wicked?" I cannot tell, my child; and I think that the Doctor displayed his accustomed good sense in making no reference to them." "But, father," said the son in reply, "we know that the majority in every age, and in every country, are wicked; and it strikes me, though I confess I have never thought on the subject before, that if the Deity condescend to reveal a system of religion, to promote the present and future happiness of his creatures, he will reveal one that is adapted to the moral condition of the great majority, rather than the moral condition of the select few." We have nothing to do with others," said the old gentleman; "it is enough for us to know, that if we are virtuous in this life, we shall be happy in the life to come."

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The subject was now dropped till after the old gentleman had retired to rest, when it was resumed. Your remark," said Miss Macfarlin to her brother, "I think is a very just one. It certainly demands attention. If the virtuous only can be saved, the great majority of the human race must perish." Very true," said the brother; "and we know that many who become virtuous in old age, have been dissipated and licentious in their youthful days. Can such persons expect a state of future felicity as confidently as though they had been always virtuous? And after all, what is virtue? It is simply a line of conduct that runs parallel with the requirements of the society amongst which we live, which vary in different nations, and amongst different people, so much, that what some call a virtuous conduct, we should condemn as an outrage on the feelings of humanity. To give you an example. An Hindoo applauds the virtue of the eldest son, who goes and sets fire to the pile which is to consume his deceased father, and living mother to ashes; but if he were to do such a deed in the vicinity of this city, he would be execrated as a monster of impiety, and justly end his days at Newgate. we suppose that the Supreme Being will award a state of future happiness to an Indian, for an action, for which he would punish an European by excluding him from heaven? Impossible!" And beside," said Miss M. "how shall we know when we have acquired that exact degree of virtue which will entitle us to expect a state of felicity in the life to come? The more I think on the

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subject, the more I am perplexed and confounded. What shall we do? for I feel the subject too important to be dismissed."

After some further conversation, they mutually resolved to examine the Scriptures, to see if they could gain any information, and very providentially they turned to the fifth chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. They read the following verses with deep interest. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.-God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. -For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. "Here we find," said Mr. M. "the apostle speaking of the salvation of the ungodly, of sinners, and of enemies.” They proceeded in their examination; and perceived, from many passages which they met within other Epistles, that the current language of the Scripture plainly and unequivocally proves, that the revelation of mercy was intended to promote the present and final happiness of the most guilty and depraved, as well as the more virtuous.

*

As they were familiar with the history of Greece, and had recently read an affecting description of the licentiousness which prevailed in the celebrated city of Ephesus, they turned their attention with peculiar interest to the Epistle which was addressed by the Apostle to the church which he had been the means of planting there; and the paragraph in his second chapter produced a very deep impression on their minds. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. After reading these verses Mr. Macfarlin made the following very judicious remarks. "We are to remember, that at the period when Christianity was first promulgated by the apostles, the whole of the Gentile world was sunk into a state of the grossest ig norance, and superstition, and vice; and though some of its most celebrated philosophers and statesmen were * See 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11. See the whole of this chapter.

*

1

men of high national virtue, yet the immense majority of the people were addicted to almost every species of vice. If, then, a state of future felicity is reserved only for the virtuous, and no provision is made for the salvation of the unholy and profane, the labours of the apostles must have been restricted to the select few who had kept themselves from the moral corruptions of the age in which they lived. But such an opinion receives no sanction from this passage, which speaks of the salvation of those who had their conversation in times past in the lusts of their flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

On turning their attention to the brief delineation which the Apostle has given of his character before his conversion to the faith in Christ took place, they were very much struck with his declaration respecting the design of our Lord's mission. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. "You perceive," said Mr. M. to his sister, "the Apostle says, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; and he has saved the chief, as a pattern for the encouragement of others, who may deem themselves equally. guilty, to hope in the mercy of God."

It is with difficulty that the human mind can disengage itself from those early associations which it has formed, and pursue the calm investigation of truth, free from the reacting influence of prejudice. The light of evidence, when it first breaks in upon the understanding, may be sufficiently clear to make manifest its erroneous opinions, even while it is not sufficiently strong to destroy all those impressions which they may have produced. Hence the conversion of a person from the errors of Unitarianism to the pure faith in Christ, is a more difficult undertaking than the conversion of an avowed infidel; as the one has to retrace the steps of his inquiry, and renounce that belief which he once regarded as bearing the seal of divine authority, while the

other requires only the submission of the truth to his examination, with its appropriate evidence.

"It is true," said Mr. M. " that the epistles unequivocally prove, that Jesus Christ came into the world, not merely to set us an example of virtue, but to save sinners from a state of future misery, and to fit them for heaven; but what degree of dependence ought we to place on their testimony? May they not have become corrupted by the false glosses of the early ages? or may not the writers of them have committed some mistakes?" "So we have been taught to believe," said Miss M. " but it is possible that we may be mistaken. However, as we cannot now, by a process of inquiry, decide on the genuineness of every passage which we have been examining, let us turn our attention to the gospels, and see if the evangelists give their suffrage in favour of the current statement of the epistles. If the whole of the Scriptures are written by the inspiration of the Almighty, we may very fairly expect to find a continuity and harmony of thought running through the various parts of them, and especially on that paramount question which now engrosses our attention. Do the evangelists say any thing about a state of future happiness being confined to the virtuous? or do they hold out the hope of mercy, and future bliss to the wicked?" The reply which Jesus Christ made to the Pharisees and Scribes, who were reproaching him for his attention to sinners, struck them with great force. Likewise I say unto you, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. "What can be more conclusive?" said Mr. M.; Lord not only alludes to the salvation of sinners, but asserts that the repentance of one excites more joy in heaven than the permanent goodness of ninety-nine just persons which need no repentance." The following parable they read with deep interest, as it threw additional light of evidence on the subject of their inquiry. Luke xviii. 9-14. "Does not this prove that sinners can be saved? Indeed, if we attend to the language which Jesus Christ used on another occasion, we shall be convinced that the obvious design of his mission was to reclaim and save those who were the objects of virtue's scorn and contempt." Matt. ix. 10-13.

our

Miss Holmes. "How long have you lived in this lonely hut?" "About twenty years. I was turned out of the cottage I lived in before, by Lord H- -'s steward, because I would not give up my religion; but the Lord opened the heart of a good man who lives in the village, and he built this little cottage for me, where I have lived rent free ever since."

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