troduction to the study of the Old Testament; and this was produced by an inspired writer. The idea which we have thus suggested is almost the exact counterpart of that entertained by German writers of Introductions. By means of that philosophic idealism in which they rejoice, and that higher criticism of which they boast, they imagine that they can apprehend or comprehend the subject of any portion of the Sacred Scriptures at least as well as did the inspired writer. Their intuition, as they term it, is at least equal to his inspiration. Or rather, intuition and inspiration are identical; and it is perfectly possible for a German intuitionalist to ascend to higher spiritual or ideal elevation than did the apostle, and from that transcendant altitude to detect and expose the errors unperceived by his narrower range of vision. Every well-informed and intelligent reader will readily perceive that this German idealism is, at the best, a spurious semblance of a precious and true principle. Spiritual truths are spiritually discerned, and not otherwise. There must be a measure of spiritual enlightenment within the mind before a spiritual truth can be rightly apprehended. Where that spiritual enlightenment exists, the spiritual truth will be apprehended almost inevitably and at once, by what might be called intuitive spiritual perception, for want of a better term. This implies an identity between the truth in the mind and the truth shown to the mind; but it does not imply that the mind itself produced that truth, either in its objective or in its subjective aspect-it does not imply that the mind of man produced either the object seen by his eye, or the eye that sees the object. But the German idealist, or intuitionalist, persuades himself that his lofty and profound consciousness enables him to command the position of the apostle, and to see not only all that the apostle saw, but all that he ought to have seen, to explain what he has misunderstood, and to correct his errors and mistakes. There may be something fascinating to some minds in the boldness and presumption characteristic of many German writers; but it does not require much penetration to perceive that they must be very unsafe guides to youthful inquirers. The effect upon young minds would be absolutely ridiculous, as we have sometimes felt, were it not so truly deplorable. Nothing can be more absurd than the lucubrations of a British unidealist on German idealism; but the effect upon himself and others may be extremely pernicious. We turn to what we regard as the true principle. Before any man can write a suitable Introduction, he must not only be a ripe and good scholar, but also and especially a spiritually-minded, humble, and experienced Christian. To all his philological and all his historical learning, and all his critical acumen, and all his philosophical knowledge of the human mind, there must be superadded the divine enlightenment and instruction which the Holy Spirit can alone bestow. Then, and not till then, can he write an Introduction which will really introduce the reader to the mind of the Spirit, as conveyed in the writings of inspired men. Even then there would be produced, not an inspired work, but a work of spiritual discern ment. It has often occurred to us, in perusing such works as the one before us, that there is a distinct and specific difference between scientific inquiry, and moral or religious inquiry, which the writers of Introductions to the Sacred Scriptures generally fail to perceive, and consequently prosecute their investiga tions in a manner fraught with danger both to themselves and to their readers. When men are engaged in scientific inquiries, it is the intellect chiefly, almost exclusively, that is employed. But the intellect has no innate predilection for error, either in mathemati cal abstractions, or in physical science. When, therefore, a man of science sets himself to produce a history of any of its departments, and for the pur. pose of introducing his reader to an acquaintance with the subject, relates its progress from its infancy, stating the erroneous theories that have been held and their refutation, till he arrives at its present matured condition, he is in no danger of reinfusing those exploded theories into the reader's mind, for the reader's intellect has no preference for the error, but rather for the truth, when made known and proved. Very different is the case with regard to moral and religious inquiries. With that department it is the moral faculty chiefly that has to do. Now, ever since the fall, man's moral nature has not only been dark and confused, but has also manifested a proneness to error, and in some respects, in order to escape from the pain and shame of self-condemnation, a predilection for such erroneous moral and religious views as tend to flatter its self-complacency. If, then, an author, in writing an Introduction to any religious subject, produce a statement of all the various errors that have been held on that subject, with the arguments that have been employed in refutation, he is in great danger of infusing those errors into the minds of his readers, rather than the opposite truths, in consequence of man's moral proclivity to what is wrong. When an erroneous or heretical opinion has been refuted, and the truth established, why might not that error be suffered to sink into oblivion? To re-state and re-refute it, may give opportunity for a display of learning; but should it convey that error to any reader, the parade of learning has been purchased at a mournful price. We greatly fear that writers of Introductions to Scripture have been little, if at all aware of this danger; and have often taught and diffused the very opinions that they themselves opposed and censured. Not that it would be either safe or right in the writer of an Introduction to pass over all such erroneous opinions without notice; but that many of them might safely