The former objects had passed away during the worship of the angels and the infants, and new ones appeared.

A bright cloud rested but a little above the temple, and from that cloud descended a being who appeared omnipotent in strength. Justice, was written upon his majestic brow. His movement was like one supreme, at whose bidding worlds might flee away, and in whose hand universal law might pause, and her evolving energies slumber.

This august personage advanced toward a gloomy glen, encircled by huge mountains whose lofty peaks ascended far into the blue vault above. His demeanor indicated purpose.

As he drew very near what appeared the object of his pursuit, a dark cloud moved down the mountains attended by lightning in all the terror of wild display, as if the electric fountains were issuing from an ocean of igneous elements. Heavy thunderings shook the base of the massive hills. Fire, smoke, and tempest were emitted, while the elements seemed to madly embrace each other. The scene was frightfully terrific; but still Justice advanced, and the very lightnings seemed to wreath themselves into a diadem about his brow.

"Destruction" was now mirrored in superflaming letters, in the very lightnings, upon the clouds, and repeated by the stunning peals of thunder.

Beneath this awful display of angry elements, and the movement of Justice, the earth began to quake and give way.

At this moment, when the excitement had apparently reached its climax, from beneath the cloud, at the foot of the mountain, came a voice of lamentation, a voice of despair, saying, "Spare us; is there no hope?" "No hope," echoed the thunders, and Justice still advanced. "No hope," he repeated, as he raised his hand of might. "No hope, no hope," chimed the hoarse voice of contending elements. "We perish without hope," said the voice of wailing which grew still weaker and more suppressed. "Alas! alas! we perish unpitied," and in an instant was revealed the forlorn being and the afflicted group displayed in a former scene.

Over the prostrate man bent the trembling female as if to screen him from the tempest; but as she saw Justice raise his mighty hand, she fell back, exclaiming, "All is lost! No hope! We perish! Receive us, thou abyss!"

Dreadful was the suspense of that moment. Justice still advanced, as if to cut in pieces, to crush at once the forlorn man whose trembling hands were upraised in form of supplication,—by whose side, and around whom, were fallen his group of friends, alike helpless and suppliant.

At this period a voice from the burning cloud said:

"Law’s proceeding energies have been violated, and thence disturbed in thee, O man. And thinkest thou to trifle therewith, and not to suffer the consequences? Dost thou not understand that law, when opposed, worketh the destruction of the body in which it is violated? Moral law is the law of sense and goodness. Hast thou not violated? Yea, thou hast. Now ensue the dread effects, and thou art the sufferer."

As this voice ceased, superior light flashed over the scene, and from above a cloud exceedingly bright descended, from whichcame, with the speed of thought, another being, the very image of meekness, whose demearior was the very opposite of Justice; and embracing Justice, who was still advancing toward the fallen group, said:

"Art thou inexorable, O thou who vindicatest the everlasting throne? Must the sinner perish? Is there no hope?" "No hope in the arm of flesh," answered Justice in a voice that shook the firmament above. The very stars trembled, and the earth quaked and reeled as the words proceeded from his lips. "No hope or cause of hope exists upon the fallen orb," again repeated justice, still advancing. And as the blow was about descending upon the sinner, the being who hung upon the neck of Justice bent over that bleeding form, and placing her left hand upon his heart, raised the right, and touching the arm of Justice, said, "Thy Throne, O God, endureth for ever. Thy kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting. Thy Word endures. To thy years there is no end. Thou, O God, art holy. Righteousness is the foundation of thy throne—the pavilion of thy dwelling-place—the glory of the everlasting hills-the defense and safety of the Heaven of heavens, where congregate the unnumbered myriads of glorified seraphim. Here, O God, is a fallen being. Sin is the violation of thy law. The sinner hath presumed upon thy government, and touched with impious hands the flaming sword; hath dared vengeance; trifled with thy will; and contended with eternal and irrevocable justice. He hath fallen. He lieth bruised, mangled and expiring. Yet, O God, thou hast created him an immortal being; intellectual, hence accountable; spiritual, hence by sin he lieth upon the verge of a bottomless abyss, where, if he fall, he shall feel immortal pangs, and dwell in unremitting woe. The reed is bruised, but not entirely broken; the flickering blaze of the smoking flax, though expiring, still exists. Mercy is my name. Mercy is an attribute of thy throne. To thee, O God, belong Justice and Mercy! Let thy love, O Eternal, descend! and thou, Justice, spare, O spare this fallen being! Spare him though he hath sinned, and bartered for a morsel his eternal good!"

Here Mercy bowed her head, as if to wait the decision and a voice from the cloud said, "Mercy, thou hast plead for the sinner, and heaven giveth audience. Canst thou find a ransom? Justice, pause in thy execution."

Then another voice said, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. He shall bear their iniquity. By my righteous servant I will justify many."

Then there was a pause, during which, from the right approached a female—even Mary whom I had seen with the beasts of the stall pressing to her bosom the babe of Bethlehem—and by the expiring form bowed, over which by the aid of Mercy she extended the babe, and with reverence looked up toward the cloud. And the voice continued, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, until he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust."

Then said Mercy, "The future shall answer thee, O, thou who holdest the balances of equity, the scales of universal right."

When Mercy had answered, the scene changed, and upon the mount, called the Mount of Olives, I saw a being More lovely than the sons of men. He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Lo! I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God!"

Then appeared a vast multitude of deformed beings exhibiting every type of human suffering and shameful depravity; and addressing them He said: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me." Whereupon another voice said, "This is the Son of David, the hope of Israel, the bright and Morning Star. Now ariseth the Sun of Righteousness. Now appeareth Truth in its redeeming glory from the Eternal Cause. Look unto Him, ye who perish, for lo! He cometh to redeem."

Again I saw the mangled form. These words had fallen upon his dull and heavy hearing, and although he scarcely understood them, he raised his eyes as if to see whence hope was proffered. And as he looked, He who stood upon the Mount descended and bowed over him saying, "What dost thou desire?" And the sufferer said, "Oh that I might find salvation!" Then answered the Personage bending over him, "I came to seek and save the lost." Then said Justice to Mercy, "Where is thy ransom?" And another voice said, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." And he who proffered redemption said, "For this cause came I into the world." "Even so," said an angel, "by thy stripes is the sinner healed."

"But," replied Justice, "Hath he prevailed?" Then addressing Mercy he continued, "Know, thou who pleadest the sinner’s cause, that until he whom thou proposeth as Redeemer shall approach the fallen, holding in his hand these contending elements, he shall not rescue. Seekest thou still the fallen being’s salvation, his restoration to harmony?"

"Yea," answered Mercy, "for this I interpose."