otherwise come in contact with; and if they escape the power of the tempter, what wonder if they weary at last of the good fight and turn away from the Gospel, infidel through and through. Do we think more of gold, than we do of our daughters? "Would that our girls thought too much of themselves as daughters of Zion to be their servants, and hear their words of derision. And why do they go outside of our own people if they must work out to earn these needful supplies? How quick is the answer: "We get better wages." Fathers and mothers have you looked at this? You let your girls listen and bear what would make your boys fight if the same slurs were flung at them. Better, for your dear daughters, a thousand times, the plain home fare, the calico or the linsey dress, and the farm boy, awkward beau, than the elegant dining halls, the fashionable ofttimes indecorous costumes and the flirting, vapid, promenade escort to theatre, balls and lake resorts, such as they will most surely drift unto." Mrs. Mason was aroused from her deep reverie by her husband's coming, and mentally commending Lena to our Father's protection, went into the cheerfully lighted sitting room. As Lena hurried homeward she met her lover. "Lena, there's a big excursion out to the lake, to-morrow. You never go anywhere, and I want you to go with me." Lena's calm eyes searched his, but only happiness and candor answered her. "I'shall give up the trip if you refuse to go-I shall care nothing for it or the whole crowd without you are there." "Why not find a partner among your own circle of acquaintances, Mr. Hoyt?" asked Lena. "I stand outside that circle, a girl in your mother's employ; let that be sufficient reason!" and Lena entering the gate, darted down a path leading to the side of the house. A few moments later Mrs. Hoyt was pleasantly entreating Lena to accompany her son on the proposed excursion, and won her promise. It was a lovely morning, and the station was crowded, even though car after car was quickly filled. As the train moved westward, a sudden dull sense of fear or doubt descended upon Lena. "It must be because I am here alone with him, and yet why should I fear any thing in this crowd!" The busy scene around her and her lover's gentle attention soon dissipated the foreboding. The day passed happily hour by hour, and Lena grew more at ease, and became more like her old self at home. They watched group after group pursuing different pastimes and pleasures, and at last her lover asked: "Shall we try the boat, Lena?" As a serious look overspread her face he answered"There is no danger, I can manage the boat;" and Lena still hesitating, he resumed: "Do you think some accident might happen, or do you fear to trust me? Lena, I intend to wait for you, 'till you are perfectly willing to take my name, no matter how long. Do not go unless you are satisfied to, but I shall be disappointed." Lena felt grieved, and to restore his pleasant smile, replied: "Well, let us try the boat then, but only a little way out." They hastened down the strand, and Lena found herself soon comfortably seated, and the boat darted out over the water, plying to and fro in graceful curves, now nearing the land, then drifting farther outward. An hour had passed, when suddenly Lena turned to her lover, and exclaimed: "We are too far away from shore, oh, let us turn back." Receiving no reply, she looked in his face, and met a look of familiarity that frightened her. "Will you turn the boat homeward?" "When I am ready, not yet." They were fast nearing a jutting rocky point, around which the crowd upon the beach would be lost to view. A strange look came into Lena's eyes, as she said: "I will never pass that point, I will leap into this water before every being yonder, if you go one stroke further." The boat lay and rocked just there, through moments of suspense. The train came in sight, and at the thought of delay, Lena became intensely agitated. "If I do not go home on that train to your mother's house, I will never go." Lena rose in the boat, and waved her handkerchief to the far off crowd. Did they fear some danger had come to them? She saw three boats Deave the shore, and hasten towards them. With sullen look, he turned homeward, but as they neared the coming boats, he laughingly, said: "We were challenging some of you out." Once more aboard the train, Lena's relieved mind planned her course, all in one word, home. It was a surprise to her mistress when Lena next morning announced her intention of going home. "But you will come back to us-how long will your visit be?" "I must see mother, she may need me herself." A shade of regret, a foreboding, passed over the lady's heart. "O, don't go, write and ask your mother to come up and see you." “I am homesick, I think," said Lena, "I had better go home." At table that evening the mistress remarked quietly "Lena is going home on a visit and I fear her stay will be permanent." "See here" said her husband "she's a good, trusty, sensible girl, I don't want to lose her services. I'll give her a nice present if she'll give up the trip." "I'll follow suit" joined in one of his clerks, "we'd miss Lena, every one of us." A certain young man said nothing, but thought much and very decisively. Lena entered the room and her master looked up. "Lena, Mrs. Hot tells me you're going home on a visit. If you'll give up the idea I'll give you a handsome present. Somebody down there might not let you come back you know," said he, pleasantly. Lena modestly thanked him but said she had already written home and they would be expecting her. perform the homely, practical work that she had done? Hired girls are plentiful enough, did not the world go on before she came, and would not the world go on the same again? If you take a pebble out of a brook does not its music run on just as sweet as before?" But to each and every question his heart made answer, no! "Lena, a hired girl! She was worthy and sweet enough to adorn the fairest house. No, the world would never be as light again if it must be without her," and her lover looked perfectly wretched. "I am to blame, I frightened her." When the now obsolete "Market Train" was in vogue, it brought in the farmer's produce, and the country folks early on Saturday morning, returning late the same afternoon, and owing to the reduced fare was considerably patronized by that class, those in more affluent circumstances traveling by the regular train and keeping no account of the first named. It was generally on the "Market Train" that the girls seeking employment came to the city, and they naturally returned by the same, being pretty