their infantile form, or whether they grow to the full stature of men and women as in this world. Ask whether the righteous who die of old age, continue wrinkled, bowed and decrepid there as here, or whether they return to the bloom and vigor of their early manhood. Ask what is the nature of heaven and hell; what are the delights of good and what those of evil spirits (if the latter have any); what constitutes the happiness of the former, and what the misery of the latter. Ask if there be any industries or occupations beyond the grave, and what their nature; and whether there exists any sort of connection (and if so, what?) between spirits in the other world and men in this world. Ask ministers of the Gospel these and a hundred other similar questions (and they are questions which the human heart instinctively asks,—nay, cannot help asking), and what will they answer? Perhaps they will give you their opinions—their conjectures; and these may sometimes be quite sensible. But generally you will receive, in answer to all such inquiries, a frank confession of entire ignorance. They will tell you that they do not pretend to know anything about such matters, as nothing has ever been revealed; and, therefore, they cannot undertake to teach with confidence anything concerning them.
And is it reasonable to suppose that this state of confessed ignorance about things of such absorbing interest to rational and immortal beings, will always continue? Can we believe that the ministers of Christ are never to have anything but crude conjecture wherewith to answer inquiries upon such erroneous. and momentous themes?
