quiring
faith in revealed doctrines which are to influence the life by taking up
a stronghold in the heart, but rather a foggy mixture of light and
darkness, of superstition and sentiment, which will leave men to follow
pretty nearly their own devices, and allow them to pass through this
world with quieted consciences, so long as they are sincere, let their
creed be anything or nothing: and as to the future, why, this world is
the great land of realities, and a coming judgment, a coming heaven or
hell, these are but plausible dreams, or, at the most, interesting
speculations. Excuse me, my dear friend, for speaking warmly. I cannot
but feel and speak strongly on this subject when I mark the growing
tendency in our day to fall down and worship the cultivation of the
intellect, to the neglect and disparagement of definite gospel truth,
and of that education of the heart without which, I am more firmly
persuaded every day, there cannot be either individual peace, home
virtue and happiness, or public honour and morality."

"Perhaps you are right," said the doctor thoughtfully. "There may be a
danger in the direction you point out. Certainly we men of science
have, many of us, while valuing and respecting the Christian religion,
been getting increasingly impatient of anything like religious dogmatism
and exclusiveness."

At this moment a servant came to say that Thomas Bradly wished to have a
word with the vicar when he was disengaged. "Oh, ask him to come to me
here in the garden," said the vicar.--"You shall see one of my rough
diamonds now," he added smilingly to his friend; "indeed, I may call him
my `Koh-i-noor,' only he hasn't been polished.--Thomas," he continued to
Bradly as he entered, "here's an old friend of mine, Dr Prosser, a
gentleman eminent in the scientific world, who has come down from London
to see me, and to get a little experience of Crossbourne ways and
manners. I tell him that he'll find us rather a rough material."

"I'm sure," replied Thomas, "I'm heartily glad to see any friend of
yours among us. He must take us as he finds us. Like other folks, we
aren't always right side out; but we generally mean what we say, and
when we do say anything we commonly make it stand for summat."

"Well now, Thomas," continued Mr Maltby, "you're a plain, practical
man, and I think you could give us an opinion worth having on a subject
we've been talking about."

"I'm sure, sir, I don't know how that may b