being states of existence, where the mind will bloom or wither for ever. Sin, and the Redeemer's atonement, were, in his brain and in his mouth, figures of speech-and, though totally and thoughtlessly unaware of it himself, had he been educated a Roman Catholic, he would have found his Protestant faith more fully and fairly developed in that false system. Ah! how many, who set out with fair and goodly prospects, but whose religion was not in the heart, have been stranded on a lee shore !-how many have followed the camp, whose bones were left to bleach in the wilderness!-how many have been watered with the dews of heaven, and gave promise of abundant fruit, whose "root has become as rottenness, and their blossoms gone up as dust!"

Levis felt keenly his worldly adversity. He could not retire into his closet, and calmly read his Bible, and humble himself before his God, for true communion was a stranger to his soul. He became peevish and irrascible, and instead of meeting his mother and sisters with that joyous buoy aney which had hitherto marked him, he shunned and avoided them. Family prayer was first interrupted, and then banished. He had already thrown up all connection with the dissenting congregation, and with his committees and societies-and ere long his house became a deserted mansion, and, owing to the inexorableness of one or two creditors, emphatically he went to the wall." A situation was procured for him, but he had lost his self-importance, and served it with listlessness. If his feelings could have been distinctly articulated, their language, perhaps, might have startled even himself. Disappointment and discontent insinuated that he was unjustly degraded from a pre-eminence which his taste, habits, and inclination entitled him to occupy-that his activity and his exertions were overlooked by the Great Supreme-and that his fall was owing, not to his own imprudence, but the capricious partiality of the court of heaven! So easy is the transition from an excess of fictitious piety to the daring presumption of sullen infidelity!

But another re-action took place. His eldest sister was respectably married, and friends gathered around him. His brother-in-law received him into partnership; and being a cool-headed man, he controlled the mercurial projectiveness of Levis, and wisely directed his energy to the execution of matters of practical importance. Levis forgot in a short time his disgrace, except that he could not think of returning to the dissenting congregation, and excused himself by saying that he had become a liberal, and that he did not think it wise or expedient to bind his conscience down to any party. It was astonishing, he philosophically observed, how contracted people's notions become by breathing perpetually the atmosphere of a sect by being pinned down to a party, who measure every thing by their own narrow notions. So one Sabbath-day he would be seen at Church, and another at Meeting; while, if the day was fine, he had no objection to take a ride or a walk, in order to recruit his spirits and his health after the toils of a week's business, and occasionally look in at a Romish chapel on the road, just to see what the poor superstitious creatures were about, and at the same time be enabled to assure his anxious mother that he had been within the walls of a place of worship. Of all latitudinarians, those who can roam from Dan to Beersheba without distinctly understanding, or carelessly indifferent, whether they are at one place or the other, are the most pernicious to the young inquirer after truth. Stubborn sectarians have done their own share of mischief, by narrowing the pale of Christianity, and checking the outgoings of charity; but the thoughtless slave of an unsettled or an indifferent mind, while pre

"

i

tending to religion, and talking of the extent of his liberty, inflicts a deeper injury, by fusing down the distinctive principles of religious worship, and, in the excess of his good nature, kneeling with "saint, with savage, or with sage," and addressing the Deity as "Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!" How long Levis might have walked at large is uncertain, had he not become intimately acquainted with a wealthy and worthy man of business, who was one of the pillars of a little body of Christians that met in an "upper room," and who, besides various other attractions, had an only and an amiable daughter. Of course, the principles of Levis presented no barrier to his occasionally accompanying the family to their little meeting-room; but his attendance quickly became habitual, while his agreeable manners had won upon them all, and his prospective motherin-law would survey his handsome dashing exterior, as he walked before them arm-in-arm with the daughter, and turning round with a smile to her grave partner, pronounce Levis to be positively a fine young man. My readers guess, as the Yankees say, the sequel. After such a verdict in his favour, no young lady will be surprised to find Levis married, and a member of the "body." But here he was assailed by a new temptation. The members of this little church were permitted by their constitution, to address each other, and Levis began to feel something stirring within, a burning and boiling restlessness, driving him, as it were, to "exhort" his brethren. Vainly he strove to suppress the temptation, and pleaded with himself his inexperience in public speaking, and sundry other little. et ceteras. He communicated his doubts to his wife, and she, good-naturedly anxious that her husband should be a public man, referred him for direction to the first five verses of the thirty-ninth psalm. Decided by this happy appeal to "the law and the testimony," he made his debut on the next Sabbath-day, and acquitted himself very respectably. He in his turn was exhorted not to hide his candle under a bushel, or tie his talents in a napkin. He scarcely needed the exhortation. Sabbath after Sabbath found him "on his legs," and he became a favourite with a great portion of the members. Each pleasure hath its poison too." Jealousy sprang up in the heart of another speaker, whom Levis was throwing into the shade; and they were unfortunately found at variance whenever any subject admitted of discussion; nay, not unfrequently exhibiting the unseemly spectacle of attacking each other's sentiments in their public addresses, thus perverting a meeting intended to commemorate the dying love of the Redeemer, and to awaken the devotional feelings, into a debating club. An unfortunate case of discipline was brought before the church, during which the father-in-law of Levis, who, though an honest good. man, was taciturn and inflexible, differed in opinion with the pastor, whose temperament was quick and fiery. The church was divided into factions, and though for the time it was smoothed over, yet the bitter feel, ing appeared on the surface again, when another and a similar occasion unhappily called them forth; and, in spite of all remonstrance, the pastor laid down his office, and withdrew, along with a number of the members, while the rest being left in quiet possession of their "room," elected Levis to fill the vacancy.

