unbeliever, iniquity of heart and life is disapproved of God and man. Whence you may, at once, and without a word of commentary on my part, infer how grossly erroneous is the view which Mr. Owen himself has given of the nature of the religion of Christ, whose 'fundamental doctrines' he declares to be these,― Believe in my doctrines, as expounded by my priests, from my sacred books;-second, feel as these doctrines, thus expounded, direct you to feel;—and third, support my ministers for thus instructing you.'

The great principles, then, of the religion of Christ are absolutely incompatible with persecution.

For a moment, advert to the particular moral qualities which it condemns, and those which it encourages. What are they which it condemns? Pride, selfishness, the love of dominion. Now, these, as we have seen, are the very qualities which engender persecution. What are they which it encourages ? Meekness, forbearance, and universal love. And are not these the parents of tolerance, and of that charity, or Christian love, so beautifully and eloquently described by Paul, among whose attributes is found every thing needful to convert mankind into a family of brothers.

It is hardly necessary to give actual instances; yet as socialists, perhaps, no more than did one of their predecessors,+ keep a Bible, it may not be useless to cite one or two. Peter was ready to employ violence in defence of his master; but the command was (Matt. xxvi. 52.) Put up thy sword again into its place, for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword. After having given that most striking lesson of meekness by washing his disciples' feet, Jesus expressly forbids (Matt. xx. 25.) his disciples to imitate the Gentiles by exercising dominion and authority; but whosoever

* Book of the New Moral World, p. 94. London, Wilson. + Paine.

will be great amongst you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief amongst you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.' Again:-' Be ye not called Rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren.' (Matt. xxvii. 8.) It cannot be imagined that the idea of persecution did not present itself to the mind of Jesus. It did; and what was his language? Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake; when they persecute you in one city, flee into another.' But against persecutors themselves our Lord uttered the severest condemnation. (Matt. xxiii, 29–39.) And on whom did his blessing descend? Blessed are the meek.''Blessed are the merciful.' Blessed are the peace-makers.' (Matt. v.) What was his express command? The love of God is the first commandment; the second, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matt. xxii. 35.) This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.' By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' (John xv. 12. xiii. 35.) It hath been said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemies; but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.' (Matt. vi. 43.)

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Jesus, then, does more than disallow persecution; he disallows its causes, he cuts off its springs, he lays the axe to the root of the tree, making the heart gentle and kind, that the life may be harmless and beneficent.

Then look at his character. Is it that of a bigot, or of a benefactor-of a persecutor, or a sufferer?-what is the feature which shines forth in the general tenor of his life and death? Is it not benevolence, universal good-will? What was his mission? To seek and save that which was lost. What was the burden of his

teachings? The Gospel-that is, good news, good news, glad tidings to all people. What was his destiny? To suffer and die. What was his reward? To rise again that he might accomplish the travail of his soul, and bring peace on earth, good-will among men. What was the petition in his dying prayer? An entreaty for the forgiveness of his murderers. And what were his last words? 'It is finished!' It is finished? and yet no creed set forth, no priesthood organized, no church endowed with wealth and power-no recompense taken or enjoined for the injuries he or his had suffered! You remember the rebuke he gave to the persecuting spirit of his disciples. Yes; intolerance stood in the presence of Jesus, recommended by the wish of his intimate associates; and it was mildly, but firmly, discountenanced. 'Call down fire from heaven on these Samaritans who refuse you food, and are thus as inhospitable as they are heretical.' 'Ye know not what spirit ye are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' Thus taught, thus lived, and thus died, the author and finisher of our faith. Who, then, can say that his religion sanctions persecution? Who can deny that it inculcates and cherishes the freest liberty of mind, and the kindliest and most catholic affections of the heart? No! the man that has the spirit of Christ can be no other than kind, tender-hearted, forgiving— gentle alike to the errors, frailties, and transgressions of his brethren. He knows too well his own failings, to be severe on the failings of others. He cherishes too carefully his own rights, to entertain any other feeling than a wish to secure and enlarge the liberties of each and all of the human family-to aid them in their search after truth, and build them up in every pure, holy, and kindly feeling. And so, for myself, my friends, I trust that I am so deeply aware of the difficulties which accompany the discovery of moral and religious truth, and

the yet greater difficulties which wait upon its open profession-that I am so impressed with the value of mental honesty, and so convinced of its rarity—that for worlds, I would not lay the burden of a little finger on any man's conscience, but be prompt to express the admiration which I feel for the honest avowal and consistent maintenance of any convictions whatever. In my mind, there is but one unpardonable sin-unpardonable, inasmuch as it eats like a canker into the heart, destroying virtue and destroying happiness;-I mean, to profess what you do not believe, and to make your hypocrisy a source of worldly gain. I am not, indeed, insensible to the injurious tendencies of error. I pity the sufferers, but I dare not condemn them; and because I pity, I love them; and as I love their persons, so would I rejoice to remove their false opinions, and lead them into the way of truth.