Excerpt from The Celestial Magnet

We know nothing of the meaning of these words, which the scripture writers used, except by our having experienced, what we think to be the same as they relate of their experience. It is we, in the language of the very candid Dugal Stuart, that: infuse the very soul into every word of the seriptures. The astonishing power of truth upon the minds of the scripture writers, very natur ally led them to attribute it to some Operating medium, which they seemed to think resembled the pneuma, or wind, for so the. Word meant in that age. But still had they been questioned upon this subject, they would, undoubtedly, have acknowledged, thatthey perceived no resemblance, in reality, between what revealed truth to their minds, and the wind, or spirit as they called it. But little did these holy, honest, simple men think, that these figures, which they were obliged to make the medium of commu nicating their thoughts to others, would become the basis of those paradoxical systems, which now burden and harass our species 'l hey adapted their language to the character, the ignorance and the opinions of the age in which they lived, and thought not of providing opinions and rules of conduct for future generations. The apostles had imbibed, to their sorrow, the opinions and, prej udices of their countrymen and ancestors, and now began to think rt here to teach men not to get theit rules of conduct from each other, but immediately from their heavenly. Fatheru.' Him they thought a much nearer, better, and more faithful friend, than any they had on earth. They taught others that God was infinitely more tender and loving, than any. Earthly parent could be that his provisions for men were universal and impartial; that his pro vidence always had, and always would, pervade the universe. With a firm belief of a God of this character, they ventured their allin order to make him known to others. F tom the emboldeningefl'ect, which truth had Uponltbeir minds, they referred their hapa piness to a pouring out of God's spirit. But w1ll any man be so absurd as to contend, that the Spirit or mind of God, 13 capable of being poured out, like a fluid, from one vessel into another? Or that, in reality, it is capable of descending and ascending? This would imply, that the mind of the Deity was movmg about, and did not fill all space. Men often speak of pouring out their hearts and souls before God, but their souls don't leave their bodies, at those times, any more than atvothers.

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