And when I consider what multitudes he has dragged,—according to your faith,—dragged down with him, my gushing heart can but sympathize in the question of the simplest child of nature, Why not God kill Debbil?

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But still you will, perhaps, seek relief from the terrible absurdity of your orthodox position, by reaffirming that God the Father did not create "that evil one" a devil, but that he has made a devil of himself. Be it so. And what relief is gained? Evidently none at all; for, first, no Philistine chance has happened to the Deity.* The devil is only the being that God foreknew or foreordained in his creation. And, second, if the question why God created him were satisfactorily disposed of, the question why he lets him run, have free course, and glorify himself in hell, by dragging others down into it by millions, still remains unanswered, or answered only with a glaring absurdity.

But I must say only two or three things more relative to this satanic matter. And

First, we know that God so loved all the individuals of the human race, that he gave his Son "a ransom for all, to be testified in due time," according to the Scriptures. And,

Second, you, through your creed, virtually affirm that God created the mighty being, called "the Devil," let him loose, and now sustains him in work*See Appendix.

ing the endless ruin of the responsible masses whom he gave his Son to save ;--so out-generaling the Son of God that, while the latter, by the mightiest exertions of his love, succeeds in winning only "here and there a traveller," into the "narrow way" to everlasting life, the former succeeds in perpetually thronging, with his captives, the broad way to the black caverns of endless woe! And

Third, when asked how you will dispose of the dreadful absurdity here involved, you will say-I know not what. But for ourselves, we see no way of disposing of it, and feel bound to look, with not a little suspicion, upon whatever system of theology involves it. Such system, however time-honored, and however sanctioned by majorities, and by great and worthy names, should, to say the least, be accepted only after the most thorough examination, and under evidence the clearest and most direct from God. But every absurdity must stand or fall, be taken or left, with the creed that involves it. they twain are one." What God has naturally joined together, let no man attempt to put asunder. The Devil must be taken for better or worse, with anything whatsoever in which he dwells, or the thing itself be rejected.

Yours truly.

"For

LETTER XVI.

THIRD ABSURDITY,-INFANTS SAVED, ADULTS

LOST.

Bible, the standard, how read without profit. Third Absurdity, Infants saved, Adults lost-Infant Damnation passed by-Few Adults regenerated-We may know who are lost, as well as who are saved-Absurdity dreadful-The Slave Mother-InfanticideTruthful Illustration, but dreadful-The Infanticide and her Pastor-Illustration Tame-Mother's Dilemma-Don't turn away Brother-Dreadful Prayer-Heathen Infanticide--Mother's Prayer the Greatest Curse ! !-Earnest Question-Why not arranged to save all in Infancy-To live, perils everything-Objection, an Absurdity-Parents stronger than God-Parents responsible for the Child's present Condition-No Apology for Strong Language.

DEAR BROTHER,

While we agree that the Scriptures are the ultimate standard of theological appeal, I think we shall also agree, that he who comes to them under the influence of strong prejudice stands but a poor chance for the truth. For the spirit with which he enters them will pioneer for him a sectarian way, dividing the texts before him, attracting these and repelling those, till what remains, to his mind, of the sacred word is certain to confirm him in his peculiar views,-till, covered all over with the texts which

his idiosyncrasies have attracted, and forgetting all the rest, he becomes doubly sure that his views are right. I am, therefore, anxious that our discussion should reach the Scriptures rightly rather than hastily; and, consequently, must delay you yet a while, with the discussion of the absurdities involved in the faith which your prejudices all favor. For it is only when one's mind is in a condition to say, "I may be wrong," that he can hope to profit from any doctrinal discussion, however scriptural. But we proceed to say

Thirdly, that the popular creed implies that it is only at the most appalling hazard, that a human being survives its infancy on earth ;-that, for it to die in infancy is to make its eternal salvation sure; whereas, for it to live to the age of accountability on earth, is to be exposed to endless woe, and, probably, to make that woe sure. And this, also, seems to me an absurdity.

We say, nothing, here, of the once prevalent doctrine of infant damnation, a doctrine which, a few years ago, it was heresy to disbelieve, and which has yet been dead hardly long enough to warrant safe burial! That shall pass for the present, with only the passing remark, that, we think its death forestalls the death of the entire class of dogma to which it belongs; and that, to us the question of the prevalence of better doctrine, is

only one of time. It is enough for our purpose here, to say that, whatever may be the logical limits of any modern creeds, the salvation of infants is now practically regarded as secure, afflicted parents are now everywhere taught to dry their tears on the funeral of their infant offspring, under the comforting assurance, that the flower that bloomed so sweetly upon their bosom for a day, withered, not that it should die, but only in process of transplantation to more genial skies.

Infants then are saved all saved. So says the church with one common voice. To affirm the con

trary, were to shock the ear of Christian civilization, even as, not many years hence, we think it will be shook by any affirmation that this life, so passionate, ignorant, and short, is to prove the anteroom to endless death, to multitudes of children larger grown.

Infants then are saved. And if the half and more, who breathe the vital air, die in infancy, then so many are saved,- saved, certainly and necessarily; and that, too, without the least possible spiritual peril or exposure. And thus, a great host is being gathered from earth into heaven, without any earthly probation at all. Such is the faith of the church to-day.

And now let us turn and look at the other half of our race, that portion of it, which by dint of