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that they are "all wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores," that they are miserable sinners," and that "the burden of their sins is intolerable."

We would here repeat the substance of a remark made above, that the deceiver of the nations has always adapted his various counterfeits to the state of the world, as it regards correct knowledge of the original; and if we trace, in few words, the history of these counterfeits down to the present day, we will find the truth of this observation fully proved.

It has always been, indeed, his first endeavor to prevent the world from knowing what true christianity really was. To accomplish this object he took away the Scriptures (the only source of correct information) from the people, and gave them into the hands of interested priests; involving them in mystery, ahd forbidding the laity to read them "lest they should imbibe some pernicious error.' .." But when, at the Reformation, in spite of his care for the true doctrines and practice, the people once more obtained the Scriptures, fearing lest he should lose his influence, he finds means to persuade men that they "could not understand them for themselves," and that, although they might read them, that they might assure themselves that they were "a dead letter," and that they must depend entirely upon the clergy for an explanation of them. In this manner he still retained the power of causing, by his ministers, the Bible to say, or rather mean, whatever he himself pleased.

It was by slow degrees that the world lost the remembrance of what the primitive gospel was, and it was in the same ratio that "the man of sin" gained the ascendancy. Deprived of the Scriptures, however, and pressed on all sides by corruption and priestcraft, they did at last forget entirely the nature of the original institution. One change after another was introduced, one assumption of power gradually led to other usurpations, until at length, when the shades of ignorance had sufficiently deepened, that wicked one stood forth sitting in the temple of God, and openly showing himself to be a god. Unblushing and unreproved, the "son of perdition" could then presume to change times and laws, and to alter and abrogate the commandments of the true God; thus claiming a superior authority, and thus exalting himself above all that was called God or an object of worship.*

It is, indeed, an awful picture which the history of the dark ages presents to us, marked by blood and crime, and without a single redeeming feature. Crosses and relics, beads and pretended saints were then reckoned worthy of more honor than God and Christ, Then the austerities of monkish superstition could pass for christianity, and the most abandoned licentiousness, avarice, and profligacy could be openly indulged, without remark, under the sanction of religion. Then it was that the author of evil sent forth the merciless Inquisition to torture, murder, and devour. Ruthless and insatiable as tigers, the ministers of this institution were wont to lead forth

Praying Presbyterians, passim, Episcopalian Prayer Book. 2 Thes. xi

innumerable victims to the stake, and while they thrust bunches of burning furze into their faces, with the cry of "Let the dogs' beards be made," they burnt them to death by a slow fire, amidst the plaudits and rejoicings of thousands of every age and sex. This ceremony which they called an Auto da Fe, or Act of Faith, may serve as a fair exhibition of the nature of their faith, which might with all propriety be styled, in the language of the opposers of the ancient gospel, "the faith of devils."

After some time, however, the dawning of the day of reformation warned the savage tribes, who had so long rioted in slaughter, to retire; and Satan now found himself obliged to adapt his counterfeits to the increasing knowledge which the world gained of primitive christianity. But as men at this period were still deeply imbued with superstition and intolerance, these traits he was at first enabled to retain among the characteristics of the reformed churches. There was still some "toleration for intolerance" when the Presbyterian leader burnt Servetus at the stake, and when under the reign of James I. many suffered death for their religious opinions beneath the auspices of the English reformers. But now they have drawn in their claws, and have become as innocent and demure in their aspect as sage grimalkin. The intolerant bigotry of the dark ages is seemingly renounced: they have been compelled to abandon the Inquisition with all its horrors, and in every respect they have so transformed themselves to suit the progress of light and civilization, that they affect scarcely to credit the authentic record of the deeds of their ancestors. Since the recovery of the ancient gospel, have not we ourselves witnessed how sedulously the sectaries labor to accommodate themselves to their new circumstances as far as they can without jeopardizing, their existence? Have we not heard the Episcopalion Priest enforcing upon his flock the propriety of weekly communion? Have we not known a Presbyterian preacher, disturbed by having a christian congregation in his vicinity, actually venture so far as to sprinkle for the remission of sins? And have we not seen both the accommodating Methodist and the formal Episcopalian (strange to tell!) compelled to go down into the water and administer immersion, which, though according to them, a non-essential, they certainly found at these times very essential, at least to preserve their wonted authority over their followers? To these expedients they are driven by the increase of knowledge which prevails of true christianity and its institutions; and as light is still increasing, their deficiencies will become more evident, and they will be forced to still greater concessions. Soon will the Church of England be compelled to abandon her corrupt union with the state, and all the modern systems of religion find it necessary to polish and brighten up their dross in order that it may bear a better comparison with the standard. When we turn our attention to the injurious consequences of these false gospels upon the world, and remember how completely they have impeded the progress of the true one, and how effectually they have brought into disrepute that astonishing scheme of God's benevolence

