righteously, and godly in this present world. Is it not to be regretted, that a similar spirit has not been uniformly cherished amongst the disciples of Jesus Christ? but, alas! alas! they have in general caught the spirit of the mother of Zebedee's children, rather than that of their master, and have been struggling for the ascen dancy, instead of living in sweetest fellowship with each other. And is it not to this cause, more than any deficiency of evidence, that we may fairly account for the too general rejection of the gospel; for can we expect others to believe in its divine origin, when we see those who embrace it with the greatest eagerness, displaying an intolerant temper; and refusing to hold communion with each other because they happen to differ on a few points of opinion, which they all acknowledge to be unimportant. Every christian should examine the following prayer of Jesus Christ, and the reason which he assigned for presenting it: neither pray I for these alone, but for them also that shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be in one; as, thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.

When the spirit of religious bigotry takes possession of the youthful breast, and diffuses the bitterness of its temper over his mind, we naturally feel disposed to attribute it to the immaturity of his judgment, or the defect of his christian principles; and we as naturally conclude, that he will in more advanced life, gradually lose the acidity of his disposition, and cherish the most cordial attachment for all of every denomination, who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and in truth. This, I believe, is generally the case, though we sometimes see the evil spirit of bigotry, souring the temper of aged christians,-contracting their benevolence, and rendering them more disposed to live apart from their brethren, than on terms of closest union and if we venture to remonstrate with them, we are gravely told, that they must preserve

the consistency of their character. Consistency! And why not preserve the consistency of their character as christians, who are required to love each other as brethren, rather than the consistency of their character as religious bigots, who neglect the weightier matters of the divine law, to cultivate the mint and cummin of ecclesiastical alienation and intolerance? Why not, when peculiar circumstances require it, overlook the little points of difference that exist between them; and unite as those who are endowed with the same spirit of faith,—who are governed by the same laws of authority,--and who are moving on to the same state of blessedness and glory?

There were a few dissenters who could not conscientiously worship within the walls of the establishment; even though they revered the character of the new rector at , and approved of his ministry; and not being able to support a society of their own peculiar denomination, they subjected themselves to the inconvenience and expense of travelling several miles every sabbath, to enjoy the privilege of communion with their brethren. But though they could not unite with their fellow christians at

in the

exercise of public devotion, they did not refuse to associate in the private walks of social life, nor object to co-operate with them in the execution of those plans of benevolence which related to the moral improvement, and the temporal felicity of the hamlet in which they resided. A latitudinarian would very naturally censure this unbending spirit, in reference to public worship, and feel himself justified in holding

it

up to general reprobation; but a wise man will be sparing of his animadversions on conscientious scruples, when they are not suffered to disturb the harmony of friendly intercourse, and do not disqualify those who feel them, from uniting with others of a different faith in the cultivation of the affections and charities of social life.

The Rev. Mr. Guion, who resided within a few miles of and who had been for many years the devoted friend of the venerable Ingleby,-who had often preached the word of life to the people of his charge, and intermingled amongst them in their

.

private circles, was so much displeased when they seceded from the church, that he broke off all intercourse with them, and not unfrequently expressed his censures in rather strong language. As they chose, in opposition to his advice, to withdraw from the pale of the establishment, though he knew that their new rector preached another gospel, than that which they had heard from the lips of their deceased pastor, he looked upon them as schismatics, with whom he could not associate, even in the ordinary familiarities of friendship, without endangering his reputation as an orderly clergyman; and though he admitted that some moral good might possibly result from the establishment of a dissenting ministry in the village, yet he thought the evil would more than counter-balance it. He was a good man, but not a perfect man;—a zealous minister of the everlasting gospel, but he wished that gospel to be preached only within the pale of the established church; and though he threw out some of the fine and beautiful traits of the christian character, in the departments of private and social life, yet they were rather too strongly marked by the blemishes of a sectarian spirit.

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He occasionally met the Rev. Mr. Drew, at the anniversaries of the various Bible Societies in the country, and at Messrs. Roscoe's and Stevens's, whom he treated with the courtesy of a gentleman, but not with the warmth of a brotherly affection; and though naturally mild and amiable, yet as he advanced in years he became still more reserved and distant, when brought into contact with the piety of dissent. "I think, Sir," said Mrs. Stevens, in reply to some remarks which he had made on the secession of Mr. Ingleby's friends from the church, "that you are not quite so liberal as you were when you contributed so very generously to the necessities of the Rev. Mr. Powell. You then said, if I mistake not, that when you took orders you were a first-rate bigot, and resolved to have nothing to do with the dissenters; but that since it had pleased God to call you out of darkness into his marvellous light, you recognized all as fellow-heirs of the grace of life, who breathe the

* Vide No. 18 of this series.

spirit of Jesus Christ." "Why, Madam, I do not unchristianize the dissenters, though, you know, it is proper that the clergy should pay a becoming respeet to the consistency of their character." "Very true, Sir, but ought they to sacrifice the consistency of their christian character by cherishing any feeling or disposition towards their pious dissenting brethren, which the Saviour would not display, were he on earth? We were dissenters, when necessity compelled us; but that dear, venerated saint who has just left us, to join the great assembly before the throne, did not desert us, nor did he frown upon us. No, he commended us for establishing an evangelical ministry for the spiritual benefit of our poor ignorant neighbours; and if he were now to return to earth, and revisit the village in which he laboured for so many years, instead of censuring his people for seceding from the church, when the glory departed, he would look with pleasure on their village chapel, and charge the minister of it to preach the 'word with all fidelity, and watch over the precious souls committed to his charge, as one who must give an account." Mr. Ingleby, Madam, was very catholic in his spirit; and had not those strong objections to dissent, which the clergy in general have." "And what, Sir, did he lose by cherishing that noble spirit of his faith? Nothing!" But what did he gain by it?" "What? The love and the veneration of the wise and the good of every denomination; who continue to cherish his memory with an ardour of feeling which bigotry never inspires in a purely catholic breast."

"She rose to meet her daughter, and in a moment they were closely locked in each other's embrace; but they were too highly surcharged with grief to utter any sounds but those of bursting sorrow. They wept aloud, but in their weeping there was the majesty of grief, bending in unmurmuring submission to the will of their Heavenly Father. And is my father dead?' 'Yes, my child, you have lost your father, and I have lost my husband." Page 7.

London;