nothing, in short, by which the full and proper meaning of any written composition is gained, can avail to relieve the passage from the difficulties you suppose. I have never heard you advance one yet, but what I felt sure, that if you would only give me your time and attention, I could convince you that the difficulty arose simply from want, on your part, of knowledge of some circumstances not known, or not taken into consideration, that so modified the meaning, or explained the supposed inconsistency, as to relieve the difficulty.

And I would here suggest one consideration, and that is, that almost all the difficulties urged by infidels against the Bible, relate to matters of little importance, as it respects practical individual interest. If a man wishes to know what he must do to secure eternal life, and to be most useful and happy in this world, he does not encounter all these difficulties in regard to interpretation that demand such learning, reasoning, and investigation. It is only those men who are determined to prove falsehoods, inconsistencies, and absurdities, in the Bible, and those advocates of christianity who must meet these attacks, that demand such an array of knowledge and skill. To the plain and honest mind, sincerely seeking for the path of duty and the way to heaven, the Bible is so plain and simple, that “he that runneth may read, and the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err."

I will conclude by urging upon you what I am

sure, with my present views, you will think, as a friend and a Christian, I am bound to urge. Will you now, without delay, enter upon those investigations that are to decide your eternal happiness, with the same energy and diligence that you give to your professional duties?

Let me suggest what it seems to me is the only fair and safe method for you to take.

It is a practical question. You are to act hereafter on the assumption, either that christianity is true, or that it is false. Of course you are to ascertain which of these positions has the balance of evidence in its favor; which has the most proof, and involves the fewest difficultes.

To do this properly you ought, in the first place, to secure all the positive evidence you can reach, in favor of christianity. Then seek all the difficulties and objections, and fairly investigate how far they are owing to ignorance on your part, and how far they are insuperable, unanswerable objections. This last demands much research, the aid of learned men, and many books, especially if you are determined that you will not allow the claims of the Bible till every possible difficulty of every kind is met and removed.

When this is done, one half is accomplished. Then take the other half, and first find out how much positive evidence you have that the Bible is not a divine authoritative revelation.

Then collect all the difficulties that occur on the supposition that the Bible is false. These are all

arranged under one of two necessary suppositions. For if the Bible is false, it was written by wicked men who intended to deceive, or by men who through ignorance, or misjudgment, or fanaticism, were duped themselves, and tried to dupe others. To judge of this matter fairly, read all the absurdities involved by either supposition, as you find them presented by the defenders of christianity, and above all, read the Bible through, and see what you can make of it, and how many difficulties you can find, on the supposition that the writers were either knaves or dupes.

When you have done all this, then, and not till then, you are fitted to decide whether you may take the dangerous side of a question on which eternity is suspended. And in forming a practical decision, you are bound to act on the maxims of safety and honesty which regulate your decisions in all other matters; you are bound to take the side which has the balance of evidence in its favor, and the one that involves the least risk.

If you refuse to take this course, from aversion, or indolence, or pride of opinion, or unwillingness to assume the duties that christianity urges, can you ever hereafter honestly maintain that the control of your belief is not in your power, or that you are an infidel because there is not evidence enough of the truth of christianity to secure your belief? Will you not go through life with the secret, ever recurring uneasiness of a guilty conscience, and the sad forbodings of evil to come, when your transitory days of probation are past?

Oh that you could but for one day, know the peace, the happiness, the blessed hopes from which you turn away, for then arguments would be needed no more!

Your friend, &c.

LETTER VI.

(TO ANOTHER PERSON.)

MY DEAR SIR:

In regard to the subject of our late conversation, it seems to me your difficulties all resolve themselves into this short statement. "I have examined the evidences of christianity, and they do not produce conviction; and if it were established as a divine revelation, there are thousands of opinions as to what it teaches, so that no one can tell which is right, while at the same time it contains some things so contrary to my reason that I cannot believe it."

In regard to the first part of the statement, that you have examined the evidences of christianity, and they do not produce conviction, I would say that it appears to me, that the great difficulty arises from a habit of thinking of christianity as a merely speculative question, where the thing involved is simply what you shall believe, and not what you shall do; whereas in reality it is a practical question, where every man is necessarily obliged to