where they lived. I knew that reason could see through the mysteries of gun-powder, in the course of a minute after it is explained, but it was long before the discovery was made. I knew that reason assents to the first principles of astronomy, as soon as they are presented. Nothing appears plainer. But reason was long in finding out these truths. Thus I could not tell, but that although as soon as the Bible informs those who hate it in Christian lands, certain truths about God, nothing appears plainer to them, and they think they have always known it, whilst the most energetic minds, where the Bible is not, do not learn so fast. They certainly never have been known to find out the excellence and purity of Omnipotence, unassisted. Although somewhat suspicious that this doctrine of the unbounded goodness, and wisdom, and power, and purity of God, had first been taught by one book alone, knowing it to be true, I concluded to rest upon it as so, and to look around for other facts, or for rational and plain inferences.

Doctrines inquired after.-Tht following questions and facts commingled would pass in succession through my mind.

We agree that God is good, and wise, and kind, like a tender parent. Having cast away the Scriptures, we agree that God has not told us certainly whether we live again after death or not. He has not told us, if we do live, how long it is to be, seventy years again or longer? (I knew that reason could not decide these inquiries, because no three of my associates, the advocates of reason, out of all I could meet with ever agreed on these particulars.) According to our belief, he has not told us if we live hereafter, whether it is to be in connection with a body or not. (I should like to know.) We are not told whether we are to be judged or not for what we do to-day.

1

(I would do well to know this.) Shall we live always? Will our judgment be severe? Will there be sickness in the next state, or is it all health? Those who admire reason most do not know, for they do not believe alike, scarcely two of them. Reason has not taught, of course it is an uncertain guide, or there is no information given us. I thought the colour of the rainbow a symptom of the Creator's kindness, but I had rather it had been black than not to have known whether I am to live after I am buried. I wish he had told me. I thought that our Father made the colour of the forest leaf green, because it fits the eye, but I would agree it should be red always hereafter, if I could only find out whether or not I am to be judged for my conduct. Is my every-day conduct to be overlooked hereafter? I wish our Father had told us. It would hot have been hard for him to have done this, or cost much time. Thus I was tossed from point to point of several sharp prominences. To say that reason was our heavenly lamp, and that her worshippers never had yet discovered these things, or they discovered differently, for they thought differently, was somewhat awkward. То say that I must act every minute, and yet it was not very important for me to know whether or not I was ever to be tried for my actions, did not sound smoothly. То say that reason had taught us what our Creator hated most, was too hard, because the disciples of reason all differed fundamentally here also. Some thought one way and some another. To say that I need not know what pleased or displeased him most, was still unharmonious. I began to doubt whether the celestial lamp would show me objects more distinctly than the page of Matthew.

CHAPTER LXIX.

Means of Rescue.-The last resort.

If I sat down and inquired of reason soberly, whether or not the spotless One had made man as we now find hin, or if we are a fallen race, I found the pathway more than cloudy. If I said that man is a fallen creature, and did not come as he now is from the pure hand, I seemed to be running into the old Bible track. If I said that men were not wicked, that a majority of them were not depraved, it seemed to sound sweetly, and to harmonize with what all my companions said when together and whilst disputing on religious doctrines. But when deists talk elsewhere, when they speak, having forgotten all controversy, their testimony is not the same. I heard one of them speaking of a class of men opposed to him in politics. He pronounced them utterly destitute of principle. He declared them dishonest in every thing; and, when excited, would mingle curses with his expressions of contempt. When speaking of those who were called the pious, the devotedly pious, he was also Their zeal he called either fanaticism or hypocrisy, often both. When dealing with his fellow-men he always took notes, bonds, &c., and was as certain to treat every one as though he was defective as they are, who believe in man's depravity. In short, I found the three following facts to exist in the world.

severe.

1. Those who denied the fall of man spoke as complainingly, when not discussing the doctrine of the prevalence of slander, of avarice, selfishness, &c., as did the disciples of the Bible!

2. They spake from day to day of having discovered something censurable in those of whom they had thought better; but it was not a matter of continuous occurrence for them to speak of surprise at having found one and another more honest, disinterested, and amiable than they were supposed to be!

3. The following question is answered by the candid with entire agreement.

Question. Suppose you were to take a number of little boys and try to teach them all that is lovely and good; again, take an equal number and try to teach them all that is bad and unlovely, in which case would you most readily succeed? In which are children the more apt scholars, in honour, honesty, self-denial, temperance, humility, &c., or in haughtiness, self-conceit, ignorance, sensuality, injustice, &c.? I believed that the man who would say "Our race has not fallen into sin, so as to make it easier for us to be taught vice than virtue," had been handling sin himself, and that it did not appear unlovely to him.

I did believe that those who do admit the three facts stated above, might as well admit the fall of man.

I did believe that he who, after looking fairly around on his fellow-creatures, denied those three facts, had certainly fallen himself, if others had not.

CHAPTER LXX.

Means of Rescue.-Concluding summary.

I had been told, and I could not dispute it, that God was a being of infinitudes. Christians and unbelievers agreed that there was no boundary line belonging to his

wisdom, his power, or the number of his days. They said that there was no possibility of numbering the animals or the worlds he had made; that there was no edge to creation. And all the glasses through which the philosopher looked spoke the same language.

If endless might be written on his works around us, I could not tell but that it might be his plan for our existence to be endless. I hoped it might be so, for annihilation always looked black to me. At times it seemed as though it would be cruel, if, after making me taste the cup of existence, he should dash it from my lips. I would prefer never having been, rather than to give up my identity at death. I was ready to exclaim, "My Maker might have told me how long I am to exist;" but the Bible seemed to reply, "He has." If my feelings called out that a Being of infinite goodness might have offered me the glorious prize of unending happiness on some terms, the Bible seemed to reply "He has."

I knew that the soul which inhabits our clay bodies was in the habit of craving. It has been so made, that it craves, and craves much happiness, hating any decay in its felicity. I thought that if in a shining country, where nothing cold or gloomy was ever to enter, and in a society of beings peaceful and beautiful, affectionate and splendid, I should be offered joys which were never to diminish, it would indeed be a prize. O what a prize! This would indeed resemble what it would take a God to offer, a God of benevolence! But our Creator we thought a God of boundless kindness and loveliness. Who knows but that he may have made us this offer? The Bible seemed to say "He has." I thought if any one man had this offer made to him, he had good reason to leap for joy. Has this offer been extended to any one? The Bible seemed to answer, "To all."