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Laws, but the House would scarcely hear him. During the year things grew worse; the summer months were almost continuously wet, and in August, wheat, which two years before cost 36s. a bushel, was now at 72s. In the month of September, Dr. Bowring, who had just returned from a Free Trade tour on the Continent and in Egypt, was expected to pass through Manchester, and Mr. Archibald Prentice, the sensible editor of the Manchester Times, seized the opportunity of calling together a number of Manchester Free Traders to discuss with the Doctor the question of the Corn Laws. Sixty of them assembled, and denounced in unmeasured terms the monopoly. In the midst of the enthusiasm, a Mr. Howie proposed that the meeting should form itself into an 66 Anti-Corn Law Association." The proposal was warmly received, and in a few days another meeting adopted it (Sept. 24th, 1838). A provisional committee was formed, and made public. In the next committee-list Mr. Cobden's name appeared. At once nearly £11,000 were subscribed, and Mr. Paulton, then a young man, was appointed to deliver public lectures on the subject wherever he could gain a hearing. Mr. Paulton began at Manchester, and was soon in great request all over the country. Plenty of abuse, from the papers in the interest of the landowners, was poured upon him; but this only tended to awaken public inquiry, and led the Manchester Chamber of Commerce to petition Parliament for a repeal of the Corn Laws. Cobden took part in this discussion, during which he showed that it was not the prohibition of corn alone that he opposed, but any and every kind of "protection" whatever, a doctrine that many members of the Chamber could not endorse, for they clung to the protection of their manufactures, but which showed that from the first Cobden had nothing to learn on the Free Trade policy. In its petition to Parliament, however, the Chamber adopted Cobden's views, and from this date Richard Cobden was known as a champion of "Free Trade." In January," Mr. Alderman Cobden" had proposed, at a meeting of the " Association," "an investment of part of the property of the gentlemen present, to save the rest from confiscation." Money was again subscribed: the Chairman gave £50; J. B. Smith, £100; Mr. Schuster, £100; Alderman Cobden, £100; J. C. Dyer, £100, with a promise of £1,000, if needed; and so the business went on, till £1,800 were subscribed, which in a few days was made into £6,000.

The Chartists, meantime, under the lead of F. O'Connor, were doing all they could, apparently in concert with the Tories, to obstruct the operations of the Anti-Corn Law Association, on the plea that the Free Traders would not help them to gain the "five points." Often they invaded, and attempted to break up, the meetings of the Association, until Cobden told the people who wanted cheap bread that they must put down the Irish rabble, with their cry for the Charter, and protect their own meetings. In course of time, the Manchester people, adopting the weapons of the Chartists, put an effectual end to the nuisance.

Anti-Corn Law Associations now began to spring up in all the principal towns of the country, and Mr. Cobden proposed a Central Association, which should include all the smaller ones, and should organize and carry on the agitation. This suggestion was adopted,

and from this time the movement became a national one. Early this year (1839), a meeting of delegates from all the large towns in the kingdom was appointed to be held at a London hotel close to the House of Commons, with a view of strengthening by their presence the hands of Mr. Villiers. The delegates procured an interview with Lord Melbourne, and asked the Commons, through Mr. Villiers, to hear them at the bar of the House. The request, of course, was not complied with; but at the breaking up of the meeting of the delegates, Mr. Cobden declared "they had no cause of despondency because the House over the way bad refused to hear them. They were the representatives of 3,000,000 of people; they were the evidence that the great towns had banded themselves together, and their alliance would be a Hanseatic league against the feudal Corn Law plunderers." Mr. Villiers's motion having been lost, the Free Trade delegates left London, to push on the work, and resolved to form a “permanent union," to be called "The Anti-Corn Law League, composed of all the towns and districts represented in the delegation," and as many others as might be induced to join the League, with its headquarters at Manchester.

This done, the work of systematic agitation began. Competent lecturers were engaged and sent over the country; as far as possible, the co-operation of the Press was obtained, and the Anti-Corn Law Circular was started, with a circulation of 15,000 each issue. At first this paper was sent out unstamped, but Government decided that it was a newspaper, and must bear the newspaper stamp. As the penny postage had just been established, the penny stamp, the Government's own machinery, became the means of sending the Circular through every corner of the kingdom. As one reader read it, it was re-posted to another, and another, and another, till its circulation was increased twentyfold. No sooner had the delegates dispersed themselves over the country, than they called meetings in their own neighbourhoods, while a number of cheap Free Trade pamphlets were printed and sent out in tens of thousands. "Facts for the Farmers" produced a wide and deep impression, and others followed with equal success. At first, 10,000 of one sheet were issued, but the demand increased, till as many as 250,000 copies of one tract were sent forth. The penny postage, both as to letters and Anti-Corn Law literature, as Mr. Cobden foresaw, became one of the most efficient weapons of the League. Where that body, up to this time, had despatched one letter, it now sent out on the wings of the post-the Government's own agent-one hundred.

