These observations read like skits on Christian charity. Why should this Editor of the Christian Spectator thus obtrude himself; he had not been mentioned, and only his conscience drew from him this abusive apology. He is as blind as he wishes others to be, if he thinks that his friendly criticisms are "friendly counsels." Save us from such friends! If he had no "private grudge," why did he disfigure his "friendly counsels " by a reference to what he has assumed to be Mr. Grant's statement. "I flatter no man, I leave that to the Christian Spectator." This is, of course, unpardonable, being a "difference of opinion." Every discerning reader may see that this accounts for the tone of that Editor's criticism, because Mr. Grant, knowing more of Mr. Holyoake, "differed in opinion" from his friendly counsellor, who, like other liberal minds, is for freedom of opinion on his own side. It is by no means Mr. Grant's desire to have any rivalry with the Editor of the Christian Spectator, but he is bound to protect his own reputation from these unworthy artifices of sensitive and jealous pseudo-liberals, who reserve all their soft words for the insolent atheists who talk of "the trickery of the Charlatan Christ," but are not to be reproved lest, in defending our Saviour, we lose all credit for charity!

The Leader can afford to insert the letter of this Christian Spectator Editor, together with many long tirades on "the reverend remonstrant," but one short letter from Mr. Grant is all he dare insert, because he is a leader in liberal bigotry.

The following note was refused insertion in the same Leader which inserted "The Editor of the Christian Spectator" :

"TO THE EDITOR OF THE LEADER.

"Birmingham, March 14th, 1853. SIR,-As you profess an unwillingness to have the Cowper-street discussion renewed in your pages, I shall not trespass far on your patience: you should either give both sides, or neither: I refer to the discussion itself as my justification. Your elaborate criticism on my short letter was a compliment, though I cannot say here who furnished you with a few 'facts.' I could spoil them all, and give you others, if either I had time or you inclination to admit such statements. As I shall not trouble you further on this subject, I may be allowed to state, that Mr. Holyoake, defending the Pharisees in their smooth, malignant attack on the Saviour, called his answer, which foiled their malevolence, the trickery of the Charlatan Christ;' whilst Mr. Birch, whose money supports The Reasoner, is allowed there to intimate, in pretty plain terms, that Mary Magdalene was the mistress of Him who was 'holy, harmless, and undefiled.' This I stated in the discussion, whereupon Mr. Holyoake is as much offended at my 'epithets' as at those of the Redeemer. "Yours very truly,

"BREWIN GRANT.

"P.S.-Mr. Holyoake sent papers round on the last night's discussion, to say he should review the personalities' in his organ: he is very fond of them; they are his only diversion from argument. What I have to say will appear in my organ,"

The pleasant excuse for omitting a short letter from one whose name had been the mark of liberal abuse in the columns of The Leader, exhibits the true character of these Jesuits in the livery of free-thought :

"The Rev. B. Grant. This gentleman, in another letter, describes our note of quotations attached to his former communication, as an elaborate criticism on his short letter;' and tell us he considers it 'a compliment.' We think the matter had better drop at this agreeable stage," &c.

Yes, Mr. Leader, it was better for you it should drop there, as it would have let you down a little to have allowed the Christian advocate free speech in the columns of freethinking, though there is little doubt you will drop soon enough, for no papers of your class ever last very long, except at the expense of a few liberal managers, who "erect reason into a force" that empties their pockets, and makes the cause of free-thinking suspected in popular estimation. Now, having excluded Mr. Grant from your columns, your assistant at The Reasoner office is safe, so far as your little circle is concerned; only, perhaps, this will make your circle still less, as some of your readers will begin to suspect the fairness of their Leader. B. G.

Reviews and Criticisms.

Religion and Business. By A. J. MORRIS. London: Ward and Co.