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to men, their evil character will more fully appear. Indeed, to frustrate the objects of the christian religion, and to induce men to regard that divine system with contempt and disdain, has been at once the aim and the triumph of Satan. What pleasure, then, it must yield him to be permitted to exhibit the gospel under the form of Roman Catholicism, for instance, where the simplicity of truth is changed into the mystery of error, the order of the christian church into a useless and incomprehensible pantomime, and the thirst for humility and righteousness into a thirst for arbitrary domination and human slaughter. Jesus was not an earthly monarch, his kingdom was not of this world, and his example was one of gentleness, purity, and contempt of worldly grandeur; but the Deceiver is pleased to show him forth in his vicegerent as conferring temporal dignities and privileges, as exciting his followers to torture and murder those who refuse to yield, and as delighting in every thing which is calculated to gratify "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." When, indeed, we contemplate this meretricious institution, it appears most remarkably evident that every thing connected with it, from the affected ceremony of making the sign of the cross or telling the beads of a rosary, to the vain display of images and showy pictures, or the pompous procession of the host, has been gradually and carefully introduced to catch the eye, to flatter the pride of the human heart, and to gratify and indulge the worst passions of our nature.

Nor has Satan dressed up some of her daughters in a much humbler garb. Here we see him delighted to set forth the plain and simple religion of Jesus under the fashionable form of Episcopacy. In the person of his ministers, clothed with a silken gown, seated aloft upon a carved or gilded throne, and surrounded by all the paraphernalia of clerical importance, with velvet cushions and crimson curtains, we hear him gravely proclaiming the sacred authority of the Priests, the insufficiency of the Scriptures, and the inferior and dependent condition of the laity. There, with a face of still greater longitude, and the somewhat plainer habit of a Presbyterian, he exhibits the christian race, which the first disciples were taught to run with zeal and with rejoicing, as a course along which all are to march "in solemn dump." And while he thus presents christianity to the world under a most gloomy and forbidding aspect, with much ingenuity he teaches his hearers that they "can do nothing of themselves," and actually PERSUADES THEM TO BELIEVE THAT THEY CANNOT BELIEVE. Again we observe him in the character of a Quaker, while talking about the power, carefully abolishing the forms of godliness, and substituting for both the form and the power the mere system of morality and the spirit of this world; and at another time we discover him inflating the minds of men with the fanaticism of a Joanna Southcote, the vagaries of a Jemima Wilkinson, or the idle visions of a Swedenborg,

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But it would be in vain to attempt to detail the innumerable forms, inconsistent with each other and with the Scriptures of truth, under which Satan has held up the christian institution to the derision of

the world. It were useless to particularize the ingenious sophistry of Unitarianism, or the unbounded licentiousness of Universalism-the absurdities of Shakerism or the novelties of Mormonism*-for all these systems form a part of that great scheme by which the Deceiver has endeavored to disgrace christianity, and to banish from among men the fear of the Lord. How many Atheists, Deists, and Sceptics have been created by these miserable apologies for christianity? How many men of talent and of upright and honorable intentions, unable, from a neglect of the Scriptures, to learn perfectly what true christianity was, yet unable to discover at once the impotency and imperfections of those institutions which have usurped its place, have been induced to take refuge in infidelity! Supposing from a cursory examination, that these modern gospels were fair representations of the true gospel, and detecting at the same time the priestcraft and the venality of the means by which they are supported, they have been induced to suppose that christianity was a wicked institution and the chief barrier to the happiness of the human family.

