A true life

Preface

To the first question which will naturally arise as to the object of the present volume, we answer, the peculiar features and excellence, of this book are to be found in the following specifications:

1. A harmonious combination of subjects and themes never before inclosed within a single volume. While separate and detached portions of this book may be found elsewhere, the volume, as a whole, is not to be duplicated in the literary realm.

2. Its adaptation to all classes of people. Fortune, Happiness and Heaven constitute the three principal objects of life. There is, therefore, hardly any person, no matter what may be his or her age, avocation, or condition, but can find in this book something which will please, instruct, and benefit.

3. The wide range and fundamental nature of the topics treated. Only by a thorough and careful perusal of the book, can it be learned what an immense territory of thought, feeling, sentiment, and doctrine, has therein been traversed.

Now, whether we have succeeded in accomplishing our design, we will leave our readers to judge. The author has freely emptied into this book the contents of his own thought, experience, and observation, and has as freely drawn from the thought and experience of others, more gifted than himself,

PREFACE.

whenever his object was to be advanced by so doing. Particularly in the preparation of Part First, the author acknowledges his indebtedness to the previous efforts of Professor Mathews, Mr. Smiles and other gleaners in the same field. Before he undertook the work, as well as while engaged in its preparation, his deepest thought and motive in reference to its prosecution was a strong desire to do good by scattering broadcast such seeds of truth and fact as would be found in the final harvest-day to have borne fruit into life — business life — social life — religious life. The author cherishes the warmest and strongest sympathy with all young hearts and earnest lives, and fervently hopes that the words herein found will be as a spirit-guide to lead eager footsteps along the world's highway to Fortune, Happiness and Heaven.

IN THREE PARTS.

PAET I. THE HIGHWAY TO FORTUNE OR SUC- CESS IN BUSINESS LIFE.

PAET I.

CHAPTER I. The Puepose Stated

Roman Roads, their Durability and Uses — Resemblance of the Highway to Fortune, Happiness and Heaven to these Roads — Difference between Rich Men's Sons and Poor Men's Sons — Poem by James Russell Lowell — Every Man Capable of Building such a Highway — Poem by Longfellow — Different Kinds of Ability— Sketch of General Grant's Life — Sketch of Sir Francis Horner, the Eminent Scotchman — Maxims of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Richard Sharp 17

CHAPTER II. The Power of Circumstances

Good and Bad Luck — Shakespere's Thought upon the Subject — No Dictation or Fatality in Circumstances — Man free to Choose and Act — Great Men who Believed in Luck — Favorable Circumstances and Favorable Opportunities the same — Happy Accidents— Bad Accidents — Sir John Moore —The Power of Circumstances more Helpful than Otherwise — Necessity jf Seizing and Improving Opportunities — Fortune not Blind — Quotations troni the Poets 26

CHAPTER III. The Right Vocation

Lecture by P. T. Barnum— The Right Calling in Life very Important— Be what Nature Intended you For — A Good Many Honorable Employments besides those Connected with Law, Medicine and Divinity — Sketch of a Boy who Chose the Wrong Profession — A Child's Bent of Mind often Displays Itself in Early Life — Illustrations of this Fact — Changes sometimes Beneficial— All Legitimate Avocations Honorable. — The Woman Question— More Women than Men in this Country— Woman's True Position and Work in Life— Adapted to but Few Kinds of Business — Chances for Education — Their Right to the Ballot — Arguments of Henry B. Black

X CONTENTS.

well and Anna C. Garlin in the Affirmative— J. G. Holland in the Negative —Summing Up of the Subject 34

CHAPTER IV. The Right Location

City and Country as Places for Settlement — Great Rush to Cities — Cities Overcrowded — The Agricultural Class Most Prosperous of Any — Testimony of Alexander Hyde — Agriculture the Primeval Occupation — The Foundation of All other Business — Adapted to All Conditions of Society and Life — A Pleasant and Honorable Occupation — History of Agriculture — Agriculture in the Beginning — In Egypt — In Greece — In Italy — Roman Farmers — In Britain — Jethro Tull — Arthur Young— Sir Humphrey Davy — In Our Own Country — Poetical Description from Homer's Odyssey — From Thomas May — From Sir Walter Raleigh — From John Gay — From Goldsmith — From James Beattie — From Matthew Prior — Hard Work in the City — Not much Chance to Make Money — Fascination of City Life to Many — How to Make Farm-Life more Pleasant 54