A HOMILY FOR THE TIMES.

"The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar" (Gen. xix. 23). "THE sun was risen upon the earth." It was a bright and lovely morn. The sun, rising from his eastern couch at the bidding of the great Creator, flung open the golden gates of the morning, and flooded hill and vale, land and sea, with new-born splendour. The crystal rivers glistened, the sombre hills brightened, the mighty forests clapped their thousand hands, the charming valleys smiled, the

waking cities shouted, and the magnificent heavens resounded with matin joys. Sun never shone on a lovelier plain than Jordan. "It was well watered everywhere, even as the garden of the Lord." Such is the glowing description given by the pen of inspiration.

No wonder that Lot, after he had left highly-cultured Egypt, chose for his future residence the picturesque and fertile plain of Jordan. Cities had sprung up there in the olden time, the inhabitants of which, with their increase of wealth and luxury, gave themselves up to all manner of guilty excesses, and sank into the very depths of sensuality. Even as we look upon the enchanting landscape, we are compelled, in the language of Heber, to exclaim"Every prospect pleases,

And only man is vile."

How attractive and beautiful did that plain of Jordan appear on the memorable morning when, led by angel-hand, Lot turned his back upon it, and journeyed to Zoar. All serene. All bright. Nothing to mar the loveliness of the scene. The lofty blue sky, bathed in sunshine. Not a single ominous cloud. The beauty-clad vale, in far extended lines of verdure and luxuriance, stretched itself in most tranquil repose, enjoying the benedictions of the heavens. Not one convulsive throb indicative of danger. The great thronged cities, shaking off their slumbers, woke up to fresh enterprise and gaiety. Not one presentiment of coming judgment. But their doom is

written and sealed. The destroying angel hath received his commission. Their "damnation slumbereth not."

Now the morning breezes die away. All is hushed. Not a leaf rustles. Not a breath of air stirs. Nature's pulse is gone. Breathless she lies in all her beauty. Brilliant is that panorama. Never more so. But, oh! that brilliancy is too lustrous; that stillness is too still. It is dreadful. It is the stillness of dying. Heaven and earth keep this terrible secret-this mystery of wrath-until God's servant is safe in his mountain-home.

Who would have supposed that such a glorious sun-lit morning presaged a day of storm, of judgment, and of doom? How often is it the case that

"A fearful calm foretells a coming fight

That tempest is prepared to revel in its might."

How true is it, not merely in our personal, but also in our national history, in the world's history, "we know not what a day may bring forth." The sunniest morning may be but the introduction to a long, dark day of disaster. It was so in the history of the cities of the plain. As one eminent writer (Ruskin) says, "There was thunder on the horizon as well as dawn.' No sooner was Lot safely sheltered in Zoar, when down poured the long-deferred judgments. The vials of God's wrath were emptied upon those wicked cities. "The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground." It was a swift, a terrific, an overwhelming, a total destruction. Avalanche-like in its suddenness and crash, it

came upon them, and left nought but a train of desolation behind. "The smoke went up as the smoke of a furnace." Here, then, we have sunshine and storm, mercies and judgments, in startling combination. Surely, the destruction of those ancient cities for their putrescent depravities will hand down to all ages the terrible lesson, that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Turning from the plain of Jordan, let us look at the present crisis in the history of our world, and, apart from this narrative, and in a wider sense than we have heretofore used the phrase, consider, is there not now "thunder on the horizon as well as dawn?" We believe so. Let us see. There is

I. DAWN." The sun has risen upon the earth." Bless God for it! The gloom of former ages is chased away; the dreary night of superstition, and ignorance, and idolatry, is nearly gone; the Sun of Righteousness rises upon the earth with healing in his wings. Who does not rejoice in the break of day? Who is not thankful for the sunshine? Behold, now is the day of salvation!" There is much that demands our most grateful recognition.

