CHAPTER X.. Religion.

RELIGION.

SECTION I.--RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE.

THE WILL.

Knowledge is acquired not only by reading, but by thinking of what we read.

A minister in Ireland met a boy going to school, and asked him what book it was which he had under his arm. "It is a will, sir," said the boy. "What will?" inquired the minister. "The last will and testament that Jesus Christ left to me, and to all who desire to obtain a title in the property therein bequeathed." "What did Christ leave you in that will?" "A kingdom, sir." "Where does that kingdom lie?" "It is the kingdom of heaven, sir." "And do you expect to reign as a king there?" "Yes, sir; as joint-heir with Christ." "And will not every person get there as well as you?" "No, sir; none can get there but those who found their title to that kingdom upon the ground of the will." This boy was not only a reader but a thinker. The minister told him to take care of a book of such value, and to mind the provisions of the will.

A Little Reasoner.

A little boy asked his mother how many gods there were. A younger brother answered, "Why, one to be sure." "But how do you know that?" inquired the other. "Because," answered the younger, "God fills every place so that there is no room for any other."

A Wise Answer.

A boy six years old was offered an orange, if he would tell where God was. "Tell me," said the boy, "where he is not, and I will give you two."

A Bad Bargain.

A Sabbath School teacher was talking to his class about that passage in Proverbs, which says, "Buy the truth and sell it not." "He who buys the truth," said he, "makes a good bargain. Can any of you recollect any instance of a bad bargain, mentioned in Scripture?" "I do," replied one of his scholars:--"Esau made a bad bargain, when he sold his birth-right for a mess of pottage." Another said, "Judas made a bad bargain, when he sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver." A third observed, "Our Lord tells us that he makes a bad bargain, who, to gain the whole world, loses his own soul." Alas! how many such bad bargains are made every day!

Simple Faith.

A missionary in Africa asked a little boy if he was a sinner. The boy replied by asking if he knew any one who was not. The missionary then asked him who could save him from his sins. He replied, "Christ." "What has Christ done to save sinners?" "He has died on the cross." "Do you believe Jesus Christ will save you?" "Yes." "Why do you believe it?" "I feel it; and not only so, but I consider that, since he has died, and sent his servants the missionaries from such a far country to publish salvation, it would be very strange if, after all, he should reject a sinner." It would be so indeed, with respect to all that come to Him; for he has said, "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out."

Proof that there is a God.

A converted Greenlander, conversing with a missionary concerning his former state, said that, before he had ever heard about God or Jesus Christ, he used to have such reflections as these: A boat does not grow into existence of itself, but must be made by the labor and ingenuity of man. But the meanest bird has far more skill displayed in its structure than the best boat, and no man can make a bird. But there is far more art shown in the formation of man than in any other creature. Who was it that made him? I thought perhaps he proceeded from his parents, and they from their parents; but some must have been the first parents--whence did they come? Common report informs me that they grew out of the earth; but if so, why do not men now grow out of the earth? And from whence did this same earth, the sea, the sun, the moon, and the stars, arise into existence? Certainly, there must be some Being, who made all these things--a Being that always was, and can never cease to be. He must be inexpressibly more mighty, knowing, and wise, than the wisest man. He must be very good too; for every thing that is made is good, useful, and necessary for us. Ah! did I but know him, how would I love him and honor him! But who has seen him? Who has conversed with him?

This poor heathen, groping in the dark, was led to the same train of reasoning to prove the existence of God that is used by the learned Christian philosopher; thus proving the truth of that passage in Rom. i. 20:--"The invisible things of God, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead."

How to prove the Bible true.

At one of the South Sea Islands, which had been converted from heathenism by the labors of the English Missionaries, they were holding the annual meeting of their Missionary Society. A British vessel arrived, and the officers and crew attended the meeting. A native took the chair, and native speakers addressed the meeting, with great effect. Every thing was done in good order; and the speeches were interpreted by the missionaries to the Englishmen present from the ship. But some of them said the natives were mere parrots, and only repeated what the missionaries had taught them. Others said that was impossible. After a warm dispute, they agreed to submit it to Mr. Williams, the missionary; who declined deciding the question, but told them if they would visit him in the afternoon, he would collect ten or twelve natives, whom they might ask any questions they pleased. They came, and about fifteen natives were present, but without knowing the object of the meeting.

The first question asked was, "Do you believe the Bible to be the word of God?" They were startled. They had never heard such a question stated before. A doubt had never entered their minds. After a moment's pause, one of them replied, "Most certainly we do; undoubtedly we do." "Why do you believe it?" they were again asked. "Can you give any reason for believing the Bible to be the word of God?" He answered: "Why, look at the power with which it has been attended, in the utter overthrow of all that we have been addicted to from time immemorial. What else could have abolished that system of idolatry, which had so long prevailed among us? No human arguments could have induced us to abandon that false system."

The same questions were put to another, who replied, "I believe the Bible to be the word of God, on account of the pure system of religion which it contains. We had a system of religion before; but look how dark and black that system was compared with the bright system of salvation revealed in the word of God! Here we learn that we are sinners, and that God gave Jesus Christ to die for us; and by that goodness salvation is given to us. Now, what but the wisdom of God could have produced such a system as this presented to us in the word of God? And this doctrine leads to purity."

Another made the following singular reply, which is worthy of a learned philosopher: "When I look at myself, I find I have got hinges all over my body. I have hinges to my legs, hinges to my jaws, hinges to my feet. If I want to take hold of any thing, there are hinges to my hands to do it with. If my heart thinks, and I want to speak, I have got hinges to my jaws. If I want to walk, I have hinges to my feet. Now here is wisdom, in adapting my body to the various functions which it has to discharge. And I find that the wisdom which made the Bible exactly fits with this wisdom which has made my body; consequently I believe the Bible to be the word of God."

The argument, in this last answer, is the same as that which proves the existence of God: the perfect adaptation of all the works of nature to their design, shows them to have been the work of a Supreme Intelligence. The perfect adaptation of the Bible to the condition, wants, and necessities of man, proves it to be of divine origin. The Bible just suits the design for which it professes to have been given. It gives us just that information and instruction, which we should expect a revelation from heaven to give. It gives a rational account of the origin of all things; of the object of man's existence, and of his relations and duties to God. It explains how man came to be in his present fallen, wretched condition, and makes provision for his restoration to the favor of God. It provides for a radical reformation of character; gives a perfect code of morals, and takes hold on the heart, and inspires a devotional spirit. Human wisdom could not have produced such a book; but if it could, good men would not have been guilty of imposing a work of their own upon mankind, as a revelation from heaven; and bad men would not have made a book to condemn themselves, as the Bible condemns all wickedness. We must, then, conclude, that the Bible is a divine book.