MR. brown' S THIRD REPLY. 161 



Moral tendencies, part of the eyidence. A good profession. 



research, and earnestness, is simple truth to me. Without a 

 single thouglit of flatterj (which I abhor no less than he does), 

 I wrote wbat I felt, what I still feel, wliat I have uniformly 

 said to my friends, and what I still regard as but an honest 

 acknowledgment of the gifts which God has conferred on him, 

 for good and noble purposes, yet to be revealed. I cordially 

 agree with him in wishing that our readers may overlook all 

 personal comparisons, and weigh only the merits of the cause, 

 that they may see on which side the evidence preponderates. 



In weighing that evidence, however, I submit that this is 

 one of those practical cases where consequences enter into the 

 vitality of the question. They form a part of the subject-mat- 

 ter; they make, therefore, a part of the internal evidence, and 

 supply an experimental test of the truth of opinions. They 

 may indeed be '^ postponed,'' but cannot be overlooked. 

 Ye shall know iliein hy their /mits. Do men gather grapes 

 of thorns f oi' Jigs of thistles? 



" The point before us" (says my friend justly) is the 

 " Scriptural Auihority^' of the Sabbath. ^^ If the view I 

 defend," he continues, "be unsustained by the Bible, it will 

 doubtless be made manifest, and I shall cheerfully acknowledge 

 a neio, and consequently firmer belief. If the reverse be the 

 case, I sincerely hope — in denying that one man's liberty 

 should be ^judged of another man's conscience' — that I shall 

 not ' put a stumbling-block in any believer's way/ however 

 ^ weak in the faith' he may be considered. Certainly I shall 

 neither presume to ^ judge him,' nor to ' set him at naught.' " 

 (p. 87.) This is well said. How well it is fulfilled, will appear 

 in the sequel. 



I had said that the good of old were taught of God to "call 

 the Sabbath a delight." This is not disputed. But when my 

 friend affirms that " the good of the new dispensation were also 

 taught of God to call the Sabbath * a shadow' — a cancelled 

 bond — a blotted handwriting — 'nailed to the Cross,'" (p. 

 87;) he assumes the very point in dispute hetween us. Is this 



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