"Having formed my plan," continued Lucifer, "I determined to set out immediately on its execution. I put on the robes of an angel of light, and ascended to the sun, that from that central position I might take a survey of the wide-extended field in which I was to act. I thought it best to go quite beyond the limits of the solar system, lest the knowledge of earth's history should have extended there, and should impede my purpose. As I stood on the outer crust of the sun, pondering my voyage, and undetermined, as yet, in what direction it was best to steer, I perceived a comet of unusual magnitude returning from some long excursion through the regions of space. It was yet in the distant depths of the broad blue heaven, drawing its immense trail in the direction of the solar system with incredible celerity. In the fury of its progress it seemed to plough the stars aside,' and for a time looked as though it would surely strike the body of the sun. But at its near approach, it most gracefully curved around the burning luminary, throwing its long-extended trail into the figure of a gigantic rainbow. I resolved at once to take passage on this extraordinary vehicle, and while it was near the sun, I sprung upon its surface, and perched myself on one of its lofty peaks.

"Away, away, it shot, in the rapidity of its flight, for the distant tracts of creation. It was evidently the wreck of some former world, which once, perhaps, had been the abode of animated beings. But it was now in ruins. The work of destruction, however, was yet incomplete, for it was evidently still in progress. From time to time, the internal fires, gaining access to fresh bodies of combustible matter, flamed forth with a gran

deur that was terrible. Mountain top responded to mountain top in thundering discharges of burning lava. Tempests and tornadoes, mingled with broad sheets of lightning, howled along the surface, while the huge body itself was incessantly convulsed and torn, as by the heavings and tossings of some mighty earthquake. "On we drove, accompanied by this war of elements and wreck of matter.' Conflagration flamed on conflagration, and explosion thundered on explosion : on, on, we drove,

'Showering thin flame o'er half the breadth of heaven.'

“At length, having passed many a shining world, wheeling in its bright orbit, I found that my fiery conveyance was beginning to slacken in its speed. I therefore prepared to betake myself to flight, and bounding aloft, I spread my wings, and directed my course due north. Onward, onward, onward, I winged my way, until earth's sun grew dim, and began to twinkle in the distant heavens, like a feeble star. I now found myself approaching a cluster of worlds, whose orbits encircle that luminary which on earth is called the polar star. Here I determined to make my first attempt. Alighting on a large revolving globe, I began to take a particular survey. It was dressed in the richest green, intermingled with all the varied and beautiful drapery of early spring. I could only compare it to Eden in its first loveliness, before the blight and desolations of sin had entered there. Even in the vegetable kingdom I could not detect the slightest trace of mildew or decay. I looked carefully around, if there were any marks of indignation from on high-any object scathed

with the curse of the Almighty. But there was none. I listened attentively. But neither sigh nor moan, nor accent of woe, could be heard. Nor could I find tombstone or graveyard, nor any vestige of the ravages of him who rideth on the 'pale horse.'

"No doubt now remained that I had reached a sinless world, and that intellectual beings, who inhabited here, have retained their allegiance to God. As I was revolving in my mind the method in which it might be best to approach them, and attempt to draw them into sin, my attention was caught by a structure at no great distance, evidently the work of art, but of singular symmetry and grandeur.

"It was manifestly a monument designed to perpetuate the knowledge of some great event. The material of which it was built surpassed the finest white marble, and while it stood secure and firm on its substantial base, the spire streamed up to an incredible height, and seemed to touch the floating clouds of heaven. I approached to take a nearer survey, and learn, if possible, its meaning. Judge of my astonishment, when there, on its broad surface, appeared an inscription, in letters of light, rehearsing the story of The Manger,' 'The Garden,' 'The Cross,' and 'The Sepulchre.'

"Astounded and dizzy with amazement, I could scarcely realize what I saw. It seemed like the illusion of some wild, fantastic dream. But surveying the inscription again and again assured me that it was a palpable and undoubted reality. Immediately the thought occurred some of the saints from the heavenly world have been here, and have told of God's plan of redemption for man.

"I now recollected that the apostle Paul, in the days of his ministry, often assured his hearers that 'God created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ.' (Ephesians iii. 9-11.) I now understood that those principalities and powers in heavenly places, are the inhabitants of other and distant worlds, to whom God intends fully to reveal himself by means of man's redemption; that the church, that part of it now in heaven, is employed in this great work; and that the countless multitudes of rational beings who inhabit the wide universe are to bow the knee and render adorations to the incarnate Messiah.

"It was now plain that most of the saints on earth 'see through a glass darkly' with respect to the condition of those who have died in the Lord. Many suppose that the saints who have gone to heaven are merely employed in the enjoyment of the happiness there, singing anthems of praise to Jehovah, and rejoicing in his redemption. I had often wondered myself at the ways of Providence toward the church below. When I saw Jonathan Edwards called away in the prime of life, and Larned plucked from his pulpit in New Orleans at the age of twenty-eight; when I saw Cornelius called away at the age of thirty-eight, Wisner at forty, and many other similar cases, I have wondered why those whose labors were so much in demand in the church below, should be so early removed. But now I could comprehend it all. I now saw that important services await the soldier of the cross when called to go

up higher in the grand army; and that while the church below is engaged in missions, sending out her sons to the dark corners of the earth to make known the tidings of salvation, that part of the church which is in heaven is engaged in missions also, on a larger scale, and her sons are dispersed abroad through the wide creation, making known to principalities and powers in heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God."

At this point Lucifer paused, for there were strange commotions in the assembly of his auditors. Here and there among the fallen cherubim was a countenance singularly blank. Others stood aghast. Some, with open hand behind the ear, were leaning forward to catch every word that fell from the lips of their chief; others had unconsciously risen to their feet, and appeared writhing in the agonies of bitter vexation; while from all parts of the hall arose a confused and jarring sound, like murmurs mingled with gnashing of teeth.

"You are greatly troubled," continued Lucifer. "I knew it would be so. But I have shared deeply in the bitterness and mortification which you now endure. I frankly declare that no event during the period of the patriarchs, the prophets, or the apostles, inflicted on my spirit such deep anguish. True it is, I was greatly grieved when the tribes of Israel succeeded in passing the wilderness and entered Canaan. I was greatly grieved when the captive Jews, under Ezra and Nehemiah, returned from Babylon and rebuilt the city and their temple. I was greatly grieved, when, under the preaching of Peter, thousands of my subjects deserted in a day, and became believers in the gospel. But the discoveries now made of the extended preparations, that