ot been weakened by schism; but she is slowly ossifying from sheer
inertia. The Reformation needs to be reformed again, and perhaps the
tardy privileges granted to the _Haugianer_ and _Lasare_--the northern
Methodists--may result in producing a body of Dissenters large enough to
excite emulation, action, and improvement. In Norway, the pastors have
the best salaries and the easiest places of all government officials.
Those who conscientiously discharge their duties have enough to do; but
were this universally the case, one would expect to find the people less
filthy, stupid, and dishonest than they are in many parts of the
country. A specimen of the intelligence of one, who is now a member of
the Storthing, was communicated to me by a gentleman who heard it. The
clergyman advocated the establishment of telegraph lines in Norway, "not
for the sake of sending news," said he, "that is of no consequence. But
it is well known that no wolf can pass under a telegraph wire, and if we
can get lines put up throughout the country, all the wolves will be
obliged to leave!" Of course, I do not mean to assert that the Norwegian
clergymen, as a body, are not sincere, zealous, well-informed men. The
evil lies rather in that system which makes religion as much a branch of
government service as law or diplomacy; and which, until very recently,
has given one sect an exclusive monopoly of the care of human souls.

I had a strong desire to converse with Pastor Lamers in relation to the
stand he has taken, but he was surrounded by a crowd of persons during
his stay on board, and no opportunity presented itself. The sensation
which his presence produced, showed that there are restless elements at
work in the mind of the people. The stony crust is beginning to heave
and split at last. Even the deck-passengers gathered into little groups
and talked earnestly. Two gentlemen near me were discussing the question
of an Established Church, one contending, that a variety of sects tended
only to confuse, perplex, and unchristianise the uneducated, unthinking
class, while the other asserted that this very class adhered most
tenaciously to whatever faith had been taught them. At this moment a
woman standing near us exclaimed: "There were false prophets in all
times, and there are false prophets now! We must beware of them!"--the
earnestness of her speech affording a good comment on the argument just
produced. Whatever may be the popular opinion concerning