Suppose we should poll the working classes them-selves on this question, what would be the result? Each of the three proposals, we believe, would have its body of supporters, but in very different proportions. A few would very heartily vote for the entente cordiale; they would go in with all their souls for spiritual Christianity, as out of sight the best and truest friend the working man could have or desire. A few others would scoff at the very idéa of their deriving benefit from religion in any shape whatever, denouncing it in all its forms as a system of hypocrisy and priestcraft, designed to keep down the many for the paltry interests of the few. But the greatest number, we believe, would show a practical indifference to the question, and give it the go-by. They would not absolutely deny the truth of Christianity; but the fact is, it does not possess their confidence; they have never seen cause to welcome it as their best friend.

Those who are familiar with workshops, tell us that very seldom is the spirit prevalent there friendly to earnest religion. Hugh Miller remarks, in his Schools and Schoolmasters, how different he found the tone of workmen on this subject when he came to work as a mason in the south from what he had found in the Northern and Western Highlands. "In my native district and the neighbouring coun

ties," he says, "religion still spoke with authority, and a man who stood up in its behalf in any society, unless very foolish or very inconsistent, always succeeded in silencing opposition, and making good its claims. Here, however, the irreligious asserted their power as the majority, and carried matters with a high hand; and religion itself, existing as but dissent, not as an establishment, had to content itself with bare toleration. Remonstrance, or even advice, was not permitted.

Johnnie, boy,' I have heard one of the rougher mechanics say, half in jest, half in earnest, to my companion, if you set yourself to convert me, I'll break your face;' and I have known another of them remark, with a patronizing air, that 'kirks were nae very bad things, after a';' that he 'aye liked to be in a kirk, for the sake o' decency, once a twelvemonth;' and that, as he hadna been kirkit for the last ten months, he was just only waiting for a rainy Sabbath to lay in his stock o' divinity for the year."" During the forty years that have elapsed since the time to which these reminiscences refer, there has no doubt been a change in the prevailing spirit of the working classes towards earnest religion; but much of the old spirit yet remains; and in general we fear it must be confessed that distrust and indifference, if not active opposition, dictates the reception which is given to its claims.

C

What are the chief reasons for this state of feeling? We believe that in a great measure they may be resolved into one-ignorance of what Christianity really is and does; and this ignorance arises from men taking their impressions of religion from erroneous or imperfect sources; partly from what they see, and partly from what they feel. What they see is, the actual religion of the professing church, which unhappily is often a most inaccurate reflection of true Christianity; what they feel is, the natural dislike of the heart of man to anything that resists and fetters its inclinations; this, and little but this, is what religion is supposed to do; and for this reason it is disliked and distrusted, and its friendly offers passed by with indifference.

Let us briefly examine these two reasons.

Many, we say, of the working classes take their notion of religion from what they have seen actually passing under that name, and this, very often, has not been at all fitted to win their respect. In some persons, they have seen religion a mere mass of superstitions-certainly very contemptible; in others, a bondage of fear and trembling; often, they have found high spiritual pretensions accompanied with pride, selfishness, and bitterness, and very low morality; the strifes and contentions of Christians among one another have disgusted them;

the worldly spirit of prominent churchmen has given the whole thing an air of hypocrisy; the breakdowns of conspicuous professors of religion have been signals for many a scoffing triumph; and, further, religion máy never have been seen by them as an angel of mercy, sympathizing with the toiled, the weary, and the struggling; but rather as an attendant on the rich, ministering additional luxuries and cordials to those who certainly are well enough off for luxuries already. In all this, no doubt, there is a measure of truth, and it shows what fearful harm is done, when the actual lives of professing Christians are not a reflection of the bright and benignant spirit of their Master. But there is a strong tendency, on the part of many, to exaggerate this evil. There is a strong tendency to leave out of view the great amount of true worth that is to be found in the Christian church, and the many beautiful examples of the spirit of Christianity, in its healthiest and most complete form. What workman does not number among his acquaintance at least one man or woman, whom in his inmost heart he knows to be a true Christian, honest, sound and solid to the very core? Who has not followed to the grave some one that even calumny could not disfigure, and as the sod was spread over him, has not inwardly felt what a blessed thing it would be if

all were like him? And who does not know, or at the least has not heard of some bright examples of the kindly aspect of Christianity towards the needy and the miserable--of wretched families and wretched districts to which well-to-do Christian people have devoted themselves with a most beautiful self-denial, and where angels' visits have been neither few nor far between? It is from such examples that the working classes would do well to take their impression of true Christianity; and to judge what sort of reception they ought to give it, when it comes to them with the offer of its cordial friendship.

The other source from which working men (like all men) have been apt to take their impressions of religion is, the natural feelings of their own hearts. Very commonly, religion is viewed as little else than a system of restraints, checking the heart in all its strong desires, driving these in whenever they would go out, and dooming them to a grim, hard, life-long bondage. If this really were a just impression of religion, dislike to it would be neither unreasonable nor wonderful. But it is the very opposite of a just impression. The statements of Scripture are all to the contrary effect-affirming most emphatically, that Christ finds men slaves and makes them free, finds them miserable and makes them happy, finds