them accountable, without also making them liable. Sin, therefore, came into being, not of God's set purpose, but from the abuse of the very gift which constitutes the moral existence of all intellectual beings.

But says the Universalist, who objects to the fact of man's free agency, as qualified by the orthodox sects of religion; can it be maintained that a good and powerful father can be consistently benevolent, who shall bring into being a child, and then put a dangerous weapon in that child's hand, by which that father foreknows his child will certainly destroy its own life? we think it can be maintained, but on one ground, and on no other. Pray what ground is that? it is this, and this alone; if that knife, or weapon, is made essential to the whole happiness and well being of the child, if properly used, it is consistent, as without it, it could not be happy.

This similie illustrates our idea of intellectual free agency, as without it intellectual beings cannot be happy, though it is a dangerous gift. Any other view of this subject neutralizes man's accountability to God, either in this life or the life to come, as well as to himself, or to his fellow man; for virtue starts from the same point, where sin may also have its beginning.

On the Mode or Manner of the Trial of the Angels, and respecting those who fell.

But to return again to the main point, that of the first sin, and reason of the being of the devil or Satan, with other fallen angels. But what light is there that shines on a path whose track runs over so high a region? None, except that of mere human research and speculation. John Milton, the greatest of English. poets, has struck out for himself, in blank verse the most exalted, way over this moral Alps, as found in his Paradise Lost, the story of which is as follows:

Long before the creation of this world, or any part of the solar system, when the space it now occupies was dark and void, when chaos reigned, as it had reigned from unbeginning eternity; on a certain day, such days as eternity brings forth, all the angels or first beings, were, by the summons of the Most High, brought immediately around the throne of the supreme presence; who, as they arrived, took their places according to their degrees of intellectual excellence, in circles, one beyond another, orb encircling orb, of circuits inexpressible, on account of their multitudes. From all the ends of heaven they journeyed on golden wings, under their various hierarchs, or angel-captains, waving as they came on, myriads of ensigns, standards and gon

falons, twixt van and rear serving as distinctions of their various orders and degrees. But when arrived around the flaming throne of God, which arose from the heights of a mount, whose top was involved in light which made it invisible, silence was required: then the glittering wings of these morning stars fell from their outspread glories, as so many robes of state, in majesty about their forms, shrouding all their lineaments divine in the habiliments of light.

Now the purpose for which they were come together, from all the provinces of heaven, was announced from out of the midst of the mount, by a voice which sounded as the roar of many waters, or as the sound of many thunders, informing them that it had pleased the Creator to reveal to their notice a character and a person, of whom as yet they knew nothing. This person, by that voice was called the Son of God, who now appeared on the summit of that mount, in excessive glory and beauty, (See the Plate) bearing the human form, whom all the angels were now required to worship and forever obey. This mandate heard, each to their province and palace of abode sped their way, in ranks and orders as they came, peopling heaven's far spread plains with the sons of light, seeming well pleased with their new allegiance to this before unknown Son of God. But it soon appeared that all were not thus pleased, as there was one among their number who was higher than all the rest, the only archangel of the heavenly powers, and the brightest of the celestial hosts; who, as he journeyed on rapid wings, far from the throne of God," in the sides of the north," whispered treason in the ear of one of the angels, next in power to himself. He cautiously unveiled his mind respecting this Son of God, to whom kneeservice, as he called it, was required; insinuating that himself, with all the rest, were imposed upon, as it was his right, not this stranger's to receive honor and obedience from all the angels, as their only superior, God alone excepted.

Here, according to Milton, sin had its origin, commencing in the mind of this spirit, the highest free-agent which God had made, who took envy at the Son, whose glory and majesty excelled his own, with attitudes of dignity and command, far surpassing all the glories of angelic natures-so that he suffered unconquerable hatred to take the place of his previously happy feelings of subordination and peace toward the Most High. The heresy of this angel soon spread among the sons of light, and at length seduced full one-third of their number; who, embodying themselves under this angel, waged war upon the other angels, who would not receive this doctrine of opposition to the Son of God, intending to besiege and conquer the throne itself, and seize upon unlimited rule in heaven, compelling even God himself to a state of vassalage. But against this apostacy all the other angels contended in array on the field of battle, yet without success or

defeat for the space of two days; but on the third day, the Son of God, whom they had despised, entered the arena alone and single handed, against this mighty boaster and traitor of heaven, with all his company. This Son of the Most High, whose gentle manners on the day they first saw him they had despised, now put on terrors dreadful and severe, gathering in his countenance frowns irresistible, and mounted his chariot of power, whose wheels shook heaven, all but the throne itself, as he rolled in fury toward the rebel ranks. But soon he arrived among them, when with his right hand grasping ten thousand thunders, rolled over them such a storm of horror, (See the Plate,) as reduced their courage, and, astonished, all resistance lost, down their idle weapons dropt, while o'er shields and helmets, and helmed heads, he rode; thrones and powers,and mighty seraphim, prostrate on the ground crushed and bruised beneath his force. From the wheels, as they turned swift as light, there shot forth storms of iron arrows, while there glared on every side eyes so fierce and dreadful, as quailed the stoutest gaze of either good or bad, and all the while voices pealed damnation, through their being. Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked his thunders in mid volley, for he meant not to annihilate, but to drive them out of heaven, down to hell, which already the divine vengeance had created for them, far in the bowels of boundless darkness.

But whether such were the mode of their trial we doubt, and have therefore chosen another hypothesis, as before alluded to, in which we have supposed that their trial proceeded on a question respecting their creation and Creator, rather than on the revelation of an unknown person in company with the God Head, as is Milton's opinion, and many others who follow him on this subject.

But to us it appears that such a revelation to the angels was not required, as the announcement of the Son of God among men to be a sacrifice for sin, could no way affect these primitive beings, for good or ill, but only as a subject of wonder and surprise, and cause of admiration. Yet we know it is said, Heb. i. 6, in relation to the Son of God, "And let all the angels of God worship him." But we ask when was this said to the angels, and where was the Son of God when they were thus commanded? Not in heaven, for there he was never known previous to his incarnation, as the Son of God, having forever existed as the Word, or wisdom of God, but not the Son; as it was in this life, among men, as born of a woman, that he was first known as a Son, as it was said to Mary, Luke i. 35, "that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Shall be, not is now, nor was previously, but shall be so called when he shall be born of the woman.

According to the phraseology of Heb. i. 6, as above quoted, it appears to have been a new commandment to the angels, or why