ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by

ROSS WINANS,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland.

PREFACE.

IN offering to the public, now put together in form, what was originally a series of papers, we desire, at the beginning, to set ourselves right as to its originality—be it more or less. We are equally anxious to avoid the imputation of having used any other man's thoughts without acknowledgment, and of having perverted to our own ends any borrowed ideas or language. The necessity for some explanation on this point will, perhaps, be made. more obvious, and the explanation more easy, if we state simply and candidly the circumstances under which what follows was composed-or compiled.

In the course of contemplating man's duty to his Maker, to his fellow man, and to himself, we drew the conclusions that are embodied in the following pages. These were at times committed to writing, but without any view to publication. They were in the main definite enough; but, coming from a pen unused to literary labor, they were lacking in method and finish. At a later period, and during a residence in Europe, we fell in with. a variety of books on kindred topics, full of research and scholarship, well arranged, well argued, cogent, convincing. Recognizing their value in the available information they contained and the striking manner in which it was conveyed, we extracted-without ceremony-here a passage, and there a phrase, and wove them in among our

own. It was not so much that we were impressed with the force and novelty of the ideas of others; we were glad rather to find ready at hand the means of expressing and elucidating what we had thought and felt. In parts éven, where the very language of scme popular author has been adopted, as eminently fit to serve our purpose, it will be seen that our conclusions are essentially different from his. To have given him credit therefore at the moment, by foot note or otherwise, might have laid us open to the charge of having garbled or misrepresented him. Besides, at the time when we availed ourselves of the facilities then open before us, we made no memorandum of the sources whence we borrowed. At a still later period, and with a view to completing and publishing the papers here expanded into a volume, we sought the occasional aid of pens more methodical and facile than our own. The result has been, that the original portions became inextricably mingled with what was borrowed and what was amended. If we would separate them, we should find it difficult, if not impossible-remote as we are from the libraries to which we resorted.

In short, we beg to state without reserve, that we have borrowed freely from any quarter, when we held that the cause of truth could be served thereby. Furthermore, we shall endeavor, by aid of inquiry and memory, to make out and publish, at the end of this work, a complete list of the authors to whom we have been indebted.

INTRODUCTORY.

WHAT is here presented we desire shall be viewed and considered as an enquiry on behalf of truth. Our stand-point is the omnipotence and perfection of the One God, a sense of whose existence is an instinct common to our race, and who governs man solely by the properties originally implanted in him. Our belief is, that man being thus governed, and trained through time and during eternity, a good and happy result must ensue to each individual.

The history of the human race shows that various and widely varying forms of worship, creeds, doctrines, dogmas, and theologies have been propounded, preached, and pressed upon the attention of man, at different times and in different countries. We believe, however, that there is but one religion existing in any country, or in any age, that is acceptable to God; that whatever else takes upon it the name, form, or guise of religion is of no practical value.

The sense of true religion-as well as every other faculty and power of the mind, and soul of man-is implanted in each and every one born into the world. Out of it, as from a germ, comes and ever will come, spontaneously as the tree comes from the acorn-all that man ever has been, or ever will be. It makes him what he is, and gives him what he has, whether of

morals, science, arts, civilization, or anything else that pertains to his mental or spiritual being. And this one and only true religion God has so indelibly engraved on the heart and conscience of every accountable human being as to ensure that all men shall eventually worship Him acceptably, and be made happy themselves, notwithstanding many adverse appearances here.

History shows that this religion of the heart and conscience is intermingled with all the different theological systems, of which we have knowledge. This also is the only ingredient that is common to them all; whence it may be inferred, that it is best adapted for man's wants and God's requirements; in short, that it is the only religion ordained and approved by God. Nor can any amount of false teaching eradicate, or render it inoperative. Moreover, since God never changes, it will never change. It operates as God willed it should, to shape the lives and conduct of men, and to restrain them within the limits prescribed by the free agency which He has granted to them. Whatever worship or reverence man renders to God-whatever morality or goodness he manifests in his intercourse with men-all are derived from this source and prompting alone. Whatever of irreverence, immorality, impiety, or wrong-doing he practises, in spite of this religion, finds no restraint in any other; no, not even in that which makes use of the threat of eternal punishment, to intimidate him. Further, we believe that the divine government was made perfect from the first, and therefore, not being subject to alteration or amendment, there are no such things as special, or supernatural providences, all occurrences taking place under guidance of the never varying laws of Nature. Again: we believe that all rewards and punishments are