be so treated, and others no further dwelt on than was required for their distinct statement and clear refutation. It has a very pernicious tendency when an author lingers over some latitudinarian theory and dallies with it, as if rather enamoured of it, even though he finally expresses disapprobation. Many of his readers may be not unlikely to forget the brief disapproval and retain the full-told fallacy. Apprehensive that we have occupied too much of the space at our disposal in these preliminary remarks, which, however, we judged it of some importance to lay before our readers, as leading principles in the prosecution of studies connected with Scripture, we turn to the work before us, for the purpose of stating generally our views regarding its character and value. We have already termed it a learned and elaborate work, and such it certainly is. But still, notwithstanding all the learning and labour employed, it possesses no higher character than that of a carefully prepared compilation. It displays the results of extensive reading, a retentive memory, and very considerable skill in the arrangement of the vast mass of materials thereby collected. But any man who undertakes a task which requires him to pursue an extensive course of reading, will not unfrequently find, that all which he has obtained from the perusal of many a book, is the knowledge that it contains nothing worth re-producing. To re-produce idle fictions for little other purpose than to prove that they are nothing but idle fictions, is scarcely worth the while. To re-produce weak arguments and occupy space in proving their weakness, is not a very profitable employment. In perusing Dr Davidson's work, we could not help feeling that he seemed to err repeatedly in bestowing attention and space on materials absolutely worthless. This, in our opinion, detracts considerably from the positive value of his work. A somewhat graver charge might be made on similar grounds. When so much attention is devoted to materials of little value, weightier matters are liable to be overlooked amid the mass, both by the writer, and by his readers. Not only so, but the faculty of discrimination is liable to be blunted by being kept in such constant contact with multitudes of trifles, and the result may even be a sort of wearied acquiescence in erroneous opinions, which it has become too much trouble to examine and refute. This seems to have taken place to some extent even in the mind of Dr Davidson himself; for to this, rather than to any more reprehensible cause, we ascribe the fact, that in several instances he obviously leans to what might, without much difficulty, be proved to be both the weaker and the worse side of the argument in some disputed questions, the full nature of which he has failed to apprehend. There is another point to which we feel it a painful duty to advert, to which, indeed, Dr Davidson himself has drawn our attention, both in the preface and in other parts of his third volume. In the preface, he indulges in a tone of mingled querulousness and bravado, with regard to his own efforts, the treatment with which they have met in some quarters, the character of the "perfunctory who do not wish for more information," and of some other nobler class of students who "do not dream that the men of two centuries ago were as wise in the department of theology as those of the present day"-who "gladly welcome new light from whatever quarter it comes "--who are not afraid of a German writer merely because he is German," &c. "To the latter class," he says, he "hopes his work will be acceptable, as a contribution towards a full understanding of the question connected with the department of Introduction. He has tried to make it worthy of their attention." Again he says: "He fears that something in the volumes may not be acceptable to theologians of a certain idiosyncrasy. Sorry will he be to find that he has not succeeded in giving them ample satisfaction. He must say, however, that he has no sympathy with the avowed advocates of systems, creeds, and parties. He did not write for those who are made up in all their opinions; averse to learn, because they are wise in their own conceits; afraid to think, lest they should doubt; prone to censure, when they do not understand; to dogmatize, when they have not studied; to misrepresent, when they do not even take the trouble to read." This is very deplorable. It is utterly unworthy of a man of true learning, candour, and good sense. It reminds us of nothing so much as the petulant conduct and language of a somewhat full-grown school-boy, who, having fallen in with certain loose opinions sported by the smaller fry of deistical writers, assumes the air of a bold doubter, and seems to think it makes a man of him to express disbelief in the principles and creed of his fathers. It is a fine thing to be free from the trammels of "systems, creeds, and parties," no doubt, so far as these have imposed trammels on the mind. But what does such a boast really mean? Or, in what does mental freedom consist? Does a truth become a fetter to the mind the moment it is clearly and definitely known? Do any number of truths become trammels to the mind in consequence of their mutual relations being known and accurately arranged? Does the freedom of the mind consist in the universality of doubting, so that it would be bondage to believe? If not, then why should Dr Davidson boast "that he has no sympathy with the avowed advocates of systems, creeds, and parties ?” To us the certain knowledge of absolute truth appears to be liberty of mind; and the more extensive, definite, and thoroughly systematized such knowledge becomes, the greater seems to us the range of mental freedom. Universality of doubting appears to us the chain of darkness and despair. Again, we say, we cannot but deeply deplore that Dr Davidson should have allowed himself to write in such a tone of mingled querulousness and