ut their being aware of it. They see the prints, even when
they are not thinking of them; and so they have before their eyes a
continual remembrancer of something better and more beautiful than
what they are apt to find in their own daily life and thoughts.

True, to whom little is given, of them is little required. But it
must be said, that more--far more--is given to labouring men and
women now than was given to their forefathers. A hundred, or even
fifty years ago, when there was very little schooling; when the
books which were put even into the hands of noblemen's children were
far below what you will find now in any village school; when the
only pictures which a poor woman could buy to lay on her cottage-
wall were equally silly and ugly: then there were great excuses for
the poor, if they forgot whatsoever things were lovely and of good
report; if they were often coarse and brutal in their manners, and
cruel and profligate in their amusements.

But even in the rough old times there always were a few at least,
men and women, who were above the rest; who, though poor people like
the rest, were still true gentlemen and ladies of God's making.
People who kept themselves more or less unspotted from the world;
who thought of what was honest and pure and lovely and of good
report; and who lived a life of simple, manful, Christian virtue,
and received the praise and respect of their neighbours, even
although their neighbours did not copy them. There were always such
people, and there always will be--thank God for it, for they are the
salt of the earth.

But why have there always been such people? and why do I say
confidently, that there always will be?

Because they have had the Bible; and because, once having got the
Bible in a free country, no man can take it from them.

The Bible it is which has made gentlemen and ladies of many a poor
man and woman.

The Bible it is which has filled their minds with pure and noble,
ay, with heavenly and divine thoughts.

The Bible has been their whole library. The Bible has been their
only counsellor. The Bible has taught them all they know. But it
has taught them enough.

It has taught them what God is, and what Christ is. It has taught
them what man is, and what a Christian man should be. It has taught
them what a family means, and what a nation means. It has taught
them the meaning of law and duty, of loyalty and patriotism. It has
filled their minds with thi