nations were no longer filled with an active vitality: they rouse sleeping germs and reunite severed branches.

"Regarded from another point of view, the divine doctrines of virtue and the true spiritual direction of man, owe their preservation from inimical influences to their seclusion among the Jews, by whom, surrounded by mysteries, they were transmitted pure down to that time when that which was hidden was placed in the broad light of day, that the whole world should perceive and understand that God is the Father of all men, and that all are to be gathered together under our Lord Jesus Christ. This had been long foretold in the early world: The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not comprehend it.' And the beginning of this great work has assuredly commenced; for as men, when left to nature and their own folly, did not at once degenerate into the most complete demoralisation, so could the newly kindled light only illuminate the pagan darkness, and restore them gradually to the former elevation, from which they would be enabled to perceive the true God, and to adore him in humility and love."

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On this subject Hamberger remarks, after explaining that Ham (the impulsive) represents the fratricide Cain, -Shem (the generic word for man), whose descendants were priests, represents the pious Abel,-and Japhet (the expansive), who was also beloved by God, but had more inclination for the outward and worldly, steps into the place of Seth:-" It is, however, not to be disputed that, far from venerating mere nature, the heathens had in view a divine idea. It was, therefore, not the stones or elements which they worshipped, but rather the spirit with which they, as it were, stood in connection through material nature; and therefore, though approaching the truth, they never were able to behold the real unclouded attributes of the Almighty. The Japhetites were unable to retain the abstract idea of God; and, as they were engrossed in a great measure by the world and its occupations, they looked upon the visible works of God as the divine idea. The Shemites were the bearers of the knowledge of the unity of God as it is preserved in the profound religion of the Old Testament. The children of Ham receded far, and sank below the histori

cal horizon, as they fell away from God, and debased themselves by the most barbarous nature-worship, or rather the senseless and stupid fetichism. Some nations, however, of Hamitic origin-as, for instance, the Egyptians, who were inclined, and therefore capable of a higher cultivation, by their neighbourhood to the Shemitic races-not only were preserved from sinking deeper into a savage nature, but actually reached a high state of civilization and knowledge of God,—or rather a perception of the divine nature and its multitudinous powers and manifestations. If we deny that the mythologies of the ancients contain any but material parts, we must also divest them of every sentiment of religion. But this we do when we maintain that they only adored natural objects, as the stars or elements.

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The nations of antiquity were, however, as history proves, possessed of such an enlightened and acute spirit that a religion entirely devoted to the senses could not by any possibility have obtained credence among them, much less have maintained its ground for thousands of Even among years. children of Israel, some men, highly esteemed for their wisdom—as in the case of Solomon-were inclined to heathenism, which could not have been the case if the heathen religion had been wanting in every foundation of truth. With what earnestness the heathens devoted themselves to their gods, and founded the most magnificent temples, and even excavated whole mountains to do them homage! Even at the present day, a spirit raised far above everything of mere earthly nature speaks to us from the remains of Grecian mythology. That states cannot exist without a religious conviction, history but too clearly shows us; and yet all heathen creeds are said to have been empty phantoms. Even the Mosaic writings admit a certain reality for the gods of the Gentiles: for instance, 2 Mos. 15, 11.

The longing for knowledge, according to Fr. v. Schlegel, is the beginning and root of every higher knowledge and all divine aspirations; patience in the search, in faith, and in the battle of life, is half way: the end is, however, never more to us below than the hoped-for goal. The necessary epochs of preparation and of gradual progress cannot be overstepped or put aside in this the noblest striving of humanity. The nations mutually assisted and influenced

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each other in fixing and maintaining their religious consciousness, even after their dispersion; and it was, without doubt, through the Shemites, who were capable by their constitution of receiving a higher degree of divine grace, that the Japhetites were sustained and preserved from straying. Through the exertions of these nations a divine service and a certain religious system were formed, through which not only was the connection between their gods to be sustained, but still more intimate relations were to be produced. The pious heathen did not alone care for a merely idle acknowledgment of his gods or an outlet for his fancy, but was rather deeply imbued with the desire of drawing still nearer to them, and of, as it were, being incorporated with them. It was on this account that such a power and activity lay in the means which the heathens made use of for this purpose.

