"And the common people heard him gladly."-MARK XII., 37.

AN opinion is prevalent that the Poor are becoming increasingly careless about Religion, or sceptical of its origin. Doubtless this opinion is confirmed in some measure by fact. But from intimate knowledge of the habits, feelings, and sentiments of the working classes, I feel assured that much of their alienation from the Churches springs not from studied disregard of their religious wants, or of Scripture authority, but from other causes to which I would humbly invite attention. It is true that Unbelief is openly confessed by some, that doubts are secretly entertained by others, yet these doubts and that unbelief are certainly not characteristic of all, or even the greater portion of those who decline attaching themselves to any existing sect. One grand reason of such alienation will be found in the fact that the clergy and leading members of most sects evince not that sympathy for the "lower orders" which might be expected from the followers of Him who went about doing good among the poor, the afflicted, the fallen, the down-trodden, and oppressed. It is but too evident that the more prominent and influential of all, or nearly all denominations, oppose themselves systematically, and with heart and soul, to every movement that originates with working men, whether such movement be designed to promote mental culture, to secure the rights of labour, or to establish civil liberty on a rational and sound basis. Is it wonder, then, that working men, feeling themselves slighted, injured, should regard the hostile party with other feelings than those of respect? that, yielding to the law of repulsion, they should disclaim connection with those whom they look upon as calumniators and abettors of wrong? Not a few of the more enlightened among the labouring

poor who own the truth of Christianity, its power to save and bless, are yet unable to persuade themselves that those who are indifferent about the social well-being of the people, are sincere and disinterested in their professed desire for their spiritual welfare. Hence they become ashamed, as it were, of being Church-goers. They deem it unmanly, servile, to join in fellowship with the supposed instruments of their degradation: they write religious profession hypocrisy in their Vocabulary. No view obtains more largely among the masses than this, be it right or wrong, that the upper classes frequently assume the religious garb through worldly policy; profess the Christian faith only to convert it by misinterpretation into a means of oppression, wherewith to crush and enslave the many, and make class privilege everlasting. And at times this view is given utterance to in tones so bitter, language so unguarded, as to lead those but slightly acquainted with the inward life of the people to suppose that they are indeed repudiators of Divine Revelation.

This generation lives more in the future than any of its predecessors. Most of the reading, thinking portion long for the "good time coming." The idea of progress is revealing itself to the popular mind through the Press. And the light, though but partially diffused, is yet powerful enough to produce in vast numbers a decided mental bias. There is a growing aversion to certain dogmas zealously promulgated from orthodox pulpits and by tract distributing societies. The false doctrines that man is incapable of doing ought but evil; that God has decreed an elect few to enjoy heaven's happiness, while the many shall be tormented endlessly, irretrievably, for his own glory, are losing hold of the minds of the operative classes, becoming powerless as ropes of sand. An impression is gaining ground that Religion, rightly understood, must accelerate the onward march of society towards universal freedom and enlightenment, peace and brotherhood; that Christianity as it came from the soul of its Founder is not faithfully pourtrayed in the dogmatic theology of the popular sects. Separation is the consequence; though the views entertained by many who separate are vague and undefined.

Our Country presents the strange anomaly of increasing national wealth, without proportionate general prosperity. The rich are becoming richer, the poor poorer. On the one side are heaps of gold, on the other is starving industry. Of

those who subsist by manual labour, thousands upon thou sands can hardly procure the bare necessaries of life and have therefore neither leisure nor inclination for higher pursuits. They hurry from their beds to the workshop, from the workshop to their meals, and back. Their evenings at home are of short duration. Even their thinking is done hurriedly, if done at all. Their spirits are crushed, deadened through constant privations, excessive toil. Their aspirations after the right and true become colder, feebler as their cares increase. By degrees they acquire the habit of spending their Sabbaths in talking together over the misery of their common lot, by the fireside or in the fields. The House of God is deserted. Again, protracted hours of labour and the monotonous nature of many employments, in duce a craving for excitement, which the more favoured classes may not fully comprehend. The public house affords the readiest means: it is seldom far distant; and often, too often the family circle is exchanged for the noisy haunts of vice. Bodily exhaustion and mental anxiety lead to the use of stimulants; and the reaction which follows unfits the mind for devotional exercises: listlessness and unprofitable gossiping take their place.

