gave that view of Nature, which says, All is good. Study, search, scrutinize, and nothing but new evidences of Divine Goodness shall be given you. Nature shall witness for God that, in all her departments, the Creator did only good. Thus has the Savior of man made science and philosophy new things. While men started on their investigations with the idea that Malignity had been at work in nature-that an Evil as well as a Good principle ruled there, they were satisfied with terrific and horrible conclusions; they expected nothing better, and the earthquake and the thunder were but the stamping of the foot of an offended God. When Christ set up the better idea-when he referred to Nature as expressive of goodness only, and the thunder was the voice of the approving Father, then began a new era of Natural Theology --a new era of Natural Science-a series of penetrations to the secrets of the elements, the discovery of beautiful harmonies, by which the world has been enriched; and lo! the lightning that once was the flash of an angry eye in the Heavens, bears now the message of love from distant Home to Home. "It may not," says a Christian writer, "be always distinctly observed by the philosopher that the great essential principle that lies at the foundation of all interesting knowledge, is the great central truth that God is love;' but how could he proceed in his investigations that are leading him through all the labyrinths of nature, if it were not for the conviction secretly working within him, that all is right, that all is well! How could he have the heart to pursue as he is penetrating into the mysteries, whether of rolling worlds or of vegetating atoms, if he felt that the system he was exploring was a system of boundless malevolence! He would stand aghast and powerless, at the thought. It would spread a shadow, darker than universal eclipse, over the splendor of heaven. 1. his way, It would endow every particle of earth with a principle of malignity, too awful for the hardiest philosophical scrutiny." -This writer might have shown that the admission of any degree of malignity in nature would just so far modify the interest, boldness and courage of the natural philosopher. The Pervading God is Pervading Love. Truth discovered is love discovered; and the glory of true philosophic scrutiny is, that it never dreams, Orville Dewey, D. D., Discourse 17, on 1 John iv. 16. that it never will dream, that out of any depth or from any height can be drawn an evidence of malignity in God-any thing expressive of final evil. This is God's witness. With pencils of light the sun paints it on space. The blazonry of the stars stud the heavens with it in words of fire. Streams to the sea repeat it; seas to the ocean, ocean to the Alps, and Alps on Alps lift the grandeur of this truth till angels take it and ring it from their myriad harps in eternal harmony. The Gospel is the echo of their song. And now what shall we as a Christian people of the most enlarged faith do? Shall we go on arguing the goodness of God as though the sun did not blaze it in the eyes of the world? or shall we assume it, and meet the argument against it as innocence meets the charge of fraud, or in the dignity of that silence which smiles at the impossibility of any body really believing the falsity. I will not criticise the wisdom of the Past. God is very merciful, and suffers good to be done in manifold ways. Even the idiot serves him, as where the pauper idiot stood gazing and pointing at the "Crystal Palace" with a look of gleeful mystery, sending many a one into that Museum of the World's Industry with a new thought of the blessings of Reason. What has been useful in the Past, in one place, may be useful now in another, in vindicating the discarded and scorned truth of God; but for many churches the way is plain-They should give culture to their own souls by the Truth they have received, and let its fruits answer the objector's subtleties. "Difficult passages must be treated," say you? I answer, Nature no less abounds with them than the Bible. "Difficult texts!" The Providence of God presents them as well as the Gospels. Difficulties afford the exercise by which the mind grows, as the sailor before the mast is cured of his near-sightedness by the perils before him, which he must see and of which he must cry to the helms-man. Difficulties exist in all systems of theology; from the nature of the case, there must be difficulties, for Religion belongs to the Infinite, and is a matter of faith, and what is Theology but the intellectual part of Religion? No man asks to have all difficulties explained and removed in reference to a science, a business project, a reform, before he consents to engage in it. Universalists have wasted a great deal of strength in preaching merely for outsiders, and neglecting in the mean time the culture of their own people. Outsiders imagine that the preacher is trying to convert his own people. The argument of this article is, We should assume the Goodness of God and build on that foundation. It is a benevolent maxim in common law, that a Man is to be supposed innocent till proved guilty. It is another benevolent maxim in law, that a prisoner is to have the benefit of a doubt rather than to be hung by it. It is also a maxim in common law, that it is better that the guilty should escape, than that the innocent should be punished. These are good maxims. They witness to the humanity of man. They have their root in moral goodness. They seem to say, It is easy to make accusations of wrong; and circumstances to the jealous eye may easily be made to speak the opposite of