which has place already. In what way then, when thus employed, are they employed with effect?-In one way, and in one way only :-in the production of such declarations in the case in which they are not true: in the production of mendacity in the production of vice: in the production of that vice, which is the instrument of every other vice, as well as of every sort of crime.

That, which causes a persuasion to be really entertained, is that which applies to the understanding. That which applies to the understanding is argument. Employing argument for securing welfare, whether temporal or eternal,—whether through persuasions entertained, or by other means,-is a course which,-after substraction made of all punishment and all reward, applied to the will as above, would remain no less open to rulers than to subjects: and, on this ground these same rulers can not but act to prodigious advantage. Not to speak of punishment-in their hands, though in an indirect, though not the less efficient way, applicable to this, as to any other purpose-in the production of argument they are free, and will in any case remain free, to employ the powers of reward-and that without need of any expense on purpose-in a quantity greater than any that to the same purpose can be applied by any individual, or association of individuals;-reward, to an amount altogether unlimited-and in this same way are they continually producing argument,

true and false, believed or not believed to be true by him who utters it,—and at all times in any quantity they choose to have. For money, for power, for dignity, for the mere hope, however distant, of any of these good things,-argument is to be sold and may be bought by them, at all times, on any subject, and for the use of any side. And thus, in their hands,-without need of their employing their powers in the production of vice,-argument, in support of virtue, religion, and happiness, may if that be their real object, be purchased and set to work, with a degree of advantage altogether matchless.

But, though the best arguments that the nature of the case will admit of, and the state of the public mind, at the time supplies, is always at their command,-yet, when the best arguments that the nature of the case admits of on their side, are good for nothing, argument will not suit their purpose: and thus it is, that in spite of the immorality, and in spite of the just reproach,-in support of their cause, whatever it is, and with a degree of energy and constancy, rising with the degree of badness, which, even in their own view of it, belongs to it, thus it is that, according as opportunities and means present themselves, they persist in employing the powers of reward, and even of punishment, in support of it.

Thus then is an exclusion put at once upon the children of all those parents, in whose view of the

matter the absence of all such instruction, as is not to be had but through the channel in question, is better than the presence. As to what ground there may be for any such view, it is what the body of this work is designed to shew.

All this while, let it not, however, be imagined, that to the use of this or any other such comparatively indirect means, the exertions made for this double and doubly pernicious purpose have been confined.

From their own accounts of their own proceedings, take the following extracts:—

I. In p. 187, of the National Society's Second Report, dated in 1813, and 1814, of a string of Resolutions, eight in number, which, on some day of the month of February, 1812, (day not named) are, in No. IV. of the Appendix, printed under the title of PLAN of UNION,* that which stands eighth and last is in the words following:

"

"That the Society itself being instituted principally for educating the Poor in the doctrine. "and discipline of the Established Church, ac"cording to the excellent Liturgy and Catechism "provided for that purpose, it is required that all "the Children received into these Schools be in"structed in this Liturgy and Catechism, and that, "in conformity with the directions in that Liturgy,

* In Report I. p. 27, without Month or Year.

E

"the Children of each School do constantly at"tend Divine Service in their parish Church, or "other place of public worship under the Esta"blishment, wherever the same is practicable, on "the Lord's Day; unless such reason for their "non-attendance be assigned, as shall be satisfactory to the persons having the direction of "that School; and that no religious tracts be admitted into any School, but such as are, or shall "be contained in the Catalogue of the SOCIETY "FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE."

66

"T. T. WALMSLEY, Sec."

II. In p. 197, of this second Report, (it is not in the first) without introduction or other explanation, comes an article, of which the following is a reprint.

No. IX.

Form of Certificate for Masters.

NATIONAL SOCIETY CENTRAL SCHOOL.

This is to certify that

who is desirous

"of being admitted into the NATIONAL CENTRAL "SCHOOL, for the purpose of learning the System

of Education there practised, is a Member of the 1 UNITED CHURCH of ENGLAND and IRELAND as by law established, and of a sober and religious life and conversation.

Signed

Rector,

Vicar, or of
Curate

It is requested that no Clergyman will sign

"the above Certificate as a matter of form, but that "he will make the strictest enquiries into the cha"racter of the person applying for his signature, "and into the regularity of attendance upon the "Service of the Church."

A curious circumstance is-if interest-begotten bigotry were any thing less than stone-blind-if it were capable of reading any thing that accorded not with its own purposes-a curious enough circumstance is that, in that very fabrication of their own, which with such anxious care they substitute to the Bible, they may read their own condemnation:-they may read the condemnation of that very system of exclusion, which, by means of it, they are there so diligently putting in practice.

Question in the Catechism. "What dost thou "chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief? "Answer. First, I learn to believe in God the . "Father, &c. Secondly, in God the Son, who "hath redeemed me and all mankind."

Questions thereupon in the " Broken Catechism." " Question. What did God the Son for you ? Answer. He redeemed me. Question. Did he redeem any besides you? Answer. Yes; all mankind."

By Jesus himself, the benefit bestowed by his coming was intended-was, according to these very formularies of theirs, intended-for all man