appointed Mediator: thus self-will, and a stubborn aversion to being led, a fixed and firm resistance to being taught in the ways of religion, a dreadful pride of natural talent, and an undue homage paid at the shrine of reason, all conduce to the making shipwreck of faith, all tend to lead men away from the "good old paths" of truth, to be entangled in the mazes of error, to embrace "all false doctrine, heresy, and schism," till at last their hearts become hardened, and they go down into perdition, having "a contempt of God's word and commandments." As the force of example is great and strong, many were induced to go to the temple, where the late officer's son attended, and not a few were persuaded to accompany him thither by his own direct solicitations; thus the baptized, confirmed, and Christian son of a Christian and Apostolic Church, became a violent schismatic, and a disciple of the Socinian Heresy.

Arthur resided in the house which his parents had bequeathed to him, and a pleasanter residence was no where to be found; but his mind soon fostered discontent among the many other baneful dispositions which it nurtured, and the abode that conduced so much to the comfort of his ancestors, never called

forth from him one expression of grateful pleasure and complacent regard.

Several new houses were recently erected; very handsome was the town-hall lately built; a new market made its appearance; libraries were established; fresh inns were licensed; the union workhouse became full of inmates; rooms were hired for concerts and town balls; and the walls were during the season placarded with bills, announcing the several performances at the "theatre royal." Such was the changed condition of the once small and quiet village of Orpington when we were first acquainted with our hero's recent career, and as we stated in our first chapter, the name only (which is suffered to remain) served to remind the traveller of its being the same and veritable spot he knew in days long since passed away.

CHAPTER V.

"Pity a man so good, so mild, so meek,

Should have such rude and fierce attacks to dread."
CRABBE.

THE Reverend Henry Walsinghame, the successor of the late vicar of Orpington, was a man of about the middle age of life, and resided with his wife and an only son in the Parsonage House, that having escaped the fate of the old church. Whatever cause might have arisen for regret when the fine and ancient temple was succeeded by the present showy but unsubstantial structure, no occasion for regret was given by the appearance of the new vicar, for he was one who justly merited the same respect and regard as his predecessor, and even more; for although he “ came not a whit behind" him in zeal and active usefulness, in "works of faith and labours of love" he laid greater stress upon Church principles, and

more strenuously aimed to prove the Church's apostolic character and claims, taking every fit opportunity for declaring the purity of her doctrines, the antiquity of her existence, the scriptural nature of her services, and the grandeur and simplicity of her incomparable ritual.

It need not cause surprise that such a teacher was not esteemed aright among the population of Orpington. His instructions were in some instances misconstrued, in others unheeded, in many despised and misrepresented. The frequenters of the "old meeting-house" believed him to be a good man, but sadly deceived on the subjects of church government and church discipline; the supporters of the "new meeting-house" styled him a High Church bigot; a few Quakers in the town branded him with the title of Papist, without possessing a clear notion of what the term implied; and the worshippers at the "Unitarian Chapel" heaped upon him the whole weight of their combined abuse, maligned his intentions, scandalised his motives, and libelled his life and conversation. Amidst these adverse circumstances, the good clergyman laboured unremittingly and zealously, and strove as best he might to "have a conscienee void of offence towards God and towards men.'

Amongst the foremost of those who entertained this inveterate dislike towards Mr. Walsinghame, was Arthur Hutchinson. Nought afforded him greater gratification than to calumniate this servant of God, and to throw contempt upon that holy Church of which he was the true and faithful minister. The aversion felt towards him on the part of Hutchinson was well known to Mr. Walsinghame, who pitied rather than condemned him, and sought for opportunities of exhibiting to him his folly and impiety, and of entreating him to submit to the authority of those Scriptures whose truths he had denied; but those seasons scarcely ever presented themselves, for Arthur was seldom thrown in the Vicar's path, and he never felt any inclination to participate in the society of a man he so much detested and maligned. He occasionally met the Vicar's son, a youth of his own age, who at such times took occasion kindly to remonstrate with him, and to urge upon him the most cogent and friendly appeals; but Arthur repulsed every endeavour, and by the natural discourtesy of his manners, added to an obstinate adherence to his horrible opinions, he became himself, to the sensitive mind of Philip Walsinghame, an object of repulsion, insomuch that the latter at length avoided any means of