At principle; it is the same organization, being simply the resurrection of heathenism, Jesus Christ is a living portrait of Aristotle or Plato. first we were to have our intellectual propensities indulged with the luxury of putting the dissected members of Christianity into a systematic form; now it is not only perfect originally, but too sacred to be examined: and because we cannot anatomically dissect a body till the life has departed, therefore (!) we cannot analyze a set of truths without destroying their vitality. Truly, the analogical method of reasoning, leads us to strange conclusions! S." But whilst heathen ethics are so overpowering in their testimony to Christianity, you do not need them as evidences, the word of the Church is enough. I must show you the internal probability,' says the Church. 'Is not your word sufficient evidence?' replies the young disciple. I wish you would not take my word, but consider the proofs;' such has been for a long time the dialogue between the Church and the young she receives into her fold. C. "The Church was never before suspected of pressing too much evidence on her votaries: and this dialogue would, indeed, be ridiculous, if the Church had an established character for veracity, but it is because she is so boldy mendacious, so arrogant in her claims, that her honour is forfeited, and her word is no evidence. S.-"Add to this that the very office of the Church is to govern, that a pupil owes implicit confidence; add that she is armed with God's authority and name; add that the reason to which she appeals in preference to her own voice is the reason of an ignorant and fallible individual. C.-"Have you forgotten that there is the process of subtraction as well as addition? Who heaped all these qualities on the Church, made her a messenger of God, and armed her with his authority and name? These high-sounding titles must be consigned to the'moles and the bats,' the final award to all idolatry, or the Church be left to burn incense to her own vanity, unless something more sacred than her own word gave validity to her authority. S.-"Add, that to doubt a man's word is, of all insults, the most offensive, and one which the law of human pride cannot wipe out except with blood! C.-"Are you about to arrange for an affair of honour, and second the Church militant in fighting a duel? 'Shall we command fire from heaven, &c.?' S.-"Add, lastly, that God himself has commanded us to believe his voice and the voice of his messengers. C.-"But what of this? God's messengers have retired long ago, and left their message behind them in his word; and, however fanatics may rave about their heavenly mission, we may let them rave on, knowing that the loudness of their voice and the magnanimity of their threats are only indications of conscious weakness. S.-"Believe the Church, not on its own voice, but on the internal evidence of correctness, and what becomes of your love, and respect, and allegiance, and all the other moral affections which a poor miserable blind child owes to a great, good, and glorious body, (the Church,) the ambas sador and more than ambassador of God,-affections which the Bible sums up in one word-faith? C. "You have before given Aristotle and Plato as a specimen of system in heathen ethics, though Plato is as systematic as the clouds on a windy day, or as your own principles of reasoning and illustration; and here you seem to appreciate the truths of the Bible, nearly as well as the system of Plato; any Sabbath-school boy who can spell through a first lesson, could prove to you that the Bible never says a word about faith in the Church, but claims these 'moral affections' on behalf of the Saviour: perhaps, however, your version is corrupted, and wherever Christ should occur, the term Church is inserted: a more extensive acquaintance with various readings would correct this slight mistake. "Christian ethics, as the name implies, means duty to Christ; yours are Church ethics, a system properly named ecclesialatry, a service performed to instead of by the Church: the book therefore should be renamed, but never can be christened. (To be Continued.) TO THE LAST STAR OF THE MORNING. MEEK lamp of heaven! thy splendours fade away, As proudly rises the bright king of day; Who, clothed in grandeur, all around him, far, Pours floods of radiance from his fiery car. Pale and more pale thy softer lustre grows, As ruddier, with his beams, yon orient glows: As that which never wanes begins to shine. III: STATESMEN'S RELIGION. "EVERY PLANT WHICH MY HEAVENLY FATHER HATH NOT PLANTED SHALL BE ROOTED UP."-(Matt. xv. 13.) THE SHAM PROPHET, THE AMERICAN MAHOMET, A BASE FORGERY, AND THE CLAIMS OF JOSEPH SMITH TO BE IN looking over the past history of this world, we meet with many things which teach us that this life is a changing scene. To trace the progress of the various sciences is by no means an unpleasant employment, while the various changes which have been effected in the political and theological department loudly calls for attentive consideration. In reference to this we learn, that since Jesus Christ left this world, individuals have made their appearance and claimed to be inspired by God for the purpose of accomplishing some mighty object, and it is at the same time truly affecting, when we remember that their doctrine has been received by some. No person can think of the power which Mahomet exerted over the minds of his fellow creatures without asking how it was accomplished. A man rising up in the deserts of Arabia, actuated by the love of glory and applause here, and the desire for happiness hereafter, devoting fifteen years in solitude, meditating which would be the best way to secure the object of his hearts desire; he at length came forth asserting himself to be a Prophet of the Lord. Three years passed before he was instrumental in converting his wife, his slave, his cousin, and eleven others; and an additional ten years was spent in propagating his doctrines within the walls of Mecca, so that altogether twenty-eight years had in succession rolled away before he exerted any influence beyond the boundaries of his own city. During a few succeeding years, persecution waxed hot against him, which in the end gave a stronger impetus to the object on which his heart was set; the number of his followers increased daily until they formed a numerous band, and such they continue to the present time. We have thought it desirable thus to refer to Mahomet of Arabia, previous to our taking into consideration the claims of the American Mahomet, or Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, to be sent