the river of life, they concentrate their powers to sink them deeper into the quagmire of ignorance, superstition and bigotry. Such has been their conduct in Europe not only during the "dark ages," as they are called, but at every period of time since.

They have always been partial to a state religion, consisting of an arbitrary civil government and ecclesiastical despotism. These church dignitaries have ever been fond of holding councils and prescribing articles of religious belief for the people: and where they could avail themselves of the State authorities, no stone has been left unturned to effect a uniformity as to religious sentiment. Instead, however, of drawing the people by sound reason and mild persuasion, they have driven them by the terrible thunders of the Vatican to yield an unreserved acquiescence to their mandates. The most cruel despots that ever graced human, ity have uniformly had a priesthood, who have gone hand in hand with them in all their enormities. In fact, the one could hardly exist without the other. But at the period of which we have been speaking, this unnatural Monster received an incurable wound. And although he may long struggle for life, yet his funeral knell will surely be sounded. God has decreed it, and it certainly will come to pass.

As many concurrent circumstances favored the ingress of the Saviour in his first appearing, it is equally evident that the important changes of which we have been speaking, presaged the dawn of another glorious day in which Christ, or, the anointing power should finish the work of complete redemption, and permanently establish a living temple, where God should be worshipped in the beauty of holiness.

B. I have listened with cheerfulness to your remarks, and am convinced beyond a doubt, that the cleansing of the sanctuary and the restoration of the daily sacrifice was to have taken place about the time you have mentioned: but before I can adopt your sentiments, or be made to believe that the Millennial Church or United Society is that pure and holy Temple, I must have further evidence.

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M. I would not wish you to embrace my views, unless your understanding is convinced; but as you are ready to yield to the force of evidence, I indulge the hope that the same convincing proof that was satisfactory to my mind, will also be to yours. The first appearing of Christ was to the Jews, a stumbling block, and to the Greeks, foolishness." It is no less so to similar characters in the second. The idea that the anointing power appeared in a female, and that she, in her order, stands at the head of the new Creation as a co-worker with Jesus Christ in completing the work of full redemption, is looked upon as extremely foolish, I will acknowledge, by such as are distinguished by that wisdom denominated in scripture, "the wisdom of this world that cometh to naught." But to those who are saved by this gospel, it is both the power and wisdom of God.

DIALOGUE III.

B. Your last remarks to me have been a subject of deep meditation; and I am at a loss to conceive what you meant to convey, by the suggestion that the anointing power appeared in a female, and that she jointly stands with Jesus Christ at the head of the New Creation. Although I am satisfied that Christ has commenced his reign on the earth in the sense in which it was declared he should by the Prophets of the Old, and the Apostles of the New Testament; yet that he appeared in the female to whom you refer, is liable to many formidable objections.

M. You must admit, friend, that the old creation that pertains to nature, is an appropriate figure of the new. Most, if not all Christian denominations, believe that Christ appeared to establish a new Creation. This spiritual work is expressed by the terms regeneration, born again, &c., but among all Christian orders, we find none that have found the lot of the female, if we except the United Society. It must appear evident to the smallest capacity, that in the order of nature, there can be no birth without the co-operation of male and female; and yet there are many who profess to be regenerated and born again, but spurn at the idea of acknowledging a Mother in the work of regeneration.

B. I now perceive the propriety of your remarks, and am astonished that the idea never struck me before.

M. The reason is obvious. The systems of divinity which have heretofore engaged our attention, abound with absurdities, among the most glaring of which, is the hypothesis of a trinity of males in the Godhead, all engaged in the work of regeneration; and notwithstanding their power jointly and severally is supposed to be infinite, yet it is believed by many that they will come far short of regenerating the world! I have read the most celebrated commentators on the scriptures with but little or no benefit. They contradict each other, and evidently bend the scriptures to favor their respective sentiments. They "darken council by words without knowledge." Scott, Gill and Clarke were eminent for their literary acquirements, to be sure, but they were evidently warped by the prejudices of education and by the influence of party views. The three great denominations to which they belonged resort to them as an infallible standard. As the ancient Grecians placed the utmost confidence in the Oracles of their famed Apollo, these professed Christians believe that knowledge both began and ended with the champions of their sects.

