Part 6

Benevolence is the noblest sentiment that man is enabled fully to exercise: it is in the coronal bone, central and immediately before the fontanel, it produces the generous and forgiving Christian, and the faculty is always delighted in doing good, and in ministering to the happiness of others; it compassionates distress, communicating a warmth of generous feeling that overcomes acquisitiveness and selfishness: it disposes to mildness of disposition, general kindness, charity, sympathy and love; it is the foundation of Christian charity and tends to relieve the wants and necessities of others. The higher sentiment is that of charity to the weaknesses of others, and a due regard to their opinions and errors; if too freely exercised it becomes abused that is, it inclines to generous extravagance, and alms-giving without regard to necessity in the object; it may thus be used to effect injustice to others, and although one of the noblest virtues of the human character it is useless unless exercised in a right way: for as St. Paul says--"though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and my body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing."

37. SELF ESTEEM.

Self Esteem rightly exercised confers self respect, a due regard to rank or station, and induces confidence in one's own abilities; the organ is placed just at the top or crown of the head. When exercised in a right way, it imparts a degree of self-satisfaction, and enables us to apply our powers to the best advantage in whatever station we are placed; it leads to self esteem, so that the individual contemns every action that is base and unworthy of an exalted mind; it restrains from forming improper connections, and this too when the moral qualities are not sufficient. When the organ is too small, the individual is bashful, has no reliance on himself, and from rating his abilities too low, gets them rated less. When large, it produces egotism, pride, hauteur, and self conceit. Combined with good moral sentiments, it is a valuable organ. In ABUSE it tends to self-love, self-will, and uncharitableness; and towards others contempt, disdain, and tyranny; it is a mortal enemy to Christian love and peace.

38. LOVE OF APPROBATION.

This faculty regards the opinion that other persons form of us: the organ is situated on each side of Self esteem about half an inch from the lambdoidal suture: it produces the desire of approbation, admiration, praise and fame: it renders us anxious to please those whose approval we esteem, and to excel in whatever pursuit our associates admire. If well balanced by conscientiousness and veneration, it seeks the approval of the Great Judge of all things, by becoming worthy of eternal life: a due endowment is indispensable to an amiable character. In ABUSE it tends to vanity, a thirst for praise and flattery, a dread of the world's opinion, and a too easy giving way to the ways of the world to obtain the applause of the worthless;--the faculty is cultivated by the system of rewards for merit offered in youth,--it is not often the abstract value of the object so much as the approbation of those who know us. This organ causes bashfulness or Mauvaise Honte, and produces the fear of doing wrong, which it often originates by over anxiety to do well; it requires to be closely watched, as it leads to envy, one of the most subtle and dangerous passions, that afflict man in his fallen state; it stirs up the animal propensities and the earthly affections, overcoming the superior sentiments; the man who endeavours to seek the applause of others should remember that his Redeemer said, "And whosoever of you be the chief, let him be the servant of all." The faculty requires to be cultivated and regulated by conscientiousness, guided by the understanding to seek the applause of the good, and influenced by the spirit to seek the applause that is all in all to the christian, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

39. SOPHISTRY.

This organ, called by the French authors, "Ottin, Tete Philosophie,"--is situated on the top of the forehead above Comparison and causality, and gives an intense love of philosophy and metaphysical research: when well supported by the moral sentiments and perceptive faculties, it gives a great power of reasoning well, but if the perceptives are deficient, it gives a love of theory without sufficient regard to facts, so that the process of induction is lost sight of: its greatest abuse causes the light of wisdom, which is Truth, to be darkened by spiritual delusion or wilful perversion of revelation: or it produces intellectual sophistry, which tends to support party prejudices, and clothe error in the vestments of truth--actuated by the moral sentiments, this faculty produces the power of detecting sophistry in the arguments of another and teaches the christian to be as "subtle as the serpent, and as harmless as the dove."

40. PROPHECY.

This organ lies between Conscientiousness, Hope, Caution and Wonder; it produces a desire to compare the past with the future and judge of what will be; it influences to a study of prophetic writings and as the organ is actuated by wonder, or a desire of truth, so is the prophet true or false; and as the animal or moral and spiritual creature prevails, so will the person be dangerous or useful. St. Paul tells us, "despise not prophesying."--and he calls it a gift and adds prophecy shall cease, but Charity and Love never faileth;--and again he exhorts us above all things to seek to prophecy, which in the greek text signifies "to teach the truth," and thus it tends to perfect Christian peace and establishes for ever the eternal power of love; this faculty teaches us to perfect the faculties by pointing their evil tendency and looking forward to the teaching of the Divine spirit, to perfect what is out of unity in the threefold nature of man, as a physical, intellectual, and spiritual being: it teaches us to wait for the time when the Great Teacher Christ shall come as the Spirit of Truth and teach us all things. The abuse of this faculty makes men become false prophets and teachers; history affords abundant instances of men acting under diseased organs who have thus become deluding fanatics. The humble Christian who follows his anointed master will strive to overcome all that is vicious, so that he may be able to inherit all things, and understand the great truth that "the testimony of Christ Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

CONCLUSION.

This little work having extended to a greater length than was originally intended, it is purposed to continue the subject in another volume of similar size, to which this is the text book.--In that work we design to point out the influence of the organs in combination,--the harmony of Scripture with Phrenology--and a text book for perfecting the organization by means of Holy writ--our object in so doing, is to make Christians the true Phrenologists, and to make this science one of the great army of TRUTHS, now advancing to the battle of Armageddon. Our aim in this volume has been simply to point out the uses of Phrenology, and the truths whereon it is founded; in the next we purpose to consider the means, whereby the pious and humble reader of Scripture may be enabled to perfect his organization, so as to overcome the world,--to fight the good fight,--and indeed to be born again.

THE END.

INDEX.

Introduction to the Study of Phrenology 5

Historical Account of Phrenology 11

Advantages and Objects of Phrenology 21

On the Structure and Anatomy of the Brain 28

On Temperament 32

On the Varieties of the Human Race 35

Amativeness. Love 38

Philoprogenitiveness, Love of Offspring 39

Adhesiveness. Attachment 40

Inhabitiveness, Love of Home 41

Combativeness 43

Destructiveness 44

Secretiveness 47

Alimentiveness 48

Constructiveness, Mechanical Skill 49