sure of having acquaintances for company. Mr. Hoyt and his clerks gathered around the supper table, and on the appearance of a strange girl as waiter, looked at the lady of the house by way of inquiry. Said she: "Unexpectedly to me Lena went home, on the train which leaves about four o'clock. I did not think of her going earlier than to-morrow afternoon, but she brought a young person to supply her place, which was thoughtful of her, just as she has always been. She asked me to say a kind good bye for her to all." Each gentleman instinctively glanced at a side table near the door, on which lay several neatly wrapped parcels each addressed in a different hand to Miss Lena Wilson. The kind expressions of respect had come too late. It was rather strange that a shadow seemed to have fallen upon the group, but it was so. A little later her lover sought her and endeavored to win back that confidence with which she had once regarded him, but the weight of his own folly sank deeper in his heart, for he was Opposite the little town of S―, the to lose the sunlight of her presence. bell rang, the whistle blew and the "Only a hired girl, a Mormon girl!" engine puffed and halted; lights shown How Often had they thought of her just out of the station windows, country that way. "What matter after all, if she wagons rumbled and rattled up to the went Or stayed! Could not anyone else platform, cheering voices made inquiry, and welcomed those they sought; then stepping into a crowded wagon, Lena was soon jolting over the mile of rough road to the town. The soft lamplight came through the open door down the clean, narrow path; the four o'clocks were fast asleep, the locust leaves drooped, folded close together like palms in prayer, they too were asleep, but Lena's mother was at the gate, the little dog frisked and barked vehemently, and a moment later Lena was in the dear old house, safe home again. She was tired out, with overjoy, with the long ride, and more than all with stress of feeling. After the eager and happy conversation and simple meal, the mother's early prayer of gratitude and supplication fell round her like a long sweet spell. Folded once more within those guardian arms, Lena slept the sweetest sleep she had known since last she dreamed beneath the same safe roof. Little Dick? was sound asleep and they did not wake him; but Lena softly kissed his sleeping eyes. He With the morning came old companions and Lena was in a whirl of happiness, alternately flitting out around the premises, helping mother, and making researches after certain remembered fruits and flowers or some possible addition in the stock yard. "Lena," said one of the girls, "we've been having our patriarchal blessings. Mother says that's the best kind of fortune telling, and wouldn't you like to have yours? To-morrow will be the last day that the patriarch will be at our house." "Yes, if mother will go too." And the appointment was made for the same afternoon. When they entered the presence of the venerable man, and Lena listened to the comforting blessing bestowed upon her mother, a new feeling took possession of her heart, a treading out as it were upon the 'threshold of a new era. Then Lena's turn came. Life's future changed into definite plan before her eyes. Undreamed of happiness revealed by the sure light of inspiration and prophecy. The vain world's frivolous temptation and faithlessness fell uncared for from the heart, as the hand might let fall into swift water a broken chain of hollow tinsel beads. How like wasted days and months that time of loneliness and trial in the city. Peace she had not found there. A letter soon came for Lena, pleading for the right to come and bring her back as his parents' daughter. And Lena answered it, short and kindly as only her heart could answer, and when she laid both in her mother's hand for her to read, the mother wept, but they were tears of joy. And when her lover read his answer, even his tears could not dim away the noble spirit of those words. He closed his eyes and read them clearer than even in characters of light, engraven upon the unsullied pages of his own heart. Poor, humble, a Mormon girl yet too royal in spirit, too far above his reach, his purest ideal, memory's treasure of love and womanhood.. A. J. Crocheron. When wise men council thee, move with caution; when fools entreat, withdraw in haste. II. BIBLICAL COSMOGONY. THE DAYS AND DATE OF CREATION.—I. ALL are aware that vast differences exist between the demonstrative facts of secular science and the assumed teachings of the Bible, respecting the days and date of creation. Many praiseworthy attempts have been made, by the most learned of the self styled doctors of divinity, to compose these differences, but the result has not inspired the popu lar heart with any remarkable degree of confidence in Genesis as a document of divine authority. The supposed scientific principles of the book are still held in general contempt by the non-religious elements, and the whole record is damned by the faint praise of its sectarian supporters, who try to evade the issue by stating that the Bible was not written for the purpose of teaching scientific principles, but to promulgate the moral law, and to establish a true system of religion. Granted all this in general terms; still no Christian can deny that each and every portion of the inspired writings was penned for the purpose of inculcating the very truths which each paragraph contains; and hence, there can be no doubt that the first portion of Genesis was written for the special object of informing us concerning the scientific principles, upon which the worlds were created. These of course are taught in a general manner. Popular theology cannot accept this platform and reconcile science and the Bible. It is now proposed to attempt this task, when aided by the system of religious and scientific principles, which the world denominates "Mormonism." No formal statement of the exceptions which our opponents take to the Bible Genesis is offered, because their position is well known to everyone who keeps himself but passably informed in the religious literature of the times. Ile will discover in the process of this investigation, that the Bible nowhere states that the visible and physical creation of the heavens and the earth was accomplished in six days of solar time, nor yet in six epochs, or periods, which represent any assignable length of time. Many other very important and interesting facts will be developed which shall demonstrate conclusively that the Bible Genesis, when properly understood, is placed beyond the possibility of