loyalty. You are the only true sort of high-churchman; for those who so call themselves, as you justly observe, have no claim whatever to the title. You are attached to no party, in or out of place. You want nothing, that party has to give. You only come forward, as the advocate of Christian doctrine, and as the upholder of national morality, principle, and integrity, against the dreadful and rapid progress, now too clearly observable, of public corruption, faction, impurity, and blasphemy. What I say then, is this. If infidels are tolerated, so ought you to be. If they are allowed to speak out against religion, so ought you to be in its favour. If they are allowed to assail the highest characters in the state, surely you, on your part, may be allowed to expose the vices of the great, the ungodliness of all, the corruption of an apostate church. They dare not, my dear friend ---excuse me, I meant something stronger than daring-they would be ASHAMED to attempt stopping your mouth, while the cowards, the renegades, the poor, cowed-down traitors, leave the infidel press ungagged. Sir, if this metropolis were to be destroyed in a night, like Sodom and Gomorrah, by a storm of fire and brimstone from Heaven, that infamous shop in Fleet Street would be cause sufficient to account for such a catastrophe. Meanwhile remember, that, as long as it continues open, our hierarchy, and the civil authorities of the country, must take every kick that you think fit to bestow upon them, and take it patiently. The moment they interfere with you, while they tolerate Carlile, they put themselves in a false position. Therefore, I say, my. dear brother, let your language be strong; and if strong, stronger. Kick away. Kick till you excite some sense of feeling, if there be any left. They must take it. Kick on all sides of you; kick. Kick the whole tribe of literary periodicals, the most influential of which give us a full page against evangelical religion, for every line against blasphemy and infidelity. Kick, the lawyers, for not prosecuting. Kick- What are people staring at so?

Editor. At you, to be sure. I hope you don't mean to kick down the platform. Remember, it is but slight. There was a public dinner here last night, and the room was occupied till so late an hour this morning, that the carpenters have had no great time to put it up. They were hammering when I came in.

Friend. When shall we have the new room finished? I hope it will be ready by next year's meetings. St. Paul's, indeed, is the proper place for them; at least for those connected with the Church of England. Till that place is granted, however, I hope we shall have a room in some degree kept apart for such

occasions.

Editor. I trust we soon shall. Have you not seen the plan? But, I say: (Whispering) I wish, when you call me highchurchman, you would speak in a lower voice. It would hurt me more, with some people, to hear me called high-churchman,

than radical.

Friend. You are a high-churchman, and you know it.
Editor. My dear friend, consider-

Friend. I will tell you what I mean. Those who call themselves high-churchmen are unable to maintain their ground. Step into their post, and defend that church upon true principles, which, through their having attempted to defend it upon false ones, has already begun to totter. Totter, did I say? It was rashly spoken. There is no danger of that. Its pretended friends may totter. Their false system may totter. But the Church itself is built upon a rock; and I, for one, have no fears for its safety. This, then, is your proper position. You love and esteem all, indeed, that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sin-cerity, of whatever Church; and rejoice to meet and act with them. But, nevertheless, you love your own Church best; and are ever ready to hold and maintain, (are you not?) that in whatever points, whether of doctrine or of discipline, other denominations differ from her, she is in the right, and they are in the wrong.

Editor. True. And I think that such feelings are perfectly consistent with a tolerant spirit to all believers. Indeed, so far from there being any necessary opposition between the two, I can say for myself, at least, that as I advance in years, I find myself daily growing more confirmed, at one and the same time, in an affectionate and decided preference for the doctrines and ecclesiastical principles of my own Church, and in charity and good will to all who hold the same doctrines, though their opinions upon ecclesiastical points are different, and though I think those opinions erroneous.

Friend. You, then, are the true Churchman. Therefore stand to this title, and allow no pretender to usurp it stand to this post, and there fight the battles of evangelical doctrine, sound principle, national morality, and true holiness, against a corrupt press, an heretical pulpit, a chameleon government, and a blinded people.

Editor. Mr. Secretary, just step here one moment. Pray, are all your resolutions disposed of? Here is a friend of mine, who would move or second. (Whispering) No bad orator, I can tell you.

Friend. From what post could you speak with so much authority, as from the Church? From what post could you

remonstrate with so much propriety, as from the Church? From

what

Editor. But I cannot think what you mean, by saying that the language of my Review is not strong enough. Really some parts are so strong, they have made such an impression on me, that I can say them by heart. This, for instance: "A church under such circumstances will always be in danger of departing from that simplicity of doctrine, and that strictness of discipline, which are the best safeguards-"

Friend. Always in danger of departing? Why did you not say, Our church has departed? That is what you mean.

Editor. I know it is. How came I to speak hypothetically, of what has already taken place? But this passage now:-"The state of Ireland, moral and political-"

Friend. Have you heard lately from Ireland? How goes on the reformation?