CHAPTER V. Concentration of Mind and Power

The Imperial Highway Straight and Narrow — Two Kinds of Dissipation — Danger of Attempting too Much — Very Few Universal Geniuses — Most Great Men Stick to One Thing— William Pitt— Other Examples — The Power of Attention — On the other Hand, One-Idea Men sometimes Useless — Edward Everett — Learning to Think — Examples of Concentration 73

CHAPTER VI. Self Help

Self-made Men — Some Truth in the Idea and Some Nonsense — Too much Difficulty Disheartens — Folly of Looking for Riches as the Gift of Others — Lord Thurlow — Rich Men's Sons not all Fools — Poor men who have Risen to Eminence by their Own Exertions — Early Life of Andrew Jackson—Saying of John C Calhoun — Independence of Thought — Thinking for One's Self— Danger of Self-Conceit — Be True to Your Convictions — The Present Age Peculiar — Our Own Country Peculiar — Self-Adver. ising— How Far Allowable— Example of Sharp Practice in this Line.. 84

CHAPTER VII. The Spirit of Work

Idleness — Saying of Jeremy Taylor — Labor Always Necessary to Success— Sir Isaac Newton— Examples of Hard Workers who became Distinguished — The Peel Family in England— History of Calico-Printing— Sir Robert Peel — Lord Brougham — James Watt and Matthew Boulton —

CONTENTS. Xi

Richard Arkwright and Cotton-Spinning — Dr. John Hunter — Dr. Edward Jenner— History of Vaccination — Sir Joshua Reynolds — Michael Angelo — Titian— David Wilkie— Haydon— Turner — George Kemp and Sir Walter Scott's Monument — Handel — Haydu — Bach — Meyerbeer — Genius a Capacity for Hard Work — Butler, Author of "Hudibras" — Jean Paul Richter — Heyne — Charles Dickens — Other Examples — Tom Moore — Hawthorne — Henry Ciay — Dr. Lyman Beecher — Work for All 98

Chapter VIII. Great And Little Things

Importance of Trifles— Illustrations — Attention to Details — Poem by Charles Mackay — False Contempt for Little Things — Love of "Big Things'* common among Men — Equal Ability for Great and Small Things Necessary — General McClellan — Napoleon — Generals Sherman and Thomas — Duke of Wellington — Washington— Anecdote — Charles James Fox. . . .124

Chapter IX. Common Sense

The Difference Between Naturally Smart Men and Educated Fools — Men who Fail to Make Anything "Go," and Men who Succeed in all Things — Views of a College Professor — Stuffing the Mind too Much — Great Men who were Uneducated and Highly Learned Men who Failed — Addison, Cowper, Beethoven, Goldsmith, Watt, Boulton — Something More Required than Simple Knowledge— Danger of Overestimating Books and Reading — Still, a College Education Exceedingly Valuable — What it does and what it does not do for the Mind. Many good Scholars and Writers have been Shrewd Business Men — Shakespere, Chaucer, Milton, Sir Isaac Newton, Grote, John Stuart Mill — Career of Disraeli. , 132

Chapter X. Good Manners

Old-Time Politeness going out of date — Bad Effects of this — Manners of a Man very Important to his Success — Chesterfield's Advice to his Son — Anecdote of two Public Speakers — True Politeness Defined — Johnson and Carlyle — Jesting — Effect of Manner on Oratory — Curran's Wit — Duke of Marlborough — Duke of Argyle — Lord Chatham — Politeness of Military Men — How Politeness often is Rewarded — Views of Dr. Guthrie of Scotland— Of Samuel Smiles— True Gentlemen have a Keen Sense of Honor — Duke of Wellington— Sir Ralph Abercrombie 152

Chapter XI. Force Op Will

What is Meant by this Term— Value of Will-Power— Position of the Will among the other Intellectual Faculties — Scandinavian Idea of Force—

Xll CONTENTS.