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(1) Notice the multiplicity and activity of religious institutions and societies, and the consequent development of holy enterprise and heroism. All the great philanthropic institutions and religious societies are but of recent origination. Their birth is of yesterday. A hundred years ago, and the majority of them were unknown. They were hidden in the womb of Providence.

We refer to the BIBLE SOCIETY, with its world-wide embrace and beneficence; the TRACT SOCIETY, with its myriad messengers of truth and salvation; the SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, with its ample equipment for the religious culture of the young; and the great MISSIONARY SOCIETIES, with their complete organization, their bands of devoted labourers, their millions of consecrated wealth, and their marvellously blessed results. Temperance societies and other benevolent agencies are all aiding in the same good work-the amelioration of human woe, and the extension of the blessings of Christianity to the whole human race. Nor should we fail to notice that these great and beneficent organizations have accomplished most within the last quarter of a century. Weak in their infancy, they have grown up to vigour and might, and are now "terrible as an army with banners." In this age of pre-eminent enterprise, the Church does not lag behind the world, but leads the way, carrying in advance the Excelsior flag of human progress and elevation.

Christian missionaries are opening up continental EUROPE to Gospel influence. They are re-lighting the seven golden candlesticks of ASIA MINOR; penetrating hitherto unexplored, benighted, and neglected AFRICA; assailing, with Christian bravery and persistence, the strongholds of Satan in SOUTH AMERICA; subjugating for Christ the immense and ancient empire of CHINA, with her 400,000,000 of idolators; annexing Hindoo and Mohammedan INDIA to the kingdom of Immanuel; evangelizing mighty MADAGASCAR; transforming almost every island of the sea into a Patmos, with its revelations of Jesus and its visions of glory; and with heavenly munificence diffusing the light, and liberty, and riches of the Gospel of Christ all over the world. We have long sung—

"O'er the gloomy hills of darkness,

Look, my soul, be still and gaze;
All the promises do travail
With a glorious day of grace.
Blessed jubilee,

Let thy glorious morning dawn!"

Surely we may now say, the day dawns.

The blood-stained banner of the cross has been high unfurled. Its folds have been flung open to the breeze, and, amid the enthusiastic shouts of redeemed thousands, the world is claimed for Christ. The Church's militant rallying-cry is, "The heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession."

(2) Notice also, the raising up of gifted, earnest men in the Churches, and the power, extensiveness, and simultaneousness of Revivals.

Many gloomy-spirited Christians live altogether in the past, and while they are morbidly despondent in regard to the present condition of the Church and the world, they stand like spectre finger-posts ever pointing to the past. From the cavernous depths of their sepulchral souls they will call up the ghosts of the departed, and as they, with solemn cadence, recite their epitaphs, they will assure you "there were giants in those days." All are dwarfs now. There are no men of intellectual power or seraphic piety now. Everything is wrong. The world is going to ruin, and ICHABOD is inscribed on the Church! Poor, shivering, forlorn creatures, ever living, rather barely existing, in Arctic unbelief. They will not let "the dead bury the dead," they will not "forget the things which are behind," they will not come out into the warm sunshine of hopefulness and faith, and loving co-operation with the many workers who, while others are whining and growling, are toiling for the good of their fellows and the glory of God. The giants are not all passed away. Anakim now. The Fullers and Edwards', and Paysons, and Wesleys, and Bramwells, and Robert Halls, and Chalmers', and James', and Jays, and Raffles', and McCheynes are gone, but they have left an illustrious lineage. We could recapitulate the names of a host of living Christian heroes, but it would not be decorous. "God buries his workmen but carries on his work," and men are adapted for their work and their age.

There are

Never before were there so many heroic men, ministers, and laymen, so remarkably endowed and adapted for the special work required by the times. Never before were there so many "showers of blessing," indicating the active and augmented influence of an Omnipresent Spirit; not the spirit of mere excitement or sacred enthusiasm, but the Divine Spirit promised in the prophetic age, outpoured in the apostolic age, and now, in the revivals of our day, manifesting himself most graciously, preparatory to the millennial age. The Pentecostal spirit of prayer is extensively developed in the Church, and, as the result, a ransomed world will ere long celebrate a grand, final Pentecost, and the universal baptism will descend, "the Spirit shall be poured out on all flesh.”

(3) Notice also, the great scientific and mechanical discoveries of the present century, and our enlarging and perfecting knowledge of philosophy, and all the arts and sciences.

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