introduction of their system of education. It is impossible to deny that, during that time, owing to the inertness of Christians in general, they have made considerable advances towards their end. They have succeeded, during three sessions, in prevailing on the House of Commons to grant them committees, before which witnesses were produced, for the purpose of explaining and extolling the “liberal plan of education." They have established the Central Society of education, already alluded to, which embraces many members of parliament and other public characters, and the publications of which depreciate all descriptions of religious education, and advocate the superiority of their own plan. They have further laboured to instil their views into the public mind throughout England by popular lectures and addresses at public meetings, and they have elicited petitions, many of which, no doubt, have been signed by persons little aware of the tendency of their system, but which prove the progress that their doctrines are making in the country. They have therefore felt themselves, at length, sufficiently strong to bring the question under the notice of both houses of parliament in the present session. In the House of Lords, a bill has been introduced by Lord Brougham, which embodies the principle of this system, and proposes its immediate establishment. In the House of Commons, Mr. Wyse has brought forward a motion, which would introduce the system, by establishing that which is one of its great features, a central board of education nominated by government. It must not be forgotten, that both these proposals, pernicious as their obvious tendency is, have received the general approbation, expressed

in parliament, of persons now high in office; and that Mr. Wyse's motion was defeated by a majority of four only, in a house consisting of one hundred and forty-four members. It is impossible, therefore, to deny that these views have made formidable progress, and that, if we would prevent their adoption in this country, we must forthwith awaken the public attention to their dangerous and anti-christian character.

"We are indeed fully convinced that, if the tendency of this system of education were properly understood, it would receive no countenance from the majority of the people. It would be found that, however anxious they are that the means of instruction should be widely extended, they would require that the education of the poor should be based on religion; that it should combine Christian instruction with useful knowledge; and that parliament should not impose on the members of the church of England, who are the great majority of the people, any system of education which should not inculcate the doctrines of that church; any, in short, which should not harmonize in all its parts with the discipline and polity of that church, and be conducted under the superintending care of the parochial clergy.

"But it is necessary that the people should be warned of the actual position of this question, and of the danger attending the least appearance of indifference. The advocates of an education without religion have now brought the danger to our very doors. The opening of the next session of parliament must witness some very decided manifestation of opinion on the part of those who feel the importance of a religious education, or there can be little

doubt that some step will be gained by the adversaries of the church, the evil consequences of which may be irremediable. Let, then, all who take any interest in the religious state and prospects of their country—all who know that a people without religion must of necessity be a people without morals, and that a demoralized population cannot long continue either free or happy ;-let all, in short, who are convinced that “righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people," resolve to oppose themselves, as strenuously and as unitedly as possible, to any system of education of which religion does not form the prominent and essential principle."

THE

CHRISTIAN LADY'S MAGAZINE.

OCTOBER, 1838.

BY-GONE DAYS.

WHEN the churches enjoy a season of external rest, their great adversary generally pursues a system of individual warfare against each member thereof, in the recesses of his home or of his bosom. At such times, the Christian's battle-field must be his own chamber; he is necessarily alone in the conflict; or if he seek mortal help, it must be from those likeminded with himself. The children of this world cannot understand the nature of his conflicts: against his enemy they can afford him no help-they cannot strengthen, but would assuredly weaken his hands in the spiritual combat.

But there are junctures in the history of the church, when the Christian's relative position undergoes a change. Satan assails the whole household collectively, and each person finds the line of his duties so far varied, that from the single combat he is called OCTOBER, 1838.

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into a general battle-field. He then stands as one of a defensive army, and is bound to watch each movement of the enemy with a view to its bearing on the whole host. His closet exercises, his reading, meditation, and prayer, may not be intermitted-far otherwise, since every special emergency is a call for renewed application to the source of all wisdom and strength but there is a certain narrowness of spiritual feeling, a selfishness of which he upon whom it grows is rarely conscious, that must give way at such a time, unless he resolutely close his eyes to the plea of public duty.

Nehemiah furnishes a beautiful instance of what I wish to enforce: he held office in the household of a pagan monarch, but was evidently a man of much prayer, serving God with pure devotion, communing with his own heart in his chamber, and being still. He had much to contend against, and to himself only were known the particulars of his daily conflicts. But circumstances brought him into the way of hearing how the desolations of Jerusalem and of her captive tribes abounded: the detail pierced his heart; and in how glorious a character does Nehemiah, the roused patriot, stand forth before us! I read that book with ever new delight; and I find that, by the grace of God, it keeps alive in my bosom a fire that I fervently hope will never go out. It is not my purpose to enlarge upon it here: every one who has a bible, may search and see to what I allude; but thus much I must observe, that the proceedings of Nehemiah set my mind at rest on a point still disputed among Christians in our day-I mean the lawfulness of admitting those to labour with us in a good work, concerning whom we cannot say that