should be rather Beauty and the Beast. I pity the woman whom you shall vouchsafe to endow with yourself."

I. "Possibly your emotion would be wasted." (Smiling).

T. "I am proud and happy to say that my wife shall be free - free as a butterfly among the flowers of a garden-free to think, to speak, to act. She shall vote, if she likes. She shall live and die without being fretted with my petty chains.

I.

"Provided you find her. But it is one thing to talk of freedom another to live in that state."

"Who talks here of freedom?' now interrupted a loud, hearty voice; "and what is the burden of this valley of vision?"

Israel recognized a man who, a few days before, had been announced to him as Captain Brewster. He had once followed the seas, but was now a retired gentleman, living upon his fortune.

"Pray, sir," said Thomaston, rising, hat in hand, "whose dog are you?"

"I wear no collar around my neck. I belong to the great universal family of man. God is my father. No man is my master. All men are my brothers for time and eternity. We shall all make one port at last."

"We have been talking upon religion in its various moral and social relations pertaining to our fellow men and women," said Thomaston; "will you join us and classify yourself?"

"I glory in my name the captain.

"In some things we agree; in others, not. But both of us, I am sure, deny the existence of that imputed relative, Old Nick, who came from the northern sea-god Nicken; and we affirm, by paronomasia, that men are not fiends but friends, and that God is but another name for Good; hence his attributes must be all summed up in Love!" continued Thomaston.

"It is a pity that our young friend, Mr. Knight, (turning towards Israel,) is not more perfectly instructed in the way of God. He seems well-disposed, but-"

66

Dreadfully be-knight-ed," added Thomaston; "suppose, captain, that you take him under your tuition awhile. I have been too clumsy, I think, to hammer his mind into the shape of a good horseshoe that will effectually keep off the devil."

"Most willingly, if by his own free act and deed," answered the captain.

"I have no objection to investigation," said Israel. "Then hold yourself in readiness to go to my meeting next Sunday," said the captain.

"Certain I am,” `said Israel, “that I have not yet found the City."

"What city?" asked the captain.

"That with the precious name of which mention is made in the Bible as 'The Lord is there.'

"We know that we have that name, for truly God

is with us," said the Universalist.

AMONG THE UNIVERSALISTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE UNIVERSALIST SERMON.

THE following Sunday, Israel was on his way with Capt. Brewster to attend the Universalist meeting. Another gentleman, who, though not of this faith, sometimes went to this church, accompanied them. His name was Ackerman.

This man said: "I can tell what

our text' will

prove this morning; at least, I should not be afraid to lay a heavy wager that it will be one of twelve verses, which twelve are headed off with, 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.' Then comes, That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ;' next Who will have all men to be saved, and to come under the knowledge of the truth;' 'God shall wipe away all tears from off their faces,' and

"You forget," here interrupted "that we now have a new minister.

in treating old truths in a new way."

Capt. Brewster,
He is peculiar

"Out of the Bible?" asked Ackerman.

"Yes," answered the captain, "our preacher is a Bible Christian, I am proud to say. He does not belong to the left wing of Universalism."

"Then you acknowledge two wings to your denomination?" said Israel.

"Certainly; our people, like all others in Christendom, have their Cagots," he said, good-humoredly. "What is that?" asked Israel; "I do not comprehend."

"When I was in the south of France, I found a race of people who wore an egg-shell on their clothes, by way of distinction. I asked what it meant, and was told that it was a sign by which to know who were Cagots. In former ages they had been shunned as lepers; then it had got down to only an egg-shell."

"I have heard of its all lying in a nut-shell," said Ackerman.

"The difference," said the captain, "is as small as that, to appearance; but after all, they have the taint in the blood. There are those who cannot think as we

do, in all points. It isn't in them."

"What is the difference at last?" asked Israel.

"Finally, none at all. He will reign till He has subdued all things. There are first and second fruits," answered the captain.

“You were not brought up a Universalist," here remarked Israel.

"How do you think that?" asked the captain.

"Because I know it must be so. You have the language of the mixed nation. Your parents, or guardians, or tutors, whoever they were that had your first years in training, were either Congregationalists or Baptists. By nature, you are what you are, which is not what you were by education."

"Guessed right, messmate. My father and mother

were Baptists-real hard-shells. They doubted the salvation which is not got out of the water. I expect that was one reason why I took to the sea."

They were now at the church. Israel noticed that the comers were in excellent spirits, to appearance. Every man greeted his neighbor, and all knew each other, from the least to the greatest. The ladies wore many bright colors, which generally were arranged with more reference to show than elegance. They greeted each other with voices which indicated a substantial breakfast, and he missed the subdued mouse of superior refinement running along their tones. Nothing was constrained, measured, fastened. On everything seemed written: "All things are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'

They found their seats, as they would at a lecture on secular occasions; and one or two elderly men took out a political newspaper and read till the minister ascended the pulpit steps.

The minister was an intellectual looking man. Evidently he spent more hours in his library than in visiting or fishing. He had the cast of him who fashions his own mallet with which to beat the oil for the sanctuary. His commentator was not Hosea Ballou, nor Walter Balfour, nor Paige, but rather his own reflection.

His text

His prayer was moderate in length and devout in spirit, offering all in the name of "the Great Mediator and the Adorable Saviour of all mankind." was not one of Ackerman's twelve standards. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3: 14.) Also

It was,