the truth; but to scrutinize and weigh evidence, to penetrate beyond the Seeming to the Real, is a more difficult, as it is a nobler work. It To aid our acceptance of these maxims of common sense and a common humanity, the Scriptures abound with teachings exalting the virtues of Charity-not that Charity can alter falsehood, or truth, but Charity has much to do with openness of heart to receive all the facts which are essential to a righteous decision. cultivates candor, impartiality, honesty. is what Paul refers to where he says, "Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth." This The Christian Church is earnest and eloquent in enforcing these duties of Charity on man towards man; but is there not an equal necessity for enforcing them in reference to man's disposition towards God? the spirit of criticism-the mode of interpreting Providence? Is God regarded as innocent of malignity in Nature and Providence till proved guilty? Does He have the benefit of a doubt? Does His general character in his Word, or Works, or Government, qualify the seeming character of single actions, words, events, phenomena ? Is the fundamental, all governing and all pervading idea in the method of reasoning, to make out the best rather than the worst, or to lean to goodness rather than to the conviction of malignity? No! and the radical and essential difference between that class of Christians who are styled Liberal, and those who take the name of Orthodox, is, that in the method of interpreting the Works, Word and Providence of God, the one grants the bene fit of the doubt, while the other denies it;-the one is ready to Acquit, the other to Condemn ;— the one declares that in the darkest time of Idolatry, God left not himself without witness, but showed his goodness by doing good, by fruitful seasons, by food, and by gladness of heart in the receivers of food,-while the other magnifies whatever it sees of the terrific, and, with the iron sternness of a Cromwell, demands not only that we paint the mole on the face we picture of Providence, but make it prominent there. Man is treated by both methods of reasoning after the manner of the treatment bestowed on Nature and Providence. The one maintains the greatness and dignity of a human soul; that by virtue of its origin, it is great; and follows man along the whole path of his life, enters into all the circuitous windings of his moral wanderings and returnings, and admits whatever of goodness is seen, however inferior its quality or august its nobility; but the other settles on the idea of the innate and entire depravity of man, knows nothing of any thing good in him till he is regenerated, and thus sharply divides the world into two classes, the Saints and the Sinners; the Church and the World; the Heirs of Glory, and the Doomed to Perdition. We now assume that the method of the Liberal Christian, in both branches of the Liberal Church, is right; and that the method of his Opponent is wrong. We assume it, on the common ground of honesty and candor, of fairness and justice, of decent respect for another's rights. On the ground, that God should be treated as well as we treat man. Again: In discussing the great question concerning the continuance or endlessness of Punishment, we are told it is wrong for us to attempt to decide what amount of punishment God can rightfully annex to sin, because we have no means of judging the extent of the evil of sin. This is said in support of the argument for endless punishment. Here again we meet the same disposition to assume the worst. If we have no means of settling the extent of the evil of sin, why decide that it must be extensive enough to merit endless punishment? Is it not just as reasonable for one disposed to give God the benefit of a doubt to form an opposite decision? If the latter be an assumption, it is no more so than the former. But aid is obtained to fortify the worst decision by asserting that the Bible speaks of "Everlasting Punishment," and that ought to settle the question. Here is but an assumption. That the Bible-the English Bible-speaks of "Everlasting Punishment"-that such a phrase is once found in the Bible-we admit; and so is the phrase thus rendered found in the writings of the early Greek fathers who were Universalists. What then? Are we to assume that where we read the phrase "everlasting punishment," the Savior meant by the words thus rendered, endless perpetuation in torment, and thus make him contradict the great principles he set up concerning the Fatherly Providence of God? Such an assumption is no worse than would be the folly of declaring that Origen meant endless punishment where he speaks of aionion punishment; and thus he be made, by that one expression, to contradict the great doctrine of the Restoration which alone prevented his name being enrolled in the calendar of Saints. The things Things existed before Words. must qualify the meaning of words; just as unquenchable may be applied to love, and mean that love shall exist forever; or to chaff on fire on the mountain top, in the strong wind, and mean that the fire is inextinguishable, though it I will continue but a few moments. A word of duration applied to spiritual life and to punishment, has altogether different qualifications attached to it; for the life has a self-perpetuating existence, but the other is a discipline applied for a certain end, which end is the production of "the peaceable fruits of righteousness" by those exercised by the punishment. If one of the Roman Popes did, as Howard records in his Travels, sculpture over the gates of a prison in Rome Latin words equivalent to, "It is of no use to punish men, unless you reform them," let us, that God may be as good to our apprehension as that Pope, assume that it cannot be that in the vast universe, in any realm of existence, there is a prison of God for sinners, with a less benevolent motto than Howard read at Rome. He that made us, hath not left himself without witness to aid us to strengthen ourselves in such a reverential assumption. One of our own writers has very lately said, "A Christian mind should assume that the system of faith which furnishes the most inspiring conception of God, and which rejoices over every new resolution of moral mystery, and every disclosure of merciful purpose in his rule,—even though it is seemingly contradicted by some remaining features of his economy,-is most worthy of confidence." 