Action of a Carpenter— Freedom of the Will — General Suwarrow — Sir Fowell Buxton — Sketch of his Career — Warren Hastings— General Wolfe — Captured — Texans— Napoleon — Wellington— Win. Lloyd Garrison — Savonarola — Daniel Webster — Rev. Dr. Wayland — Victories Won by one Man's Stubbornness— Force of Will Especially Needed in the Present Age — Genius Means Force of Will — Kean, the Actor — Adversity good for Men if it makes them more Resolute— Handel, the Composer — Difficulties Disappear when Boldly Faced — Curran — William Chambers of Edinburgh — William Cobbett — Sir Wm. Phipps Searching for Sunken Treasure 166

Chapter XII. Expenditure Of Resources

Speed in Horses — Reserved Power in Animals, Machines and Men — Necessity of Accumulating Resources — Reserved Force of an Army — Views of Dr. Patton — Necessity of Keeping Cool — Presence, of Mind — Anecdote of a French Traveler — Reserved Power in Orators and Military Leaders— Great Debate inU. S. Senate— Daniel Webster's Speech in Reply to Hayne — Webster's Habits of Study — Wasting Activity of Modern Times — Men must be Well-Stocked with Power and Ability — Saying of an old Teamster— Degradation of "Playing Out" in Life — Rufus Choale — Accumulate Resourses faster thau you expend them 188

Chapter XIII. Business Traits, Qualities And Habits

Decision of Character — W 7 ill and Brain — Decision of Mind very Valuable and can be Cultivated — Views of John Foster — Of Carlyle — Of Sidney Smith — Napoleon's Decision— His Campaign in Northern Italy — Wellington's Coolness — Difference between Decision and Rashness — Necessity of Knowing How and When to Act — Dr. John Brown — Proverbs — Sir James Mackintosh — Charles V.— Peliissier — Tacon of Havana— Hugh Miller — Method— Power of Habit — System Among Merchants — Dr. Kane — Wm. Cecil — DeWitt — Sir Walter Scott's Advice — Punctuality — Lord Nelson- Lord Brougham — Captain Cuttle's Watch — John Qaincy Adams — Napoleon— Col. Rahl — Economy— Extravagance — The Insane Ambition to Ap. pear "Big" — Francis Horner's Advice — Burns — Being in Debt — Haydon — Admiral Jervis— Four Rules for Money-Getting — Micawber's Summary — Living from Hand to Mouth — Small Savings not Appreciated — What these can do— Economy not Meanness — Earl of Westminster — Douglas Jerrold on Debt ] 99

Chapter XIV. Traits, Qualities And Habits (continued)

Two Kinds of Economy— Right Use of Time— U. S. Mint— Value of Odd Moments — Elihu Burritt— Ferguson and others— Franklin — Grote— Sir

CONTENTS. Xili

John Lubbock — Goethe — Savings of all kinds Useful Some Time — Savings of Knowledge — Putting Down Thoughts and Facts in Books — Recreation Necessary — Variety in Study — What Constitutes Idleness — R. W. Emerson — N. P. Willis— Patient Working— Most Great Men begin at the Foot of the Ladder — Senator Wilson — Thurlow Weed — Horace Greeley — James Brooks — His Career — Rufus Choate — Win. M. Evarts — The Best Results are Secured Slowly — Carey, the Missionary — Audubon — Sir Isaac Newton — Thomas Carlyle — R >bert Ainsworth — Edward Livingston — Discovery of the Cuneiform Character — Austen Layard — Sir Walter Scott — His Habits of Work— Weight of Character— What the Word Means— The Sum Total of Life's Work — Franklin — Wellington's Tribute to Sir Robert Peel — Words of Granville Sharp = 223

Chapter XV. Examples Of Excellence

Power of Imitation and the Study of Good Models— Essential Oneness of Human Nature — No one Stands Alone— Example More Powerful than Precept— Career of Josiah Wedgwood, the Founder of the Crockery and China-ware Trade— History of Pottery Manufacture— Herbert Minton, Wedgwood's Successor— John Flaxman, Artist — The English Peerage Recruited from the Industrial Ranks— Examples— Lord Eidon- Richard Foley, the Iron-Worker — History of Nail-Making— Henry Bickersteth— David Livingstone— John C. Loudon — Dr. Joseph Priestley — Cuvier— Sir Joseph Paxton— Dr. Marshall Hall— Sir Wm. Herschell — Hugh Miller — John Leyden— John Pounds, the Originator of Ragged Schools — Illustrious Dunces —Little Men 244

Chapter XVI. Is Success Always Desirable ?

