statement as this:-"I worked for (so and so) so many years, regular people, paid you your wages regular; not bad masters; well, they went to their church, (sometimes it would run to their chapels ;) very strict to their religion; but I never knew them to ask a man, woman, or child in their employ, where they went on Sundays, or anything about it: no, no; religion's for you gentlefolks, not for us poor people; still I like your conversation."

I have of course detailed to such persons that the religion of the Saviour, which commands "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," which forbids all vice, and inculcates all virtue, is that alone under which a troubled world can rest, and have exhorted the objector to "repent and become converted." *

The statement made has often been far less favourable to employers, similar to this :

:

"Do you know the firm of (A & B, etc.) Well, you see what my business is; I have to work from six in the morning generally, to eleven at night; I am paid so much per dozen; I can make up so many dozen in that time; and so, you perceive, sir, I can hardly get bread for my family so. My master's a strict chapeller, and is very rich; he

*The City Mission has a very devout Rule in its "Instructions to Missionaries: "-" Read a portion of Scripture, and offer prayer, if practicable, in every house or room you visit." The importance of this Rule appears to me beyond all expression. These Instructions, which are truly excellent, may be seen attached to every Annual Report.

never says anything to us about religion; and you see what wages he pays, and if I don't do it others

will."

Another, for example, in reference to a late noted auctioneer, when reproved for not attending to the concerns of his soul, said, in a very respectful manner,

"I'll think it over-fact is, sir, I've been set against religion. Mr. used to drive up to London with his family on Sunday morning to go to church; very particular to his church. Well, he'd come home, and come into the yard, and keep us men there for hours, to have the horses out to try their paces. A civil man he was, but that set me

against religion."

Large classes of the community are prevented by their occupations from keeping "holy the Sabbath-day." This, of course, does not excuse their disobedience. Were they godly, they would far prefer to sweep a crossing, and live on a crust, than to live in habitual violation of the laws of God; but their case is unhappily otherwise.

As I sat in an omnibus distributing tracts to the passengers-an excellent practice whilst riding, one involving little trouble, and likely to produce much good-I offered one to the conductor, who shook his head, and refused it thus:

"No, sir," said he civilly, "not for me; we are the scum of society you know, and obliged to break

the Sabbath-we drive other people to their churches and chapels; we can't go ourselves. Religion is not for us-we're blackguards-respectable people hate us." After a little pleasant conversation, in which I told him I felt anything but hatred towards him, and that I hoped he was under a great mistake in such a general conclusion, he took the tract, and said, "Well, look here, sir-I wanted to get away from this work, and have time so that I might improve my mind. Doctor

wanted a man to drive his phaeton, so I applied for the place; my character's good, ask anybody here. He'd known me very well for a long time. 'I've no doubt your character's good,' said he, but I could not have an omnibus man to drive me, you're known to so many people.'

I mention the last statement simply to show how difficult it is in the midst of much scarcity and uncertainty of employment, for very many of the working classes to leave occupations that afford no time whatever for mental improvement. I know it is replied by employers, in the case of omnibus men, that they can forfeit a day's pay if they wish to be saints, and employ an odd man, or one of those who, for various reasons, can obtain only casual employment. The party so acting would, however, retain employment but a short time; of course, if he had faith, the Almighty would raise up other means of support for him, (Matt. vi. 24-34,) but we are

speaking, alas! of an unconverted mass of human beings.

I proceed to relate a very pleasing case of the conversion of a sceptic. How readily is the soul converted when the Almighty breathes upon "these slain that they may live!" My labours have occasionally been directed to individual cases off my district, and I think it right to state the case occurred rather more than six years since. To the neighbourhood in which the case occurred-Victoria Park-I was sent, on one occasion, in company with another Missionary, to reason with the infidels who assemble there, and report to the Mission:-

I had been speaking in the open air, and was giving away tracts, previous to departing. On presenting one to a young man who had been hearing me, he appeared much troubled, and desirous to make some communication. He was

dirty, unwashed, unshaven, and looked very dissipated and miserable. I made some remark on the importance of religion, on which his eyes became moistened with tears. "I feel," said he, "in a dreadful state of mind. I came out of the

I

pointing to a public-house hard by, "when they turned out for church time,* and I stopped to listen to you, and now I feel wretched and miserable. was not always," said he, pointing to his dirty and dissipated appearance, as you see me on the

66

*The law has been since amended, but so far only as respects the Sabbath morning.

Sabbath-day." In reply to further questioning, I found he had once walked in the ways of religion, and had been a member of Spitalfields Wesleyan chapel. After running well for years, he fell into temptation, through companionship with sceptical individuals, and gradually relapsed into the lost and degraded condition in which I found him, mixed with a herd of wretched and degraded men, who were turned out on the Sabbath morning from the tap-room of the Blind Beggar. My words, he stated, had gone to his very soul; his countenance was dejected and sad; his heart seemed charged with misery. I invited him to attend a Missionary station, at which I stood engaged to conduct worship in the evening, and commending him to the Saviour, we parted.

In the evening I looked for my new acquaintance, but he was not present, and I feared his good intentions had proved as the "morning cloud" and "the early dew," which "goeth away," Hos. vi. The good resolutions of the unconverted are too often like the life of man, "in the morning it is green, in the evening it is cut down and withered."

Time rolled on, and another year had been added to the past, when one week evening, being in the east of London, I stepped into the place of worship where the party who forms the subject of this anecdote had informed me he was once a member. After the service, on rising to leave, I observed a well-dressed young person making his way towards me, who was perfectly unknown to me, but who shook me heartily by the hand, and appeared much pleased. Amongst the very many duties and incidents connected with my missionary career, the one to which I have alluded had been all but forgotten; and I told the party who so warmly recog