The windings of the serpent are plainly discoverable in these commentaries. Whenever Gill presented a passage which militated against Calvinism, he could satisfy his party by presenting a different version from some old manuscript more favorable to his views. When the Arminian finds a passage in the sacred oracles not altogether in accordance with his favorite notions, he receives assistance from Clarke. In short, I look upon these champions as being more instrumental in perpetuating error than building up the cause of truth and righteousness.

The views which I have presented to you will doubtless be opposed by those whose creeds have been formed by these leaders, and who depend more on the Ipse Dixet of these commentators than on the scrip

tures themselves. I am far from viewing the present received translation as being in all respects, correct. The translators, both in the division of the chapters as well as in rendering the Greek text into English, committed some of the most egregious errors. The fact is, however, that most of those who have undertaken to correct them, have been very cautious how they corrected those passages, which in the purity of the original, would condemn their own peculiar tenets. In short, it is utterly vain for any to look to the writings of the different leaders of the various denominations that divide Christendom, for correct theological instruction. They speak as great a variety of languages as did the builders of Babel, and are not only confounded themselves, but they confound all who look to them for instruction.

B. I have long been convinced that the different religious sects with which I am acquainted, are very far from being Apostolic, either in theory or practice; and for this reason I sought this interview with you. It has proved a blessing to me thus far; and could I be convinced that you are the order which was predicted should be established in the latter day, I see no reason why I should not embrace your views; but I should like to hear some further reasons why Christ should appear in the female.

M. The first appearing of Christ was, in short, the revelation of the Father; so that in fact the Father is first in the order of the new creation, and the Mother is the second, and is the glory, wisdom, and perfection of the Father. In the first and second appearing of Christ, we see the Son and Daughter in whom the Father and Mother are both revealed through the influence of the (Logos) or word proceeding from both, who are one in essence, nature and union-but two in their office and manner of operation. Neither the attribute of Father or Son, Mother or Daughter, existed from eternity, but derived their existence from God in the order of the old creation and new. At the beginning of the new creation the Son of God declared that he was in the Father and the Father in him.

Moses wrote the history of the natural creation, but the Evangelists gave us the history of the new. They were witnesses of the miracles of Christ from the beginning, and having received the (Logos,) or word by which the foundation of that world was laid, they were created anew by Christ Jesus who is said to be "the beginning of the creation of God." This could not have reference to the old creation, but the new. Adam was the head of the first creation; Christ who is the "second Adam," stands at the head of the new, of which the first is but a type, or figure. As Christ revealed the Father, and in this sense was one with him, so the "called, the chosen, and the faithful," were one with Christ, and in this we discover a bond of relationship infinitely more pure and holy than that which is natural. The one is destined to be dissolved, the other will grow stronger through eternity. The one is changeable, the other is ever enduring. The one is but a mere spark, the other a flame that reaches the highest Heavens. The one is founded in selfishness, the other originates from the inexhaustible source of light and love.

There is a natural body, and there is also a spiritual body; and as there is a natural birth to the natural body, so there is a spiritual birth to the spiritual body; this is called regeneration or the new birth. "The first Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." The living soul of the first man was a spritual body, and occupied the natural body of the first Adam. The quickening spirit of the SECOND

man was the Lord from heaven, and occupied the spiritual body of the second Adam, and constituted the first spiritual man, the true Christ, the anointed of God. Christ's natural body was seen with the natural eye, but his spiritual body was invisible and could be known only by revelation, to those who received the Word. By this we may understand the meaning of the declaration, "No man can call Jesus Lord, but by the the Holy Ghost.”

It is easy to be perceived from this that there would be as much propriety in calling the dust of the ground the mother of the first living soul, as to call the Virgin Mary the real mother of Christ. It is true, Jesus of Nazareth came from the body of Mary the wife of Joseph, in which the true spiritual body of Christ was formed, but this constituted no higher relation between Mary and the second Adam, the quickening spirit, than was between the dust of the ground and the first living soul.

Adam was created in the image of God, and constituted in himself both male and female; for the woman as a help and companion was taken from his side; but in the new creation, spiritually, they were to be blended into one, so that we discover a beauty and propriety in the Apostle's declaration, "There is neither male nor female, there is neither bond nor free, but ye are all one in Christ." This is the only union that the Gospel acknowledges, as no other is compatible with its purity.