“

There is such a thing as "being lifted up with pride, and falling into the condemnation of the devil." Levis determined at once to bring his party out of obscurity, and by the force of his eloquence actually cast a halo around the little sect. His self-conceit was flattered by the meetingroom being regularly crowded; for he was fervent and energetic, could speak flippantly and fluently, and played the pastor with that patronising

air which little folks can assume so well when elevated into the pomp of office. For some successive weeks great inconvenience was experienced by a few individuals who could not procure seats, and Levis proposed the erection of a neat and handsome meeting-house, in a situation where the public might see it, and be induced to attend. He supposed the probable expenses, calculated the probable means of defraying them, enlisted his wife and her mother on his side, set them to cajole the old man, and undermine his prudence, in which they not only effectually succeeded, but soon spread the building mania through the whole body corporate. True, the old man did not lose all his common sense, and began to make inquiries and calculations, and for a time kept the project back-but at last he gave way to the torrent-signed a bond along with his son-in-law-and an elegant and expensive little chapel smiled at the road-side upon the passengers. A few months saw the novelty wear away, and though there was no gallery to cast its chilling emptiness down below, and freeze the spirits of the congregation, yet the little flock appeared very scanty, and the walls and seats seemed occasionally to reverberate, like hollow caverns, the voices of the speakers. Levis determined on a bold measure. He saw clearly that the cause of the desertion of the public was his permitting men to speak who had neither taste or talents to open their lips before an audience, and he announced that as the house belonged to him, and as be was serving the ministerial office without fee or reward, he would in future allow nobody to speak but himself. A sad schism arose. The different partizans of the different speakers rose in arms; his father-in-law told him the building was not his, but that he wished it was, for it was a foolish undertaking, and he heartily regretted having any thing to do with it; whereupon the pride of the pastor rose collar high; he released the old man from his obligation; the members went off, every one to his own; and Levis was left with his chapel, on which soon appeared the ominous inscription, "To let or sell."

All this time Levis had been tolerably attentive to his secular business, and his occasional neglects were excused by his partner on the score of zeal for religion. But he now began to be uneasy, for Levis was drawing rather largely on the funds, and serious consequences might have ensued, but for what some would have termed a lucky circumstance. The case of a poor family, on whom, by the death of a distant relation, had devolved a valuable property, but which was unjustly withheld from them, was taken up by Levis with all his characteristic fire, and prosecuted at his own expense; he gained the plea, sold the property, paid for his chapel, allowed the family a weekly sum, for which they were too grateful to inquire any further, and every thing went on swimmingly. But his third grand disgrace had left his mind stripped and bare of all religious feeling, and though he maintained external character and family worship, he yet evinced so much soreness on the subject of church connection, that even his wife was afraid to speak to him on the subject. Business prospered, and his house became a little palace, and round him gathered the gay, and the thoughtless, and the worldly-and business and festivity chased out of his mind every thing which could lead him to reflection. "If that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming"-would occasionally flash upon his soul-but it was momentary. The heart was undergoing a gradual but an effectually hardening process, and the crust of luxury and pride and selfishness was gathering thicker and firmer about it." They went out from us," saith the Apostle, "that it might be made manifest they were not of us-we are saved if we hold fast the beginning

of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Yet who could doubt that Levis was in a prosperous condition? His name was at the top of every subscription list-he moved and seconded motions at public meetings-and though not directly either a churchman or a dissenter, surely he was a good Christian at bottom! Time is the grand test of all things earthly. He had sold his chapel to a builder, who became a bankrupt; his wife died and left him childless, and his father-in-law, having never been thoroughly reconciled, disowned him altogether; his temper soured, and he quarrelled with his brother-in-law, who dissolved their co-partnership; proceedings were commenced against him by the eldest son of the poor family for an account of their property; disgrace, bankruptcy, and ultimately poverty followed; and to crown the measure of his misery and his folly, he married a second wife, whose character and whose connections were not calculated to support his sinking credit.

If any man requires to be informed of the rail-road velocity with which character, feelings, self-respect, every thing, fly down the inclined plane of life, he has overlooked one of the most obvious and the most awful circumstances attending the decline of reputation.

