Page:A Sermon Preached in Westminster Abbey (Lichfield).djvu/15

 sure than heretofore; for it has been deprived, as you know, of the periodical supply which it received, for so many years, through the Queen's Letter; and which may be estimated as equivalent to an annual income of 9000l.

When the countenance of the State has been thus withdrawn from it, is there not the more need that the countenance of the Church should shine upon it brightly and beneficially? We would fain hope indeed that the falling away of the one may provoke the other to a godly jealousy; and that thus (as it often comes to pass, in the course of God's good providence) what seems to be a loss, may eventually prove a gain. We have a remarkable and a very encouraging instance of this in the financial history of another and a kindred society.

But there is yet another reason why the liberality of the Church should be freely extended to the Society, in this crisis of its affairs. Public opinion, both in and out of Parliament, has strongly pronounced against any scheme of general education that would supersede the parochial care, and check the individual zeal and beneficence, under which our Church-schools have hitherto sprung up, and grown, and brought forth fruit.

There is now, therefore, special need of the Society's instrumentality to supply any deficiencies, either in extent, or quality, which may be imputed to those schools: that so no occasion may be given to an interference which we are persuaded would go far to destroy the good spirit which is working in this way among us; and would in fact retard, instead of accelerating the progress of sound education.

I trust then that you, friends and brethren, will show yourselves to-day, by evidence that cannot be mistaken, to be among those who fully understand, and freely acknowledge, the strength of the Society's claims; who know that the well-being, both temporal and spiritual, both individual and national, of the great body of our people (whether belonging to the dense masses of our towns, or to the scattered inhabitants of our villages), depends mainly, so far as we can influence it, upon the teaching, and the training, that they may receive in childhood; and who feel, that upon every one of us it is incumbent to do what in him lies to make that teaching, and training, not a curse, but a blessing.