Editor. It is a glorious work. One thing has particularly struck me, throughout. How wonderfully the Bible has vindicated its claim to the title given it by St. Paul," The sword of the Spirit!" It is the Bible that has done the work. To the Author of the Bible be all the glory.

Friend. Amen. Not but that I think He has used other instruments, besides the Holy Scriptures. The religious societies, that have circulated the Scriptures: the Protestant clergy and ministers of Ireland:

Editor. More than one bishop:

Friend. An archbishop:

Editor. What archbishop?

Friend. An Irish archbishop.

Editor. There is one vice of the present day that I wish to attack, especially as it partially affects some good men. Friend. Pray what is that?

Editor. Fastidiousness.

Friend. Or, to speak English, squeamishness. That, I suppose, is what you mean.

Editor. Yes, that is the English word; but the fact is, I was too squeamish to use it.

Friend. It is, indeed, a very serious evil; neutralizes many good intentions, and paralyses all our efforts. Talk of singing a verse or two of a hymn at our public meetings, and people are absolutely terrified. And as to a prayer, or a parting benediction-have that, sir, and I withdraw my name and subscription instantly. Oh, this is bad, bad, bad.

Editor. Bad, indeed. Wolf called Popery a lie, at which many Protestants were offended. Now this I call squ-fastid

squeamishness. Why, it is a lie: and they know it is a lie. The Bible calls it a lie.

Friend. They say he ought to have used the word Falsehood, or False system, or something of that sort.

Editor. Falsehood would not have expressed the idea in the man's mind. There was only one word in the language that would give it, and that word was Lie. Wolf is an honest fellow. Friend. I heard a person say he should not wonder, if it was noticed in the Times! He looked frightened when he spoke the word, and seemed to think he should frighten me. I put on the same look, and said, I should not wonder if it was noticed in Blackwood!!

Editor. Wolf is not a man who cares much for the Times; no, nor for Blackwood, the Sun, Star, Post, Herald, and all the tribe of them. I wish those who revile that man, were capable of appreciating his devoted spirit, his ardent zeal, his acute discernment of character, his childlike simplicity, his extensive learning, his sound judgment, his thorough knowledge of human nature. Why, sir, he found out

Friend. How this country is cowed and bullied by the newspapers! The tyranny of the periodical press is despotic. Editor. The empire groans under it. But it may be broken down. Yes, and it must be; for it is a main cause of the national-(Much applause).

Friend. What is all this clapping for?

Editor. Somebody coming into the room. Oh, there he is. Well, I am glad he is come. He will move or second, of course.

You know him, I suppose?

Friend. By a print. How curiously he wears his hair!

Editor. Well, a man that will speak out, is, in these days, such a rarity, that, if he chose to go about in a wig with three tails, I should still respect and honour him. We want such

men.

Friend. Speak out in your Magazine, then, if you wish to do any good.-(Much applause).

Editor. Here comes his Lordship to take the chair. How well he looks! and always punctual. Order, Order, Silence, Silence.

Ambo. Order, Order, Silence, Silence.

(The chair is taken.)

415

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Christian Magazine, &c.

Mr. Editor, I know not any religious society in whose prosperity I have taken so warm an interest, as the British and Foreign Bible Society. Indeed, I have gone so far as to say, that, if so circumstanced as to be prohibited from supporting and subscribing to more than one religious institution of the present day, the Bible Society should be that one. With no small

grief have I learnt, then-for at present I have little leisure to attend and ascertain these things for myself that the counsels of this Society are still unhappily divided. The great point respecting the Apocrypha, has been carried. Yet still, I am told, the Committee continues to be agitated with discussions, which are attended with more or less of detriment to Christian charity, more or less of scandal before the world; with much unprofitable and vain talking, and much loss of valuable time: so that, I have heard it said, the business of the Society cannot go on, if the present mode of conducting it be much longer suffered to continue.

It is natural to ask, then, what is the occasion of this evil. I will tell you what I regard as one great and fundamental reason: namely, THE NOT BEGINNING AND ENDING THE It is na

BUSINESS OF THE COMMITTEES WITH PRAYER.

tural to expect, that, when the Committees meet, Satan will be particularly diligent in seeking an entrance: and he succeeds, because there is nothing to keep him out. That the blessing of God should be visibly resting, on deliberations not preceded and followed by that open acknowledgment of his presence, power, and grace in Christ Jesus, which is made by prayer, in the way both of thanksgiving, adoration, confession, and supplication, is not to be expected; nay, I will go farther, and say, is hardly to be desired. It is hardly, I repeat it, to be desired, that the Lord should appear openly to own us, as long as we are not openly owning him for it can only lead to false impressions of what he requires, and of what is due to him from us. God must be publicly acknowledged, in all our ways; or he will not acknowledge us, even in our professed endeavours to promote his glory.

But we shall be told (and, indeed, I know it has been urged), "The thing is unavoidable. Those who assemble in this Committee being of different denominations-some Churchmen, some Dissenters-it is a matter of considerable delicacy, to say who, on such occasions, should officiate. Then, in addition to this,