Levis became a drunkard! The last time I saw him he was staggering along the street, amid the hooting of a number of boys; and with shuddering sensations, I asked myself if it was possible he was respected and esteemed only one or two years ago, while that saying of the Syrian monarch made my heart tremble--"Am I a dog, that I should do such a thing!"

F.

THE IDEAL ORATOR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER.

SIR-Notwithstanding your bold position, both as a Protestant advocate and a Christian Examiner, I have summoned up all my courage, and venture to pour my confessions into your ear, protesting, at the same time, that I never was at the Confessional before. No, Sir-blessed priest never put holy hands on me-but if it be true that confession easeth the soul, permit me, in thy editorial clemency, to say a few words respecting myself, and extend thy critical sceptre as of yore did Mr. Spectator, and as in these more modern times all thy contemporaries do, towards poor mourning, moaning, diseased intellectualists. "Facile est inventis addere."

I am a very happy and a very unhappy creature. Without vanitythough sagacious Dr. Benjamin Franklin avers that a large dose of vanity always and immediately follows the phrase-without vanity I can say, that I have in myself and around me much that ought to make a man comfortable. I have a mind capable of appreciating what is beautiful and grand and good-I enjoy bodily health-I have kind and considerate friends-I want none of the necessaries and enjoy many of the luxuries of life-I love religion, the religion of the Redeemer, the religion of free grace, and try to frame my life by its laws-but-but-but!

My imagination is covered with an enormous ulcer. Verily, from the crown of its head to the sole of its foot there is no soundness in it! My eyes are nearly suffused with tears when I tell you that I have given myself up as hopeless-and yet, I neither waste my time with novels or plays, or make miserable efforts at scribbling rhyme. What then is the ⚫matter with me?

From the earliest moments of my life-from the time when understand

ing could appreciate sound, and the heart be moved at the music of speech, oratory has been the darling passion of my soul. Not that Lover set my desires upon being an orator myself-not that I ever actually wanted or wished personally to command the applause of a listening senate, or move an outrageous mob at my will. No-I am an ideal orator-a dreamy preacher and my audiences are all men of straw. When but an urchin, the carelessness of my guardians permitted me to attend the theatre, and even at that early age, whether walking or sitting, in the silent field or the crowded street, amid the chorus of nature's aviary, or the rumbling of the carts and the rattling of the coaches-all was alike to me. I saw nothing, I heard nothing, I knew nothing, but a crowded amphitheatre of human faces, rising, as it were, from earth to heaven, spotted with eyes like a peacock's tail, or sparkling like diamonds on a dowager's ball headthen the slow music of the orchestra-then, anon, your humble servant would make his appearance, either as a crooked little man or a tall majestic Roman-of course, either a "laughing devil" in my sneer, or a dark "frown of vengeance" on my knitted brow-while the hitherto calm but expectant audience rolled a thunder of applause, which came as sweet upon the soul as the south wind from the spice gardens upon the grateful sense. Often have I stood on the street with my arms folded, until the "three times three" had evaporated, perfectly indifferent either to applause or censure, and possessing no feeling but the consciousness of my powers. Delivered from the peril of theatrical contamination, I had my mind more immediately directed towards religion; and during the course of a short life I have preached perhaps as many sermons as all the ministers of the British islands have done, put together. The royal family have again and again been melted into tears by the overflowing tenderness and faithful expostulation of my discourses-I have enchanted both houses of parliament into a silence so profound that the falling of a pin would have sounded like the tinkling of a cymbal-while my versatile humility and versatile talents can at once fly from the chapel royal to Salisbury plain, appear clad in all the gorgeousness of sacerdotal dignity, addressing the nobles of the land, or in primitive simplicity, and with stentorian lungs, alarm ten thousand case-hardened colliers. I have disembodied every popular preacher of the present day, and, while their audiences never perceived the transmigration, have carried their several styles and manners to the loftiest pitch of sublimity. I have superseded Chalmers-annihilated Irving and extinguished all and every of the lights that adorn the Establishment or the dissenters. Nay, with less excuse and more impudence than Saul, I have resuscitated the Samuels of all former ages, just to make them die again of mortification, or to jump into their graves, in order to hide their diminished heads.

Now, I am not, properly speaking, an absent man. Let reality lay her cold hand upon me, and all my visions vanish. Let me be addressed by any one, and in a moment the drop-scene falls, which veils my glories, and no mortal man or woman would ever suspect that I had been up in my own third heavens, and had come down like a flash of lightning. But let me be left again in silence, either in company or in solitude, and up I go, like a feather on the wind. Ob, what labours I go through without fatigue or flinching! I assure you, Sir, however incredible it may seem, I have preached fifty powerful sermons in a day to overflowing and delighted audiences, whose admiration of my amazing abilities could only be matched by my meek and humble spirit, smiling good-naturedly at the foolishness of the people in running after me. And I might long have en