Yes and No— Power of Money — Poverty sometimes a Disgrace— Labor Always a Blessing— Its Preservative Influence — The Faculiy of Accumulation — Many Things Better than Money or Success— Honor — Magnanimity — Enjoyment — Money does not Always Bring Happiness- John Jacob Astor— The Rothschilds— Stephen Girard— The Rich sometimes more Embarrassed than the Poor— Character, Virtue and Usefulness not Dependent upon Wealth— The Greatest and Most Successful Man is he who Secures the Noblest Manhood and does the Most Good 280

CONTENTS.

PART II.

CHAPTER I. Nature of Happiness

Happiness a Reality — Pleasure of Anticipation— Hope and Imagination as Estimated by the Poets Campbell, Young, Rogers and Byron — Bishop Butler's Definition of Happiness — Influence of Circumstances — Money Essential, but not All— Happiness has its Seat Within — Poetical Quotatations from Barns, Pope and Thomson — Harmony between One's Nature and his Circumstances 293

CHAPTER II. Health and Happiness

Good Health the First Element of Happiness— The Old Idea about Disease and Piety a False One — Care of the Body an Important Part of Education — Elihu Burritt — Milton — Lord Palmerston — Sir Walter Scott — The Body has some Rights of its Own — Everything in Man Dependent upon Physical Vitality — Attention of the Ancients to the Maintenance of Bodily Vigor — Cicero— Aristotle and Plato — The same True of the Great Men'of Modern Times— Napoleon — Horace Mann — Some General Laws of Health — Nerve-Force — Mrs. Dr. Blackwell's Views — Nervous Diseases on the Increase 301

CHAPTER III. Rest and Recreation

American Overwoik and Under-Rest — Sudden Death from this Cause — Dean Swift— Leyden — Sir William Hamilton — Henry J. Raymond — Exhausting EiTects of City Life — European and American Farmers — The Old World Fondness for Play— Work as a Slavish Habit— No Happiness in Such a Life — Recreation and Rest Indispensable — Benefits of Sleep — Methods of Recreation 311

CHAPTER IV. Society and Happiness

Not Good to be Alone— Good Effects of Social Intercourse— Moroseness a Vice— Cheerfulness a Virtue— Power of Human Sympathy— The Race Mutually Dependent— Dr. Guthrie— H. Clay Trumbull and. the Convict- Good and Bad Society— Power of Associates to Influence Character— Circe —Moderation Necessary— Too much Society as Bad as None 321

CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER V. Human Love

Some Affect to Despise This — Who such Persons are — Love, the very Life- Blood of Happiness — Different Degrees and Qualities of it — Its Effects on Character — Views of George Chapman and Shakespere — The Course of Love and the English Skylark — Quotation from a Popular Lecturer — Views of Peter Bayne, G-ail Hamilton and Augusta Evans — Incident — Poe's Poem of " Annabel Lee " — Heart-Life and Love — In its Purity, a Sublime and Ennobling Passion — Modern Life Unlovkig and Unlovable — Poem by Mrs. trolly C. Judson — By Byron .327

CHAPTER Y\.

Courtship.

This Follows Naturally from the last Topic Treated— Much of it Silly, but very Sweet, nevertheless — We Cannot be Wise and Dignified all of the Time — Courtship a Civilizing Agency— Charles Lamb's Experience —

E. C. Stedman's Exquisite Poem on " Seeing a Girl Home " — Pleasures of " Love's Young Dream " — Getting " Struck " and the Effects of it — A Good Deal of Courtship False and Deceptive — Dangerous to Allow this Kind to go on— Dr. Wise's Advice to Young Men — Love Makes One Appear at their Best — Letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu — Anecdote — Money and Courtship — Uselessness of "Engagements" — They do more Harm than Good 886

CHAPTER VII. Marriage

An Ordinance of God— Both Happiness and Woe come of It — Saying of

F. W. Robertson — The School-Girl's Idea — Views of many " Children of Larger Growth " — Mrs. Hemans' Estimate— A Marriage Ceremony Solemn — Extravagant Notions Entertained of Marriage Happiness— This Delusion a Blessing — Much of Married Uuhappiness Needless— It Springs often from General and Outside Causes— Bad to be Tied to One you Cannot Love— How Far can Others be Allowed to Fill up the Void — Jealousy — Family Exclusiveness Wrong — Difference between Married and Unmarried Love— Loving Attentions — Power of the Wife in Married Life — More Marriages Needed in Modern Life— Married Life Better than Single.