THOSE who know Mr. Morris as a preacher will expect that whatever he thinks fit to commit to the press will be well worthy of attentive perusal. The little volume before us will not disappoint such expectations, and though the author, in the preface, tells the reader, that the subject of the book is not at all according to his taste, yet from the way in which he has handled and illustrated it, we should have drawn a very different conclusion. It consists of seven lectures, and its object is to show how, in the midst of secular activity, a Christian should walk in harmony with his profession, and that religion and business should go hand in hand, and both be gainers by the alliance. Just now, when the mask has been stripped from Infidelity, and it has been shown to the world in its true colours, a work like this-which we doubt not will have the large circulation it deserves comes in very opportunely as an additional testimony to the truth that Christianity is a thing for this life as well as for the next, and that it will be of no avail for the next if it be not applied in this. "The secular demand of Christianity is, that it shall, as a living power, appear and operate in worldly things, giving rule, motion, and aim to common daily works, breathing a spirit of sanctity into the forms of the most mechanical and familiar pursuits of life." Hence the book is eminently a practical one, addressed, as the author tells us, to the "conscience and the life," and though it deals with every day affairs, it does so in a manner that gives them fresh interest, and always sustains our attention, whether it presents a new thought or enforces a neglected old one. We commend it to the perusal of our readers, assured, that if its precepts are followed, it will lead to that "faithfulness in regard to the unrighteous mammon," which "will fit for, and be followed by the true riches."

Secular Tracts. By the Rev. J. HOWARD HINTON, M.A. London: Houlston and Stoneman

THESE tracts are five in number. The first is a lecture on the Discussion between Mr. Holyoake and Mr. Grant, and will be read by every one with much interest, as being the opinion of the Umpire on that occasion. We doubt not that in these tracts all readers, both Christians and Secularists, will recognize the same impartiality and love of truth which each party has admitted Mr. Hinton to possess. It is to be hoped, that they will fall into the hands of all who may be, at present, "halting between two opinions."

Notes and Narratives of a Six Years' Mission, principally among the dens of London. By R. W. VANDERKISTE. London: James Nisbet and Co.

THIS is the second edition of a work which well deserves the support of all who are interested in the progress of Christianity in our large and populous towns. Mr. Vanderkiste has been employed for several years as one of the London City Missionaries, and in that capacity, has been a regular visitor of some of the worst districts in the Metropolis. During a short season of repose he has written this work, which contains a very interesting account of his own labours, pursued with zeal and success during a period of six years. It gives a general description of the districts he visited-narrates and illustrates the different classes of people in these districts, together with the different

kinds of evil prevailing among them, and introduces many striking and interesting incidents which occured during his daily visits.

We hope to be able to notice this work at greater length in a future number. In the meantime we earnestly recommend it to the attention of all, that they may not be ignorant of the moral darkness that prevails around them, nor of the fearful immorality and crime which ignorance and infidelity are at present producing and encouraging.

The Evangelical Hymn Book. Compiled by John H. RutherFORD. London: Houlston and Stoneman.

THIS is another of those books with which our market is pretty well stored, though, we fear, it does not possess many claims to a general circulation. We presume it is meant to supersede the use of Watts and the Supplements, though its inferiority to these will render this hardly possible. If it has been published simply for private circulation, it would have been well for the compiler to have stated this in his preface. The collection is somewhat defective. The compiler has, in a strange way, altered many of the hymns introduced, either from a disagreement with the author in point of doctrine, or from a wrong feeling of delicacy, he has omitted many of the most beautiful verses of a hymn and sadly mutilated others. Oliver's hymn,

"Guide me, oh thou Great Jehovah,"

He has greatly spoiled, having rejected its best lines, and in their stead introduced others very inferior. So also in Addison's Hymn,

"When all thy mercies, oh my God,"

He has omitted the most beautiful verses.

"When I can read my title clear,"

Mr. Rutherford prefers,

"Now I can read my title clear."

We have noted scores of hymns in this collection which are not all improved by the compiler, and which, if they had been allowed to remain as in the original, would have made the collection a very good one. It is a pity, for the book is very well printed. and is sold at a cheap rate.

I.

CHRIST'S RELIGION.

"Probe all things; hold fast that which is good."-1 THESS. v. 21

LECTURES TO THE WORKING CLASSES.

BY THE REV. H. W. PARKINSON.

CHRISTIANITY-NEITHER A DREAM NOR A LIE.

THE SUBSTANCE OF A LECTURE DELIVERED (AS THE FIRST OF A COURSE OF SIX) IN THE TOWN HALL, ROCHDale.

