uniformity in creed and worship-a general submission of all professing Christians to one established formulary in doctrine and ritual, in short, an unresisted ecclesiastical supremacy.'

That is attainable in one way,' observed my uncle, ' and it has been in one instance effected. Rome, by locking up the Bible from the laity, and compelling even her ministers to receive none but her own interpretation of it, has managed, by her glosses and perversions, to establish the unity so much admired and coveted by some of our spiritual leaders.'

'But she has achieved it at the sacrifice of her Christianity.'

'Very true, my dear; and therefore, while we deplore the carnal origin of those divisions, which respectively glory in the names of mere human teachers, or in the distinguishing badges adopted by them, let us bless God on behalf of those who still hold the head, which is Christ; and wish them grace and peace for the love that they in sincerity bear to Him. This discord in our camp is one of the most disheartening signs of the times. The stiffness with which one party adheres to non-essential particulars, not worth holding at so high a cost, and the captiousness that induces the other party to deem those nonessentials a sufficient excuse for weakening the established church by separating from her communion, are now doing the enemy's work among us with an effect that we shall too late understand and deplore.'

And then, how fearfully active that enemy is, in strengthening his position! I am full of anxiety on the subject of this German prince's visit to our court.'

Indeed, niece, there is but little question raised

as to its object. The important inquiry is, what are the real sentiments of the young Coburg in religion?'

'His near relation, who married the Queen of Portugal, is an avowed Romanist, is he not?'

'Yes; so was the elder, Prince Augustus, the first husband of that youthful Queen; and there is every reason to fear that the whole family are attached in heart, bound by secret, if not by open vows, to the supremacy of Rome. As to the fact of outwardly worshipping in a Protestant church, it is the well known prerogative and custom of the arch-apostacy to grant dispensations for holding a state religion of any complexion, when by its assumption the professor can further the views of that wily system more effectually than by appearing among its votaries. It seems scarcely credible to us; but so swift a witness does God sometimes shew himself against flagrant violations of his law, that in little more than ten years after the impious outrage was perpetrated, of throwing down the barriers which He had built against the inroads of Popery among us, we are menaced with the tremendous judgment of seeing Popery in close connexion with the throne of England.'

'Dear uncle, can it be that any clergyman calling himself a pastor, in our Protestant church, will neglect to assemble the flock committed to him on the approaching anniversary of our double deliverance, to join in that most devout, most beautiful service of fervent thanksgiving for the past, and of humble, deprecatory intercession for the present and future, which the law not only sanctions, but enjoins?'

There will be many such, I fear. Various motives will withhold men from performing this solemn duty.

Not to mention the sect of semi-popish divines, who are labouring to bring about a recognition of Romish doctrines and a relapse into Romish practices, and who will of course repudiate with horror any hostile expression against her whom they delight to call their "venerated sister," not to speak of these nor of those worldly-minded men who regard their own promotion in the church far more than the promotion of God's glory in the land, and therefore avoid giving offence to the ascendant party-there are some, among men professing highly evangelical principles and feelings, who will abstain from the observance; some through false charity, which induces them to call evil good, and to put sweet for bitter; some through rank cowardice, not daring to be found in the van of a church already entering the deep waters of persecution; some through an idle and most unscriptural fancy that religion and politics should be kept as distinctly apart as God's word plainly instructs us closely to unite them; some from a secret apprehension that Protestant principle is at a low ebb among their people, and that, by endeavouring to rouse it, they may lose somewhat of their individual popularity in the place; some, and alas! far too many, because, refusing to search the prophetic word, they permit themselves to be blinded to what is coming upon us, and so bring themselves under the reproof of being numbered with the Dumb dogs that will not bark.'' Then, uncle, the laity belonging to such parishes should take the matter so far into their own hands as to assemble in parties not exceeding nineteen, in private houses, and by that means secure the privilege of uniting with congregations more happily circumstanced in the service of the day. Walls and

roofs are no hindrance to the eye of God: He will look down from the throne of his holiness, and behold every individual so engaged as a member of the one great national congregation, assembled on that day to honour Him, by offering him thanks and praise.'

"You are right: it may prove the last time that ministers will be authorized to observe the day in their houses of worship. If certain events take place, one year may produce a fearful revolution, in curtailing the Protestant liberty still left to us. how melancholy is the aspect of Holland!'

'The king is about to marry a Papist?'

But

'Yes, an avowed one: the lady is said to be somewhat disinclined to the suit of her aged admirer, but the Jesuits have persuaded her that the pious deed of bringing back the most obstinate of heretical nations to the bosom of Popery, is worth any sacrifice of personal feeling on her part. The princes of Nassau are deeply grieved at their royal father's dereliction of duty as the head of a Protestant state; but what are princes, what are people, when the envenomed breath of the mother of abominations has once tainted the atmosphere of a throne! affair in Holland is a striking commentary on what now appears to be going on much nearer our home. Our old ally, the country of our delivering William, has long run in nearly a parallel of destiny with ourselves. Together we have stood: are we now to fall together?'

This

My uncle was much moved while uttering this: after a short silence, I remarked, 'On how strange a principle are all vacancies in the state, and in influential quarters, now filled up!'

His eye kindled. Strange? nay, the principle is an outrage on all decency. It has of course been customary for the ministry-any ministry-to shew partiality to their own political adherents, so far as it could be done with any regard to public feeling, public justice, public honesty: but when was England condemned to grovel under the heels of such a set of shameless traffickers as that which could not even allow the old sailors of Greenwich Hospital the privilege of owning a commander who had fought his country's battles, and gathered laurels to enwreath his country's flag! I tell you, niece, that deed outdoes in barefaced injustice all that preceded it, and almost defies competition in any act that may follow.'

'It is most disgraceful, most unjust, and calculated to render us doubly contemptible in the sight of the whole world.'

'Rotten boroughs and schedule A!' ejaculated my uncle, as he paced the room : why there was not an abuse in the whole system which the redoubtable Reform Bill was projected to do away with; no, not one worthy to be named with this of prostituting our noblest national establishment to the degrading purpose of recompensing a useful parliamentary partizan.'

'Surely they might at least have placed him one step lower, by giving Sir Jahleel Brenton the chief command, and putting their friend into his vacant place, as Lieutenant Governor.'

You are a simpleton: Șir Jahleel is a staunch Conservative, and what is in their eyes more unpardonable still, a sound Protestant: a veteran in the service of his country, distinguished by zeal and