And why, it may be asked, is all this done? The question has often been discussed, but I never heard more than one answer given. There is no plea put forth of social improvement. There is no pretence that any good is done either to India or China. It is admitted that thousands of acres of our best land are diverted from useful purposes. It is admitted, for it cannot be denied, that the trade is spreading death like the most fatal pestilence in China, and there is but one argument put forth in defence of the system. There is but one apology even offered. I know it is a strong argument to some minds, and it seems to be strong in the minds of the East Indian Government. That one argument is, that it pays so well. It is said to bring in about 5,000,000_l._, a-year to the East India Company. And this is a rapidly-increasing income. In 1836 it was 1,399,000_l._ In 1850 it had grown to 3,309,637_l._, and now it is said to have reached the large sum of 5,000,000_l._ a-year. This is the one argument for China’s ruin, and is it strange that God has smitten us in India? But again we endeavoured to show, in the outset, that England had a religious trust, being the steward of truth as well as power. But the Indian Government, on the other hand, has taken up the position of absolute neutrality between the Gospel and the most foul idolatry. Indeed, so far has this gone, that in some instances it might have been almost supposed that they looked with a more favourable eye to idolatry than Christianity. For example. Until a very recent date the Government has not merely maintained some idol temples, but paid the expense of the idol worship, not merely paying the priests, but actually going one step further, and providing the payments for the abandoned females who are connected with the idolatrous rites. Such honour has the Indian Government paid to idolatry, that British troops have been ordered out, under British and Christian officers, to fire salutes in honour of foul and filthy idols, such as Juggernaut. Nor has this deference to idolatry even yet altogether ceased, for to this very day the filth and obscenity of idolatry is spared, while decency is enforced in other quarters. There was a law passed not long since against obscene paintings and publications, but there was this clause inserted, “Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to any representation sculptured, engraved, or painted on, or in, any temple, or on any car used for the conveyance of idols.” So that even public decency has been set aside out of respectful deference to an obscene and filthy idol. Oh! brethren, have we not reaped what we have sown in the late most awful outbreak of abominable and polluting passion?