bravado, unworthy at once of himself and of his subject. If he thinks that certain critics have done him less than justice-if some whom he may deem narrow-minded and bigoted adherents of systems and creeds, have unjustly denounced his opinions as unsound, let him dissect and expose their arguments in a fair and manly way, and not degrade himself by such distempered bewailings. The course which he has unfortunately adopted, will not tend to elevate his work to the head of that department, to which, nevertheless, it is a very valuable addition. He is not yet, he never will be, the Bacon or the Newton of Introductions. A mind that could traverse the high regions, critical, ideal, and spiritual, from which alone the vast field can be adequately compassed and surveyed, would not display either irritability of temper or feebleness of judgment, but the calmness and decision of conscious power. Although we do not regard Dr Davidson's work as accomplishing all that such a work might accomplish, we readily admit that it deservedly occupies a high position among works of its class. There is no other book in the English language at all equal to it with regard to the information which it gives of the present state of continental authorship on the important subject to which it relates. And while, in our opinion, the author pays too much deference to what is advanced by some of these learned but loosely speculative men, it is also true, and we mention it to his praise, that he frequently meets and controverts successfully many of their theories. We are even inclined to think that we can trace, in this respect, a growing improvement in his work. The second volume seemed to us more in harmony with evangelical principles and doctrines than the first; and the third seems fully to equal or surpass the second. We were particularly gratified with the very extensive and able dissertation on the authenticity of the three Pastoral Epistles, namely, the two to Timothy, and the one to Titus. There are also throughout the work some very excellent specimens of grammatical, comparative, and exegetical criticism, fitted to promote the study of the Greek text of the Sacred Scriptures. The preliminary dissertation, as we may term it, on the Epistle to the Hebrews, is also a very long, elaborate, and valuable treatise, displaying extensive and careful research into an investigation of great importance and considerable difficulty, on which it mentions are symbolic, not chronological. The number points to a time when Christianity triumphed over Paganism. The beast does not denote the Papacy, but the heathen power, as opposed to Christ and his religion. The millennium began after the abolition of paganism in the Roman empire. The three cities mentioned are Jerusalem, pagan Rome, and the purified church; and the period described in chapters xxi. and xxii., denotes the heavenly state, and the church in her perfected condition. The scope of the prophetic poem is the triumph of Christianity, primarily over heathenism, and ultimately over all other hostile powers; and its descriptions are symbolical, and embrace the leading tendencies which are opposed in their nature to the peaceful victories and universal dominion of Christ's kingdom on earth. Such, so far as we are able to apprehend it, is Dr Davidson's theory of the interpretation of the Book of Revelation. We need scarcely say that we are by no means disposed to agree with a theory so vague and unsatisfactory; but we cannot now even touch the subject. It will be taken up and examined in due time; and we trust our readers are not likely to adopt a theory so formless and evanescent, and so destitute of life, action, and consequence. It would have been easy to have produced some extracts containing ingenious investigation, or recondite learning, or elaborate criticism, many specimens of which abound in the work; but we felt that we had a more grave duty to discharge, both in warning against tendencies to error, and in endeavouring to state comprehensive principles, by which the reader's judgment might be fortified, so as to be enabled safely to peruse the mass of erudition which the work contains. We regret that we cannot award any higher or less qualified approbation than we have done; but we take leave of the author with great respect for his extensive learning and unwearied industry. furnishes much sound information. We regret, how-criptions, is utterly hopeless. The times which it ever, that Dr Davidson has left some important ques tions very much in the same state, as that in which he found them, so far, at least, as regards the expres sion of his own opinion. His conclusions regarding the authorship of what is known as the Second Epistle of Peter, the Epistle of Jude, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, are very vague and unsatisfactory. And yet we are inclined to think that he has himself produced materials by which all these questions might be decided, were they examined and applied by a mind of sufficient comprehensiveness, logical precision, and strength of judgment. If Dr Davidson thought it more becoming to leave these questions to the decision of the reader himself, we cannot help | it; but the result will be to many, to leave in doubt what had formerly been believed, and perhaps to suggest further doubts of a still more dangerous character. The bearing of such doubts upon the subject of inspiration is sufficiently obvious, and deserves very profound and anxious thought. Inquiries of a merely philological kind, or the attempt to decide difficult questions by merely philological arguments, almost inevitably lead those who prosecute them, and depend upon them, into lax notions on the subject of inspiration, if not into an absolute denial of it,-generally, at least, into such a compromised vagueness as deprives it of all real value. On that unspeakably important subject, however, we cannot here and at present enter, though