en,' and offenders against the 'divine headship;' and the
writer holds, therefore, that if the Establishment is to be maintained
in Scotland, they must be crushed, and that soon, by the strong arm
of the law. We need make no further remarks on the subject. To employ
one of the writer's own illustrations, the history of Robespierre
powerfully demonstrates that great vanity, great weakness, and
great cruelty, may all find room together in one little mind.

_March 10, 1841._

THE SANCTITIES OF MATTER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE WITNESS.

SIR,--Upon hearing read aloud your remarks{1} in the _Witness_
of Saturday the 28th ultimo, upon the danger of investing the
mere building in which we meet for public worship with a
character of sanctity, an English gentleman asked, 'How does the
writer of that article reconcile with his views our Saviour's
conduct, described by St. John, ii. 14-17, and by each of the
other evangelists?'

Though quite disposed to agree with the purport of your remarks,
and fully aware that the tendency of the opinions openly
promulgated by a large section of the clergy of the Church of
England is to give 'the Church' the place which should be
occupied by a living and active faith in our Saviour, I found it
difficult to meet this gentleman's objections, and only reminded
him that you made a special exception in the case of the Jewish
temple. Brought up from childhood, as Englishmen are, with
almost superstitious reverence for the buildings 'consecrated'
and set apart for religious uses, it is difficult to meet
objections founded on such strong prejudices as were evident in
this case.

If any arguments suggest themselves to you, to show that the
passage above referred to cannot be fairly employed in the
defence of the Church of England tenets, in favour of
consecrating churches, and of reverence amounting almost to the
worship of external objects devoted to religious purposes, you
will oblige me by stating them.--I remain, Sir, Your obedient
servant,

AN ABSENTEE.

The passage of Scripture referred to by the 'English Gentleman' here
as scarcely reconcilable with the views promulgated in the _Witness_
of the 28th ult. runs as follows:--'And Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
and found in the temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves,
and the changers of money, sitting; and when He had made a scourge of
small cords, He drove them all out