1 A well spoken truth is p. 404. 1 Rev. T. S. King, Univ. Quar. vol. 8, that! What can be said against it? Will it be said, that man wishes to believe the best for his comfort, and what we wish to be true, we half believe, because of the wish? I answer, this fact in our moral nature opens a study for the Philosopher and Christian. What means this thirst for happiness, this inclination to stretch for the good, this inclination to have faith in the best, that is not abandoned till the mind is educated to fear? Why, the very divine from whom I quoted a while ago the eloquent passage on the belief in the inherent good of all things, inspiring the Philosopher to pursue his researches, declares the assumption that in reference to the extent or duration of punishment, it is best for a man to fear all he can fear. "I maintain that a man should fear all that he can," he says. He italicises the expression as I have quoted it. 1 What does this do but set up, in reference to the Moral Universe, a principle of interpretation opposite to that which he granted to the Philosopher who studies the Material Universe? Suppose this principle of Fear was the Natural Philosopher's spirit, would it not palsy his best powers, distract his mind, make him superstitious and needlessly distrustful of the witnesses of his Creator's love? As God lives and reigns, it is safest, every where and always, to assume the best. By this our hearts shall be won the more to him. New springs of affection are opened by believing more, not less, in the love of a friend-O it is just as true of affection toward God. Groping jealousy,-fearful, trembling suspicion! what can they do in the work of discovering God! No! with a free thought, an unshackled love, we must walk abroad amid the domains of the Highest, ready to congratulate ourselves on the discovery of some new witness of the Father of lights, from whom cometh every good and every perfect gift, and who is unchangeable in the spirit of his administration—“ with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Philadelphia, Pa. HENRY BACON. 1 Discourses and Discussions, p. 168. "I CAN speak it from experience," says the celebrated Erasmus, "that there is little benefit to be derived from the Scriptures, if they be read curiously or carelessly; but if a man exercise himself therein constantly and conscientiously, he will find such an efficacy in them as is not to be found in any other book whatsoever." FLOWER LANGUAGE. FIREWEED. Senecio obovatus-Class xvii, Order ii. Flowers in July-yellow-springs up after fire has run over the ground, hence its common name, fireweed. Language-WOUNDED LOVE AND PRIDE. Go falsest one! Life's keenest pain Thy heart has dealt to mine; Yet never will I wear thy chain, Or weakly, vainly pine; No! though each tortured fibre shrink A power of which thou dost not think, No more! no more! our happy past I scorn the love that could not last- A cold contempt I cannot shun Comes with each thought of thee. dure any thing rather than to appear what she was not. Her help lies in conforming appearance to the demands of her changed circumstances, and if such honesty affects her position, she will learn how to estimate the social favor that depend rather on showy clothes and furniture, than on sterling qualities of character." "Ladies, please let me help you in your discussion by reading a story," said our gallant beau, taking up an English work. He read the following story, which I send to you, with the hope that it may do good to others as it certainly has done here. We were talking of Mary Howard, and she is proving herself equal to the Mary Freeman of the story. "A FEW years ago-so few, that the youthful actors of that day are only now entering on the summer of life-I chanced to be intimately connected with two families, the heads of which were connected by the close band of commercial partnership. They had been brought up in ease and luxury, or, as the world afterwards said, extravagantly; for the day of reverses came, and either from unfortunate speculations, or some of the thousand causes by which we are told the intricate wheels of business may be clogged, the firm of Freeman and Sanders, which had stood for two generations in proud security and unblemished repute, bent its head to the dust in acknowledged bankruptcy. The senior partner, Mr. Freeman, died, it was said, of grief and shame, within three months from the period of this catastrophe; and thus were his children and their mother deprived of a stay and protector in the very hour of their extremest need. The scene and circumstances were those, alas! but too common in real life, but over which pride drops so thick a veil, that strangers seldom penetrate behind it-a scene and circumstances so gloomy of aspect, that the writer of fiction shrinks from making the world