Transcribed from the 1853 Wertheim and Macintosh edition byDavid Price.
WITHREFERENCE MORE ESPECIALLY TO A PAMPHLET
LATELY PUBLISHED BY THE
REV. C. J. VAUGHAN, D.D.,
HeadMaster of Harrow School,
ENTITLED
“A FEW WORDS ON THE CRYSTAL PALACE QUESTION.”
BYTHE
REV. JOHN PEROWNE, M.A.,
Rector ofSt. John’s Maddermarket,Norwich.
LONDON:
WERTHEIM AND MACINTOSH, PATERNOSTER ROW;
NORWICH: THOMAS PRIEST, RAMPANT HORSESTREET,
1853.
Price One Shilling.
The following pages are published with considerablereluctance. The Author read Dr. Vaughan’s pamphletseveral weeks since, and was much pained that some of thesentiments contained in it should proceed from such aquarter. He hoped and expected that some one with moreleisure than he can command, and more capable of doing justice tothe important points under discussion, would undertake to refutewhat he felt to be the very erroneous notions of the learnedDoctor. Since, however, no one else has taken up thesubject, he ventures to submit his sentiments to the Christianpublic. He has no love for polemics, and very unwillinglyappears in print; but he has reason to know, that the notions towhich he alludes have already, in several instances, encouraged aviolation of the Sabbath, and that they are likely to producemore extensive mischief, from the circumstance of no attempthaving been made to refute them. To prevent this evil, isone object of the present undertaking. Another is, tocounteract the erroneous sentiments of Dr. Vaughan’spamphlet; while the writer’s chief aim is, to set forthwhat he believes to be the will of God on the important subjectof the Sabbath. He is convinced that the principlesenunciated in the following pages are in conformity with theteaching of the Bible; and being fully assured that obedience tothe will of our Heavenly Father, is in all things the only way ofpeace and safety, he will rejoice if this pamphlet shall becomethe means of removing error, or of confirming those who alreadybelieve that the Sabbath is of divine and perpetualobligation.
Before entering on the questionthat we intend more particularly to discuss, there are someremarks that we deem it necessary to make on the tone and generalcharacter of Dr. Vaughan’s pamphlet. And in the firstplace, we were struck with the entire absence of scripture proofin support of the views propounded. Assertions are made ofthe most sweeping character, and inferences are thence drawn,involving matters of the highest moment; and yet no passage ofscripture is adduced in support of these assertions. Thuswe are told “that not only the fourth commandment, but thewhole decalogue has ceased to be, as such, the rule of ourlife.” But the