by God. That no single individual ever produced such a powerful influence over the minds of the people as Joseph Smith, we most readily admit. Born in America in the year 1805, distinguished by no particular gift or talent; years passed away without any proof or anything at all indicative of that power which he did afterwards exert over many of his fellow-countrymen. Much information may be obtained respecting him from the book bearing the title of "The Mormons," published in "The Illustrated Library." According to his own statement, and also the statements of his followers, when he was about eighteen years of age, an angel of God appeared to him and 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." He was also informed, that in a certain hill some plates were deposited bearing inscriptions which no other person could decipher or translate, but this gift was to be granted to him by direct revelation, with the assistance of "the Urim and Thummin, which consisted of transparent stones, clear as crystal, set in two rims of a bow;" which instrument Joseph stated, that he found with the plates. In favour of these said plates we have the testimony of three witnessess,-Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer. Whether their testimony is worthy of credit or not, the following will decide. Martin Harris seceded from the society, and used no very unmeasured terms in denouncing Joseph Smith, and the party with which he was at one time connected, as a set of knaves and scoundrels. In reference to Cowdery, a pretended "revelation" was given by Joseph, to the following effect:-" Hearken unto me, saith the Lord your God, for my servant Oliver Cowdery's sake. It is not wisdom in me that he should be entrusted with the commandments and the moneys, which he shall carry into the land of Zion, except one go with him who shall be true and faithful." From this it appears, that Oliver was not "true and faithful:" surely, if he was not considered true in money affairs, we have no reason to believe what he said respecting the plates. For if they have been faithless in the unrighteous mammon, (secular riches,) who shall trust them with the true riches, (religious truth)? In June, 1838, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were spoken of by Sidney Rigdon as being united with a gang of "counterfeiters, thieves, liars, and blacklegs of the deepest dye, to deceive, cheat, and defraud the saints," which was owing entirely to a schism that took place among the Mormons. So that at one time we are called upon to receive the account given by these men as to their having seen the plates, and not long afterwards, the same men are denounced, by the saints themselves, as "liars." It appears from circumstances which took place shortly after the death of Joseph Smith, that Sidney Rigdon had a hand in writing the book of Mormon; so that instead of its contents being taken from the plates, as Joseph professed, it is evidently the grossest fraud palmed upon the credulous as a revelation from heaven. After the death of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon had a desire to fill the office of the late "prophet," and claimed that as his right, by a revelation given him from God. Brigham Young, and many others, felt doubtful as to the working of the system under the superintendence of Sidney; but as he continued to assert that this was his office, he was at last called to a trial before the Mormon apostles, at the trial, Brigham Young spoke in the following manner:-"Brother Sidney says, he will tell our secrets, but I would say, Oh! do'nt, brother Sidney! do'nt tell our secrets, oh! don't! But if he tells our secrets, we will tell his. Tit for tat." Sidney was then excommunicated from the Church. We have, it is true, eight other persons referred to as having seen the plates, and their testimony is no more worthy of credit than those noticed above. There are four of the Whitmer family, Joseph, two brothers, and father, also one by the name of Page. Surely, on the very face of the thing, this looks like a family compact, and their testimony could not and would not be received in a court of justice as that of independent wit nesses. At the commencement of Joseph's public career, it is very remarkable that he had so many "revelations" for himself, such for instance as the following:-"It is meet that my servant, Joseph Smith, jun., should have house built, in which to live and translate." "if ye desire the mysteries of my kingdom provide for him (Joseph Smith, jun.,) food and raiment and whatsoever thing he needeth." Again, "In temporal labours thou shalt not have strength; for this is not thy calling. Attend to thy calling, and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office and to expound all Scriptures." From these pretended revelations" it is made to appear, that God had special regard to Joseph. He was to have a "house," and yet the Lord Jesus had not where to lay his head. Joseph was to have food supplied, but Christ knew what it was to hunger and thirst. He was not to labour, and yet Paul, the faithful servant of the Lord, laboured with his own hands. This looks very strange and rather suspicious. A few years afterwards, when the temple of Nauvoo was to be built, the following revelation was given :-" let all my saints come from afar, and send ye swift messengers, yea chosen messengers, and say unto them, 'come ye with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones, and with all your antiquities, and all who have knowledge of antiquities, that will come may come; and bring the box tree, and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth, and with iron, and with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of the earth, and build a house to my name for the Most High to dwell therein."" Another house was also to be built :-"let it be built in my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant, Joseph Smith and his house, have place therein, from generation to generation, for ever and ever, saith the Lord." It is very remarkable, that Joseph had so many revelations about houses and money, and the only way of understanding how this could be, is to look on the whole of them as forgeries, and those of the worst kind, for the purpose of working on the credulity of the unwary. The following account was given by Smith himself:-"a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us (Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery,) he ordained us, saying unto us, unto you, my fellow servants, in the name of the Messiah, I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the |