place of peace and rest, before they fell into the same errors of a persecuting spirit. Even the tender and delicate female who promulgated our doctrine in the eastern part of this country, after suffering various other indignities, was finally put to the ignominious death of the gallows. We who live in the nineteenth century, when we reflect on these things, are ready at once to condemn them. How easy it is for us to say, had I been an inhabitant of the town of Boston at that day, I would have had nothing to do with that bloody act. But have we fully searched our own hearts? have we ascertained by faithful examination that there is no root of bitterness in our souls, and that if we possessed the secular power we would not fall into the same steps with those who have gone before us. Let us beware that we do not fall into the same errors, and come under the influence of the same spirit. With all our plain reasonings that we would not have partaken of the guilt of our fathers; and although like the Scribes and Pharisees we should disfigure our faces to appear unto men to fast, yet unless we divest ourselves of their spirit, we shall become liable to their condemnation. Bear with me, my brethren, in the plainness of my speech. Let us search deep into our hearts, and not deceive ourselves.

sess.

It is one thing to profess, and another to posLike the Scribes and Pharisees we may think that we have been doing God service; but the test is, have we been divested of every thing that would be evil to a brother or sister. These are they who commit the unpardonable sin, when they profess to be actuated by the love, and to be guided by the precepts of Christ, and do nevertheless cherish the spirit of envy, malice, hatred, and persecution. Christ did not say ye shall be known as my disciples by your faith and opinions; but by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye love one another. As this proposition is true, so vice versa, will the reverse of it be equally true, if ye hate one another, then are ye the children of the devil. By their fruits shall ye know them. I say again, be not deceived my dear little children, for this is a plain and simple doctrine, and cannot be misunderstood. It is by the works of kindness and brotherly love that ye have testimony of the spirit that is within you. And one of the highest evidences of that spirit of love is, that ye strive to reclaim a brother or sister from falling into error. They are equally near to the great Father of the universe with ourselves, and we shall manifest the spirit we are of, when we labour to bring them out of the horrible pit,

and out of the miry clay.

I appeal to you my

dear brethren and sisters, when you were met by the way and brought from the depths of humility thankfully to adore the God of your salvation, whether it was not the first impulse of your hearts, and a joyful relief to your kind souls to pray for them and their everlasting welfare. The language of your souls to God for them was, O, bring them back to thy holy hill. It is by thus going back to the days of our visitation, and comparing our feelings at that time with the present, that we are enabled to learn, in some measure, what spirit we are of. When we are truly influenced by the spirit of God we cannot indulge a spirit of persecution. The true Christian feeling will induce us, should a brother or sister fall into sin, to try to reclaim them in a spirit of meekness. Nor is it only from the commission of unlawful deeds that we should endeavour to restrain them. Iniquity may proceed from the mouth as well as the hands. That man or woman who bridleth not their tongues deceive their own heart, and their religion is ruin; and those who in caucuses and parties inquire and speak evil of each other are liable to the epithet of serpents -ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell. When our blessed Saviour called them serpents, we are not to understand

it in its literal and outward meaning as snakes, but it was used as an emblem to describe them by an apt figure, thereby to represent their true nature. The serpent is a sly, cunning and subtle animal-be creeps upon you unawares and has even the faculty of deceiving the little innocent birds. In like manner they of whom Christ speaks as serpents deceive those who place confidence in them. I repeat it therefore againlittle children let no man deceive you he that doeth righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous; but he that committeth sin is of the devil. This is the doctrine, of the scriptures, and you will think of it for yourselves. The new testament I consider to be a great blessing. It is an invaluable treasure, as an outward and secondary rule, especially to youth, particularly that part of it which shows forth the example and precepts of our Saviour; and in it, those who are older may see and examine whether or not they follow after the pattern of the blessed Saviour of the world. It will show us what our condition really is, if we are honest, and bring our conduct to this test, and those who profess to love Christ and who act so inconsistently with their profession as to seek the destruction of a brother or sister in holy fellowship, may know that they come within the scripture meaning of

the term vipers. Think not that I am about to speak lightly of the scriptures-I esteem them highly, but I have no idea of putting the letter above the spirit. Nor do I believe that by sending the bible abroad among the nations of the earth that the cause of religion will be so much advanced as many seem to suppose. I do not believe that God will reject from his presence and favour six hundred millions of intelligent creatures, only because they have no knowledge of the bible. How illiberal and degrading it must be to think that he has left them without a witness! I dare not suppose that he has blessed me above myriads of other intelligent beings who have not the scriptures. All the creatures of his power are near and dear to him. I have no doubt that the scriptures are a blessed corroboration of the witness. They have thrown a stream of light where before there was great moral darkness;-but I have no doubt that there are thousands who are now under the influence and blessing of his adorable love who have never seen them. Peter bore memorable broke forth when the

testimony to this as he

Holy Ghost fell on the family of the centurion, and said "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: : but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is