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their cleverness. These are no true Christiansthey dishonour the name. Surely a true faith would induce them, first to do the utmost in their power to rescue these blasphemers from their fearful state, and, failing this, avoid and strive against them.

CHAPTER XII.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS, SPIRITUAL AND INTELLECTUAL.— THE GREAT FOLLY OF WALKING IN DARKNESS WHEN LIGHT IS SHINING AROUND.

THE Gospel of CHRIST claims emphatically to be "the Light of the world,"-that is, it informs the human intellect on subjects of the highest importance, and enables him who accepts its guidance to walk safely in the right path. But too many will not avail themselves of its guidance, and consequently do not know whither they are going. Many who are not deficient in human culture, and would be angry if any one were to tell them that they are walking in darkness, are following some false light which leads them astray from the right path. Many, if they came seriously to think of the matter, and consider whether they were advancing towards happiness, would be obliged to confess that they had no distinct hope or prospect of attaining it, nor indeed were very clear as to the path in which they are walking, or the object which they have before them. They are going on prosperously in their business or profession, doing well in the world, but in respect

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to the grand object of life all is dark, gloomy, and uncertain.

Take again the clever intellectual portion of the world,-persons full of intelligence and information on all other subjects, yet how doubtful and uncertain are such persons wont to be about religion. What is the cause of this absence of religious light? One cause is that people do not seek religious knowledge with the same zest with which they search after other knowledge. The man of science will devote his whole energy to the investigation of scientific subjects, or the discovery of some new invention for human convenience, some means of faster travelling, some more rapid transmission of news, some more commodious or cheaper sort of clothing, some means of increasing temporal wealth,-yet in respect to religious truth the same man will be blind and helpless, naked and destitute. Another will give his whole mind to the investigation of some difficult point of history, some fact which took place thousands of years ago, the course of pre-historic ages, or of the world before man lived upon but of the tremendous future he will take little heed, content that his belief as to matters which will influence his fate for all eternity shall remain. in doubt and darkness. How many of the cleverest and most intelligent persons of the age,—clever writers in the daily, weekly, or monthly press,

it;

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who profess to be the guides of others,—are utterly ignorant whither they are going, simply because they have not given themselves the trouble to think seriously about it.

Others do take some degree of thought about the matter, and yet still walk in darkness, for this cause that they have come to the unreasonable conclusion that religious truth is not attainable. In all other things they know full well that truth is one thing, error manifold. They would not be satisfied without finding out the truth in other affairs; they know that all scientific matters are governed by certain fixed laws; they have very decided opinions even on the most disputed questions of politics or political economy; but in this one subject of religion they unwarrantably assume that the advocates of different opinions may all be right! Let the teachers of religion, say they, agree among themselves what is Truth, and we shall be ready to listen to them; forgetting that the question in debate is about their own eternal destiny. It would be a poor consolation to a man of intellect and culture, who found himself lost for ever, to think that his ruin was owing to his own folly in not having given himself the trouble to inquire and determine what is Truth.

Those persons of whom we have spoken "walk in darkness," or at least in dubious light, in consequence of their carelessness and indifference to

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They may be the

Truth, or the absurd notion that the highest truth is unattainable. Others do so by reason of cherished and unrepented sin. They are biased against the Truth which condemns them, and shut their eyes against the light which they do not wish to see,-as the foolish ostrich plunges its head into the sand, expecting to escape its pursuers. With how much justice may it be said of such persons that they "walk in darkness." They may be the most intellectual persons of the age,-men who have advanced the boundaries of human knowledge, have taken the lead in those wonderful discoveries in art and science which distinguish the present era. most sagacious politicians in Europe, the ablest men in various departments of human knowledge, or, if not so widely distinguished in their generation, they may be in the particular sphere in which their lot is cast, the shrewdest members of the community, the ablest professional men, the most punctual and intelligent tradesmen, the most skilful artisans; or, in the other sex, they may be the best managers of their household, and providers for their family in this world; the most agreeable members of society, the objects of general admiration, the strongest-minded of their sex. Yet what doth all this profit if they have not made up their minds or regulated their conduct in respect to the great object of life,—if