Take this away, and we are in a maze of uncertainty. Every man's whim will be his guide."*

I do not question the perfect sincerity of those who reason thus,―though I think their fears for the stability of religion are altogether premature and unfounded. No doubt, from their stand-point, and to their vision, the prospect appears as dubious as they represent it. But I wish to inquire, if the various sects have not always been and are not now "in a maze of uncertainty,' notwithstanding all their "reverence for the Bible"! Does not each religious party, from the Roman Catholics down to the Mormons, bend and twist the Bible to suit the shape of its own creed? How is it possible for the religious world to be in a much less harmonious state than it is now? How much worse is it for every man to be guided by his own "whim," than for the mass of the people to be directed by the whims of the priesthood?

"Who with another's eye can read,
Or worship by another's creed?
Revering God's command alone,
We humbly seek and use our own.”

Our own "whim," if you please to call it such;—although to us, it is the dictate of conscience, the conviction of our reason.

But I have no wish to "take away" the Bible. I only plead that it may be read discriminatingly, with the mind unfettered;-for, like the world in which we live, it contains the good, the bad, and the indifferent.

*Trumpet and Universalist Magazine, of August 8th, 1846.

I simply desire that we may all use it, "as not abusing it." Then, in view of its wisdom and philanthropy, its heavenly precepts and its devotional spirit, its instructive parables and eventful records of the toils and triumphs of progressive humanity,—and with a full and intelligent appreciation of all other real excellencies it may contain, we shall heartily respond to the sentiment of the amiable Leggett:

"This single book I'd rather own
Than all the gold and gems,
That e'er in monarch's coffers shone,
Than all their diadems;

Nay, were the seas one chrysolite,
The earth a golden ball,

And diamonds all the stars of night,

This book were worth them all."

I rejoice at the movement which has recently been made, by the Salem Bible Society, for the more thorough distribution of this book in our immediate vicinity. The more diligently the Bible is read, in the spirit of candor, and with the single purpose of gaining a knowledge of truth, the more rational will be the estimate of its value. A superstitious and indiscriminate veneration for its entire contents, on the one hand; and an unfair depreciation of its real worth, on the other, will alike be avoided.

Not always have the common people, even in so-called Christian countries, had the privilege of reading this volume, and of exercising their judgment in regard to its meaning. The time was when they were prevented, by the civil authorities, from catching even a glimpse of

its pages. It was contended that the right of reading and interpreting it, was the especial prerogative of the clergy. And all efforts to diffuse a knowledge of its contents abroad among the people, were looked upon with extreme jealousy. When the reformer, Wickliffe, in the fourteenth century, made his translation of the Bible, he was most violently opposed by the priesthood. It is said that one Henry Knighton, a canon of Leices ter, thus bitterly complained of him:

"This Master John Wickliff translated out of Latin into English, the gospel, which Christ had intrusted with the clergy and doctors of the church, that they might minister it to the laity and weaker sort, according to the exigency of the times and their several occasions. So that by this means, the gospel was made vulgar, and laid more open to the laity, and even to women who could read, than it used to be to the most learned of the clergy, and those of the best understanding. And so the gospel jewel, or evangelical pearl, was thrown about and trodden under foot of swine."

The same distrust of the people which is evinced in this extract, and the same fear of the general diffusion of knowledge, was manifested at a much later period. In 1671, Sir William Berkley, one of the early settlers of Virginia, thus expressed himself, upon this subject:

"I thank God there are no free schools nor printing; and I hope we shall not have, these hundred years: for learning has brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects

into the world; and printing has divulged them and libels against the government. God keep us from both!"

From some expressions that are employed, even at this late day, one might almost be justified in drawing the inference, that certain rabbis of the Church are afraid now to entrust knowledge in the hands of the common people. At least, they manifest some alarm, if one attempts to point out the origin of the several writings composing the Bible. If they have any ra tional ground for believing that all the scriptures are veritably divine and authentic, and if they have unwavering confidence in the power of Truth to sustain herself, why should they harbor the least apprehension for her stability? As well may we fear that the tiny finger of an infant, one day old, will topple down the monument on Bunker's Hill, as to apprehend that inquiry will endanger the permanence of Truth.

With a few words more, this Course of Lectures will terminate. To the audience who have throughout lis tened so patiently, I tender the expression of my sincere thanks. What I have presented is the result of considerable toil; but the respectful and candid attention you have given, from time to time, has rendered my labor exceedingly pleasant. He who knows all things will bear me witness, that my earnest and only desire has been, to promote the interests of Truth. And I trust this desire has, in some degree, been fulfilled.

When the venerable John Robinson bade farewell to our Puritan ancestors, as they embarked from Leyden, for this country, more than two hundred years since, he told them he felt confident that light was soon to break forth from GOD'S WORD. He was unable to conjecture precisely what it would be; but he felt the burning as surance that the light would appear. May the mantle of his trusting anticipation rest upon us, and fall, in turn, upon each coming generation!