first, to show that religion is alive; and, secondly, to prove, that it can reach the lowest conditions and most hardened characters: it adopts methods that others,it may be from false respectability, or spurious refinement, are apt to omit, if not to despise; methods indeed, which, it may be, are not suitable to some cultivated classes. As, for instance, in campmeetings, which answer the want of many for excitement and rough, real life: formerly our village wakes and our town fairs were the only excitement afforded this part of the public,-wakes,-the annual birthday of churches, that let people go to sleep: whilst now the camp-meeting is the true Church wake. These meetings are also primitive, since one greater than all other teachers, sat on a hill side, or on a boat, instead of a waggon, and addressed assembled crowds by the ancient method which he introduced of open-air preaching. That the style of religion, heartiness, and life, adopted by the Primitives, is more suitable than the older methods of refinement (especially as associated with a rationalistic theology); that this is more suited than any other, to influence large classes of the people, as well illustrated by Mr. Priestley, the great naturalist and Unitarian. Being asked by a gentleman to preach to his colliers, and see what moral reformation might be so effected. Priestley recommended the gentleman to get some good rough Methodist, and confessed himself incompetent for the task. His religion was for decent people, that is, for people who are decent without it, by accident, from respectability and educated external decorum: it finds people so, and lets them keep so; least of all is it calculated to make them much better than respectably moral,-as things go. We see, then, the peculiar mission of the Primitives, namely, by more stirring methods, to carry the gospel to its original auditors, "the common people."

THE FOUNDATION of Primitive Methodism is, we believe, the same as that of all Christian bodies; "for other foundation no man can lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ;" and surely no Primitive requires another, for it is broad enough for all to build on; and this "foundation of God standeth sure; having this seal (or motto,) the Lord knoweth them that are his,"-will keep in peace and safety those who take refuge with his Son. Consistently with the more popular mission of the Primitives, they lay firmly hold of the more popular and scriptural doc trine of a universal salvation,-"that he, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man." We can have no broader foundation than this: it will hold all sections who hold Christ; and no man will ever come and find no room.

On this present occasion, we lay the foundation of THREE BUILDINGS: first, material walls, to be erected on this stone; secondly, a building of teaching, to be erected on God's foundation, the doctrine of Christ, "the corner-stone."

"And let every man take heed how he build thereon; if any build upon this gold, silver, precious stones" (true doctrines,) "his work shall abide; but if any build wood, hay, straw, stubble" (the rubbish of combustible materials,)" he shall suffer loss, for every man's work shall be tried by fire."

This is the Pope's purgatory; and truly it is his purgatory, and the purgatory of all priests: for it is the workman, or teacher, whose work of

teaching shall be tried by fire: it is not the people's purgatory, as the priests feign with their obvious lies; but a purgatory for priests only, and, therefore, let them look to it, how they bury God's foundation under their own rubbish of chaff and stubble, which shall be burned with unquenchable fire.

The third building of which the foundation is now laid, is that of a living temple to God, composed of living stones, true believers, who are to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. How many stones are already polished, to be fitted into a house for God; how many masons are actively employed in shaping and polishing others? How many are delving in the quarry of human society, or cutting down trees from the Lebanon of this populous town, to bring stones, and rafters ready made; so that they will need no more noise of axes or hammers of discipline to disturb the solemnity and order of the house.

Solomon built a house to Jehovah, but if Christ be with you, a greater than Solomon is here: and this house is greater than all the magnificence of Solomon's temple. Solomon, in all his glory, was himself not arrayed like one of those lilies, which God hath clothed in perfect holiness. The temple of Solomon was of great stones and buildings; not one is now left upon another; but this spiritual house is built on a rock, and the gates of hell, the jaws of destruction, will never prevail against it, as they have prevailed over the Jewish temple. Every stone standing in its true place here, in a building made after the pattern which God hath showed us, will be removed to a corresponding place in the true sanctuary above which the Lord pitched and not man. May we be amongst them, and many be here prepared to be transferred thither.

Men once builded a tower to reach to heaven, and it came to nought; it was Babel, confusion. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Infidelity now builds its tower of Babel; but its tongues are confused, one calls for bricks, another brings mortar; neither do these agree together. He who buildeth all firm structures is God. May this be no Babel-tower, but the house of God, and the very gate of heaven.