we feel that our author's work brings it before us in a somewhat unfavourable aspect. Many, no doubt, will turn to the Book of Revelation, with some eagerness to see how Dr Davidson deals with that mysterious prophetic vision; and of those who do so, not a few, we apprehend, will be disappointed. A very large proportion of Dr Davidson's treatise on the Revelation is occupied with a keen polemical dissertation on the designations of time in it and in the Book of Daniel. The object of this long and elaborate dissertation is to refute what is called the year day theory, or the theory that in prophetic language a day is to be understood as meaning a year-a theory very generally held by the interpreters of prophecy, but which Dr Davidson vehemently opposes. After the lengthened dissertation referred to, Dr Davidson gives his views with regard to the authorship of the book, its canonicity, and the time when it was written, concluding that the apostle John was its author, that its canonicity is beyond dispute, and that it was written, not in the Neronic, but the Domitianic era. In all these points we cordially agree with him, and express our approbation both of his course of disquisition, and of the conclusions at which he has arrived. But when he comes to state the various schemes of interpretation which have been adopted, and to produce his own view, which he does very briefly, his reason for opposing the year day theory becomes sufficiently apparent. His view is substantially the same as that of Hengstenberg, which is not yet known to the English reader, but soon will be, as the work is already in the hands of an able translator. When it appears, we may have some remarks to make upon it; and for that reason we shall not at present attempt to discuss Dr Davidson's theory. We may, however, briefly indicate what it appears to be. The Book of Revelation, he says, is a prophetic poem, and its descriptions are of a general character, expressive only of the nature and magnitude of the subject. The attempt to identify successive events of history with its successive des THE MORMONS-THEIR RISE AND CREED. FONTENELLE once said that if he could get six men to believe that the sun does not give light, and to connect their belief with religion, he would undertake to convert the world to such views. The observation in that form, is only the exaggeration of a common remark, and we are now to see a signal illustration of its truth. It is known, we fear, to few, that during the past twenty years a new religion has sprung up in the world, and now counts its converts by tens of thousands. "The Latter-Day Saints" had no existence five and twenty years ago; but so sudden has been their growth, and so remarkable their development, that they have already been the occasion of convulsing whole counties in America. Not a little blood has been shed; and the sect, headed by men whom some have compared to Mahomet, for deep policy and power of seduction, has spread and ramified in spite of all opposition, till it has covered some of the fairest regions in the New World. Nor is it only in that quarter of the globe that they exist. They have an agency for emigration in Liverpool, which is ramified over England, Wales, and Scotland; and from Liverpool alone there sailed to New Orleans not less than 2500 Mormons during the year 1849. Their purpose was to join their fellow-believers in a certain prophet, in the Great Salt Lake Valley in California. They consisted of farmers and mecha nics of a superior class, from Wales, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and the southern counties of Scotland; and the authority from which we quote adds, that, since 1840, the total emigration of the sect from Great Britain had amounted to betwen 13,000 and 14,000 persons.* It cannot be otherwise than interesting to trace the history of "the American Mahomet," who founded the sect now referred to; and though we can only glance at present at the initial stages, they may suffice, at least, to excite our curiosity, and show how blindly man can be duped by the most barefaced impostures, while he stanchly repudiates and disowns the truth of the living God. Joseph Smith, an obscure youth, who was born on the 23d of December 1805, was the founder of the Mormonite sect. In 1830, it numbered only five persons, including his father and three brothers. In the course of a few weeks, on Fontenelle's principle, it rose to thirty, and in 1851, that is, in about twenty years, it is said to contain 300,000 people. "It has its own Bible, and zealous missionaries to preach it in every part of the Christian world, and besides this, it inhabits and possesses a fertile and beautiful territory almost as large as England, and aspires to obtain admission, on equal terms, as a free State, into the great confederation of American Republics." "The Mormons have thriven amid oppression of the most cruel and pertinacious kind; they have conquered the most astonishing difficulties; they have triumphed over the most vindictive enemies, and over the most unrelenting persecution; and from the blood of their martyrs have sprung the courage, the zeal, and the success of their survivors. They can boast not only an admirable and complete organization, but the possession of worldly wealth, influence, and power. Their progress within the last seven years has been rapid to a degree unparalleled in the history of any other sect of religionists." But how did this new Moses, or new Mahomet, of the Western World, proceed in founding his sect? His religion is a miserable counterfeit or corruption of the Saviour's, though styled the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"-and what account can be given of the plan adopted to launch such an imposture, or dupe those who were to be its victims? One of the first adherents of Joseph Smith, and subsequently his agent for emigration at Liverpool, thus describes the earliest scene of "the