their Master presides to strew their "bread-corn upon the waters" without fear as to its springing up a living crop "after many days." Is not every doctrine, every precept, every institution which Heaven has sanctioned, safe in the keeping of the Universal Ruler? Is not its destiny identified with fixed and immutable laws? Has it not immortality in its own bosom? Are not all the elements of moral good inseparably allied with it, so that as they get clear of human misapprehensions and perversities, it must share in their triumph? Are there not legions of invisible agencies-invisible, however, only because of gross unbelief-commissioned by God himself to pioneer a road for it to victory? To these, and all kindred inquiries, the attitude taken by the Churches of Christ, ought to present an impressive affirmatory reply.

I have now said all that my limits will admit of my saying on what the Churches have to do, what means are given them wherewith to do it, and in what spirit those means ought to be employed in order to success. We have now a standard, more or less accurate, by which to measure their present efficiency. We have seen what they should be-we have yet to see what they are. The investigation will be proceeded with in the next chapter.

CHAPTER III.

RELIGION OF THE BRITISH CHURCHES.

CONTENTS.

REASONABLE ANTICIPATIONS OF THE CHURCHES' SUCCESS-NOT

REALIZED IN EXISTING FACTS-FEEBLENESS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE IN THE BRITISH CHURCHES-PLAN ADOPTED FOR EXHIBITING ITGOD'S RIGHTS THE MAIN END OF THE GOSPEL-IMPORTANCE OF SO REGARDING THEM-COMMONLY CONSIDERED SECONDARY TO MAN'S SAFETY AND HAPPINESS-PRACTICAL FRUITS OF THE ERROR SEEN IN THE TREATMENT OF RELIGION AS A DISTINCT BRANCH OF HUMAN DUTY-IN THE ARBITRARY MANNER IN WHICH OBLIGATION IS RECOGNISED-IN THE VICARIOUS DISCHARGE OF IMPORTANT SPONSIBILITIES-AND IN THE FAILING POWER OF GOSPEL TRUTH OVER THE POPULAR MIND-SUBSTITUTION OF LAW FOR LOVE AS THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANITY-EFFECTS OF THE ERROR-CONSTRAINT -COMPROMISE-WAR WITH IRRELIGION IN ITS EXTERNAL MODIFICATIONS-LETTER EXALTED ABOVE SPIRIT-CONSEQUENT SECTARIANISM, AND ITS ATTENDANT EVILS-CONCLUDING REMARKS.

RE

CHAPTER III.

VEILING, for a moment, whatever knowledge we have derived from history, of the actual progress of Christianity in this country-putting out of sight all we have learnt, or think we have learnt, from observation, social intercourse, and reading, respecting the present character and condition of the British Churches-with our minds asleep as to facts, whether past or passing, and awake only as to probabilities, based upon the considerations dwelt upon in the foregoing chapter-our description of the achievements wrought, and of the position won, by Christian organizations, might reasonably be expected to resemble a triumphal march, or a magnificent ovation. Everything hitherto brought under notice concurs in exciting the most confident anticipations. The enmity to be subdued is, indeed, deep-seated in human nature, and inveterate-but the moral aptitude of the means devised for effecting its overthrow