, unabridged. If parents do not make
a point of this, the peculiarity of sacred language will become really
obsolete to the next generation."

In answer to some further remarks of Sir John, Mr. Stanley said,
smiling, "I have sometimes amused myself with making a collection of
certain things, which are now considered and held up by a pretty large
class of men as the infallible symptoms of methodism. Those which at
present occur to my recollection are the following: Going to church in
the afternoon, maintaining family prayer, not traveling, or giving great
dinners or other entertainments on Sundays, rejoicing in the abolition
of the slave-trade, promoting the religious instruction of the poor at
home, subscribing to the Bible Society, and contributing to establish
Christianity abroad. These, though the man attend no eccentric
clergyman, hold no one enthusiastic doctrine, associate with no fanatic,
is sober in his conversation, consistent in his practice, correct in his
whole deportment, will infallibly fix on him the charge of methodism.
Any _one_ of these will excite suspicion, but all united will not fail
absolutely to stigmatize him. The most devoted attachment to the
establishment will avail him nothing, if not accompanied with a fiery
intolerance toward all who differ. Without intolerance, his charity is
construed into unsoundness, and his candor into disaffection. He is
accused of assimilating with the principles of every weak brother whom,
though his judgment compels him to blame, his candor forbids him to
calumniate. Saint and hypocrite are now, in the scoffer's lexicon,
become convertible terms; the last being always implied where the first
is sneeringly used."

"It has often appeared to me," said I, "that the glory of a tried
Christian somewhat resembles that of a Roman victor, in whose solemn
processions, among the odes of gratulation, a mixture of abuse and
railing made part of the triumph."

"Happily," resumed Mr. Stanley, "a religious man knows the worst he is
likely to suffer. In the present established state of things he is not
called, as in the first ages of Christianity, to be made a spectacle to
the world, and to angels, and to men. But he must submit to be assailed
by three different descriptions of persons. From the first, he must be
contented to have principles imputed to him which he abhors, motives
which he disdains, and ends which he deprecates. He must submit to have
the energies of his well-r