The Almighty does not abandon his children, though they may endeavour to approach Him by circuitous ways, but manifests Himself to them by whatever way they seek or call on Him. The heathens were not capable of a spiritual intercourse with the Almighty. God, therefore, communicated with them through oracles, through their religious rites, prayers, and offerings, which were not merely produced by chance, but were the results of higher and vital laws. Through this, and particularly through the mysteries in which, as it were, the gods were divested of everything but the purest spirit, a rich and powerful influence spread itself over the heathen countries, and from it sprang security, respect for their rulers and the laws, and, in fact, the noblest virtues and capabilities of the human mind.

The descendants of Abraham, as is well known, were led by the hand of God into pagan Egypt, where they increased to a great people. Through the pressure of servitude, an apostacy from the God of their fathers was to be feared, which in several cases actually took place. Their faith, however, was to receive a determined form for future ages, and to unfold in a rich and glorious manner. For this purpose, God raised in Moses a great preserver and leader to Israel, and endowed him with wonderful powers and profound wisdom. The laws of nature were therefore subject to him; and the miracles which the Lord wrought through him must have been glorious and immense compared with those of the

heathens, as God determined to reveal Himself, not according to His outward, but His inward majesty. These miracles served to withdraw Israel from bondage; but the opposition to those laws, revealed so awfully from Sinai, was a proof of deeply-rooted sinfulness; and the children of Israel were condemned to a forty years' pilgrimage in the Desert, before they might behold the Promised Land. The laws served at first to raise them to a higher grade of cultivation; and then, by sacrifices and festivals, to prepare them for the Saviour, towards whom the glorious line of Prophets pointed ever clearer and more distinctly: till at length Christ appeared among men to unfold the most hidden glories of God, and to reconcile the Almighty with humanity, at a time when notoriously all nations were steeped in the deepest night, under the shadow of death, and in the greatest need of God's grace. The Lord arose above them as the light of the world, as the sun of life, and with His disciples illuminated the whole globe. Through Christ, the most holy and majestic secret of His eternal love had been fully revealed, and man was enabled thereby to approach His glory; while the curtain which had hitherto separated the Jews and Gentiles was now raised. That which, up to this time, had been regarded on both sides as a secret knowledge, was now universally made known; and the doctrine of the threefold existence of God, and His holy teachings, were now to be preached to all the world.

As the appearance of Christ produced a reconciliation between sinful humanity and God, and, at the same time, a reunion of the nations who were wandering blindly in different directions; so was it necessary for man to regain his original connection with God and nature, between whom, as it were, he formed the mediator, and to be placed in a very high degree of mental perfection. For man possesses a susceptibility as well for the divine as for the natural, and also an inner spiritual, as well as outward organic, activity. Man," says Molitor, "is destined to connect created things with God, and God with created things, through the universal bond of love. Inwardly he should receive the overflowing influence of divine love and grace; and his outward activity should be directed to spread the divine influence through all spheres of creation, to rouse intelligent beings

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to an eternal love, and magically to impart an everlasting harmony to the material world."

In how far this reunion through Christ has been carried into effect, or may be, according to the circumstances and conditions of future ages, does not belong to the province of this work.

If the first man lost his perfect harmony with God and nature, and, at the same time, also forfeited his active government, then must these have been restored after the restoration through Christ. He would then communicate with God, and the influences of nature would produce in him a disinclination to receive any impressions which could militate against the divine power of his mind. It was thus that through Christ the true penetrating vision, and the original power over nature, were restored; for, as God at the creation endowed the first man with dominion over all other creatures,-over the fishes in the sea, and the birds under the heavens, and over all animals upon the earth; and as Adam was able to give to everything its proper name, therefore the second man, the Son of God, brought back the power over nature, and imparted it, with the knowledge of all languages, to His disciples. The holy spirit radiating from Our Saviour illuminates every one who is born again through Jesus Christ; and as, at the first apostacy at Babel, the confusion of tongues became universal, so did the unity in heart and mind of the disciples, gathered together in obedience, restore the unity of language at Jerusalem; and to them was given the power of reclaiming men from sin and evil deeds, of healing sickness, blindness, and all diseases, of working miracles, and of leading humanity to the true God. If, however, the true unity of language consists therein, that the heart and soul are to act on the will of God, and, being open to its influences, seize at once upon the meaning; and that by word and deed it is then proclaimed for the glory of the Almighty; so must it be that the true magical sight, and the proper direction of the will, are restored, and then we may look forward to healing the sick by laying on of the hands, and prayer.

The meanings of dreams are to be valued according to the inner nature of the same. From the preceding observations we shall be able to judge whether dreams are always phantasms, and how much of truth or consistency their