lieving all things which are written in the law and

in the prophets."

Following this clew of Paul's testimony, it will be manifest that he derived his Christism from the ancient scriptures, rather than from any readier source of information. In writing to the Corinthians, some twenty years after his conversion, he says: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand: for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures." Then in his self-defence before Agrippa, he says: "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles."

Paul's testimony then, as to the source whence he

derived the matter of his faith and preaching, may be summed up in these three propositions :

1. He believed "all things which are written in the law and in the prophets."

2. The Christism which he preached was "accord

3. He believed and preached "none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come."

Where then was the need of his receiving any portion of the Christian Faith from the departed Spirit of Jesus? The notion that he was so instructed, will not bear the light of Reason. If this method of instruction had been practicable, doubtless it would have been generally employed. But how should they who could not comprehend the earthly voice of Jesus, be able to profit more by his celestial teachings? It is singular enough that the glorified Jesus should select the most violent persecutor of his followers, and make him the sole confidant of his Gospel, leaving the whole Judean fold of his earthly sheep to wander without a Shepherd for none of the older apostles claim to have been thoroughly instructed by their Master, nor

do they intimate that he was ever seen by any one of them after his spiritual ascension at the end of forty days from the Crucifixion, when he left them querying whether he would at that time "restore again the kingdom to Israel." But it is incredible that the translated Galilean Reformer should make a demonstration of so temporary consequence. Why begin a work which he has never finished? Was Paul the only natural medium of Spirit-communication with mortals from that day to this? If not, why is he the only man that has maintained a credible pretension to being so taught by Jesus? And if Paul himself was really docile in this way, and as much in the habit of listening to the spiritual voice of Jesus as has been supposed, why did he not accept the bidding of this Mentor alone - why seek ecclesiastical commendation and the laying on of hands by "certain prophets and teachers at Antioch," as qualifying his ministry? Why, instead of disputing with Barnabas about the case of Mark, did he not refer the cause of a sharp contention" immediately to Jesus? Why did he so often dispute with Peter, without alluding to any immediate oral instruction from their common Lord?

And when certain men came down from Judea to Antioch, saying, "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved," why, "after no small dissension and disputation with them," did Paul and Barnabas "go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question," and there decide it according to the judgment of Peter? Why did not Paul seek at once the spiritual teaching and direction of the heavenly Jesus? There is but one answer to all these pertinent questions; and that is, Christism is not the Gospel of Jesus: it did not originate with his teachings, either in the earthly or the heavenly sphere.

CHAPTER III.

CHRISTIANITY A TEMPLE OF PRIESTCRAFT.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." MATTHEW VII. 15.

IF Jesus was not the author of Christianity, then it must be a human invention. It cannot be of Divine origin in any sense; because, according to the supposed teachings of the Holy Ghost-the substratum of Christian theosophy - it has been unqualifiedly imputed to the Son of Mary, which imputation is found to be false. Who can charge God with thus acceding to falsehood? If any, it is only because, in the fortuitous liabilities of their faith, they too much resemble those Ephesian disciples of Apollos, who, though practising the religion of John the Baptist, "had not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost," till Paul happened among them with