Ti] FIGST SPAKOH IM I.

wh.

1a INT,

179

“Ountry , , , . the condition of the great body of her Wii
Majesty's labouring population had deteriorated woefully Zr. 37.
Within the last ten yours, and more especially within the
last three years; and that, in proportion as the price of
food increased, in the same proportion the comforts of the
Working_classes had diminished. One word with respect
to the manner in which his allusion to this meeting was
Teceived. He did not come there to vindicate the conduct
of these Christian men in having assembled in order to take
this subject into consideration. The people who had to
judge them were their own congregations. There were at
that mesting members of the Established Church, of the
Church of Rome, Independents, Baptists, members of the
Church of Scotland and of the Secession Church, Methodists,
 ang indeed ministers of every other denomination ;
3d if he were disposed to impugn the character of those
Givines, he felt he should be casting a stigma and a reproach
Pon the great body of professing Christians in his country.
He happened to be the only member of the House present
8 tha meeting ; and he might be allowed to state that
"hen he heard the tales of misery there described ; when
he heard these ministers declare that members of their
“ongrogations were kept away from places of worship during
the Morning service, and only crept out under cover of the
darkness of night ; when they described others as unfit to
FeCeive spiritual consolation, because they were sunk so
low 14 physical destitution ; that the attendance at Sunday-Schools
 wag falling off ; when he heard these and such-like
Statements ; when he who believed that the Corn Law, the
Provision monopoly, was at the bottom of all that was
®udured, heard those statements, and from such authority,
ho must say that he rejoiced to see gentlemen of such
Character come forward, and like Nathan, when he addressed
the owner of flocks and herds who had plundered the poor