THERE may be some here who have asked themselves and others why the working-classes are specially selected by the believer in Christianity as the audience to which he is most anxious to address himself. Some of you may know that this is not the first time your attention as a class has been requested to this subject, but that in other large towns the exposition of those principles we hold to be of Divine origin has been attempted with as much earnestness, and more ability, than is likely to brought to it on this and succeeding evenings in our Public Hall. But it is not a mere desire to follow example, however good, that will account for my presence here. I should at any time have esteemed it an honour to meet such an audience, and should consider any degree of labour sufficiently compensated-if it enlisted you into the ranks of that glorious army in which it is my happiness to serve-even though there were no special circumstances which pointed to it as a more than ordinary duty. In this town, however, we are not first in the field. The antagonist forces have posted themselves on the opposite ground. They have raised their black flag and commenced their assault, and I make no apology for drawing the sword -the sword, I trust, of a peaceful argument. There are doubtless many better fitted for the encounter-but if the better man will not go before me, let him come after me. Perhaps, I may be able to do little-but that is the stronger reason why I should do all I can at once. I have such confidence in my captain, that I believe I go not this warfare at my own eost. I am ready, therefore, to oppose unbelieving Negatives with Christian Positives. If victorious, the weaker I am of myself-the greater will be the glory of my principles.

I need not enlarge upon the reason why these lectures are addressed specially to you who are called "The Working Classes." Opponents to Christianity have done well in addressing themselves to you, and that, at least, is a particular in which I have no objection to copy them.

R

As we

proceed in these addresses there will be opportunities of showing-both what you can do for Christianity, and what Christianity can do for you. One more remark and I have done with preamble. I have preferred the word "Christianity" to the term "religion," as considering the latter to be somewhat objectionable in its etymology, on which Mr. Trench, in his Lectures on "The study of Words," observes, that

"It is a notable evidence of the manner in which moral contagion invaded the popular language during the ages of Papal dominion in Europe. In those times a 'religious person' did not mean one who felt and allowed the bonds that bound him to God and his fellowmen, but a member of one of the monkish orders; a religious house did not mean a Christian household ordered in the fear of God, but a house in which these persons were gathered according to the rule of some man, Benedict, or Dominic, or some other. A 'religion' meant not a service of God, but an order of monkery, and taking monastic vows was termed, going into a 'religion.""

I need not say, how contrary is the sense we now attach to the word, and I am unwilling to use a term popularized in those days, when spiritual life had well-nigh died out of the world, if a better designation can be found. Such a designation the word "Christianity" seems to be. It possesses the great advantage of instantly carrying the thought up to the recognition of the great Founder of our faith, and by rallying us all round one common centre, will bring us near to each other in proportion as we approach Him whose teaching is presented as Life and Truth. Of course, you will understand, that this is no plea for any particular form of Christianity. You will not be asked to rally round any old sect, or to form yourselves into any new one. There will be no attempt to set before you the differing excellencies or short-comings of Episcopacy, Presbytery, or Independency. Your consideration will only be requested to the spirit and teaching of Christ as embodied in that one book Christians hold to be Divine. Acknowledge these and we are quite willing to let them shape their own embodiment.

It is my desire to night to answer two of the many objections which have been brought against Christians as men and Christianity as a system. We have been told many times over, that one of these suppositions is certainly true. Either a set of men in ancient times foolishly imagined themselves to be inspired from heaven, and influenced a crowd of followers, more foolish still, to accept their doctrines-or else, for some sinister end of their own, they managed to fabricate an ingenious story, entrapping the simple by their cunning, and admitting the quick-witted into their confederacy, or, in plain Anglo-Saxon, they are either dreamers or liars. Now, this, at least, may be admitted, that there are but three suppositions possible, viz., the two mentioned, and this third one, that Christianity is true, and Christians are true men. Christianity is either a dream, a lie, or a truth, and if it can be shown that it is neither of the two former, then it must be the last. If you should be shut up to the conclusionafter bringing your common sense to this question-that both the first and the second suppositions are infinitely more unreasonable than the third, as honest men, you will be compelled to cast aside your antagonism