And when the material edifice is reared, may the people so pray as one man that the glory of the Lord shall descend and fill the house, preparing for eternal glory those who worship therein, and let all the people say, Amen.

REGULATIONS FOR PERSONS EMPLOYED IN REPAIRING

CHURCHES.

THE following regulation for repairers of churches, put in print no doubt by a Puseyite society, and intended to be pasted on the doors of churches during repairs or alterations; idly quotes Scripture against idle words in a stone building, whilst the text makes no distinction of place or time it refers to Solomon's temple, in which there was no sound of axes or hammers, and tells men to shut their mouths, and not to whistle; instead of giving advice to the true Babel Church builders, who in clamouring for synodical restoration, make more disturbance than the jackdaws on the steeple.

The copy before us, is signed in writing by the Curate and Churchwarden of the building to which it was attached, and reads as follows:

TO ALL

PERSONS EMPLOYED

IN THE

RESTORATION OF THIS CHURCH.

1. A church is the House of GOD: and, therefore, any work that has to do with a church is a holy work. Every stone you lay, and every beam you hew, is laid and hewn for the honour of ALMIGHTY GOD.

2. The behaviour of those who are employed in a holy work ought also to be holy. How careful then should Churchmen be, in working upon a church, to avoid (even more than at any other time) all unseemly words, all oaths, and every thing like an oath. EVERY IDLE WORD THAT MEN SHALL SPEAK, THEY SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT THEREOF IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

3. This church has been the House of Peace for many hundred years; let it not now be profaned by lightness of speech, much less by unseemly noise, or words of quarrelling and anger. Remember in what holy quietness Solomon's Temple was built.

4. A Churchman will also, while working in the House of GOD, avoid any act which may seem irreverent, such as singing or whistling idle tunes, or heedlessly disturbing those parts of the building which are not under repair.

5. You may have to do with moving the bones of the dead. You should treat them reverently, remembering that this crumbling dust is but what you will yourselves become, and that at the last day "this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality."

The Clergyman and Churchwarden trust that every Visitor, who may enter this church while under repair, will shew by his reverent behaviour that, though in that state, he knows it is still the House of GOD.

THE PROPOSED DISCUSSION, BETWEEN G. J. HOLY

OAKE AND BREWIN GRANT.

As our readers will naturally be anxious to understand the progress of the discussion announced in our previous number, we feel bound to explain the case, as far as it has proceeded up to this present time of writing, (Sept. 25th,) when a further communication from Mr. Holyoake ought to have been received. Should any such reach in time for our present number, it will appear with the rest; but the correspondence has been so protracted, and any future correspondence being liable to the same delay, we must take our own course and await the convenience of others, for the discussion itself.

Before introducing this correspondence, we may here introduce the kindly notice occasioned by the announcement of the discussion; and it will serve two purposes; first, to intimate our appreciation of such generous recognition on the part of the Editor of The Banner, whose friendly and partial eulogy is so much the more creditable to himself, and grateful to us, from the fact that in certain past differences we furnished sufficient occasion for men of less magnanimity to cherish permanent coldness, if not hostility. This is not the only occasion on which that gentleman has shewn himself superior to petty resentments, and generous towards those who have been occasionally hostile; and his conduct is so much the more remarkable from contrast with that of those with whom we have been associated in name and co-operation, but who have never been too cordial in their recognition, preserving sometimes silence, at others maintaining the "judicial tone" of deprecation and invidious comparison.

Besides the purpose of this due acknowledgment, the introduction of the eulogy in question, may, secondly, assure our sceptical friends that Mr. Holyoake, in acceding to the discussion proposed, would have met with a recognised advocate of Christianity.

"REV. BREWIN GRANT AND MR. HOLYOAKE.

"FROM a notice in The Bible and the People, it appears that there is to be a discussion on Atheism versus Christianity, between the Rev. Brewin Grant and Mr. Holyoake. It will be observed, that the point of dispute in this case is not Atheism versus Deism, but, on the contrary, it is in the highest degree a practical question. If it can be shown to the satisfaction of the common-sense of mankind that Atheism is more beneficial to them than Christianity, by all means, we say, away with Christianity, and let us have Atheism! But if the Apostolic language be true, that "godliness is profitable unto all things, having the life that now is, as well as that which is to come," then we say, away with Atheism, and let us have Christianity! We have often confessed to a P3

VOL. II.