THE LATE SECESSION. 179 and stab from behind a mask; but now avows itself boldly, bares its unblushing front to public gaze, spurns, at law as well as decency, openly defies government, whom it used to fear, as well as God, whom it never feared ? Was it not enough that these low, designing demagogues, --menwho think one religion as good as another, and no religion best of all, --was it not enough that these open violaters of order, truth, and justice, should, as the most probable means to acomplish their political mis- chiefs, endeavour to overturn the church, by bringing her creeds, and her other holy services, into contempt ; insulting, by their profane parodies, all that is grave, and rendering ridiculous all that is good ? Yet, from such men, such attempts excite our regret and astonish- ment less than those we have been con- templating. How grievous is it, when persons of a totally different description are, perhaps undesignedly, contributing to help on the work which, we are per- 6
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