the truth with sacred tenacity, which leads them to regard all
doubt with alarm; we can frankly allow the function and use of the
phenomenon of doubt in history, when viewed as an intellectual fact. The
use of it is to test all beliefs, with the view of bringing out their
truth and error. But the good result has often, we perceive, been
undesigned. It has frequently too been dearly bought, attained at an
incalculable spiritual loss to the souls of those who have doubted. The
result accordingly leaves untouched the responsibility of the doubter, and
only shows the use which an allwise Providence makes free thought subserve
in the general progress of the world.

But the heart asks a further moral. Though it derives satisfaction from
perceiving that even features of history which seem the darkest, and
moments the most perilous, bear witness to the presence of a benevolent
Creator, who overrules all for the improvement of man and the progress of
the church; it still claims to know what those limits are, where doubt
must expire in awe, and speculation in adoration. It longs to exercise
inquiry, and yet retain the Christian faith. It asks earnestly what does
the history teach us concerning the doubts that are most likely to meet us
in our lifetime, and what lessons are supplied by it in reference to the
best mode at once of maintaining our own faith, and of leading those who
doubt to the faith which we receive. The materials are supplied for an
answer to these questions; probably even the materials for the final
answer which the church can give to them.

We venture not to utter predictions in reference to the future; but the
thought is interesting and solemn, that there seems some reason to believe
that the weapons which doubt on the one hand, and religion on the other,
must use in the final adjudication of their claims, at least in reference
to all fundamental questions, are already in men's hands. Though our
express denial that doubt perpetually recurs in cycles might cause it to
be supposed that we should be inclined to anticipate the existence of
future crises of faith; yet we have remarked that such crises are always
produced by the opening of some unexplored field of knowledge, the
introduction of a collection of new ideas or of a new spirit excited by
new ideas, on subjects traversed either by the Christian religion, or by
the Christian inspired books. A survey of the present state of knowledge
would probably lead us t