assault, in any manner, with the demonstrative facts of geological science. To begin with, Biblical students have all noticed that two accounts of creation are recorded in Genesis. This is somewhat remarkable and must have a significance. Indeed our infidel friends insist that it is intensely significant, and their position is accepted as a true one. Whatever infidelity may propose as a basis for its claim no Christian can suppose the God who has forbidden the use of repetition, can himself be guilty of a glaring infraction of his own injunction. God never inspired Moses to write two accounts of creation unless there was a necessity for so doing. If we examine the language of the Bible a still more significant peculiarity will be observed. In the first thirty-four verses of Genesis the word God is used exclusively when reference is made to the Deity, and thereafter until the close of the third chapter a new name, i. e. Lord God, is introduced and continuously employed, except in the conversation between Eve and the serpent, when the circumstances require the use of the term God. This change of appellation is the strangest peculiarity yet discovered in the language of the Bible; and to give it double emphasis the apparent confusion of names occurs just where the break in the first narrative of creation is found, i. e. at the close of the first account and the beginning of the second. Infidelity has not been remiss in taking every advantage of Christianity, which this strange peculiarity apparently affords, and out of it has constructed a lash with which sectarianism has been flagellated without mercy. But Mormonism proclaims a new use for the very peculiarities mentioned, and proposes to use them as the upper and nether millstones with which to grind to powder all opposition to Genesis as a book divinely inspired. Attention is directed to the fact that the word God, whenever used in the first thirty-four verses of Genesis, should be substituted by "Gods." Hebrew scholars affirm this truth, and modern revelation adds testimony to the same effect. As no serious denial of the necessity for the proposed change, as warranted by the original Hebrew "Elohim," is anticipated, the matter will be allowed to rest with this brief statement. Now it must be apparent that belief in the absurd doctrine of the personal identity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the sole obstacle that can prevent anyone from admitting not only the propriety of, but also the necessity for a change of name when reference is made to the Divine Being who actually created the visible earth, and when mention is made of some other personage or personages who performed some other act or acts. The writer of Genesis perceived this, and necessarily substituted the appellation Lord God, instead of Gods, in the second account of creation, in order that his history might conform to facts, and harmonize with what other writers were to pen in later years. Let us now ascertain what one of the latter has recorded respecting the creation of the worlds. The Apostle John "informs us that the world was created by the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he calls the Word. "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made, He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." i, 3, 10. * * * John It is not possible that anyone can honestly mistake the identity of the world's creator from this statement of the apostle, and all other Scriptures which teach that Jesus made the earth are omitted. That the Supreme Gods themselves did not create the world, is a fact which must be patent to every saint living his religion and enjoying his privileges. If he has arrived at an age when life's responsibilities may be assumed, he knows that the being or beings, who directed the construction of this earth, are not identical with the person who actually performed the work of creation. The saints have been taught from the earliest stages of the Church's organization that creation was effected by one who was sent to do his Father's will. They have been taught, too, that the Father and the Son are as separate and distinct, individually, as any father and son on earth; and, consequently, when the Father and Son respectively figure in sacred history, each must be designated by his own peculiar and appropriate name or title. So we all think, and so thought Moses when he wrote Genesis; and of course he acted accordingly; and had he failed to do so, failed to introduce the peculiarities which characterize his writings, he would have announced himself to the Saints to-day as an impostor. See how his second account of creation in one very important respect tallies with the statement of the Apostle John; and that point of agreement is an all important one in this discussion. So striking is the correspondence between the main statement of these two writers, and so fatal to the cause of geological infidelity are the consequences, that our opponents will doubtless set up the plea that John simply copied from the Mosaic record; and the cry of collusion, collusion, might reverberate throughout the land did our friends not have so much intervening time hanging like a dead weight on their hands. A charge of collusion in spirit, by the power of the Almighty, can be maintained, and is suggested. The Apostle John states that the earth was formed by one only, the Lord Jesus Christ; Moses in his second account of creation affirms that the heavens and the earth were created by one only, the Lord God, who is Jesus Christ. These facts made fully apparent, what are the consequences. Since one being only, the Lord God, is referred to by Moses in his second account of creation, and one only by the Apostle John, by stating definitely by whom the worlds were created, while a plurality of Gods are mentioned as participants in some act of creation, which is recorded in the first section of Genesis; the conclusion is forced upon us that the first thirtyfour verses of the Bible do not contain an account of the creation of this material universe, but of something else. In order that no one may misapprehend the position to which the foregoing reflections have driven us, two propositions embracing the whole ground, will be affirmed. 1. The Lord God spoken of by Moses is identical with the Word of St. John, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. That the first section of Genesis does not contain any account whatever of the material creation of the heaven and the earth, but of the crea tion of something else. If the first of these propositions can be proven, it follows that the second |