that they are quite needless, and even impediments to that brief system which tells a man it is enough to “take his Bible and pray for the personal assistance of the HOLY SPIRIT, and judge for himself.” It is quite certain that had the New Testament contained not one word about a Church, a “washing with water,” a “laying on of hands,” a partaking “of ONE bread,” and the like; the systems of Rationalists might still be just what they are. They who reduce Christianity to a code of principles, would lose nothing, by the blotting out of every text containing any trace of Christian Church authority from the Scriptures. And must not any hypothesis of Christianity which is thus partial, be suspected as possibly not commensurate with the Divine teaching of our Heavenly Master? Let us not be mistaken as if we said, that there are not “doctrines” to be believed, and “principles” to be inculcated in Christianity; we only insist that such a statement does not contain a complete idea of Christianity, and if taken alone, contains a positively false, because inadequate idea. And it is necessary to see the extreme danger of theorizing, where we ought simply to believe, lest our theory should be more compact than complete, more simple than true. But let us attempt now still further to review the whole subject in an analytical and practical way, apart from theories, though it be at the risk of prolixity or tautology. Observe how the Catholic Religion embraces simply and honestly the view of truth just as it is historically presented in the Scriptures. At the beginning of the Gospel, the Baptist announces “the kingdom of GOD” at hand. Soon The Great TEACHER appears,—GOD and Man in One Person. HE preaches truths and corrects errors;—but is that all? Does HE leave the truth to propagate itself? Or is it simply a system of Divine Principles, which HE inculcates? Or, has HE not to establish the “Kingdom of heaven?”—Yes, this Heavenly Personage, this no common teacher or prophet, this SON of GOD, had to found among men a celestial community. HE soon began to incorporate a Visible society endowed with invisible powers. HE called twelve men, and ordained them; declared that HE appointed unto them “a Kingdom even as His FATHER had appointed unto HIM a Kingdom;” staid with them three years; instructed them generally; “manifested Himself unto them otherwise than unto the world;” gave them to see “mysteries of the kingdom of GOD;” promised that they should “sit on twelve thrones” as Vicegerents in the spiritual dominion; and ere HE left them, “breathed on them”—“gave them the Holy Ghost,” accompanying it with most extraordinary words—told them to “baptize, and teach whatsoever HE had commanded”—and promised to send His SPIRIT to guide them, and in some exalted sense to be HIMSELF “with them” (Matt, xxvii.) to the world’s end.—Acting literally on His instructions, the Apostles no sooner received the SPIRIT promised, than