and taken into the heavenly garner." "You may easily conceive, Charles," said Rutler," that I was much pleased with my visit to the rural abode of my clerical friend, and found it peculiarly gratifying and instructive. I hope I may emulate his labours and his usefulness when I enter the ministry." Scoper is never popular as a preacher in other places; but as a parish priest he cannot well be excelled; and when the quantum of good which this amiable man effects by the Divine blessing in his quiet labours and sincere addresses, comes to be weighed at the day of judgment against that of many sounding names and popular preachers, whom admiring crowds attend, the aggregate of benefit will, I have no doubt, far outweigh their superficial sermons; and the post of honour, more distinguishing, will be assigned him in the kingdom above, when the Judge shall say to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

CHAPTER XVI.

CLINTON'S VISIT TO LONDON-THE YOUNG SURGEONS-AND

INFIDELITY EXPLODED.

ROWLAND CLINTON set off direct for London, in two days after Charles left, and came to his friend Mr. Peachman's. Mr. Peachman had formerly practised as a surgeon under a celebrated London physician, and had been to college to obtain the degree of M. D. for himself. He had early married a most amiable young lady in the country, from the middle ranks. It was a perfect love match. Two congenial minds met together; and Rowland was charmed to witness the perfect harmony which subsisted between this affectionate couple. Mr. Peachman was a dissenter, and loved to follow the most popular ministers; and he equally delighted in attending the performances of the most celebrated actors on the stage, where he considered human nature well represented, and oratory well illustrated. There was a degree of cheerfulness in him and his lady which exceedingly pleased and entertained Rowland and the persons in the profession whom Rowland met at his house. Young men walking the hospitals, and surgeons, composed parties that entertained him with wit and anecdote, with reasoning and argument, which contributed to his delight and improvement. But the infidelity and jocularity of some of them at times shocked his feelings, and caused him to draw the sword of contro

versy, and employ all the logic and reasoning he was master of. Rowland had formerly been acquainted with one of them at school, and was glad to meet him again. Chenies, for that was his name, lodged in the same house with Lendon, and they invited Rowland to breakfast with them.

At half-past eight Rowland was in their room, and the young men had just made ready the tea, and were expecting him "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh !" "Have you seen the celebrated actress Miss

66

?" said Lendon; " she is a charming creature; what a beautiful person-what a sweet voice-her song is like the warbling of the nightingale, and every word she speaks is the voice of the heart. There is a soul in her eyes which enraptures you with love, fires you with anger, or chills you with disdain." "I never was at a play in my life," said Rowland; " and therefore can form no idea of a play." "Never at a play!" said Lendon, "then you have the most delightful of all treats to enjoy!" "No," said Chenies, "you were always, Rowland, a serious lad, and the good old clergyman, where you and I were at school, was a determined adversary to such scenes of gaiety. I have often thought of his admonitions, but really the pleasures of London are too attractive for me to resist them at present; and I cannot myself see the harm of beholding the exhibition of human nature in all its varieties on the stage." "But allow me to ask, Chenies, do you not find the infidel sentiments there expressed, the profane expressions there uttered, the unrestrained levity which is there indulged, and the accompaniments of that gay and corrupt place, tend to weaken the influence of religion over your mind, and make you forget all the admonitions of our old tutor to virtue and morals, and render you careless of ar hereafter of happiness or misery?" "Truly," said Chenies, “I

66

must plead guilty to the charge; and I am half inclined to infidelity at times.” Why not quite inclined?" said Lendon. "Religion! why it is only a bugbear to keep fools in awe. I never can believe that the Deity will send us poor mortals to eternal torments for a few frailties and peccadilloes into which youth and indiscretion betray us. Besides, why are our passions given us if they are not to be indulged ?" "Come," said Rowland, "this is boldly speaking out. You have now at least declared yourself on the side of infidels. You refuse the yoke of Christ, and you despise the threatenings of justice-you quarrel with the sanctions which Heaven has given, and dispute the equity of the penalties which he has assigned to guilt. Now as I believe the whole of revelation to be true, and that all the promises and all the threatenings of God will be as certainly fulfilled as the first threatenings of death upon transgression, you will allow me, as you have thrown down your gauntlet, to take it up, and, on fair ground and premises agreed upon, to defend my principles." "It is a direct challenge, Lendon," said Chenies, "which you have given, and my friend Rowland has accepted it; and now to the combat

'Charge, Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on!'

You are bound to listen to him, and I will be umpire in the dispute. I should like to hear my old school-fellow defend his principles; for my faith has been so much shaken by ridicule, folly, and vice, that I wish to be furnished with a rational defence of the good old truth."

“Well, then," said Rowland, "you think it unlikely that sinners against God should in a future world be punished. Do you expect then that they will be admitted into heaven?" "Why not?" said Lendon; "why should a few frailties be so great a matter as to cause the Divine

come?"

66

Being to exclude them from happiness in the world to "But can they be fitted to enter it without some previous preparation ?" said Rowland. Can you be fitted to act as a surgeon without walking the hospitals; could you have been capable of entering into respectable life unless you had been educated at a respectable school; and can you suppose that you will be fitted for the high employments of heaven unless you are regularly trained and educated for them? This would be an absurdity. I reason from analogy, that mighty engine by which Newton discovered to us the laws of other worlds, and Columbus put us in full possession of our own. Do you suppose that you must be tutored for every employment on earth; that a shoemaker must sit at his last, a tailor on his board, a surgeon practise anatomy, before he can exercise his art or start in his profession; and can you entertain the chimerical idea that you may be capacitated for heaven without tuition? This is contrary to all we have experienced here upon earth. No, my young philosopher; in your moments of calm reflection I am sure you must condemn such absurdities as this. Do you think a man who has spent his life in sin and in the indulgence of evil affections, can be changed in a moment, by the process of death, in his taste and habits? No! heaven would be a strange place to him, its employments would be a task, its songs would be discord, the company of angels would be an annoyance, the tale of integrity a jest, and all the experience of saints mere strange enthusiasm. What think you of my philosophy?" " "Why," said Chenies, "I think there is solid reasoning in your defence. It is a mode of argument which is new to me, derived from the nature and constitution of the age around us; and I do not think that Lendon can contradict it." "But now," said Lendon, “I cannot altogether allow the probability or equity of the Christian system. There certainly is some

66