familiar with their details, while the moralist sighs and doubts how it were wisest to deal with them. "No one seemed to have observed that there was any thing remarkable about the eldest daughter, Mary Freeman, who was then about nineteen years of age. Neither tall nor short, nor handsome nor plain; neither particularly gay, nor, on the other hand, given to melancholy, the slanderers of women who believe in Pope would have been likely enough to pronounce her one with no character at all.' If any thing had been noticed of her, it was, that she was quiet and lady-like, and a great reader. We shall see what had been the moulding of quiet reflection and judicious reading, added to the early impressions made by a truthful and high-minded mother. I was in the house in those sad hours when the dead lay unburied, and the distressing details consequent on death pressed heavily on the living, and seemed, as they always do, to clash rudely and profanely on their aching hearts. Here, too, and at this hour, cowered Poverty in one of its darkest forms. The widow, blinded with heart-wrung tears, lay exhausted in a room apart. On Mary devolved all cares, all responsibility. She knew that the very furniture of the house belonged to her father's creditors; and she knew that the means in her mother's hands would not suffice a month for the family's support. She was very pale, and a dark circle round the eyes showed that she had wept bitterly; but she was calm now, and gave her orders with distinctness and composure. The draper had brought mourning habiliments for her selection. "This is too good,' said Mary quietly, putting on one side some articles he had displayed before her. The tradesman looked surprised, and said something about seldom supplying ladies with goods inferior to those. We cannot afford so high a price,' continued Mary in a manner unmistakeably different from the affectation with which the wealthy sometimes talk of their means; and she chose the very cheapest articles which would combine durability with economy. A peculiar expression passed over the draper's face. If I read it aright, it half arose from pity for the fallen family, and half from a sudden conviction that at any rate he should be paid immediately or certainly for his goods, having doubtless remarked that dangerous customers always endeavor to keep up appearances. Mary Freeman had acted from her own instinctive love of truth and justice; she knew not then that she had already made her first stand against the despot Poverty-combatted with him hand to hand. Boldly to say, 'I cannot afford,' is the true way to keep him at bay. "Mary Freeman appeared to possess nothing of what is called worldly wisdom; and yet her position was one which worldly people would have said required a great deal of worldly policy to guide her; and she really had only great simplicity of character, the power of distinguishing between right and wrong, and the habit of always and promptly deciding on the former line of conduct. So completely had the mother been spirit-crushed by adverse fortune, that the man agement of affairs was silently, yet as a matter of course, ceded to Mary. She was well educa ted and accomplished, and every way competent to be an instructress; her sister, two years her junior, was a fine musician, and she calculated that if both could obtain pupils, they should be able to support their mother, certainly to maintain her above want, though not to procure her the luxuries to which she had been accustomed. A cheap lodging was taken, and the creditors, admiring the energy and right-mindedness the young girl was displaying, permitted her to remove, before the sale, sufficient necessaries to furnish their new abode. A situation of a very humble class offered for her young brother. Take it, Harry,' she advised; you cannot afford to remain idle; anything is better than that. If they find you attentive, and superior to this occupation, your employers will promote you to something better-at any rate take it, until something more advantageous appears.' And while these young people are buffeting the world bravely and wisely, let us turn to the Sanders family, who, seeking to retrieve their fortunes, were pursuing a very opposite course. "We must keep up appearances,' was the text from which a silly woman was perpetually preaching; and when her husband had the weakness to yield to her persuasions, it was not to be expected that her sons and daughters should see the error and folly of their course. Soon after the failure, Mr. Sanders had obtained a situation as superior clerk in a mercantile house. Proper ly managed, his income, howeyer inferior to that which they had formerly spent, might have sup ported his wife and the two young children in real respectability and independence; and had the elder son and daughter, who were about the ages of Mary and Fanny Freeman, been taught to contribute to the general stock, the inconveniences of which, to their intimate friends, they so bitterly complained, would surely have been removed. But no: a really excellent situation might have been procured for George Sanders; but, alas! it was in a retail establishment, and his mother would not listen to such a falling off from the dignity of the family. It would be the ruin of him,' she exclaimed; how could he show himself in genteel society known that he might be seen serving behind a counter? He could not escort his sister to evening parties if he were chained to business three nights a-week; and if Clara did not "go into society," what, poor girl, would become of her? It was not giving her a chance.' The chance when it was |