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in the received version, but the word "God" is not in the original)" calling upon, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (Acts vii. 58, 59.)

This passage is held to be a decisive one in support of immaterialism, at least so far as Stephen's authority can be so considered. A more correct translation, however, of the original, by the substitution of the word life for that of spirit-the sense of the passage proving that the former is, in this instance, the more correct phrase-removes the principal source of obscurity; the only remaining difficulty being that which arises from the peculiarity of expression receive my life, or receive me; but even if such can be esteemed an objection, it applies with the same force to "receive my spirit:" the case, however, would appear to be, that it is, as we have seen in the 30th psalm, a scriptural mode of expressing a confidence in, and a submission to, the will of God, even to the laying down of life in the furtherance of that will. An attention not confined to this single verse, but extended to the whole of the connecting circumstances may illustrate this view of the passage. Stephen, an appointed teacher of the will of God, being "full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people" and certain of the Jews, who were unable " to "resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake," suborned men to give false testimony against him; but he continued proclaiming the will of God, and denouncing their general conduct, regardless of personal consequences: " and when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth." At this moment, as it should seem, he was favoured with a miraculous, probably a visionary appearance of Jesus, doubtless for the purpose of administering support in the severe trial and suffering which then awaited him; for as he "looked up stedfastly into "heaven, he saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God;" (that is, exalted to power)" and he said, behold I see the heavens opened, "and the Son af Man standing on the right hand of God." They then ran upon and stoned him; but before the moment of his expiring, he addressed Jesus in the words upon which we are now remarking, We have seen what meaning is attached to corresponding expressions in other parts of the scriptures. Stephen therefore resorts to the same pious and effectual source for support under the severest trial and suffering which in this life could have befallen him; and he, being encouraged by the Lord and Master of that cause for which he was then suffering,

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"looked up stedfastly," and, at the moment of death, exclaimed, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit;" that is, receive my life-receive me. The words, to quote an acute and able author (Coward, p. 176), "receive my spirit," argue nothing but a free and voluntary resignation of his life to "the will of God, and submitting himself to his mercy." This view of the case of Stephen may be further illustrated by the words which Jesus himself used immediately preceding his own death. And when Jesus had cried out "with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commit my SPIRIT;" (my life) and it is added, having said "this, he gave up the GHOST." (See Luke xxvii. 46.) That is, gave up his breath, or life, either of these terms being equally true to the original; the relation simply being, that when on the cross, and after he had finished praying to his heavenly Father, and that too for his enemies, he resigned his life into the hands of God; having laid it down, in obedience to his will, and in the fullest confidence of the divine favour and protection.

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We have now examined those passages of scripture in which it is supposed, or asserted, that at the moment of creation or birth an immortal soul is added to the body of mán, and that the same leaves him at the hour of his death. We have seen that such positions are wholly without foundation; arising either from errors in the translation, or a misconception of the intentions of the writers. We purpose, in our next number, taking up successively the two remaining departments of the scripture passages; after which it is our intention to terminate this series of Essays, with proving, that our sole ground for believing in a future state of existence, rests upon the scriptural doctrine of a resurrection from the dead, which will consequently disprove the reputed immateriality and immortality of the soul, and tend to support the well-expressed opinions of the Bishop of Carlisle, that "WHEN WE DULY EXAMINE THEM” (the Scriptures), WE MAY POSSIBLY DISCERN THAT

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66 THE NATURAL IMMORTALITY OF THE HUMAN MIND IS NEITHER NECESSARILY CONNECTED WITH, NOR TO A 66 CHRISTIAN ANY PROPER PROOF OF, A FUTURE STATE

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OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.

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* See Appendix to the Theory of Religion, p. 435.

THE FREETHINKING CHRISTIANS' REVIEW OF THE

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

QUAKERISM.

"Wherefore, I am moved of the Lord to propound some few queries to you, for the trial of your spirits and ways, to which I demand your answer; that all things may be brought to light and true judgment; and that you may be judged justly; and, by the spirit of the Lord, cleared or condemned according to your deeds."-Introduction to Burroughs' Queries to the Friars and Nuns of Dunkirk, 1659.

The right of examining the pretensions and principles of those who claim to be the possessors of revealed truth, must belong to all who seek to make the religion of Jesus the object of their faith and the rule of their actions. To believe not every spirit, but to try the spirits, whether they be of God, is not less the dictate of reason, than it is one of the precepts of the gospel. The right, indeed, of every sect of religionists to inquire into the claims of every other sect, is mutual and unquestionable; and, perhaps, no denomination has used this right with greater freedom than the people called Quakers. This privilege we now claim to exercise against themselves;-imitating, in some measure, in our proposed inquiry, the freedom and fearfulness of their primitive apostles and saints; but, we trust, carefully avoiding their rudeness of manner and bitterness of spirit.

