unwilling to listen to any probable account thereof, from the fear of being supposed credulous and superstitious. But is there any sufficient reason for fearing death? Certainly not; for we shall then enter, in a greater degree, into the life which we have most loved and cultivated here, whether it be good or evil: and if we have here loved and lived in the practice of evil-of lust, of rapine, of theft, of adultery, or of any other vice—and if, as is most probable when such is the life's love, we should have continued that life for twenty years more, if Divine Providence had permitted us to remain so long in this world-in such case can we regret being taken hence, to dwell to eternity with those spirits who have instigated us to and encouraged us in such evil practices? And if, on the contrary, we have suppressed our evil inclinations-if we have lived in the practice of what is good, passed through some states of the regenerate life, delighted in promoting the happiness and welfare of our fellow-creatures, and been seeking the kingdom of heaven according to the road which the Lord himself pointed out;-then surely death will be a welcome messenger, as leading us through the last dark valley which we have to pass, ere "the pure in heart can see their God;" for we shall then enter into union and society with those angelic beings, who have been the ministering spirits to support us in our regenerative pilgrimage, to comfort us in our affliction, to relieve us in our difficulties, to open and apply the Word of truth to our own states, and thus to prepare us for, and lead us into, all the good which themselves enjoy in the heavenly regions.

But alas! death is armed with a sting!" The sting of death is sin!" says the apostle Paul: and the higher the state we attain in the regenerate life, the more shall we be convinced of that great truth, that man is born in evil, and prone to sin, and shall therefore feel the sting within us. And however conscience may have slumbered and slept whilst death appeared only at a distance, it is generally awakened by the alarming touch of his iron hand; and then, "our companions that be our fellows," that is, those good and evil spirits which have hitherto attended us, and with whom we have united ourselves during the former part of our lives, call forth to remembrance all the good and all the evil we have done the evil spirits endeavouring to torment and condemn us, and the good spirits endeavouring to support and strengthen us, and to turn even the torments of the evil ones to aid in our purification.

If, however, those who by their lives here have been the best prepared for the hour of death-if, even the Lord Himself was compelled at times to cry out, "My heart is sore pained within me, and the

terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me;" (Psalm lv.)→ if the Lord of life and conqueror over death could thus exclaim, what must be the internal feelings of those who have made up the measure of their iniquity in this life, and are convinced that they shall be condemned to eternal death? who have not even hid the Lord's talent in a napkin, whereby it might be, at least, preserved from injury, but have exposed it to contempt and obloquy-have abused and profaned it!

That every man's state hereafter will be according to his life here, and not according to the peculiar doctrines that he may profess, is unquestionably established in the Word of God, but particularly in the parables delivered by the Lord himself: in which he compares the state and things of the eternal world, to things the more familiar and easy of comprehension in this ;-thus, it is written, (Matthew xiii.) "The kingdom of heaven, is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; but while he slept an enemy sowed tares."-Again: "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." And again : "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to the shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away." All these comparisons are easily understood, and convey the instruction intended, to the most simple mind. But of all the parables delivered by our Lord, there does not appear to be any, more applicable to the subject of these remarks, than that of the "man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered to them his property," (Matthew xxv. 22, &c.) giving to one five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every one according to his ability. This parable evidently shews, that man is endowed by the Lord, with a free-will as to spiritual things, and that, being gifted with powers in his understanding to know what is true, and with powers in his will to do what is good, sufficient to promote his regeneration, if he misapplies those talents, he brings on his own condemnation: and also, that the Lord requires of him only in proportion to the talents with which he is entrusted. The Lord knows before man is born, how he will trade with, and apply his talents, and therefore it is in mercy that some are entrusted with only one; with such the Lord only requires that his own should be returned with its regular interest. But he did not condemn him who had procured two talents in addition, because he had not made them five; nor him who had in

creased five, that he had not made it seven; but each received the same reward and approbation, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will appoint thee over many; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord;" because each had doubled the talents with which they were entrusted,—that is, they united the truths of faith which they had received from the Lord, with the good of life procured by fulfilling their duties in this world, and therefore were perfect in that state of regeneration to which each of them had advanced; and in this view, as is frequently the case in the Scripture language, he who had five talents is not in a higher state than he who had gained only two. The internal sense of this parable teaches, that the Lord gives to all who are in the Church, the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, with the faculty of understanding and perceiving them; and by these knowledges and this faculty, some procure to themselves much intelligence and wisdom; others procure some, and others none; therefore when man quits the material body, and rises to judgment in the world of spirits, they who have procured much intelligence and wisdom, and they who have procured some, are accepted of the Lord according to the state in which their truths have been brought forth into life, or united with good; and they are gifted by the Lord, with dominion over all evils and falses, and are admitted to conjunction of life with himself. But they who have procured none, are deprived even of those truths which they had possessed in the memory only, and not in the life, and become principled in mere falses, separate from all good and truth; for not having joined charity to faith, they think harshly of the Divine Mercy, and act from natural fear, which obscures the knowledge of heavenly truth.

