gested: "If Jesus be not the true God, why should we worship him? Why should the angels worship him? Why should God give directions that any other being than himself should be worshipped? Why should the Father require that Jesus should be worshipped because God hath worked by him, rather than that Moses should be worshipped, because God wrought wonders by him?" After reflecting a litttle while on these queries, this scripture, like Sinai's thunder, came to my mind: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. ." Matt. 4:10. At this instant, all nature seemed to declare the inconsistency of worshipping, or of giving divine honours to any other being, than "the only living and true God.' It seemed to me, if Jesus be not God, and yet have divine honours given him, because of his high mission, on the same principle, all the prophets, apostles, and persons sent of God, should also receive divine honours, proportionate to the extent of their mission. Notwithstanding these reflections, I knew not what to believe of Jesus Christ. For the Unitarian arguments had so influenced my belief, and so formed the connection of my thoughts, that I supposed the doctrine that Jesus Christ is the true God, could not be proved from the scriptures. Indeed, to this sentiment, I thought there were unanswerable objections. On the other hand, I could see no propriety in worshipping any be ing except the true God. And on this principle, the scriptures now appeared to be involved in great obscurity. "When Unitarian unbelief, I think, Took hold of Peter, he began to sink; That doubts the power of God's beloved Son." I was now like a ship without mast or helm, committed to the merciless waves. At this time, I had appointments to preach in Penfield, Perinton, and in other towns. But how could I meet them? I knew not what to preach, nor what to believe! I attended them, however, and thought myself safe in restricting my remarks on this subject to the language of the scriptures, though their meaning to me was obscure. I read the Bible day and night, and was much in secret prayer. But while I prayed, awful doubts troubled me, and great darkness veiled my mind, so that like the darkness of Egypt, I thought it could be felt. Infidelity had no charms. But alas! I saw no way to avoid its principles, unless I could believe that Jesus Christ is truly God. My whole soul could but shrink from the idea of two Gods-the Father, the only living and true God, and my Saviour, consequently, a dead and false god! But how could two persons be one being? Alas! my difficulties were very serious, and I feared, lest they should force me to infidelity. I wished, unbiassed by the prejudices of education, to believe and know the truth. I resolved. to cease preaching, unless I could discern the truth of the gospel: I could see no way to escape the gloomy forebodings of infidelity: I regretted that I had received ordination. I remembered that the council seemed to have some hesitancy, because my sentiments with regard to the character of Christ were not sufficiently settled; but considering my youth as an apology, they concluded to lay hands on me, believing I would become established in the truth. It now seemed that I should disappoint their hopes. Again I recollected the many souls that I had seen converted, the happy seasons I had enjoyed with the saints; and I thought, how can I wound those kind friends? how can I disappoint the hopes of my brethren?-and can I bid such happy scenes an eternal farewell? Yet, I said within myself, I cannot be a hypocrite and if Heaven do not remove these doubts, and open the way before me, I must-I will retire from the church. But then, alas! how can I endure the presence of my Christian friends! If this should be my unhappy condition, I will leave this land-hide myself in the wilderness of the west, and there dwell in obscurity till death. Now the gloom of infidelity rushed upon me, like an overwhelming flood. What! no Saviour?-No sure guide!-Life a scene of sorrow!-Death an eternal sleep! * * * From the evidences of Christianity, and from my own experience, I could find nothing to confirm an unhallowed doubt. My trials originated solely from my Unitarian views of the character of Christ. I opened my mind to brother Thomas Parker, a preacher of our connexion in Perinton. He tried to encourage and strengthen me; and, as he has since told me, after we separated, he went into a wood and prayed a long time with many tears, that I might be saved from the snare of infidelity. I attended my previous appointments, gave out no more, and doubted whether I should ever attempt to preach again. I continued to search the scriptures, and to pray the Lord for deliverance. But my way was all closed up, and I considered much on the manner in which I might retire from a public life. I thought, however, before I made any new conclusions, I would visit Elder J. N. Hinckley, and lay my case before him. He had been an atheist for eight years previous to his conversion, and I looked to him for counsel as to a father in Zion. After telling him all my doubts, he said, "Brother Marks, you study too