349 CHAPTER VIII.

HUSBAND AND WIFE.

Marriage a Change of Relations between the Parties— Married Life a New Life Essentially— Courtship often a Period of Delusion and Deception on Both Sides— Consequently Married Life is often a Surprise— Disappointment sometimes Ensues— It is well to Expect this Beforehand — How Mutual Happiness can only be Enjoyed— Mutual Adaptation Nece*.

XVI CONTENTS.

sary — Confide in Each Other— Special Duties of the Husband— Provide for the Wife's Support— Love his Home and Stay There— Poem — What the Word Husband Signifies— Be Kind and Affectionate to his Wife— Also Help her when he can— Special Duties of the Wife— Signification of the Word Wife — Wives Either very Good or very Bad— One Head to the Household — Make Home Happy— Keep Well and Cheerful— Be Neat and Tidy — , Study the Husband's Peculiarities— Don't Quarrel — Be Moderate in Expenses 362

Chapter IX

Necessity and Sweetness of a Home — The very Word a Soothing One — - Jenny Lind — Home the Seat and School of Virtue and Joy — Its Influence .- in Life— Home a Type of Heaven — Our Nature Demands a Home— Extent of its Power in After Life— What Constitutes a Home— Home Should be a Cheerful Place — Goldsmith's Longings and Feelings— Woman and Home — Woman is Home's Queen — That is her True and Proper Sphere — Boarding-House and Hotel-Life — The Fashionable and Lazy Woman — Housekeeping — Dr. Holland's View — What Woman Ought to be— Her Power over Man — Poem by Ada V. Leslie — Strivings to be Something else than Home's Queen, Foolish and Unreasonable 380

Chapter X. Early Childhood

Early Joys Great and the Early Home a Glorified Spot — Poem by Richard Henry Stoddard — The Home-Feeling— Inner Life and Early Impressions—Poem by Wordsworth — Sacredness of Early Childhood — Mrs. Browning's View of it — James Russell Lowell's— Dr. Harbaugh's — Byron's — Longfellow's — Spring-time, Summer, Autumn and Winter Scenes of Childhood—One Should be Thankful for this Period of Life 394

CHAPTER XL

HOUSEHOLD PETS.

Pets Demanded by Human Nature — This is Especially True of Children — How they Assist in Developing Character — A Sketch of a Pet Kitten — Kitty Asleep and Kitty Awake— Kitty at Night — Her Death — Inferences — Pets Among the Lowly and the Fallen Ones of the World — Poem by Cowper— A Humming-Bird— Old People's Pets— Little Effie 404

Chapter XII. The Family

Is the Oldest and Best Institution on Earth — No Permanent Happiness for Man Outside the Family Relation— Begins Properly with the Baby — Value and Blessedness of Babies — Poem by J. G. Holland — A Baby is — ■

CONTENTS. xvh

what? — Influence of Children on Parents — Views of Mrs. L. H. Sigourney — Poem by Wm. C. Bennett— Care of Infants— Children —The Love of Children Healthful and Pleasing— The Roman Lady's Jewels — Martin Luther's Teacher — Discipline of Bringing Up Children — Poem by Longfellow- Many Parents Hold Children to be Little Better than Nuisances — Heartless Mothers — Incidents — Poem— Where and How N to Bring Up Children, by Dr. Holland— Advantages of Country Air and Exercise 416

Chapter XIII. The Mother

Sacred, Precious Name— The Holder of Human Life— The Angel-Spirit of Home — Exaltation of Motherhood — The Agent of Civilization — The Vital Interests of Society Hang Upon Mothers — A Mother's Love— Ex. ample of This — All Great Men have Great Mothers— Examples of this Truth— The Mother of Washington, of Lord Bacon, Baron Cuvier and many others— Sketch of Mrs. Ramsay of South Carolina — Modern Mothers — Cowper's Poem on his Mother's Picture — N. P. Willis 435

