PREFACE

ΤΟ

VOL. II.

Among the absurd personalities, by.which our opponents indicate their lack of "Common Sense," and let us know how deeply our arrows penetrate, and how fast they stick, we find one taking offence at our title; as though it were a monopoly of "Common Sense" to ourselves. Now though we do claim a share, we set up no monopoly of "Common Sense"; but we choose our title, as all may see save those perverted people who "have eyes and see not," to denote, not merely our own love or profession of common sense, but that we appeal to the common sense, and (as we noted) the common honesty of the public. We do not deal in assertions, sneers or insi

nuations, but we deal in facts, places, dates, authorities, references, and arguments. We do not act as those who are ashamed of themselves, or of their deeds, or of their cause, and therefore love darkness better than light. We give our names and make ourselves personally responsible. Those who dare not meet us upon the same ground, need no condemnation from us, they have registered their own condemnation and escape personally the contempt due to their conduct, only by concealment. But they cannot protect their cause from this. It will feel the consequences of having such advocates. Every honest dissenter's heart will misgive him, when he solemnly considers on what weapons and what defenders, the system is obliged to depend.

With respect to our open antagonists, even the most violent, we are willing to hope all that charity can suggest within the limits of possible truth and justice. Much of their error springs from ignorance not only of the Church but even of their own system. Falsehoods often repeated gain credence not only with those prejudiced to receive them, but even with the very inventors themselves, and the cries and claptraps of faction become adopted as religious axioms.

Many respectable and well meaning men, are carried away with these delusions; and it is with pain to ourselves that we have been compelled by a sense of what is due to truth, (and we may add provoked by the atrocity of the calumnie against the Church, and personality against ourselves) to expose and hold up to public scorn, proceedings, with which such men are connected, directly, or indirectly. But we have said “faithful are the wounds of a friend”; and calmer reflection will, we think, cause some reflecting dissenters to perceive that the sore, which our probe has disclosed, is a dangerous one. We attack a system, not individuals. Where their own outrages have compelled us to notice them, we have carefully confined ourselves to their public acts, and avoided every reflection on their private characters. If in judging them we have wounded their feelings, we are sorry; but, when the vindication of truth demanded the exposure of public delinquency, charity could not supersede duty.

In asserting however these general principles, we presume not to plead entire freedom from passion and weakness. The controversial nature of our work, and the fallacious devices, and vulgar slander,

against which our painful efforts were directed, were continual temptations to bitterness; and we will not venture to assume that we never yielded to them. But, if we cannot affirm this, we can, and do affirm, that we heartily forgive those who have wronged us in this matter, and ask to be forgiven for any wrong we may have done to others. We pray that "all who profess and call themselves Christians may avoid strifes and divisions, may love and enter the ark of Christ's Church, and "hold the faith in unity of Spirit, in the bond of peace and in righteousness of life."

P. S. We had not seen till this day (July 21st, when our preface was in type, and the body of the Number printed) Mr. Bonner's denial of the most disgraceful portion of the acts and statements mentioned in the extract from the Standard, and in the letter of the Rev. J. B. Owen, quoted by us (vol. ii. pp. 131, 132). Mr. B. admits that he did "acting on the the impulse of the moment," throw the Prayer Book on the ground, and place his foot upon it; but not with the words, nor with the intention, attributed to him. Though in these latter respects, we are unable to decide between his assertions and that of those whose words (not ours) we published; nevertheless, as he gives his name, we will not presume him, any more than the Rev. J. B. Owen, guilty of wilful falsehood. We are willing to hope, that he was misunderstood. But we think that the act, into which he was betrayed, and the preparation (not exactly consistent with "impulse of the moment,") and rehearsal, which he had evidently made for this theatrical claptrap by bringing a Bible and prayer book, gave too much ground, to say the least, for the mistake. He has none to blame for it, but himself. In admitting his explanation at all into our pages we go to the utmost extent which candour can claim; a far greater than we could expect from him or our opponents generally. For if judged strictly, he forfeited all title to such courtesy by the silly personality of insinuating, that our veracity" is concerned in statements, which we give as we find them, and naming our authorities.