Let us reflect how the plan will work. I have used a decent term, “Pleasure.” And the favourers of the scheme may adopt terms yet more reputable: inviting people to the study of Nature, in all the wonderful productions of native and foreign plants, leading them “from Nature up to Nature’s God.” This sounds well: but after all, the thing is, not what an elegant writer may describe it, but what the Million will make it. A poet, or an artist, may disguise a subject in a thousand ways: but this Temple of Pleasure will infallibly become, in the hands of the Million, a Focus of Dissipation. Analyse a little this divided Sabbath, this Lord’s Day divided into two halves: not indeed perfectly equal halves; for the nominal date of recreation commences precisely one hour after mid-day: then the rush of railway carriages from the London terminus is to commence, Divine Service having at most Churches in and about London ended at one o’clock. Then, and in the hours following, the twenty, or the fifty thousand men, women and children, are to be set in motion. They will find no intoxicating drinks sold on the premises of the Crystal Palace! But will not the surrounding localities offer them, under the name of refreshments, whatever they please? Look to the first part of the day. Does any man suppose that one half of these many thousands will have been worshipping God in the family and in the Church? Is it in the least degree likely? Does a single favourer of the scheme imagine it probable? I think not. But then it will be pleaded, that the scheme is purposely so arranged, that people _might_, if they wished, go to Church with their families in the forenoon. I have even heard it gravely said, “The people _need not_ break the Sabbath: they _may_ go to Church in the morning; and if they do not, it is their own fault.” To this argument silence might be the best reply. And I hope truly, that the _Conscience of the Nation_ will repudiate such sophistry. I speak of Conscience: and I remember that the conscience of a Child is as much honoured and protected by God, as the conscience of any other individual. _Take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones_. Better for a man to have a millstone hanged about his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than that the moral sense of a young person be perverted. Suppose, now, a father or mother to take some of their children to Church, and hear the Commandments read: then imagine an ingenuous boy or girl, on the way to the Crystal Palace, saying, “The Minister read the words, _Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day_;” and they ask father or mother to reconcile the words of the command, and their excursion of amusement: the parents hush up the matter, by saying, “Children must not be particular; it is enough to keep holy _half the Sabbath Day_, and spend the rest of it pleasantly.” What a comment would this be!