dvantage. Men engaged in mercantile pursuits were looked upon, as a
general thing, as ungodly in their lives, and therefore, in a certain
sense, "out-siders." To make good bargains out of these was only to
fight them with their own weapons; and he was certainly good at such
work. In dealing with his brethren of the same faith he was rather more
guarded, and affected a contempt for carnal things that he did not feel.

We said that the religion of Mr. Rowley did not go beyond the pious
duties of the Sabbath. This must be amended. His piety flowed into
certain benevolent operations of the day; he contributed to the support
of Indian and Foreign Missions, and was one of the managers on a Tract
Board. In the affairs of the Ceylonese and South-Sea Islanders he took
a warm interest, and could talk eloquently about the heathen.

Not far from Mr. Brian Rowley's place of business was the store of a
man named Lane, whose character had been cast originally in a different
mould. He was not a church-going man, because, as he said, he didn't
want to be "thought a hypocrite." In this he displayed a weakness. At
one time he owned a pew in the same church to which Rowley was
attached, and attended church regularly, although he did not attach
himself to the church, nor receive its ordinances. His pew was near
that of Mr. Rowley, and he had a good opportunity for observing the
peculiar manner in which the latter performed his devotions.
Unfortunately for his good opinion of the pious Sunday worshipper, they
were brought into rather close contact during the week in matters of
business, when Mr. Lane had opportunities of contrasting his piety and
charity. The want of agreement in these two pre-requisites of a genuine
Christian disgusted Lane, and caused him so much annoyance on Sunday
that he finally determined to give up his pew and remain at home. A
disposition to carp at professors of religion was manifested from this
time; the whole were judged by Rowley as a sample.

One dull day a man named Gregory, a sort of busybody in the
neighbourhood, came into the store of Mr. Lane and said to him--"What
do you think of our friend Rowley? Is he a good Christian?"

"He's a pretty fair Sunday Christian," replied Lane.

"What is that?" asked the man.

"A hypocrite, to use plain language."

"That's pretty hard talk," said Gregory.

"Do you think so?"

"Yes. When you call a man a hypocrite, you make him out, in my opinion,
about as bad as he