meant to serve a purpose, and then to be forgotten. But the injurious effects of such proceedings travel far beyond America. It was remarked by the Prince Consort, a short time ago, that representative institutions are on their trial before the world. Now, we are as much interested as America herself in the success of the ordeal, and these proceedings peril the verdict of mankind. There are powerful nations not far distant, ready to hail with acclamations whatever lends a colour to the weakness of representative institutions, and seems to justify government by force. And what more grateful sight can be offered to such than a president of the United States charged on light grounds with baseness in his public conduct? Were it possible to believe that the grounds are just, the effect would of course be still more disastrous. The horrors of the slave trade and of the middle passage seem, if the accounts are not too frightful to be true, still to have their counterpart in the Coolie trade. England, we are thankful to say, is not engaged in this abominable traffic, but it is pursued by other nations to a great extent; and the importation of these unhappy Chinese into Cuba is said to be enormous. The subject has not yet engaged the attention it deserves; and it belongs, perhaps, rather to government than to benevolent societies or individuals, to suggest the remedy. Still it is a matter in which the interests of humanity are deeply concerned.

But we have at home a fearful stock of brutality and barbarism which every now and then rises to the surface, and pollutes the national atmosphere with its sickening stench. We have no words to describe, and if we had we should be ashamed to use them, the disgust with which we have read of a prize fight between two ruffians, one of whom is termed the Champion of England, while the other, with equal truth and propriety, undertakes to represent America. We should not have defiled our pages with the slightest reference to this affair, were it not to record our deliberate impression that the comments upon it in some of our newspapers of the widest circulation, and of general high character, are more offensive, more disgraceful, and more deeply mischievous, than the loathsome particulars of the fight itself. They are far worse than the coarse, brutal, and half unintelligible slang in which such disgusting exhibitions were chronicled in the last generation, when the Ring, as it is called, was patronized by noblemen and English aristocrats. It is now "sickled o'er" with a despicable sentimentalism far more mischievous. The charms of an accomplished pen are prostituted to throw a false colour over the inhuman spectacle. Prize-fighting, it seems, brings out high and noble qualities in man; shows human nature under some of her loftier aspects; it is no longer a brutal and degrading pastime; it is manly and elevating, and something more. The fruit of this bitter tree will soon ripen. Our public schools will probably show that the lesson has been well learned; indeed, at some of them " a mill" is even now far from discreditable. The lower classes in both countries will of course exasperate each other by jeering allusions, which can tend only to mutual alienation; and it is at present impossible to foretell the amount of moral degradation and national ill-will which may not too probably

ensue.

The long-expected report of the commission appointed by the Crown to inquire into the state of education, has not yet made its appearance; but the Chancellor of the Exchequer has thrown out an intimation, that the parliamentary grant, which now reaches a million sterling, will probably be reduced; and there is a rumour, not, we fear, altogether without foundation, that the whole system will be changed, and that local taxation will be made its basis for the future. Local management, of course, will follow. The town council which lays the education rate will dictate the course of instruction in the schools. It is quite unnecessary to argue the probable results: they are abundantly evident. We shall have a national system of secular education. Religion will be excluded. Probably each minister of religion in the town will be allowed, or even courteously invited, to visit the school at a fixed time, and instruct the children of his own persuasion; but, from the general course of study, religion must be shut out.

We cannot contemplate the possibility of such a change without deep anxiety. Not that we are very warm admirers of the present system as it has been administered. We have now, however, to protect a great principle against the consequences which the mismanagement of its friends have brought down upon it. There has, no doubt, been a great waste of public money in the erection of superb schools and training colleges. There has been a vast deal of foppery in the education of masters and pupil teachers; and one vicious principle, that of giving assistance in proportion to the sum raised upon the spot, has given rise to frequent remonstrance and just vexation. It has thrown large sums into the lap of wealthy parishes; it has absolutely proscribed many of the poor ones, which ought to have been the first to receive its succours. The national system of education has swept the surface of the stream, it has not gone down into the mud. It has done nothing for the "Arabs of the street"-the dangerous classes, whose employment is uncertain, and their habits vagrant. The conditions on which assistance has been offered to ragged schools have been such as virtually to exclude them; and the kind of education which inspectors value is by no means that which those who are acquainted with the working of a ragged school are anxious to adopt. Lord Shaftesbury spoke the sentiments of the best friends of ragged schools a few weeks ago at a public meeting, when he said:"There were some persons in high places who wished the schools to be brought under government inspection, but his experience of the habits of these classes showed him that this would not answer; it would imply certificated schoolmasters, and the faculties which were necessary to form a ragged-school teacher could not be made by any government. It was not a gift that every man possessed, and he would recommend that any offer of money bringing with it government inspection should be refused. His lordship concluded by urging them to deprecate any governmental interference, and not to sell their birthright for a mess of pottage.' We wrote to the same purpose in this journal in our Number for January, 1859; and we cannot but regret that a system somewhat rigid as well as extravagant should have been pursued, which has at length recoiled upon itself. We are happy to see that a committee has been appointed in London to watch any

proceedings which may be taken by the executive government, with the earl of Shaftesbury at its head; for the present system is good in principle, and the public are themselves to blame if they now permit a repetition of past mismanagement and waste.

