sword? (as it is written: For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter;) nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ro. viii. 35-39.)

"I understand you then," said Kirkton, "to say that the Gospel administers a present salvation to those who believe and obey it; but this does not necessarily include the future and eternal salvation."

"You are right in your conclusions," said Philip. "To the world the Gospel brings the salvation of the soul; but to the Church, Christianity offers the salvation of the body, soul, and spirit, to be revealed in the last time. To the first, a righteousness without works is offered; as the apostle says: 'It is not by works of righteousness that we have done, that God saves the sinner, but by the washing (the bath)

of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.' But the Christian, already saved from his past sins by the abounding grace of God, is called upon to work out his future salvation with fear and trembling."

"I have heard," said Kirkton, "of a singular arrangement of the Gospel by your people, and I do not know that I understand it. It may be called your philosophy of the plan of salvation. Will you favor me with it, as I am anxious to know what you teach on the whole subject?"

"With much pleasure," said Philip, "I will give you what we teach on this subject; but I would say that it is not essential to believe it in order to become a Christian; nor do we teach it to make Christians; for no philosophy, true or false, has ever saved any one. False views of conversion have imposed upon us a great amount of labor unknown to the Apostles; and therefore we find it difficult to speak out with the same freedom that they did, lest we might be misunderstood.

"The modern arrangement of the Gospel is this, in the order of conversion. 1st, the Holy Spirit; 2d,

feeling; 3d, repentance; 4th, faith; 5th, testimony; and 6th, obedience. The order which we deem most scriptural is the following. 1st, testimony and facts; 2d, faith in these facts upon this testimony; 3d, repentance, including all the feelings which the converted sinner may have; 4th, confession of the name of the Lord; 5th, obedience to Jesus as the Lord, in the ordinance of immersion; 6th, the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"We are not, however, wedded to a theory, but we think this is the order, in sequence, of the conversion of a sinner to God, and the enjoyment of the blessings promised. I will not give the reasons now for this arrangement, but would have you carefully examine the New Testament in the light of this theory, and see if it does not fully justify it."

"Well," said Kirkton, "if I do not wholly submit to the views you have presented on the subject discussed, I shall at least have a more full and compre hensive view of it; and as my time is now pretty well exhausted, and I am compelled to leave, I shall cher ish the remembrance of your kindness in the pains

you have taken to remove my false impressions in regard to your views, and the good spirit you have manifested in presenting them."

The interview now closed, and whether they ever met again we know not, but a closer friendship subsisted between them; and when they met in the social circle, or on the platform, or at any religious meetings, they treated each other with great cordiality and Christian affection. It would be desirable if all Christian ministers would adopt a similar course. If it would not produce an absolute union in faith and knowledge, it would rub down many of the asperities which exist between them, and make them feel more sympathy for each other, and a greater spirit of forbearance and love.

CHAPTER XI.

FRANK ELLIOTT was always busy. If not in the store, or with the family, or at church, he had some benevolent association to visit, some plans to mature or to execute in behalf of the suffering and the needy. To him, life was a blessed as it was a solemn gift; and as the world was blighted by sin, and full of guilt and sorrow, he deemed it to be his duty, yea more, his privilege, to lessen them both by his words and his deeds. He had learned that it was not the physician, the lawyer, the statesman, or the preacher alone, who is placed in circumstances to do good, but that the humblest and the poorest may prove a blessing to the world. How many, because they have a defective education, and but little influence, hide the talent with which God has entrusted them, and pass through the world un