resting place of happy beings. Matter, as even known to mortals, is found capable, under the all modulating hand of God, of being exceedingly rarefied, as in the instance of light, the odor of flowers, &c., which are the produce of matter, and consequently can be termed nothing more or less than matter, but not subject, as the crude originals are to ponderosity or gravitation. Heaven therefore, so far as relates to identity and location, may, if we may so express ourselves, be in some such sense the beautiful and all perfect prototype of all systems of matter, which the Great Eternal has or may cause to come into being. Upon this hypothesis, may we not allow fancy a little latitude, and suppose heaven as a location, adorned with forests, with herbage, with all trees of fruit, with all flowers, with all landscapes, varied in beauty, such as even angelic taste could never devise; traversed by streams of waters as liquid silver, rushing over pebbles of gold and dia.monds, with hills and vales, adorned with fountains, such as no Greck, or lavish Chaldean, ere caused to shower the dry and sparkling air, from marble fonts, to make glorious a place of rest. Mountains of God, cataracts of the skies of heaven, pouring from the pearly summits of beauteous hills, and projecting ledges of silver, their cooling volumes of flood, to adorn this palace of the universe, in which all that is beautiful in all other worlds, is here found in the aggregate amplified and exceeded. Appearing, however, in some such fashion, as would a universal christalization, being a world of light, yet retaining all that immensity of light and shade, a trait of variety which now distinguishes, beautifies and adorns such parts of creation, in other worlds, where sin has not yet blasted their primeval glories, as in this. Such, may not heaven be, but ten thousand times more in extent than a thousand systems like ours, suited to the purity and pursuits of a spiritual state of being, so far as location and a sublimated state of tangibility can do even under the husbandry of the Creator, and will perhaps be an item in those pleasures, which in the Scripture are aid to be at God's right hand forever more. give the reader some idea of our meaning about a sublimated state of tangibility; we have only to suppose that all the substances of the earth, with the earth itself, in a state of perfect crystalization; while each condition of matter, whether earth, stones, ores, minerals, waters, oceans, forests, animals, fowls, men, cities, towns, houses, with every article of the globe, should retain, nevertheless, their respective differences, so they could as easily be distinguished, one from another, as they now are. In such a case, there could be no obscurity, all would be bright and wonderful; as when the sun shining on such a world, the mingled hues of different substances would blend and mingle their ten thousand dies, so as no rainbow was ever adorned, glittering through the entire mass of the earth, and over its entire surface. The same in the night would be the case with this difference

however-which would be the difference there is between the shining of the sun in his strength, and that of the moon and the stars-producing a less gogeous splendor, chastened and softened by the night, but not obscured. Such a state of things, as it respects heaven, is even alluded to by the Revelator, see chap. xxi. 11,-where the city of the new Jerusalem is compared to a most precious stone, even like Jasper, clear as crystal And in the course of the chapter, it is again said: verse 18, that the walls are of Jasper, and the city, pure gold, like unto clear glass: and that its foundations were laid of twelve different kinds of pelucid stones-blending their hues together. Also Rev. iv. 2, 3: God himself is said to appear in splendor, like a sardine stone-which is a blood red-and that round about the throne on which he sat, in sight or at a great distance, there was a halo, in form like a rainbow, whose color was that of the sapphire-which is a most brilliant blue. The very throne of God is said by Ezekial, i. 28-to be in color as the sapphire-while deep within, there was the color of amber-like fire-which shot off its splendors in the distance, causing the halo above noticed by the Revelator. Also in Exodus, xxiv. 10-the same idea is advanced, where the body of heaven in its clearness, is spoken of, with paved work of sapphire stones :—a sparkling blue.

In such a world as this, whose soil is golden earth, forming the base of heaven's diamond quarries, jutting out on the ranges of eternal mountains, which give rise to perpetual rivers, the waters of life-the drink of angels and the spirits of the just made perfect; were the first habitations of the first intelligences of omnific power. Along these streams of heaven, cluster in endless profusion, all groves of delight, laden with fruit, varied in shape, in flavor, and in perfumes, beyond all the visions of the sons of the mount of Apollo, and the Elysian fields. From cleft to cleft, on the sides of the mountain ridges, descend in broad showers, vines laden with clusters of such grapes as grew not in old Canaan, nor in the fields of Adam's principality, before his fall; from which flows the wine of the kingdom of which the Son of man and his disciples shall drink in heaven. See Math. xxvi. 29, "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine till that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Among these groves which never fade, whose leaves never lose their verdure, nor cast untimely fruit, but wait the pressure of seraphs' fingers; there sing all birds of celestial song, with sounds of sweetest melody, so that ever is sounding in the ear of heaven some note of other worlds, yet so as not to tire, ever seeming new and born each moment fresh into life. Everywhere were glorious beings in sight, some viewing from the mountains the boundless horizon of that world, while beneath, there was heaven's broad savannas spread out in their vastness; others walked by the streams beneath, amid the foliage, now hid

now seen, breathing the pure air of that sinless clime, while they discoursed things unutterable to mortals. As yet no traveller had arrived from other worlds, as at that time none were made. The great centre of all succeeding creations, had but newly bloomed in the midst of eternity, and this was heaven, around which it was intended the unending works of God should spread out their circles of suns, of planets, and of satelites. Where is the impropriety of supposing heaven, the first residence of the first spiritual beings, as the mighty centre of the universe, the grand nucleus of all worlds, to which all are attracted; yet repelled so as to produce celestial revolutions of the great yet increasing universe? none that we can see, as it presents no objection to a state of spiritual happiness; but is suited to such a state; as location, and association, are essential to the happiness of all finite exstences.