We rejoice in the elevation of archdeacon Wigram to the bishopric of Rochester, and in that of Mr. Goode to the deanery of Ripon. These appointments are honourable to Lord Palmerston. They cheer the hearts of thousands, and, we trust, will prove a blessing to the church.

Our great religious anniversaries are again at hand; and here too we have cause for abundant thanksgiving to God. Whatever distractions there may be without, there is peace within our borders. Our great societies will have to report a year rich in tokens of the divine blessing; the consequence in part, no doubt, of that more devout and humble spirit which was so manifest a year ago. The clergy will meet on the 30th of the month, at St. James's Hall, Piccadilly, to begin the jubilee week of missions with united prayer; when canon Stowell will address them on a devotional subject. A meeting is also arranged for prayer and conference in the following week. May the unction of the Holy One be present on all of these occasions, and may the fruit appear after many days!

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WE thank CLERICUS for his papers. Will he favor us with his address? We never insert anything without a knowledge of the writer.

All communications to the Editor should be sent through our publishers; and we must respectfully beg our correspondents to be satisfied with answers through these notices.

CHRISTIAN conflict! Is not this a contradiction in terms? Are not the ideas here associated positively incongruous? Are we not taught to regard the word Christian as the representative term of all that is amiable, kind, and peaceful; while the term conflict necessarily implies antagonism, strife, and violence?

Such a question might easily arise in minds just beginning to think on religious subjects. Nor is the inquiry unworthy the calm consideration, not only of such minds, but of those also who are actually engaged in this conflict.

In reply to such an inquiry, it may at once be affirmed, that Christianity could not possibly be represented as more amiable, kind, and peaceful than it really is. Its essential principle is love. Its whole aim is to be and to do good. Its perfect development is found in the character of "the Prince of Peace." It does not permit us to harbour a hostile or even unkind thought towards one another. It positively forbids scorn, contempt, and retaliation. It exacts even love to enemies. It is, in short, the transfer to earth of those very principles which make heaven what it is, the abode of peace.

How, then, can it be in conflict? We shall best understand how this can be, by regarding Christianity in the light of an interposition; as the introduction of a new principle, a new power, and consequently of a new order of things, into a pre-existing condition of human nature and human society. That pre-existing state of things was the result of an apostasy from God-a loss of that moral beauty and spiritual perfection in which man was at first created. Christianity was the remedial measure introduced by the mercy of God, to arrest, correct, and ultimately to overcome this departure from original righteousness.

Vol. 59.-No. 270.

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But here the question may arise, whether, even in this view of the case, there must of necessity be hostility and conflict. Could not Christianity, thus introduced, enter into friendly communication and contact with the existing state of things? Civilized men have not always met with a hostile reception among savage tribes. The remedy of the physician has often soothed while it healed. And why might not Christianity, being so mild, benevolent, and peaceful, deal with the evil in a manner to avoid hostility and warfare? To answer this inquiry, we must look a little more closely into the evil concerned.

The evil which entered our world at the fall of man was not physical, though physical evil was one of its results. It was a moral and spiritual disorder. It was not matter but mind that was affected. It is not our intention here to enter upon metaphysical inquiries; but it will be conceded that there is in man something different from the faculties, perceptions, and energies. The man himself lives beyond all these powers in the secret pavilion of the heart,-a being endowed with thought, desire, and will. Now it was here, in this upper inner chamber of mind, that what we call the fall of man took place. Previous to that event, man was endowed with the principle of intelligent, holy, loving obedience to his Maker's will. The change which then occurred was not in the faculties, but in the mind itself. That holy principle was lost, and succeeded by one of self-will and alienation from God. The natural constitution of the mind, however, together with its faculties, perceptions, and powers, remaining the same, and communication with the outer world continuing as before, by which internal emotions and desires were appealed to and incited to action, it was impossible that the man, though changed, could become apathetic, desireless, passive.

It must, then, be evident that the human mind, in such a state of perversion, could not regard with indifference anything interposing itself in the form of a remedy. It must either welcome or repel it. Now, had the mind been simply overpowered, its own disposition remaining unchanged, it would have welcomed the deliverance proposed by the gospel of Christ. But, being corrupted also, alienated from God, and in league with evil, it could hardly be expected to welcome that which pronounced this state of things offensive, rebellious, demanding at the same time its correction. The very proposal of remedy for a state of things not regarded as evil, would be unwelcome, irritating, intolerable. And all this is surely affirmed in the apostle's statement: "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom. viii. 7.)

We are informed, moreover, in holy scripture, that the evil spirit who seduced man at first still labours with ceaseless energy to maintain his rule over the mind which he has corrupted. The