"While charity, alas!" said Mr. D'Arcy, "lies torn and bleeding at the feet of these zealots for opinion. I am afraid, indeed, there is no class of Christians who fully understand how far toleration of opinion ought to extend, and what it is to invade, in some cases, the rights of conscience. Congregations too often expect their minister, whose preaching on the whole they highly approve, to refrain from expressing every opinion they cannot coincide with, forgetting that he cannot do this without a culpable concealment of what he regards as truth; while they, by simply hearing his sentiments, are not called to make any other sacrifice than of their own feelings. But, rather than do this, they try to restrain their brother's rights, and bind his understanding and conscience with the fetters of their selfishness. truth in its completeness is ever to have free course in the world, there must be a far more expansive toleration than we now have, to pioneer its way."

If

CHAPTER XXXV.

CULTIVATION OF TALENT, A NATIONAL DUTY.

In a few weeks Mr. Whately arrived at the Hall, and though the family had formed a very high opinion of him, his character more than equalled their expectations. His docility as a learner in the new school of the gospel, and his deep reverence for all the doctrines and precepts of the sacred revelation he so long despised, were peculiarly pleasing. Sensible of the erroneous views of the character of man, and of the state of society, he had entertained before, and humbled while thinking of the many Utopian schemes upon which he had wasted so much of his time, talents, and property, he regarded with great distrust all systems not professedly based on scriptural principles. Yet, while he renounced the religion of philosophy, he every day made new discoveries in the philosophy of religion; and observed, that all the social institutions sanctioned in the Bible, and all the doctrines and duties enjoined there, were shown, both by our reason and experience, to be admirably adapted to restore the purity and happiness of man. To 'vindicate the ways of God' was the most delightful subject of his thoughts, and most frequent topic of his conversation.

"I now clearly perceive,” he said to Mr. D'Arcy, on the first evening of his arrival, "that the social relations and institutions I formerly in my folly denounced, are pre-eminently adapted to make the world happy. The parental and filial relations draw forth and nourish the best affections of the heart, and the mutual dependence arising out of these, and out of the whole social system, tend to extend and strengthen general benevolence. It is in reality my new arrangement, and not the old, which is based on selfishness, and would soon carry the world back into barbarism."

Yes," replied Mr. D., "perfect equality in wealth and station, if it were practicable, would be injurious to the whole, without promoting the good of any part; and that is a system as selfish as it is impossible, which attempts to promote the advantage of individuals at the expense of the social body. Wealth, and the leisure it creates, are not less necessary to produce knowledge, and encourage industry, than industry is to produce wealth. The whole mechanism of the moral world is as perfect as that of the natural; but the ignorance and vices of man impede the operations and weaken the springs of the former, so that disorder and deformity are often created, where harmony and beauty would otherwise appear. You expected to cure vice and remove want by an artificial state of society. Had you been a legislator, you would probably have endeavoured to repress luxury by sumptuary laws, as you tried to banish poverty by an equal distribution of the proceeds of labour; but both being an invasion of the natural

rights of each class, would be found alike injurious to industry and happiness."

"I am quite convinced of it. The disorders of the world do not arise from its natural arrangements, but from the materiel of which it is composed, and Christian principles only can correct them. If men are restrained from injuring one another, it will never be by gratifying all the passions and desires, but controlling them. Want and luxury can be lessened only by just laws. Beneficence, temperance, and Christian charity must teach every man to regard his physical and intellectual powers, his leisure, wealth, and influence, as bestowed upon him, not for his own advantage and pleasure simply, but for the benefit of the community and the world. Against the two evils just alluded to, to which the extremes of society are continually tending, and which are both great temptations to different vices, the liberality enjoined upon Christians equally provides. The 'temperate' and 'moderate' use of all earthly blessings, as well as the command to set apart for benevolent purposes, according' (that is, in proportion) as the Lord hath prospered them,' would effectually prevent that immense accumulation of wealth by individuals and families, which is the cause of luxury; and this liberality, judiciously applied, would prevent want."

"Have you not met with some persons," said Mr. Whately, "who call their luxury by the name of charity, and tell you that, though they expend all their income in a splendid style of living, yet by thus en

couraging trade and industry they do the greatest possible good to the poor?"

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Yes, I have met with many. Unfortunately, they forget, that though industry may be as much encouraged by their purchasing a new and magnificent carpet they do not want, as if they had bestowed the same sum in blankets for destitute families, there is an inexpressible difference in the amount of real good done. In one case, pride only is gratified; in the other, misery alleviated and happiness diffused. We shall take, however, a very contracted view of benevolence if we look only at the external physical benefits resulting from it. The moral effects are of the highest importance, for it produces self-denial in the rich, and gratitude in the poor two essential elements of virtue."

"And a new proof to me," added Mr. Whately, "of what I call the true philosophy of Christianity; for the more I observe the nature and tendency of all the duties of piety and morality, enjoined in the Scriptures, the more I perceive how much they are calculated to promote love to God and man, and to strengthen all the natural dispositions, and divinely implanted principles, that are necessary to universal holiness and happiness. To you, my dear Sir, these observations have, no doubt, long been familiar; but to me they appear in the light of new and gratifying discoveries, as I become more acquainted with the unsealed fountain of all true wisdom, the Book of God."}

They are discoveries, my dear friend, you will not soon exhaust and you will be increasingly convinced,