grand capabilities of our nature, opens up to our mental vision sublime and glorious possibilities, and prompts us, by the hope of one day becoming wise and happy angels, to a resolute and persevering struggle against the evils that infest our bosoms.
And by teaching us that the devils, also, are from the human race and were once men like ourselves, the New doctrine appeals no less to human fears than to human hopes. It discloses to us those marred and distorted forms of humanity—the denizens of the nether realms, yet created with the capacity of becoming angels—and proclaims the solemn truth that we, too, may become, yes, shall become just such inverted images of the Divine, if we turn our backs upon the Lord and disregard the precepts of his holy Word. In the revealed character and condition of the devils, we see disclosed our own final destiny if we live in the indulgence of our natural inclinations, and do not deny self, take up our cross and follow the Lord. Thus the New doctrine constrains the believer, through fear of all that is loathsome in the character and mournful in the condition of devils, to shun the paths which they have trod, to curb the propensities which they indulged, to seek "the way, the truth, and the life" which they ignored and forsook.
Yes. Angels and devils once were men. And angels or devils we, too, shall become. So teaches the New doctrine. And it is for each individual to choose which it shall be. A question of deep solemnity and supreme moment! How carefully should it be weighed! How watchful should such consideration make us over our
