"With all the diffidence natural to my situation, I shall, for the first time, venture to address this polite and discerning audience."] In the Church of England there were no particular luminaries. No doubt every Clergyman, from a Curate to an Archbishop, worked sincerely, according to their lights; but there was not the zeal, hard work, and self-abnegation which are now the characteristics of our Anglican Clergy. Nor of them only; all sects are striving hard to win souls, and it would be invidious, in this matter, to make a distinction. I give an illustration of two opposite characters, the dear, suave old Bishop, and the Charles Honeyman of the period, of the diamond ring and pocket-handkerchief religion. Says the Bishop, "I shall endeavour, in a short, but elegant discourse, to remove the vulgar prejudices imbibed by a narrow education." The other commences his sermon thus: "With all the diffidence natural to my situation, I shall, for the first time venture to address this polite and discerning audience." In matters religious, men had not the breadth of thought which we, now, happily possess. For instance, on May 5, 1813, was introduced into the House of Commons a Bill, which, afterwards, became law, "For the further relief of persons impugning the doctrine of the Trinity." The Acts of 9 and 10 William III. had not been repealed, and by them, persons who, in writing or in conversation, denied the existence of any of the persons of the Trinity, were disabled, in law, from holding any office, civil, ecclesiastical, or military, on conviction; and, if a second time convicted, they were disabled to sue or prosecute in any action or information, or to be the guardian of any child, and liable to be imprisoned for three years. This may appear extremely intolerant, but it must be borne in mind that, well within every one's memory, an atheist, avowing himself to be such, could not give testimony in a Court of Justice, nor sit in the House of Commons. Tardily, _nous avons changé tout cela_. The Roman Catholics, too, felt the yoke that galled them, and made strenuous efforts to obtain its removal. On April 30, 1813, Mr. Grattan presented to the House of Commons his Bill "to provide for the removal of the Civil and Military Disqualifications, under which his Majesty's Roman Catholic Subjects now labour." At that time a Roman Catholic had no vote for Members of Parliament, nor could he sit in the House, and he could not hold any office, either civil or military.