We observed before, that in the Son was the revelation of the Father; so in the Daughter, is revealed the attributes of the everlasting Mother of our redemption. The same anointing power was manifested in both, and by them communicated to their faithful children, or followers. From them is derived every spiritual blessing. The Daughter completed what the Son commenced; although we acknowledge the Son to be the first in order, and consequently the head of the body, the church; yet in this family, the female raised to her lot, is co-operating with the male in the offices of this holy Priesthood, so that in the church militant we discover a pattern of the order of the heavenly or invisible world. And as it is the province of the male in the order of nature to provide for his household, so it is the province of the female to set the household in order, and dispense the provisions thus provided. It is evidently the province of the female in the work of regeneration to dispense that word which our Saviour said should judge every man at the last day, and also to regulate and set the household of Christ in gospel order.

It is therefore said of those who faithfully fill their places in this mystical Temple, "Ye are come to mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of Angels; to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel, and to God the Judge of all.”

B. This surely appears reasonable, and I frankly acknowledge that there appears to be the utmost propriety in the female being placed in her lot in the great work of salvation; but I am by no means convinced, that the female, you call Mother, was the chosen instrument of the Almighty to fill that station.

M. I am glad to have you come directly to the point, and wish you to present your objections in the strongest manner possible. I would not wish you quietly to yield your prepossessions, but carefully to examine every part of this testimony, being satisfied that when your judgment is convinced, you will have the candor to acknowledge it.

B. I know it is not proper to argue merely for the sake of argument. Our grand object should be to gain or communicate instruction. It appears, however, to me that the female to whom you look as the anointed instrument in the hand of God, of establishing the Millennial Church, is not entitled to that honor. I have been informed that she possessed no literary accomplishments-that she could not even read.

M. What you have suggested may be true. I do not pretend that either she or the elders that stood with her were very eminent for their learning; but this, to my apprehension, does not militate against their testimony, but directly the reverse; it strengthens my mind in the persuasion that they were under the inspiration of the Almighty.

You may easily perceive that the same objections might be, and indeed were urged against Jesus Christ and his Apostles. Jesus Christ was the son of a carpenter, and at the age of twelve years we find him disputing with the learned Doctors of that day, in the temple. His replies to them excited their astonishment, not on account of his learning, but the wisdom he exhibited on that occasion. His wisdom was of a celestial source. No doubt he was brought up at the trade of his Father, and did not enjoy the benefits of a common education. His chosen associates were unlearned, with but a few exceptions. And yet these unlearned men were eminently successful in propagating his doctrine in every direction.

It is a fact recorded, that not many noble or mighty, of that day, were called. The very objection you have presented, places you in a similar situation with the most bitter opposers of Christ and his Gospel, a Gospel which did not originate from the wisdom of the learned, but from the power of God. I do not hesitate to say, that we have as satisfactory evidence that the first founders of the United Society were inspired of God, and were as much instrumental in establishing a new dispensation, as that Christ and his Apostles did. View it in what light you please, the evidence is as clear and conclusive in the one case as the other.

B. I cannot make myself believe that my feelings are in unison with the ancient opposers of Christ and his Gospel, though I must confess that the same argument was brought against Christ that I have presented against Her in whom, as you profess to believe, Christ has made his second appearing.

But I have heard a variety of charges impeaching Her moral character, which, if true, is a sufficient reason why I should not adopt your views.

M. So far am I from considering these slanders as an objection to my views, that I look upon them as an evidence that she was what we firmly believe her to be, the "Anointed of God." Blessed are ye when men shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name's sake. Point to any charge brought against Mother, and the Elders with her, and I will point you to similar ones brought against Christ and his Apostles, and there was equally as much foundation for the one, as the other.

Do you suppose that a body of people could have been kept together and prospered, as these have, when, at the same time their leaders give themselves up to the illicit indulgence of every sinful propensity? Besides, such conduct would be diametrically opposite to the sharp testimony they daily bear against every impurity in thought, word and deed. B. But Christ demonstrated the divinity of his mission by a variety