prophet's' mission. He had become anxious regarding his soul when about fourteen or fifteen years of age, and, while praying in a grove near the house of his father, who was a farmer, his friend and agent relates : "At first he was severely tempted by the powers of darkness, which endeavoured to overcome him, but he continued to seek for deliverance until darkness gave way from his mind, and he was enabled to pray in fervency of the spirit, and in faith; and while thus pouring out his soul, anxiously desiring an answer from God, he at length saw a very bright and glorious light in the heavens above, which at first seemed to be 'at a considerable distance. He continued praying, while the light appeared to be gradually descending towards him; and as it drew nearer it increased in brightness and magnitude, so that by the time it reached the tops of the trees the whole wilderness around was illuminated in a most glorious and brilliant manner. He expected to see the leaves and boughs of the trees consumed as soon as the light came in contact with them; but perceiving that it did not produce that effect, he was encouraged with the hope of being able to endure its presence. It continued descending slowly, until it rested upon the earth, and he was enveloped in the midst of it. When it first came upon him, it produced a peculiar sensation throughout his whole system; and imme See "The Mormons, or the Latter-Day Saints-a Contemporary History." It was published during the present year. diately his mind was caught away from the natural objects with which he was surrounded, and he was enwrapped in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in their features or likeness. He was informed that his sins were forgiven. He was also informed upon the subjects which had for some time previously agitated his mind-namely, that all the religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and consequently that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom. And he was expressly commanded to go not after them; and he received a promise that the true doctrine, the fulness of the gospel, should at some future time be made known to him. After which the vision withdrew, leaving his mind in a state of calmness and peace indescribable. Some time after having received this glorious manifestation, being young, he was again entangled in the vanities of the world, of which he afterwards sincerely and truly repented." Such was the commencement of Smith's careerand, from that period, throughout the rest of his his. tory, vision crowded upon vision in rapid succession. As soon as any difficulty occurred, some convenient display extricated him from his position, and gradu. ally a scheme of imposture was concocted-shallow, no doubt, but successful, because of man's ignorance of the truth of God, the only antidote to the errors and delusions of the heart of man. Nothing appears to show that Smith had actually sketched a plan and proceeded systematically to work it out. It would rather appear that he was drawn on step by step-half dupe and half deceiver, till a scheme was fabricated which now sways, as we have seen, about 300,000 souls. A "Personage" with whom Smith held converse, was his chief guide in these matters. Sometimes he came when it "seemed as though the house was filled with consuming fire." At other times he appeared in a less threatening way; but this mysterious "Personage," whose stature, garments, and aspect are described with minute care, was the prophet's counsellor in fabricating his scheme, or in following the extravagant fantasies of a heated mind. But we must look more closely at the basis of the delusion, and the Mormon theory of the new religion, and it is thus described on a certain occasion: "The Personage informed him that he was called and chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God, to bring about some of his marvellous purposes in this glorious dispensation. It was also made manifest to him that the American Indians' were a remnant of Israel; that when they first emigrated to America they were an enlightened people, possessing a knowledge of the true God, enjoying his favour and peculiar blessings from his hand; that the prophets and inspired writers among them were required to keep a sacred history of the most important events transpiring among them, which history was handed down for many generations, till at length they fell into great wickedness. The greatest part of them were destroyed, and the records were safely deposited, to preserve them from the hands of the wicked, who sought to destroy them. He was informed that these records contained many sacred revelations pertaining to the gospel of the kingdom, as well as prophecies relating to the great events of the last days; and that to fulfil his promises to the ancients, who wrote the records, and to accomplish his purposes in the restitution of their children, they were to come forth to the knowledge of the people. If faithful, he was to be the instrument who should be thus highly favoured in bringing these sacred writings before the world. After giving him many instructions concerning things past and to come, he disappeared, and the light and glory of God withdrew, leaving his mind in perfect peace, while a calmness and serenity indescribable prevaded his soul. But before morning the vision was twice renewed, instructing him further and still further concerning the great work of God about to be performed on the earth. In the morning he went out to his labour as usual, but soon the vision was renewed-the angel again appeared, and having been informed by the previous visions of the night concerning the place where those records were deposited, he was instructed to go immediately and view them." Not disobedient, Smith repaired to the place where the sacred documents were deposited; and the spot is described by one of his adherents, Oliver Cowdery, with a topographical accuracy which