FOURTH RULE. Classify your arguments or evidence by noticing what parts of it make your views POSSIBLE, what PROBABLE, and what NECESSARY. If you use the three kinds, state them in the above order.

Question. "Is the Bible the word of God?"

I affirm that the Bible is the word of God. By which I mean that the Bible is truly a means of communication between the Creator and his creatures, and I shall attempt to prove it by two kinds of evidence or argument; the one external to the Bible, the other internal.

First. Because it is possible for God to make such revelation, since, by so doing, He would not contradict any of His attributes. Nay, more, it does accord with His benevolence, and He is all-powerful and wise to do what He wills. It is, therefore, possible.

Second. Because it is probable. For so good a Being

would not leave His creatures without the means of instruction in all, that pertains to their welfare. His other works are fitted and have the means for their perfect development. Mankind could not learn the spirit's development, as a soul, without such revelation. Hence it is probable that the Creator would add this revelation for the perfection of His work.

Third. Because it is necessary. Man can not elsewhere find that knowledge, which the Bible contains. I prove this by the following facts ;

1. The wisest and most earnest of the race had sought it for centuries, but had not found it.

2. It is so peculiar that it is exceedingly dubious whether it could ever have been discovered by the race.

3. Without it, the race could never reach that development, for which it is fitted and destined.

As I have shown that my proposition, concerning the truth of the Bible, involves nothing impossible, nor improbable, and, as I have also shown, that a necessity for such a communication does exist, I draw my first conclusion that externally we have every reason to believe the Bible to be true.

I have now only to show, by a similar train of arguments as to its internal evidence, that the Bible is that communication and my Reasoning reaches its Conclusion.

45. JUDGMENT is the mental act of choosing or de ciding according to the results of our reflections or reasonings.

Thus, when Fulton had reflected or reasoned upon the possibility, the probability, and the necessity or demand for the steam-driven boat, he decided or judged that it could and would be done, and this mental decision or result we call, JUDGMENT.

Judgment has been likened to a judge, who hears the festimony and the reasonings of both parties and finally decides according to the weight of the evidence.

46. Judging or forming our opinions before we reason or reflect on a subject, or before we know the facts in regard to the matters, is called pre-judging or Prejudice.

It is unjust to others to entertain prejudiced opinions against them, and it is wrong toward ourselves. Another has the same right to be "judged according to his cause," that I have to be judged according to mine.

An excellent means of exercising and testing our own power of judging correctly, may be found in studying very carefully the evidence, statements, and arguments offered in a case, then sum up and render a judgment before studying that, which others have rendered. Then we may compare our judgment with the other and thus test both.

"What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties! In form and moving, how express and admirable! In action, how like an angel! In apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals !"-Shakspeare.

SECOND EXERCISE. (See page 557.)

1. Is your knowledge of snow "external knowledge"?

2. How many and what mental operations are used in gaining exter nal knowledge?

3. What other name may be given to external knowledge?

4. What are the first and second mental operations to be used in gain. ing it?

5. If I place a bank-bill between the leaves of a book and offer to give it to the one, who will find it the first time turning the leaves, would any one be apt to find it? Why?

6. Why can sailors and farmers generally foretell the weather with a good degree of certainty?

7. Which will detect more readily the difference in sounds, the musi cian, or one who has paid no attention to music? Why?

8. What are animal wants?

9. Which is the higher, the gratification of our intellectual, or of our animal natures? Which can the brute enjoy as well as man? Which not? Why?

10. Why does one person understand and know more of a subject than another?

11. Can we cultivate the habit of attention?

12. While the Teacher is explaining a lesson, if James listens attertively, and John opens a book, or plays with something, will both aequire the same habit? Why?

13. Which of the two last mentioned will you imitate? Why?

14. What is the difference between Sensation and Perception? Perception and Conception?

15. If I say, "How is the surface of the earth divided?" and you say, "Into land and water," which of us tells the whole story?

16. What are the fourth and seventh mental faeulties? What is their Jifference?

17. Before seeing a thing, did you ever try to imagine how it would look? Did it correspond with the thing, when you saw it?

18. Did the inventor of the mowing-machine have any idea as to how it would look and work before it was built?-sewing-machine? Why? Steam-engine? Why?

19. Why should we not read the "Narratives" of bad men, as pirates, murderers, &c. ?

20. How can you tell what in yourself will be pleasing to others? displeasing?

21. How can I best learn how "to do unto my neighbor, as I would wish him to do unto me"? What is this rule often called?

22. What are the Eighth and Ninth mental operations?

23. Do all men reason equally well? Do brutes reason?

24. Would you like to be able to reason clearly and to judge cor rectly? By what means may you develop these powers?

25. Name the mental faculties in their order, and try to give an example or illustration of your own with each.

THIRD EXERCISE. (See page 557.)

1. Read the following and see which are Concrete and which are Abstract.

2. William studies. (Ans. Studies is concrete, because, &c.)

8. Study increases Knowledge. Sugar is sweet.

4. "Lengthened sweetness long drawn out."

5. Diligent pupils find a great reward in learning.

6. "Diligence is its own reward." "Seeing is believing."

7. I saw the man and believed his story.

8. Which of these are Concrete and which are Abstract?

John sees the book. Owls see in the night. Secing is the result of using the sense of sight.

9. Could you have an idea of color, if you had never been able to see ?

10. Could we learn to think in the Abstract, if we had never thought in the Concrete ?

11. When you read Robinson Crusoe, do you think you see a man on an island, &c.? What do you call that mental picture?

12. Do things, seen in dreams, resemble real things? What kind of pictures do we see in dreams?

13. What is a Statement or Proposition? Give me one of your

own.

14. What am I doing, if I say, "A mill-pond is like a lake"? What kind of Comparison is it?

15. Day-time is unlike night-time; the former is light, the latter is dark. What kind of comparison is this?

16. Compare children to adults by resemblance-by contrast. A good man to a bad man.

Washington to Bonaparte, "the uncle," by Simile and by Antithesis. 17. What kind of association do you use, if you take a stick in your hand to make you remember an errand?

18. What kind of association do you call the pile of stones, set up by the Israelites? Washington's monument at Baltimore?

19. Suppose an incident happened to you this morning, would you be reminded of it by seeing the place to-morrow?

20. My horse was frightened at a certain place and ran out of the path. A few days after, in passing the same place, he ran out again; what kind of association was that?

21. Did the sight of a person, place, or thing ever cause you to recall any other person, place, or thing? What kind of association is this?

22. How can Geography be said to be "One of the lights of His tory"?

23. What emotion will I feel to meet one, whom I have injured? One, whom I have benefited?

17

24. What is the effect of cutting off the head of an animal? How do you know it will kill that animal, whose head has never been cut off before?

25. Is it wise or foolish to fear ill luck, because we have spilled the salt? Why?

26. What effects do we expect will follow promptness, industry, and good conduct in a pupil ?

27. Make a chain or train of causes and effects on this basis-A farmer sows a field with wheat.

(What causes John to

What of this, &c.)

28. John studies because he wishes to learn. study? What effect will this, as a cause, produce? James studies, because he wishes to win a prize. Cæsar studies, because he is compelled by the fear of punishment. Pompey will not study, because he is too lazy.

Compare the effects or results produced by John, James, Cæsar, and Impey.