When honest Edward Burroughs, the contemporary and companion of George Fox, after having strolled about his own country preaching and prophecying against all parties in the state, and all denominations among the people, had a concern to visit Dunkirk, in order to reach the minds of the papists of that place, he held, in his printed address to them, the language quoted at the head of this article. Now, the same freedom of inquiry which this bold enthusiast avowed, on this occasion, the same scrutiny which he directed against the papists, we avow and direct against the Quakers. To the followers of Burroughs we say "We too are moved to pro"pound some few queries to you, for the trial of YOUR spirits and ways, to which we demand your answer; that all things may be brought to light and true judgment; and that you may be judged justly, and by the spirit (not, indeed, of the Lord, but) of truth; cleared or condemned according to YOUrdeeds.”

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We have been induced to enter on this task by no hostility to the society of Friends. There are among this body, we can readily believe, many sincere well-meaning people, of quiet and inoffensive lives; who are living exemplars of all the passive virtues; and who move in their daily round of duties with strict, not to say mechanical, correctness. With some, also, of the doctrines, and with much of the discipline of this sect, we agree; more, perhaps, than with those of any other class of believers; but, at the same time, we must freely confess that we have little faith in that superior practical excellence, which some are so willing to ascribe to the Quakers, and which they, collectively and individually, are nothing loth to receive; upon the whole, indeed, so far from admitting this, we cannot but deem their principles and practices to be, in a very high degree, pernicious to the interests of real Christianity. Some remarks, offered by us in a former Review, upon the public conduct and obvious motives of a distinguished female leader of this sect, have called forth a champion in defence of this lady. Of the letter of our correspondent it would be uncandid to speak in terms of dispraise, before it is submitted to the judgment of the reader; we may, however, remark that, after having giving this communication our best attention, it has failed to produce our "convincement.” examination, however, into which we have been led by the communication of our correspondent, J.F., has directed our steps into a more particular inquiry, concerning the principles and practices, the early history, and the present state of the society, to which this lady attaches herself; and of which, considering her public services as a leader and minister of the body, she may, in some measure, be regarded as the representative. This inquiry, it is anticipated, will be esteemed by the reader as more important, and less inviduous, than an examination merely of the public conduct of Mrs. Fry, which, however, we shall not fail to notice in due course; and, at the same time, if we shall succeed in proving the characteristics of her sect and faith to be, in a peculiar and especial degree, those of pride and high-mindedness-that such qualities are the natural results of Quakerism, and consequent upon the belief in its principles-we trust we shall not be deemed to have been wholly in error, in not regarding the case of Mrs. Fry as an exception to the rule which is so applicable to all the sect besides.. This case, then, we propose to establish by an examination

The

FIRST, Of the principles, practices, and early history of the society of Friends; and

SECONDLY, By a comparison of these with their present spirit and proceedings; and with the principles and precepts of Christianity.*

We do not purpose, indeed, to adhere strictly to the division of the subject now laid down, as the reader will readily perceive that our inquiry is one of a mixed and general character; for the sake of distinctness, however, we shall endeavour to classify our observations as much under the above heads as is consistent with a free and popular investigation of our subject.

In an age abounding in fanaticism-and presenting, not less from its political turbulence, than from its religious extravagance, a marked and peculiar epoch in the history of our country the Quakers first appeared in England. Singular as their principles and professions may now to us appear they were not more fanatical at the date of their first dawning than many other sects of visionaries who, at that time, disputed with them the palm of public folly, but which sects soon became extinct; whilst their scattered fragments served as the materials which were afterwards worked into, and tended to complete the superstructure of Quakerism. Speaking of the Separatists from the establishment, in the year 1646, Neale says-" Mr. Baxter mentions "Independents, Anabaptists, Antinomians, as the chief separatists; to whom he adds some other names, as Seekers, Ranters, Beheminists, Vanists, all which died in their "infancy, or united with the people afterwards known by "the name of Quakers."-History of the Puritans, p. 252.

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Besides these many of the miserable fanatics of Cromwell's army served, afterwards, to swell the train of the new sect; possessing, as they did, the convenient capability of being converted without the necessity of being changed. From the days of ORIGEN to those of GEORGE FOX the fatal principle has, to a greater or less extent, prevailed of mystifying the plain doctrines of the gospel. That distinguishing feature of Quakerism, the doctrine of the inward light, is but a modification of the mystic theology, which was imported direct from heathenism, and was known in the schools by the name of modern Platonism. The Quakers, therefore,

* In this division of our inquiry it is intended to insert the letter of our correspondent in defence of Mrs. Fry, and to exhibit the folly (however specious they may appear) of her "labours of love," among the heroines of the Newgate Calendar.

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