In conclusion, then, as such has been the nature and the conscquences of the false gospels which have so long deceived the human family, we need not wonder at the earnestness of the Apostle when he said to the churches of Galatia, "If we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed." We need not, upon reflection, be surprized that the most tremendous judgments are denounced against all who have corrupted or counterfeited Christianity, and that Babylon the Great will one day day come into remembrance before God to give her the cup of the wine of his FIERCEST wrath. Ilow great will be the rejoicings of that day, when, with the same suddenness and certainty with which the great mill-stone is hurled into the sea, great Babylon shall be precipitated into everlasting perdition! When the cry is made, "It is fallen! It is fallen! When in one hour her plagues shall come-death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be burnt with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judges her! Then shall the voice of a great multitude be heard in heaven, saying, Hal

*The introduction of this religion affords another illustration of the truth of the remark that Satan always adapts his counterfeits to times and circumstances. It was just at a period when the attention of the people was particularly called to the Scriptures as the only rule of life, and when many, rejecting the traditions of men, would pay no attention to any thing unless it could be authenticated by a "thus saith the Lord." It was at this moment, when the Bible was the object of particular attention and respect, that a counterfeit revelation was proposed. Then it was that the mountain brought forth, and we were presented with the "Book of Mormon, by Joseph Smith, author and proprietor; copy-right secured according to law, and price one dollar and twenty-five cents!" and although the book was most contemptible in the eyes of all who were well acquainted with the Scriptures, yet, being so well timed, it became the means of seducing many of different sects, and some even of those who had clean escaped from error,

lelujah! salvation, and glory, and power to the Lord our God! for his judgments are true and righteous, for he has. judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged the blood of his servants shed by her hand. And the second time they said, Hallelujah!" Let the people of God, then, beware. Let those of them who have been deceived by the delusions of the harlot and her daughters, listen to the warning voice, and come out from her, that they may not be partakers of her sins, and that they may not be partakers of her plagues; for her sins have followed up to heaven, and her unrighteous actions are come up in remembrance before the Lord. ALUMNUS.

LOGIC AND CANDOR OF UNIVERSALISM-EXAMINED. NO. I.

THE reader will find in vol, 2, page 530, a challenge given by the editors of the Universalist paper called the "Sentinel," or "Star in the West," under the gentler name of "invitation," addressed to the editor of this paper, touching their darling peculiarity-in the words following, to wit:-"If Mr. Campbell dare to make the attempt to show that Unitarian Universalist preachers hold to any one point of doctrine with which he implicates them in his attempt to correct "an evil report," our columns are at his service; and if he refuses this invitation to justify his conduct, the christian public will say that our remarks are not uncharitable, and judge of Mr. C. according to his works."

My acceptance of this invitation was announced in the 12th No. vol. 2, of this work, and the conditions fairly stipulated on which I would, in their columns, attempt to show in one sentence, that the system of Universalism, as taught by these gentlemen, has no foundation in the Scriptures of truth, nor in the reason and nature of things.' The conditions proposed were, as I conceived, perfectly reasonable. The gentlemen sought to represent me as misrepresenting their views. I called upon them for their own definitions and proofs, proposing to be governed by the usual laws of discussion and the established rules of interpretation, and thus giving them an opportunity to define themselves and select their proof.

Let us now see how these gentlemen have met my acceptance of their challenge or "invitation." Under date of the 7th January, in the "Sentinel," I am represented as challenging them, and demanding, not accepting, their columns. Hear them express themselves:-"As Mr. Campbell has invited us into the field of battle, and demands of us the use of our columns for his arguments, we now inform him that his challenge is accepted, provided he will also publish our remarks in.. full in the Harbinger." Here I am brought forward as the challenger, and as demanding their columns, &c. Now, gentlemen, I must be permitted to correct these misstatements of fact: for if you reason and write thus on the plainest matters of fact, how will you reason on the great questions of life, death, and immortality! My condition

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