much, you travel too much, and you preach too much. The mind is as easily wearied as the body; and yours is so much wearied, that you know not what you are, or where you are. By abstinence, the perception of the mind is quickened, and you must moderate till you become rested and calm." He then took me to his mills, fields, &c. and conversed freely on many subjects; but declined saying any thing on the subject, which, for two weeks, had engrossed my whole attention. After passing the greater part of a day in this manner, he took me to a room alone with him, and taking his Bible, asked me, if I would believe Jesus Christ to be God, provided he would prove that he created the world? Without hesitation, I answered in the affirmative; but being prepossessed of the Unitarian argument, that the Father made the world by Christ, as an agent only, I did not expect the proof proposed. He began to read the first chapter of Paul's epistle to the Hebrews. I had committed this chapter to memory, and thinking all the ideas it contained had been pre viously considered, I supposed that neither the 8th and 9th verses, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever," &c., nor any part of the chapter, could affect my mind. But when he came to the tenth verse, where the Father still addresses the Son, he put his finger on it, and read with emphasis: "And, Thou, Lord: in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands." Before he had concluded the reading of this sentence, cold chills began to pass over me-and bursting into tears, like unbelieving Thomas, I exclaimed within myself, "My Lord and my God"! From this moment, faith began to revive in my soul. Elder Hinckley now remarked on the objection which I had presented, viz., that "the Son of God could not be the Father, or God himself." Said he, “A river proceeding from a lake, cannot be called the lake itself, yet the stream may be called water, and the fountain water; and one is as truly water as the other, because the substance in the two bodies is the same. So, a son of man receives from the parent a perfect human nature, the entire nature of his species; yet this maketh not another nature, nor another species of being; but the nature and species in the father and in the son, are the same, though in two persons. In like manner, the only begotten of the Father,' doth possess the nature of the Father, inherent and entire; and this nature, or divine substance of the Son, is as justly called God, as the divine fountain from which it proceeded." It might be improper Where to relate the chain of reflections in full, and the passages of scripture that raised me from the borders of infidelity. Suffice it to say, that the tenth verse of the first chapter of Hebrews, commenced my convincement; and that, by a close examination of the scriptures, my faith increased, and I was brought firmly to believe, that Jesus is truly "God with us." And to this day, I have never doubted in saying of Him, "This is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John 5:20.* *When I attended the New-Hampshire yearly meeting at Weare, in the year 1824, I heard Elder Enoch Place preach on the character of Christ. The doctrine distilled like the dew, and I was greatly de After this, I related to Elder Elijah Shaw, a preacher of the Christian order, the particulars of my convincement, that Jesus our Saviour, is as truly God, as is the Father. He replied, "When you became established in this sentiment, you became established in a blessed good sentiment." Whether it be, or not, I know that my faith in this doctrine has been greatly to the comfort of my soul, and I believe that by embracing it, I have been saved from infidelity, and from " wind of doctrine" that is passmany a ing in the world. I now returned to Penfield and Perinton, greatly comforted, and enjoyed some favoured seasons in preaching the Lord Jesus, as the only "name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." CHAPTER XV. Particulars of my labours from July, 1826, to September, 1827. In July, 1826, I spent several weeks in Ontario, and preached in different neighbourhoods. I had the satisfaction of seeing frequent instances of conviction, and was often filled with joy, while I saw the saints happy, and sometimes heard sinners cry for mercy. Among those that were awakened, was an interesting young man, the son of a Quaker, and three young ladies, that were school teachers. They were the first that publicly confessed their desire to find Jesus. These, and several others, were soon brought into liberty, and rejoiced to take the cross and follow Christ. Sabbath, July 23, I had an aplighted till I heard his concluding sentence :-" This is the eternal God, and besides Him there is no Saviour." This sentence damped my joy and caused cold chills to pass over me; yet at this instant I observed the assembly dropped as it were a flood of tears; and that which so chilled my feelings, was sanctioned by the sound of "Amen," from many voices. But since the time I cried of my Saviour with unbe lieving Thomas, « My Lord and my God," this doctrine has been sweet to my soul, |