It is not, then, the rank and situation in this life, nor the talents with which man is gifted, that will make him really respected by his fellow-men, or acceptable to God; but it is the manner in which he employs his talents, and the faithfulness with which he fulfils the duties of his station. The zeal and application which we shall manifest to fulfil these duties for eternal purposes, must greatly depend upon the ideas we have formed of the state and nature of the life after death. As these are correct and in accordance with the Sacred Scriptures, the happiness and blessedness of eternal life will appear more important and desirable; and it is presumed that the views here stated, though but brief and imperfect, are of this character.

If a more intimate knowledge of these things be desired, the Word of God must be studied with care and attention. Infinite wisdom is contained within it, accommodated to the understanding of finite man, and

capable of raising him from the lowest condition of ignorance and vice, up to a perception and love of the eternal realities of the spiritual world.

H.

THE PROGRESS OF RELIGIOUS IDEAS THROUGH

SUCCESSIVE AGES.*

To be thoroughly in love with the religion we profess, and yet considerate and just in our judgment towards those with whose persuasions we have but little sympathy; to be in possession of positive and, to us, clearly defined principles of truth, and at the same time free from bigotry, intolerance, or religious pride; to be zealous for the promotion of truth, and uncompromising in its defence, yet able to find an apology for those who have exercised the most unyielding opposition to the enlightenment of mankind, and liberty of conscience; to pity, from the very depths of the heart, the victims of an outrageous superstition, which enjoins the voluntary imposition of self-mortification, torture, and death, and likewise have a kind word for those who strove to perpetuate the doctrines which gave it the authority of divine approval, and maintained a system which necessarily led to corruption, tyranny, and fraud; are virtues of which, according to Mrs. Child, the human mind is perfectly capable; for she has traced, with the avowed spirit of faithful impartiality and perfect equanimity of temper, the progress of religious ideas through successive ages,-an ordeal, perhaps, unequalled for trying the strength and sincerity of so high an aim. “I have even avoided the use of the word heathen," is remarked in the Preface; "for though harmless in its original signification, it is used in a way that implies condescension or contempt; and such a tone is inconsistent with the perfect impartiality I wish to observe." This is the grand feature of the work, and is its chief recommendation. Apart from the earnest and elegant style of its composition, it invests it with a charm, without which it would have been little more than a compilation of the written and monumental evidences of the barbarous usages, gross superstitions, and marvellous traditions of the ancients of all nations. Divested, as it is, of the sectarian hatred that usually accompanies the treatment of these subjects, distorting and discolouring what it cannot applaud, or does not understand, the work has all the interest of novelty, presenting old facts in a new light, making early paganism

• The Progress of Religious Ideas through Successive Ages. By L. Maria Child. 3 vols. 8vo., New York: C. S. Francis and Co. London: S. Low, Son, & Co. 1855.

rise into the region and importance of a highly-cultivated spirituality and worship, now corrupt and meaningless, claim its source to be in the knowledge of divine things, and in direct revelation from the uni versally-acknowledged Supreme One.

We cannot admit, however, that the writer has so fully accomplished the object of her work as is so confidently intimated in her own words. The doctrine of human fallibility is still safe. It is vain to write, especially on religion, under the belief that we can perfectly suppress the bias of our own ideas. The doctrine of the Lord's glorification, effected by temptation-combats with the powers of hell, and of his essentially Divine character, clearly put forth in all the gospels, are unpardonably obscured, if not positively presented in a manner likely to mislead, or to deepen an erroneous opinion previously entertained. The consideration and proof of these doctrines were fairly and legitimately in the way of the writer's plan; but the internal sense of the Word, evolved by the science of correspondences, upon which we so justly rely for our evidence of the Lord's true nature and mission, is remarkably slighted and, by implication, depreciated. The absence of information on these points is the more to be regretted, since the work contains so much to create a doubt as to whether the Sacred Scriptures we possess be indeed the Word of God. The adoption of the spiritual and allegorical interpretation, of them is described as a refuge to which learned and pious minds have been forced, to escape the incredible and absurd statements of the letter. No opinion, however, is urged. The faith and religious practices of the Hindoos are said to be the oldest of which we have any existing record. From the striking resemblance to these, of the mystical teachings and sacred rites of the Egyptians, it is assumed that they obtained them originally from a section of the Brahmins; and the facts that Abraham, Moses, Pythagoras, Plato, and others, lived and studied under the Egyptian priesthood, explains how that the same ideas and customs were propagated and established among the Jews, the Greeks and Romans, and, consequently, became infused into Christianity itself, and modified in their course by the great leading spirits of every succeeding age and country. Brief sketches of the most prominent characters, an outline of the philosophy they taught, quotations from the sacred books of their period, and the influence they exercised upon their own and future times, are given with evident care, and at the expense of immense labour and research. Jesus Christ is classed as one of the "great teachers," and his "system" conveyed to the reader in like manner.

But the work will be appreciated according to every reader's pre