measured what an interval is there? Centuries of desperate wrestle against Earth and Hell, on the part of all the brave men that are born. Too true this, though figuratively spoken! Perilous tempestuous struggle and pilgrimage, continual marching battle with the mud-serpents of this Earth and the demons of the Pit-centuries of such a marching fight (continually along the edge of Red Republic too, and the Abyss) as brave men were not often called to in History before! And the brave men will not yet SO much as gird on their harness? They sit indolently saying, “It is already all as it can be, as it was wont to be: and universal suffrage and tremendous cheers will manage it!..." 20. 239.

'Clear away the dust from your eyes, and you will ask this question, What is the Bible of a Nation, the practically-credited God's-Message to a Nation? Is it not, beyond all else, the authentic Biography of its Heroic Souls? This is the real record of the Appearances of God in the History of a Nation; this, which all men to the very marrow of their bones can believe, and which teaches all men what the nature of the Universe, when you go to work in it, really is.' 20. 239.

""Great Men are the inspired (speaking and acting) Texts of that divine BOOK OF REVELATIONS, whereof a Chapter is completed from epoch to epoch, and by some named HISTORY; to

which inspired Texts your numerous talented men, and your innumerable untalented men, are the better or worse exegetic Commentaries, and wagonload of too-stupid, heretical or orthodox, weekly Sermons. For my study, the inspired Texts themselves."' 1. 122.

Р

III.

The Bible.

(1) The Hebrew Bible, is it not, before all things, true, as no other Book ever was or will be.' 20. 274.

'The Bible itself has, in all changes of theory about it, this as its highest distinction, that it is the truest of all Books ;-Book springing every word of it, from the intensest convictions, from the very heart's core, of those who penned it....'

12. 221.

(2) To the " Worship of Sorrow" ascribe what origin and genesis thou pleasest, has not that Worship originated, and been generated; is it not here? Feel it in thy heart, and then say whether it is of God! This is Belief; all else is Opinion, for which latter whoso will, let him worry and be worried.'

"Neither," observes he elsewhere," shall ye tearout one another's eyes, struggling over “Plenary Inspiration," and suchlike: try rather to get a little even Partial Inspiration, each of you for himself. One BIBLE I know, of whose Plenary

Inspiration doubt is not so much as possible; nay with my own eyes I saw the God's-Hand writing it thereof all other Bibles are but Leaves,—say, in Picture-Writing to assist the weaker faculty." 1. 134.

(3) Ask yourselves, What are the eternal covenants which you can believe, and dare not for your life's sake but go and observe? These are your Bible, your God's Word such as it may be.' 20. 275.

... My friend, I have to speak in crude language, the wretched times being dumb and deaf: and if thou find no truth under this but the phantom of an extinct Hebrew one, I at present cannot help it.' 20. 276.

IV.

Churches.

(1) 'There is not a hamlet where poor peasants congregate, but, by one means and another, a Church-Apparatus has been got together,-roofed edifice, with revenues and belfries; pulpit, readingdesk, with Books and Methods: possibility, in short, and strict prescription, That a man stand there and speak of spiritual things to men. It is beautiful;-even in its great obscuration and decadence, it is among the beautifulest, most touching objects one sees on the Earth. This Speaking Man has indeed, in these times, wandered terribly from the point; has, alas, as it were, totally lost sight of the point: yet, at bottom, whom have we to compare with him? Of all public functionaries boarded and lodged on the Industry of Modern Europe, is there one worthier of the board he has ? A man even professing, and never so languidly making still some endeavour, to save the souls of men : contrast him with a man professing to do little but shoot the partridges of men! I wish he