is admirable. The records had been buried indeed for about fourteen hundred years; but the mode in which they were deposited in stone-rendered air-tight, and all compact-is described by the prophet's friends with such precision, that only a prurient scepticism can doubt the safe preservation of the mysterious record. But hear Oliver Cowdery : "At the "A hole of sufficient depth was dug," he says. these three pillars were placed the records. and power of God, through the means of the Urim and Thummin; and being a poor writer, he was under the necessity of employing a scribe to write the translation as it came from his mouth." The Book of Mormon was the result. It contains about as much reading as the Old Testament; and its translation, the reality of the plates, the visit of an angel of God upon the subject, and other circumstances, are all attested by witness after witness, till they number eleven. Formal affidavits were circulated regarding the different stages of the imposture: and on the whole, we cannot but marvel at the strange blending of superstition with Scripture, and of appeals to God while men are in the act of following their own fancies, which characterise the deception. Infidelity and superstition in such things walk hand in hand. The reader will perhaps call to mind Lord Herbert of Cherbury's voice from heaven, warranting him to publish an infidel book, and then parallel Lord Herbert and Joseph Smith in fanaticism and self-deception. As Joseph Smith was thus in possession of a separate revelation, it was his interest to announce the erroneousness of all other claimants. Smith was soon in collision, then, with every religious body; and as if they had been determined to put him in the right, persecution arose against Though really so contemptible, that he had to "make him and his Mormons of a very relentless kind. out a scanty maintenance by daily labour," he was harassed and goaded by unwise zealots. He was When Smith made this precious discovery, it is able to compare himself with Paul pleading before said that Agrippa, and was thus fostered into importance by being enrolled among martyrs. Whether he was a "While viewing and contemplating this sacred treasure, knave or a lunatic, a weak enthusiast or a cunning with wonder and astonishment-behold! the angel of the impostor, Smith was always ready with a vision or a Lord, who had previously visited him, again stood in his pre-revelation to defend himself and his tenets. One sence, and his soul was again enlightened as it was the evening before, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the heavens were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about and rested upon him. While he thus stood gazing and admiring, the angel said, Look!' And, as he thus spake, he beheld the Prince of Darkness, surrounded by his innumerable train of associates." The discovery took place on the 22d of September 1823. But the Personage did not permit the prophet the use of the discovery till he was prepared by a training, at least half as long as the seven years' silence of the Pythagorean neophyte. For the four years which followed, Joseph was thus in training, and, on the 22d of September 1827, "the angel of the Lord delivered the records into his hands."` What were they? "These records were engraved on plates, which had the appearance of gold. Each plate was not far from seven by eight inches in width and length, being not quite as thick as common tin. They were filled on both sides with engravings in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, and fastened at one edge with three rings running through the whole. This volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters or letters upon the unsealed part were small and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, as well as much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument, called by the ancients the Urim and Thummim, which consisted of two transparent stones, clear as crystal, set in the two rims of a bow. This was in use in ancient times, by persons called seers. It was an instrument by the use of which they received revelation of things distant, or of things past or future."" The translation of these documents was Joseph's next work, and that was accomplished "by the gift message from heaven after another made his path wondrously clear, however rough, while they at once encouraged his adherents, and baffled or perplexed his antagonists. For example, is Smith about to fix on a "location" for the saints? It is done by a revelation from on high; and the following document on that subject will enable the reader to understand at once his effrontery and his tact : "Hearken," he says, "O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints; wherefore this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom, here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Inde pendence, is the centre place, and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse: wherefore it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the saints; and also every tract lying westward, even unto the line running directly between Jew and Gentile. And also every tract bordering by the prairies, inasmuch as my disciples are enabled to buy lands. Behold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance. "And let my servant, Sidney Gilbert, stand in the office which I have appointed him, to receive moneys, to be an agent unto the church, to buy land in all the regions round about, inasmuch as can be in righteousness, and as wisdom shall direct. "And let my servant, Edward Partridge, stand in the of fice which I have appointed him, to divide the saints their inheritance, even as I have commanded; and also those whom he has appointed to assist him. ney Gilbert, plant himself in this place, and establish a store, And, again, verily I say unto you, let my servant, Sidthat he may sell goods without fraud; that he may obtain |