olemaion, or forever.-When they speak of the time Jonah was in the fishes belly, although it was but three days, they expressed the length of time by the very same term. By a careful examination of the subject, it will be found that the terms forever, everlasting, and eternal, are always to be understood in this sense, as scripture terms: this rule of construction is invariable. According to the present use of terms, the English word age, would come much nearer expressing the sense of these original terms, than the words everlasting or eternal. Many of the learned critics render the two Greek words in question, by that term-especially where our translators have rendered them world. It is worthy of remark, that in every instance where we read of the end of the world, the term world is substituted for one of these Greek words. Our translators saw it would be too absurd to render the Greek phrase, The end of the eternal, or everlasting. Thus we see that the orthodox hell and damnation, with its endless duration, receives its only support, as a doctrine of the bible, from a perverted use of terms, substi tuted in the place of terms which do not express one idea in favor of it. A POEM. All you that's free, and wish to be Come listen awhile, I'll make you smile The cunning priest, who hunts a fleece, And to beguile, he'll talk awhile But by the bye, you'll hear him cry, Is to believe some creed he'll give, You may do right, both day and night You still will be a Pharisee, The hottest hell's your portion. He is inspired, (or rather hired, Thus, he will need some human creed, And thus the priest will sheer the fleece Could he aspire, and still get higher, He'd be a Pope, with both horns up- Thus he must be a God, you see- When under priests do get a fleece Each party then must have a name, Thus each will raise a song of praise, And every theme that thwarts their scheme, Some sing and pray both night and day, To build up his own party. If any say, the good old way Is much the best to walk in, They'll say this fool ne'er went to schools We say it's right for to unite," We have no need of any creed Let us fulfil his royal will, For he is bound to save us. His sacred word will light afford, REMARKS On Mark xvi-15 & 16. And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” One special objection to the very popular construction of this text, is, that it takes the murderer, the debauchee, and even the blasphemer, to heaven, (if they should believe with their last expiring breath,) while it thrusts down to remediless woe, the virtuous heathen, honest Deist, and thoughtless innocents.* This system teaches, that no matter how abandoned the sinner may be through life, the act of faith, in his last moments, will shield him from the just punishment due to his blackest crimes! And, however virtuous and innocent the creature may be, the mere want of faith will subject him to endless tortures! The worst of sinners could suffer no more! Thus it is to be seen, that the doctrine we are considering, destroys all just distinction between vice and virtue, and places the most profligate sinner upon equal ground with the most virtuous character, and makes the whole ponderous weight of their eternal destiny to turn upon the simple act of the mind, in believing or disbelieving, certain abstract propositions! There is no argument that will so effectually point out the popular notion of damnation, and show its absurdity at the same time so fully, as to admit it to be true, and trace its consequences. We will therefore attempt to point it out, in its proper colours, that its advocates may, for once, see its awful features, and look with astonishment upon the open face of their dear Delilah. *See Mr. Wesley's notes on Matt. xxv. 30. "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness" "For what?-What has he done? Why, for this very reason: for barely doing no harm. So mere harmlessness, on which many build their hope of salvation, was the cause of his damnation!" Query-If a person, perfectly innocent, is damned-for doing nothing; and the murderer saved, simply for believing, after his whole life. has been one continued scene of rapine, injustice, and blood-shed would that be rewarding men according to their works? Let Mr. Wesley's disciples think of this. There was an amiable female, named Amanda, who was truly the admiration of all who knew her: she had many excellent and shining virtues; and it might be said of her, in truth, that she had never done any harm. But the dear creature made no profession of religion; she believed in no creed.. Her parents were pious christians of the Calvinistic faith.They had raised Amanda free from the common vices of her sex; and given her a good education. The natural powers of her mind were more than ordinary; and the accomplishments of her person equalled her acquirements. When Amanda was about sixteen, she was waited upon by a young gentleman of high respectability, and of excellent accomplishments, who obtained her consent to accompany him to a camp meeting, held by one of the Arminian sects, some miles distant from her father's residence. As the parents of Amanda were not rigid, their consent was readily obtained. The young couple took their carriage, and in company with some other young people, bent their course for the camp meeting, where they arrived the next day. During this meeting, Amanda heard many sermons, filled with denunciations of wrath and vengeance. On the third day of the meeting, she heard a young man, of more than ordinary talents, preach from the words which head this article. He painted the damnation of hell in its blackest colours, and pronounced it to be the inevitable doom of all unbelievers.-He was well qualified to work upon the passions; he exerted all his oratorical powers on the occasion; and played his artillery of hell with such skill that the "slain of the Lord were many." A number of young females were thrown into a state of distraction--Amanda, among the rest, became a victim to the fiery shafts of wrath emitted by this son of Vulcan. Almost the whole congregation were in tears. It was what is generally called at such meetings a melting time. And a melting time it was to the amiable Amanda! She was so melted down, that her soul assumed a new form! From that hour black melancholy marked her for her own, Her religious friends and acquaintances rejoiced for a while, in what they considered the work of the Lord on the much beloved Amanda. But their joy was soon turned into the most heart-rending sorrow. Her father, the next sabbath, accompanied her to hear one of his own favourite preachers. He preached what we may call an old-fashioned Calvinistic sermon. His text was Rom. ix, 22, 23. "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured |