing towns: but from pure love to the work of the Ministry he relinquished very flattering worldly prospects, and for more than forty years was a burning and a shining light in the parish and in the county where he laboured. Referring to his early days, and viewing with alarm the threatening abuses of the Railways, he remarked to me—“They quite mistake the idea of Sunday-rest, who suppose that it consists in pleasure-taking. When I was engaged in business, early and late on all the week-days—very often so tired out that I scarcely knew what to do with myself—Sunday was the greatest possible refreshment to me. The mere act of ceasing from work, together with reading my Bible and going to Church, was rest. But then,” he added, “this implies a change of heart; a different taste from what the world has.”
I have thus written from the fulness of my heart, and from the deepest convictions of my judgment, believing that a crisis of great danger to our beloved country is closely impending. If a Royal Charter has been promised, specifically authorising the opening of the Crystal Palace on any part of Sunday, then the Poor are in the fair way to be robbed of their real Rest, by the substitution of an imaginary recreation, so arranged that it cannot be enjoyed without sin. If the Royal sanction were actually given, I would yet look to “The Million,” Englishmen as they are, and Bible-men, to reject the proffered amusement. How may the threatened evil be averted? Whether deliverance shall be sent from some very humble quarter; or whether it shall be the hand of a Queen, more wary than Darius, that shall refuse to sign the writing and the decree, God alone knoweth! My earnest hope and prayer, is, that the rumour of such a Charter may die away to nothing. As Englishmen, may we be roused from our dreams of amusement to a higher standard of duty! May History never have to record, that in the nineteenth century it was sought to erect—and in Britain, too—a People’s happiness on the basis of God’s broken law!