s with gracious
acknowledgment that Church endowments had undoubtedly been most
beneficent in past times. He spoke in the interests of no special
creed. Whether in the so-called Popish days of Henry VIII and his
ancestors, or in the so-called Protestant days that had followed,
the state of society had required that spiritual teaching should be
supplied from funds fixed and devoted to the purpose. The increasing
intelligence and population of the country made this no longer
desirable,--or, if desirable, no longer possible. Could these
endowments be increased to meet the needs of the increasing millions?
Was it not the fact that even among members of the Church of England
they were altogether inefficient to supply the wants of our great
towns? Did the people of Tankerville believe that the clergymen of
London, of Liverpool, and of Manchester were paid by endowments? The
arguments which had been efficacious in Ireland must be efficacious
in England. He said this without reference to one creed or to
another. He did believe in religious teaching. He had not a word to
say against a Protestant Episcopal Church. But he thought, nay he
was sure, that Church and State, as combined institutions, could no
longer prevail in this country. If the people of Tankerville would
return him to Parliament it should be his first object to put an end
to this anomaly.

The Browboroughites were considerably astonished by his success. The
colliers on this occasion did not seem to regard the clamour that
was raised against Irish Papists. Much dirt was thrown and some
heads were broken; but Phineas persevered. Mr. Ruddles was lost in
admiration. They had never before had at Tankerville a man who could
talk so well. Mr. Browborough without ceasing repeated his well-worn
assurance, and it was received with the loudest exclamations of
delight by his own party. The clergymen of the town and neighbourhood
crowded round him and pursued him, and almost seemed to believe in
him. They were at any rate fighting their battle as best they knew
how to fight it. But the great body of the colliers listened to
Phineas, and every collier was now a voter. Then Mr. Ruddles, who
had many eyes, began to perceive that the old game was to be played.
"There'll be money going to-morrow after all," he whispered to Finn
the evening before the election.

"I suppose you expected that."

"I wasn't sure. They began by thinking they could do without it. They
don't want to sa