ment was Eternal Motion! and so Matter and Motion constituted the original condition of all things! The Great First cause, or the vortex of pure Intelligence, was a First, or Cause Internal. Matter, with its properties and inconceivable combinations, was an accompaniment or counterpart that may be termed a Second or Effect. And the external or countervailing force developed by the action of the Internal, was a Third or Ultimate. Thus was established the Law of universal and eternal MOTION."

Here, according to his theory, is the beginning of what had no beginning. For, he affirms, that Matter and Motion constituted the original condition of all things, and that this First Ocean of Liquid Fire was an eternity of Motion, and The power contained in this Great Vortex, was, the Great Positive Mind, and its development was Eternal Motion; therefore, the only legitimate conclusion is, that the "Seer" claims to have comprehended, and in "the work" to have revealed, the beginning of that which, being eternal, had not beginning.

Yet the advocates of this complicated and never-to-be-defined theory of "Creation and her Author," indulge profound pity for the Christian who believes in the "tri-unity" of God, that is, "God manifest as Creator, Redeemer, and a quickening Spirit"

The omnipercipient assumption of the foregoing, fully accords with the "Seer's" claims of "Superior condition." For in "N. D. Revelations," page 120, he says, "To reveal the Second Sphere, I progress or ascend to the Third; thence to the Fourth; thence upward and upward to the Fifth, Sixth, and finally, as an ultimate, to the Seventh—in which sphere I shall be able to comprehend all others." And there, enthroned within the crowning ultimates of Nature and her Author, the "Seer" proceeds to analyze and define the evolution of spheres along vast molten vortices, which issue, or are thrown off, from the boundless Univercoelum, or ocean of liquid fire, through illimitable space and unnumbered metamorphic transitions, until Universes revolve as satelites around each terminus, or centre Sun; each of which is of inconceivable magnitude. And ensconsed within his super-celestial observatory, he makes the Almighty and his Works as familiar as household words.

Thus seated, he attempts to work out the deep problems of Nature, and adjust the conceptions of terrestrial formations from their immense vortices, through an infinite variety of evolutions, until our globe appears. Thence, scanning its sphere, he essays to pursue its igneous material while borne in the arms of its inherent laws-a lesser deity emanated from the "great vortex or

Positive Mind"-throughout the varied stratified incrustations; thence through the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms, to Man, the climax, or ultimate of the attributes and forces of its original Nebula. And again, by his theory of progression, he prospectively ascends with man, along the self-projected octaves of his nature, until the Universe of sublimated and spiritualized matter and its inherent deity, attains to the realms of the Original First Cause; the Great Positive Mind; the Vortex of liquid lava-of pure Intelligence; whence it was; and from which, according to his theory, it could never depart. Thus, organized and exalted it completes his grand equilibrium of Spirit. In this realm the "Seer" leaves the Great "Positive Mind" and the Ultimates of its Omnipotent and Proceeding Power-a universe of Spirit-Entities, so equipoised and harmonious as to perfect "One great whole."

Such are the fundamental principles of "Nature's Divine Revelations, by A. J. Davis, the Poughkeepsie Seer;" and such the character of that work which is considered by thousands the "Book of books," the Light of Reason, the reflected substance of universal Truths; whose theory is man's hope and salvation, and whose Author is considered as the "Man" of ages, and compend of universal Law; a living Automaton.

Lest those unacquainted with the work should deem our criticisms unjust, and our conclusions unreasonable, we will introduce the "Seer's" own language upon this subject. N. D. R. page 672. 'From the position now occupied I can perceive, and in a degree comprehend, the Seventh Sphere, or the Infinite Vortex of Love and Wisdom, and the great Spiritual Sun of the Divine Mind that illuminates all the Spirit worlds."

And again, although in one department he informs us that the Great Centre Vortex disseminated from itself through immensity of space material for unfolding an infinite number of systems of inconceivable magnitude, on page 121 he informs us that "In the beginning the Univercœlum was one boundless ocean of liquid fire. It had no beginning, and it was without end. It had not length; for it was a vortex of eternity. It had not circles; for it was one infinite circle." Such being the all-pervading and all-encompassing nature of this first-cause vortex, what could emanate from it" and by an infinite procedure "unfold ultimate and return to it." But in support of the evolution of Matter along its immense channels from the First-Cause Vortex, and its final spiritualization and ascension whence it came, he remarks, page 50, "It is the law of Matter to produce its ultimate Mind. It is the law of mind to produce its corresponding Spirit."

And finally, page 149, "Thus all matter will pass the multifarious forms and stages that are existing, and all will ultimately be resolved into the unparticled state, and will ascend to associate with higher and more glorious spheres-of spiritual composition. Then the Great Positive Mind, around whose Centre exists this exhaustless fountain of materials, will be Positive to the great Negative formed by the perfections of all things else in being. And then Deity and Spirit will be existing only."

Thus, through the marvelous interposition of this strange phenomenon, we have revealed to us as a First, or Cause of all things, an illimitable and eternal ocean of Liquid Fire; and that, from Fire proceeds Matter, from Matter Mind, from Mind Spirit; or, Fire unfolds into Nature, Nature into Spirit; and this Spirit or Ultimate finally arises, a Negative to the First Great Positive Cause, "and thence between the two will emanate new worlds-an epoch of another Beginning. Page 149, N. D. R.

Such are some of the claims of this Pantheistic Bible of the Nineteenth Century. And from these extracts the reader is in a degree apprised of the ceaseless involutions, by which it conducts the mind of its devotee into a bewildering amazement, thence along its imaginary spheres to its material heaven.