That heaven is a location is easily proven from the Scripture, from a multitude of places and circumstances, a few of which are as follows:-Deut. x. 14, "Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens, is the Lord thy God's; the earth also, with all that therein is." What is meant by the heaven of heavens, if it is not this great centre of all being? Now unless the heaven of heavens, so expressed by way of eminence, has a real existence and a location, as well as the earth, how can it be said to belong to God, if there is no such place? If there is no local heaven of heavens, then there is no local earth; for the one is as much alluded to in the text, and identified, as the other; and as belonging, both of them, to God: if one, therefore, is not pointed out by that Scripture, neither is the other. To the same doctrine, bears the Psalmist witness: chap. xx. 6, "Now know I that the Lord saveth his annointed: He will hear him from his holy heaven." Also in another place in Deuteronomy, xxvi. 15, the ownership, and consequently the locality, of heaven is brought to light: "Look down (or forth) from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel." Also Isaiah, lxiii. 15, "Look down (forth) from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of glory." Luke xv. 7, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." St. Luke in another place speaks of this same heaven: chap. ii. 15, "And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them (the shepherds) INTO HEAVEN." But if there is no heaven besides that which is commonly called the firmament, in which the stars are situated, and the atmosphere of the earth, how could it be thus written? how could the angels go away into a heaven which has no existence, and no location? But this fact can be shown from another circumstance, which is the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord. No person will disallow, that the Saviour's body, while on earth, was as local, tangible and real as the bodies of other men, and as such

was put to death, and raised from the dead, appeared to the disciples immediately after, who handled him, and saw him eat a piece of fish, and a honeycomb. If then it be allowed that his body was local when on earth, we think we gain the point, and establish that the heaven of heavens, the home of happy spirits, and the place where God more particularly reveals himself, is a location: because, that same body ascended to heaven, and is set down at the right hand of God. (Col. iii. 1.) But from Acts i. 9, 10, 11, we fully prove this belief, as follows: "And when he had spoken these words, while they beheld, he (Christ Jesus,) was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven (the common skies) as he went up, behold two men (angels) stood by them in white apparel which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven, (the skies) this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, (the heaven of heavens) shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven," or thitherward.

Now it is held that this real body of the Saviour, as it was after the crucifixion, so it is now in heaven: it of necessity follows, that as that body was local, not being capable of being in more than one place at a time, and was not a spirit, as he himself said, at a certain time, to his disciples, after his resurrection; that heaven is local also, or he could not have ascended thither with his person. If heaven, therefore, is a location, it follows of necessity that it was created, and situated somewhere in the ocean of boundless space; if not, then is not the person, or human nature of our Lord in the heaven of heavens, as the Scriptures state. But that it is, we further prove from Acts iii. 20, 21. "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which was preached unto you: WHOM THE HEAVEN must receive until the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth all his holy prophets since the world began," or from the time of Adam and Enoch, for Enoch was a prophet. And also from 1 Thess. i. 10. "And to wait for his son from HEAVEN, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus."

Universalists say, that there is to be no definite day of judgment, and yet they believe in Christ's resurrection and ascension up to heaven; why not also further believe that he shall come again in like manner, as the two angels said he will. See Acts i. 11 And if he shall come again, in like manner, it must take place at a definite time. and that definite time will be the day of judgment; will it not? Oh, but, says the Universalist, I believe he did come, and in so coming, the promise of the two angels was fulfilled, and the day of judgment is past. But when we enquire, did he come, and what was that day of judgment? Why, says one, he came at the time of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the Romans, about forty years after his ascension. Ah, we did not know this, and it will be a long time ere such a

belief will find its way into our mind; even till it can be shown that Jesus Christ came down from heaven, bodily as he ascended; for such was the promise, as follows:-"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven," which we have never understood, was done, when Jerusalem was destroyed, as no body saw him when he came down, and therefore we don't believe he did. Josephus would certainly have mentioned it, as it would have been a wonderful sight, equally as great as his ascension was; but he is silent, and we should think Universalists might as well be, till they can prove it. It is all folly to think that this coming again of the Saviour, was to be fulfilled spiritually, or in the ruin of the Jews, as the promise of the two men in white raiment, was to be as literally fulfilled as his ascension-and that his ascension was literal, is allowed on all hands.

But we will not forget our main point, which is just now, to prove that heaven is a real location: which we still further make appear, from the promises of Christ to his disciples. See John xiv. 2, 3. "In my Father's house, (heaven) are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be also." These promises cannot be fulfilled but on the supposition of heaven's locality as a place, is specified where the finite and local bodies, souls and spirits of all the disciples of true Christianity are finally to be assembled, so that the idea of the location of heaven, the ancient and first habitation of the first intelligences, is in our opinion fairly made out.

There is a convenience of feeling in the idea or supposition of the location of heaven, and that its location should form the centre of all God's sublunary works, however numerous, while endless ages shall prove their ceaseless flow; inasmuch as the governing principles of attraction and repulsion should be found in this centre, acting out, in all directions, reaching onward and onward, without end or limitation, except by the boundaries of matter, producing the great equipoise of motion in the increasing universe of God. It is also a convenience of feeling and propriety, in another particular; and this is: there can be but one Son of God, but one Lord Jesus Christ; and as it is impossible that he should be incarnated but once, has therefore but one body, and one place of dwelling, which proves there can be but one heaven, and one presence, where his disciples are to be, as the promise is that they shall be with him, wherever he is. In aid of this idea we quote-Rev. v. 6, 8, respecting the Lamb, which is the body of Christ, who now occupies even the midst of the throne of God. And as there can be but one throne of God,