—a real love of souls is a principle wholly distinct from all this; and I cannot conceive its existence in the bosoms of men who can lead their flocks into the daily practice of gross idolatry, dispense for money a pardon for the foulest crimes, connive at rebellion, teaching anarchy, in furtherance of what they sincerely believe to be the religion of truth and holiness.'

'The continual exposure of this odious system, as made out at our public meetings, does indeed justify the strongest conclusions you bave drawn: but now tell me what you think of the plans devised for putting down the evil by a slow process of steady undermining, apart from any immediate attack upon its present position in the country.'

Why, if I had a poison-tree growing vigorously on my property, and a man should counsel me to plant another tree beside it, out of which, when fullgrown, I might form the handle of an axe to cut down the former, I should see no objection to following his advice, provided I did, in the meanwhile, avail myself of every possible means to effect a speedier riddance of the deadly nuisance: but if he enjoined me to let the mischief grow on, strengthening its roots, and extending its branches, until my infant plant ripened to good solid timber, I should take leave to doubt the wisdom of his suggestion, and decline to follow it. I see the drift of your query, and have answered you accordingly. Popery as it stands since the deed of 1829, is what you refer to; and the undermining process is the plan proposed by some leading men who have lately become acquiescent in the continued presence of the national evil and sin, just because the difficulties that oppose a

repeal of that atrocious bill increase with the time allowed for its continuance. To this sufferance I say no; no; no. The abomination of desolation standeth where it ought not-tear it down. Not by tumult, not by menace, not by violence, but by the united fiat of the public voice pronounce its doom. Our camp is troubled in many ways; our knees tremble, our hands wax feeble, our hearts sicken, and we know that the Lord is wroth with us: we also know that an accursed thing has been received into our camp; a prohibited thing, abhorred of God, who has forbidden any fellowship with it, and has invariably scourged us when we thus transgressed. What, under such circumstances, saith the Lord? "Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes." Can we hope for his blessing on any mode of procedure that involves a temporary assent, a present toleration of the contaminating evil? Do we expect by our own power or wisdom to retrace a step of actual rebellion against the Lord, or to baffle the Prince of darkness, any other way than by vigorously resisting him in the strength of the Most High. These suggestions, coming from influential men, wring my heart with pain: they savour of human policy, not of faith. They take the question from off its right ground, and place it in a dubious, a false position, calculated to mislead, to betray, to ruin us.'

And what is its right ground, uncle?'

Simply this: have we in the word of God sufficient intimation of his holy will in reference to such alliances between his people and his enemies, to guide us to a correct understanding of that will? If so, is it or is it not right in his sight that we band

ourselves with the papacy, admit them to legislate for us in all matters pertaining alike to the religious and civil government of the country, and invest with offices of extensive influence the most zealous champions of that idolatrous system? The man who can conscientiously say, It is, knows nothing yet as he ought to know it: his ignorance is culpable, inasmuch as it proves that he has blinded his eyes to the plainest declarations of scripture: but the man who is obliged to answer, No, it is contrary to what God approves, has no warrant from scripture, reason, or common honesty for acquiescing in the continuance for one day, or one hour, of the country in a position of hostility against the divine will. Human nature is full of the cowardice that always cleaves to conscious guilt. Man does not put forth his hand to seize an enemy whom he believes to be too strong for him, because he lacks faith to realize the ever present help of the Omnipotent in all that tends to his glory and praise. I heed not the talking of men who profess they see no harm in the deed we have committed; but I do heed, I do lament it, when avowed champions of Protestantism stand forth, at once to execrate the sin and to counsel a protracted connivance at it.'

6 Do you think Popery has strengthened its position among us during the year that is now closing?'

'It has. Look at the organization of O'Connell's faction in Ireland; look at the honour put upon them by official functionaries of the highest grade dancing attendance on mass-houses, and holding plates at their door to win Protestant contributions; look at the bragging style of their chief literary organ, exulting in the signs of our speedy conversion; look at the

workings of their "Institute," as commenced by the preliminary step in a vigorous career of persecution, of which Mr. Stowell was the selected victim. Look, too, within; see the rapid spread of Puseyism, daily lengthening its cords and strengthening its stakes within the sanctuary; the defacing of our churches by pictures and other fooleries, even more wicked than they are vain. Nay, the Christian Knowledge Society is wofully thrown off its guard, threatening us with an edition of the Bible, to be so defaced by Popish embellishments as to carry the poison among every class of society. The prints are of a most exceptionable character; and we know how much stress is laid by the teachers of that iniquitous system on pictorial representations as being a broad step towards image worship. Look where we will, a leaning to Popish practices meets us; and they well know how to turn to the best account every inch of ground thus surrendered.'

'It cannot, I fear, be denied that the tide of Papal innovation continues to flow in on us with no sign of turning. If we wait for its ebbing before we commence operations against it, we are likely to wait until every foot of ground is submerged beneath the flood. There is an evident gathering together of all its forces, an onward movement indicating vast depth of design, as though a master mind were at work, wielding instruments perhaps themselves unconscious of the uses to which they are put, like a skilful general on the eve of a battle, the plan of which he has conceived in his own thought, who concentrates the various troops by manoeuvres of which they know not the ulterior object.'

'It is even so we are assured that a last vigorous

struggle shall be made by the Romish Antichrist previous to the final destruction to which he is doomed ; and great is their danger whom he finds regardless of the cautionary injunction to watch and to keep their garments with especial care because of the Lord's speedy coming. We shall see a much greater advancement of the bad cause, no doubt; more extensive power will be grasped; he will practise more freely and prosper more triumphantly, and trouble the church of Christ to a far greater extent. This we must expect, but because we expect it, are we therefore to acquiesce in the evil? No; our bounden duty is to contend, and to contend earnestly against whatever opposes itself to the faith once delivered to the saints. We read of a standard to be lifted up against the enemy when he thus comes in; but that standard is not a flag of truce; we read of a greeting to be sent into the hostile camp, but that greeting is a summons to God's people to come out thence, and forsake the sins, that they may escape the impending plagues of Rome. I cannot in my Bible find a single passage whereon to found a plea, I will not say for compromise, but even for a moment of quiescent repose while the enemy occupies a post within our lines. At every point I would meet him; at every point I would resist him; and especially would I bear in mind that the construction which we may put on the prophetic word ought never to have the effect of weakening our hands in the battle, howsoever it may prepare us to meet a further trial of our patience and faith.'

'I remember, uncle, in 1829, some good people argued in favor of non-resistance against the Popish Bill on the ground of these predictions. They said,