Such, I apprehend, are among the leading causes of that religious apathy so much and justly deplored. To remove these causes will require long time of active, well-directed energy on the part of enlightened and benevolent Christians. Those who aid in the good work should do what in them lies to improve the physical condition of the humbler classes; must help the people to elevate themselves. I do not say that social change must precede all attempts to spiritually enlighten the people. Religious and social reforms may be carried on simultaneously. But I take it that those whose every energy is needed to provide the means of mere animal existence from day to day, are not in the most favourable position to receive religious impressions; though none may stand more in need of the consolations which the Gospel offers. Nor could any thing more effectually prove the earnestness, the good intention of religious reformers, than a hearty co-operation on their part in timely efforts to ameliorate the temporal sufferings of the poor, and to secure the political enfranchisement of the people. To win back the people to the fold of Christ will be an arduous task, even as it is a solemn duty. Liberal Christians! see that you wait not a more convenient season." While you sleep the

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enemy is sowing tares. There is danger that in the present transition state of the public mind, many more will yet miss their way, and lapse through indifferentism into Infidelity.

In the early Christian times, the disciples were mostly of the poorer orders. Now the better conditioned classes are the chief supporters of the popular sects. One requirement of the present age, is a Church for the People. Such a church, arise when it may, will be one not sectarian in a bad sense, though necessarily upholding Christian principle as the foundation of all morality. It will be one in which benevolent views of God's character and government, cheering views of man's mission and destiny will obtain; for notions of Divine favouritism, here and hereafter, are passing away. And if there be among the various existing sects of Christendom, one whose leading principles are likely to become the basis of a church really popular, it is that denominated Unitarian. Christian Unitarians are simply worshippers of the Father as disciples of Jesus: a community of minds associated to promote Christian truth and the Christian life. They subscribe no human creed, they acknowledge no priesthood. Their Rule of Faith is the Bible. Their ministers are pastors not masters, in things spiritual. They welcome to the Communion table, without previous catechising, all who desire to shew forth the Lord's death and life, example and spirit. The general views of Scripture doctrine which distinguish this class of believers, are the most God-honouring, soul-sustaining to be conceived or desired. These comprise a Divine Paternity, undivided and universal; a human brotherhood, embracing all the families of the earth; a sufficient Saviour "made in all respects like unto his brethren," yet Heaven-appointed, commissioned of his God and Father to fill us with hope of Immortality which gladdens the heart; to inspire us with Love of God and man, which purifies the life; to bless us with Faith which points to a regenerated World, a glorified humanity.

If these teachings be of God, and suited to the nature of man, what hinders their general reception by the masses? The answer is easily found. Children are early indoctrinated into the faith misnamed orthodox. Thus narrow, irrational views of religion, are transmitted from father to son. As yet, the increasing light of knowledge has been sufficient only to make the darkness apparent; not powerful enough to point clearly the way of life. Of the British People, how many are there to whom the word Unitarian is altogether unknown!

How many more who hear of our principles only from those who knowingly or ignorantly mis-state these principles ! Hitherto Unitarianism has been preached faithfully rather than extensively. And in some, probably many instances where praiseworthy efforts have been made for its dissemination, the style of preaching has been too elevated to suit "the common people;" while the more intelligent and better educated, of whom Unitarian Congregations are said to be generally composed, are in any single community comparatively few. The benevolent tendency and truthfulness of our views are not unperceived by those of the humbler orders who occasionally hear Unitarian preaching; but the language of the preacher being much superior to that in which their hearers are accustomed to express themselves, the latter find it difficult to convey to other minds the impressions received. Hence such impressions are not unusually short lived.

I long to see the time when Unitarian Missionaries will be found labouring zealously among the working classes. Prejudices they will have to encounter; difficulties of various kinds they will have to contend with; but for those willing to spend and be spent in the good cause, there awaits a rich harvest of rejoicing. An efficient Unitarian missionary must be one whose heart beats in sympathy with the people, who desires earnestly their social as well as their spiritual improvement and elevation; who is satisfied to work as a brother among brethren; who is ever easy of access in respect to all who may desire his counsel; who is ready to countenance and encourage every good word and work which seem calculated to promote the onward and upward career of mankind, notwithstanding that his so doing shall make him “of no reputation" among Mammon-worshippers and Fashionworshippers; and who, when he finds those over whom he has influence entertaining what he deems erroneous views, pursuing what he conceives to be a wrong course in attainment of a given object, expostulates only in a spirit of brotherly kindness, doing all manner of justice to the arguments by which such views and course of action are sought to be justified. What is it that makes the orthodox Home Missionary almost as unwelcome a visitor as the tax-gatherer, in the houses of the poor; but that he assumes an air of authority; exercises a degree of dictation altogether repulsive to a mind owning any thing like a manly feeling of independence? The austere cast of the countenance, the portentous shake of the head, fix a gulf betwixt the teacher and the taught. And