only as suggestive of enquiry, they deeply involve what is radical and controlling in all religions,--the character of God! You will not put them aside lightly. An angel may be in the wayfarer! a son of God in the Nazarene !

Yours truly.

LETTER VIII.

GREAT MINDS IN TROUBLE-BARNES.

Great minds most troubled with ugly dogmas-Sad case- -Quotation from Barnes' commentary-Quotation from his published sermons -The contrast between the two-His anguish-Cause of it, particulars noted-Reasoners for endless punishment rebuked-Barnes' difficulties not only "real," but vitally practical-Their removal leaves but Universalism-Beauty of the plan of salvation, unseen -Plan of damnation, rather-Strength of the language of Barnes' confession-General restlessness among the intelligent clergy-In

tances.

Postscript.- Stuart's difficulty - Experiences suppresed · Quotation from Edward Beecher, with comment-Quotation from Channing-Foster-Bad for a child to lose its father, yet is there something worse-Relief of indifference.

DEAR BROTHER,—

It is by no means peculiar to weak and uneducated holders of your creed, to find very serious trouble with it. Not with the reason and affection of such persons does it make its chief havoc, but the contrary. This I will now attempt to show, by certain references, preparatory to which, I here introduce the following sad occurrence.

"Oh, if I could believe as you do, I should be one

of the happiest men on earth." So said a Christian lawyer, a few months ago, to one of his legal brethren, who vainly tried to raise him from a state of deep melancholy, by presenting him with a more cheerful faith. He was, by the common verdict of his fellow citizens, and of his church, an excellent and devout Christian, and yet he was wretched; for he not only believed in endless misery, but his creed was, to him, as it should be to every holder, like a living reality. Its contemplation overwhelmed him, reason reeled under the weight of it,

"And frantic driven,

He dreamed himself in hell and woke in heaven. "

He died a suicide, and yet his memory was justly blessed. And, indeed, was it not to his credit, that his mind broke down? What mind, not stiffened up by the most rigid theological stoicism, but must break down before the open full contemplation of the multitudes of fellow-beings actually in endless woe or descending into it. O, there is no estimating the strength of that mind and heart, that can, intelligently sustain the weight of its pressure. To sustain it merely nominally, as many do, (that is to say, not to sustain it at all), is indeed a small thing. And yet, if we take Christian consistency into the account, not very small, either, in the eyes of Him, to whom such consistency is a jewel, though it lie in the coffin of a suicide, and Christian inconsistency, but rottenness, though it stalk an angel.

I will delay you no further upon this illustratration of the workings of your creed. But, occurring as it did, in my own immediate neighborhood, it deeply impressed my mind. I know not whether it will yours. Give it what weight you please.

We now come more directly to our present task, which is, to establish the proposition at the head of this letter. And our first witness shall be a man whose ripeness as a scholar, and profoundness as a theologian, are beyond question, and whose excellent commentaries are widely circulated;-I mean the Rev. Albert Barnes. Nor is he here referred to, to impeach his integrity, but rather, incidentally, to endorse it. And if, under cross-examination, he appear inconsistent, it will not compromise his character, but only show the struggle of a good heart with an impracticable creed. His case, though often before the public, we never have seen examined with the fulness it deserves.

And that we may the better accomplish our design in referring to so worthy a man, let us first ponder the following excellent extract from his commentary:

"The effect of religion, or, of the influence of the Holy Spirit, is to open the eyes, to show the sinner his condition and his danger, and to lead him to look on Him whom he had pierced. Yet, at first he sees

indistinctly. He does not soon learn to distinguish objects. When converted, he is in a new world. Light is shed on every object, and he sees the Scriptures, the Saviour, and the works of creations, the sun and stars and hills and vales, in a new light. He sees the beauty of the plan of salvation, and wonders that he has not seen it before. Yet he sees at first indistinctly. It is only by repeated applications to the Source of light, that he sees all things clearly. At first religion may appear full of mysteries. Doctrines and facts appear on every hand, that he cannot comprehend. His mind is still perplexed, and he may doubt whether he has ever seen aught or ever been renewed. Yet let him not despair. Light in due time, will be shed on these obscure and mysterious truths. Faithful and repeated application to the Father of Lights, in prayer, and in searching the Scriptures, and in the ordinances of religion, will dissipate all these doubts, and he will see all things clearly, and the universe will be filled with one broad flood of light.

These are true words,-excellent words,-"apples of gold in pictures of silver;" well calculated to guard the young Christian, perplexed with difficulties, against faint-heartedness and despair. None who rightly studies the sacred Scriptures, and keeps his conscience clean, but shall find them true. But

Com. vol. I., p. 180.