ing us of that banner, our national Protestantism, whether by force or fraud, whether by casting it down in the midst of us, or by stealthily substituting a counterfeit in its room, we shall at once sink down to the lowest level of degradation-yea, the very lowest; for the returning devil will bring with him a reinforcement of infernal allies, and the last state will be worse than the first.'

'Louis Philippe no doubt judges us from what he formerly experienced in the bosom of English society, when all our ancient bulwarks were firm and strong around, and the national character was at its highest pitch.'

My uncle shook his head: 'Your father would have told you a different story as to the character of those times. We were, indeed, marvellously elevated then in our own conceit; glorying in our martial prowess, and with an arrogant scorn as far removed from Christianity as earth is from heaven, contemning and defying the whole world. It pleased God to store up here, as in a casket, the pearl of truth, which was to enrich the whole world to render this island the fortress of Protestantism, and AS SUCH, and FOR THAT PURPOSE, to make her invincible; but we looked at the means, little considering the cause or the object of such marvellous pre-eminence, and announced ourselves born to rule the waves, and to put down all human opposition, by mortal might and power, not by the Spirit of the Lord.'

:

'Our public fasts, uncle: our days of national humiliation and prayer: our closed shops, and open churches, and printed forms, so arranged that a general cry of confession and of supplication should

ascend at once from every corner of the land: our king and our queen humbling themselves and sitting down, among their humbled subjects, and joining in the universal intreaty, "Spare thy people, O Lord; and give not over thy heritage to confusion. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?"'

My uncle covered his face with his hands, and, deeply moved, exclaimed, 'O for one of those days!' then looking up again, he resumed, 'All this was meet, and right; comely and beautiful. Were such a privilege accorded to us now, in these awakened days, I do believe, the cry that would arise in pure, scriptural FAITH, pleading with an understanding heart through the blood of the Lamb, would be so extensive, so fervent, so prevailing, that we should be made altogether impregnable, invincible, irresistible! But in those days, there was very little light in that portion of the community for whom these godly forms were prepared; and I do believe that our self-righteousness was never at a higher ratio than when, with looks demure, we sought the house of prayer, joined in the appointed services, and went home to chastise our palates with salt-fish and eggsauce. It was a body without the spirit.'

'And now we have the spirit without the body.'

'Still an imperfect, but for us a more blessed state than the former. Our public appeals were then answered by public deliverances: both being national. Our individual faith now embraces individual salvation; sealing to us at the same time a blessed deliverance from the fear of man; and power to exclaim under all dispensations, "It is well."

'Louis Philippe saw only the external act, and its attendant advantages.'

'And right glad would he be to introduce the same practice universally into France; but with this difference, that their supplications would ascend to the virgin and the saints, their homage be paid to a cake of dough, and their hope be fixed on a manual operation, or rather a deceptive piece of jugglery, on the part of their priests.'

'And if now, it should be put into the hearts of our rulers to "sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly," I much fear, uncle, that it would be abused among us to a very great extent, to a more open manifestation of the Popish leaven now at work than England is yet prepared for. There would be tolling of bells, lighting of candles, bowing before crosses, and an open preaching of false intercessors in many churches called Protestant; with a fearful abuse of simple ordinances, exalted into means of salvation; and the exceeding increase of a selfrighteousness, and voluntarily humility, little dreamed of fifty years ago. This consideration prevents my cordially echoing your aspiration for one of those days of public humiliation to be restored to us.'

'Perhaps you are right: the provocation would be such as to endanger the closing of the Lord's ear against the prayer of his own people for a guilty land. As it is written, "Though these three men, (Noah, Daniel, and Job,) were in it, as I live, saith the LORD God, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered; but the land shall be desolate." When I contrast the present days with those of which we spoke, and mark the improvement in our national feeling; the abate

ment of that haughty spirit of boastfulness, the increase of peaceable and kindly feeling, and the extinction of many strong, unchristian prejudices, I should be inclined to rejoice over all as a token for good; but alas! that one deadly disease, growing Popery, cleaves fast to us: and while it silently makes havoc, corrupting more and more the national mind, I seem to lose all hope; and to be constrained "God hath forsaken us.

to say,

'I have just been sorely grieved by a new instance of its triumph. In an extensive rural parish, blessed by the ministry of a most devoted, and truly enlightened pastor, whose inmost soul glows with the most ardent Protestantism, an additional church was desired, for the benefit of those living several miles from the venerable fabric where the rector officiates, and nigh to which he dwells. He contributed largely from his own purse, and laboured indefatigably to collect aid for the undertaking. It was a joyful letter that his dear wife sent me when the building was commenced; a yet more joyful one when it was completed; and in the gladness of those trusting hearts we freely participated. The patronage, however, was vested in the Bishop of the diocese; and by his nomination the new church is now occupied by a blind guide, a false teacher, who inculcates the grossest errors of Puseyism from a pulpit, that never would have been set up, had not the helpers been confident, that the doctrines there preached would be the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.'

Would that the case were as singular as it is lamentable! but there are many such; and the consequences shew themselves in the waxing cold of much love towards our church, thus invaded, and

audaciously claimed by a party whose right position is at the footstool of the Man of Sin. Already has the tide of separation set in, bearing away from the communion to which they have always been sincerely attached, both ministers and people, under a persuasion that all is even now lost, and that the falling fabric must be abandoned.'

6 But all is not lost.'

Neither would it be, if every one who sees and deprecates the evil did his and her best to resist it. The absurd notion so often expressed in words to which it is hard to attach a meaning—that the liturgy is "an all-but inspired" book; and the Church of England too perfect to admit of amendment, has been our ruin. Many things in both are capable of great improvements; and recent advantages taken of their flaws prove that they require it. This I say, boldly and positively, let who will gainsay it. There ought to be no ground in a purely Protestant Church, on which Popery can contrive to erect a commodious throne; yet such is now done in the very heart of ours.'

'Surely it is all but impossible so to frame any human institution, even on a scriptural model, as that error shall not creep in. You do not look for infallibility?'

No; nor any approach to the pretence of it: but mark you, our church is fenced against the intrusion of Socinian doctrines. No infidel, no denier of the proper divinity of our glorious Lord, could openly declare his poisonous tenets in a congregation of the Established Church; and what strange gap is that at which a downright papist may enter, and both preach and practise his idolatrous delusions to such