James Fitzjames Stephen

Through Henry Venn of Yelling he had already become known to that illustrious Christian layman John Thornton, 1720-1790, Venn's early friend and the friend and active helper of John Newton and Thomas Scott, and indeed of a host of good men and good causes.

He was, says Sir James Stephen, one of those rare men in whom the desire to relieve distress assumes the form of a master passion.

Cooper wrote a noble elegy on his death.

Thou hadst an industry in doing good, restless as his who toils and sweats for food.

Through Henry Venn of Yelling he had already become known to that illustrious Christian layman John Thornton 1720 to 1790 Venn's early friend and the friend and active helper of John Newton and Thomas Scott and indeed of a host of good men and good causes.

He was says Sir James Stephen one of those rare men in whom the desire to relieve distress assumes the form of a master passion.

Cooper wrote a noble elegy on his death Thou hadst an industry in doing good Restless as his who toils and sweats for food Avarice in thee was the desire of wealth By rust imperishable or by stealth And if the genuine worth of gold depend On application to its noblest end Thine had a value in the scales of heaven Surpassing all that mine or mint had given But I must not yield to the temptation to speak at length of Thornton Merchant prince saint wise counsellor Unwearied giver and worker in the cause of God and man He touches Simeon's life so far as I know at very few points only But it was an important touch which he gave now In a letter of manly Christian counsel Sent at once on hearing of his young friend's new charge at Cambridge Let me quote the letter from the manuscript just as it is written Clapham 13th November 1782 Dear Sir I was glad to hear the books came so timely And that the Bishop of Ely had sent you the presentation to Trinity Church May a gracious God guide direct and bless all your ministrations To the Redeemer's glory and make you a blessing to many Permit me to use an uncommon freedom And I hope you'll forgive me Should you not be able to join issue in sentiment with me What I would recommend is to set off with only the usual service that has been performed As by that means I apprehend you will gain upon the people gradually And you can at any time increase your duty as you see occasion And I should on the same principle advise against exhorting from house to house As heretofore you did I assure you a subtle adversary As often obtains his end by driving too fast as too slow And perhaps with religious people oftener Remember it is God works and not you And therefore if you run before the pillar and the cloud You will assuredly be bewildered The Lord ever was and ever will be with the small still voice And therefore beware of noisy professors They are far more to be dreaded than the worldly minded Watch continually over your own spirit and do all in love We must grow downwards in humility to soar heavenward I should recommend your having a watchful eye over yourself, for generally speaking, as is the minister, so are the people.

If the minister is enlightened, lively, and vigorous, his word will come with power upon many and make them so.

Through Henry Venn of Yelling he had already become known to that illustrious Christian layman John Thornton, 1720-1790, Venn's early friend and the friend and active helper of John Newton and Thomas Scott, and indeed of a host of good men and good causes.

He was, says Sir James Stephen, one of those rare men in whom the desire to relieve distress assumes the form of a master passion.

Cooper wrote a noble elegy on his death.

Thou hadst an industry in doing good, restless as his who toils and sweats for food.

Through Henry Venn of Yelling he had already become known to that illustrious Christian layman John Thornton, 1720-1790, Venn's early friend and the friend and active helper of John Newton and Thomas Scott, and indeed of a host of good men and good causes.

He was, says Sir James Stephen, one of those rare men in whom the desire to relieve distress assumes the form of a master passion.

Cooper wrote a noble elegy on his death.

Thou hadst an industry in doing good, restless as his who toils and sweats for food.

Others, such as Max Weber, Max Weber, sorry, considered it to be an inevitable outcome of capitalism, technology, and the spread of the electoral franchise.

Still others, typified by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1892 to 1894, prominent... 1829 to 1894, pardon me, prominent jurist and a decidedly anti-egalitarian liberal, protested that unseemingly haste, protested the unseemingly haste with which J- John Stuart Mill and his friends greeted the new democratic age, quoting, 'The waters are out and no human force can turn them back.

But I do not see why, as we go with the stream, we need sing hallelujah to the river god.'"

Yeah, let's, let's pause right there.

But as Cowling perceives, the highest end that men here were imagined to pursue in quest of pleasure was whatever Mill and his confreres desired for themselves.

They never doubted that their own social preferences would come to prevail in a democratic age.

[laughs] Clearly, Fitzjames Stephen and his younger brother, Leslie Stephen, though both sa- sagacious critics of Mill, did not see fully his authoritarian side.

They did not grasp the inquisitorial, the inquisitorial certainty which Cowling exposes at the core of his method of inquiry.

Through Henry Venn of Yelling he had already become known to that illustrious Christian layman John Thornton, 1720-1790, Venn's early friend and the friend and active helper of John Newton and Thomas Scott, and indeed of a host of good men and good causes.

He was, says Sir James Stephen, one of those rare men in whom the desire to relieve distress assumes the form of a master passion.

Cooper wrote a noble elegy on his death.

Thou hadst an industry in doing good, restless as his who toils and sweats for food.

Through Henry Venn of Yelling he had already become known to that illustrious Christian layman John Thornton, 1720 to 1790, Venn's early friend and the friend and active helper of John Newton and Thomas Scott, and indeed of a host of good men and good causes.

He was, says Sir James Stephen, one of those rare men in whom the desire to relieve distress assumes the form of a master passion.

Cooper wrote a noble elegy on his death.

Thou hadst an industry in doing good, restless as his who toils and sweats for food.