Chapter XIV. Household Virtues

Family Government — How the Chinese Do— What Americans Do Now — Puritanic Times— Submission to Authority a Duty — Connection between Home Life and Civil Life — A Lawless Child Makes a Bad Citizen and a Poor Christian — What Dr. Peabody Says — Family Government Should Begin Early — Must Not be Overdone — Value of Kindness in Children — The Emperor Titus — Filial Love— A Mother and Her Two Little Girls — Order — A Home Picture — Mary and Martha — No Comfort without Order — A Happy Family — Respect for Old People — Antiquity in anything Venerable — Example of Parents — The Spartans — Poem by Ralph Hoyt 451

Chapter XV. Education Of Girls

Past and Present Women — Domestic Education Much Neglected Now — This is Wrong— Sketch of a Family in Misfortune — Good and Poor Housekeepers — Lady Hastings and Her Servants — Mistakes of Mothers — Wife of Cromwell— Girls Should be Kept Healthy— Also Truthful and Natural — A Good Daughter — Lucy— Let Girls Learn to Work — Trying to Cook a Rabbit — Ellen and Her Father — Advice to Girls in the Choice of a Husband 468

Chapter XVI. Words To Young Men. /

Three Temptations Peculiar to This Class — Idleness and Love of Ease — J Description of Young Men Who do Not Work — Activity an Important

XVlii CONTENTS.

Element in Happiness — No Pleasure in Enforced Ease — Bad Effects of Despondency — Dishonesty — Ebb and Flow of Commercial Tides — Seasons of Business Depression — These Produce Villains and Scamps — Some Men are Inherently Vicious — Others are Trained to Vice — Extravagance of Many — Running in Debt — The Defaulter — Money Corrupting — Happiness and Riches Not Always Connected — Licentiousness — Power of Women over Young Men — The Libertine — Two Kinds — Marriage Honorable in All — Advice to Young Men in Choosing a Wife — Poems 485

Chapter XVII. A Sunny Disposition

Very Much Depends on This — Some Would be Miserable in Paradise- Be Cheerful — Value of this Trait in Women — But Few Happy Faces — Alexander andDiogones — Kind Words — Gentle Dealings — The Fault Findjig and Fretting Person — With some, Everything goes Wrong — Work and Worry — The Slanderer — Evil Speaking — All This Does No Good — Anecdote of a Bad Boy— The Poet Southey 502

Chapter XVIII. Beauty And Happiness

The Love of the Beautiful in Human Nature — This Peculiar to Human Beings— Taste, Good and Bad — JohnRuskin — Wordsworth — Beauty of the Sky and Clouds — A Sunset — A Sunrise — Beauty of Water — Ocean Foam and Waves — Rivers — Beauty of Mountains — Of Trees and Forests — Of the Blade of Grass— Human Beauty More Imperfect than Natural — Beauty in Women — Necessity of Cultivating this — How it is Secured — Intellect and Spirit — True and Lasting Beauty 516

Chapter XIX. Decorum And Dress

Value of Politeness — Deportment— Ralph Waldo Emerson on Manners — In What True Politeness Consists — Self-Command — Respect for Others — Little Courtesies — Conversation — Madame de Stael — Rules for Conversation — Dress — The Exterior and First Impressions — Dress Should be Consistent with Age — Rules for Dressing Becomingly — Riding Dresses — Traveling Suits— Close of Part II 536

PAKT III.

Introduction

Religion a Fact, like any other— God is— The Soul is— The Bible is— Spiritual Realities as real as any other kind— Much Passes Under the Name of Religion that does not Properly Belong to it 555

CONTENTS. Xix

Chapter I. Outlines Of True Religion

Great Diversity of Sentiment and Opinion with regard to Religion — The Causes of this— Lack of Study— Early Training— Illustration of a Mounted Globe— The Character of God— A Holy Being— The Character of Man— An Unholy Being — Quotations from the Poets— Necessity of a Mediator Christ— Necessity of the Holy Spirit— Of the Bible as a Guide-Book— Five Constituent Elements — Many People Partly Right — Religious Truth and Error both Absolute and Relative 557

Chapter II. Invisibility Op God And Heaven

Prof. Phelps of Andover — An Impressive Mystery — Old Testament Saints —The Heavens Shut up — But what of it — The Spiritual Present better than the Spiritual Past — Difference between Former Times and Now — A Completed Bible— The Holy Spirit— The Power of Faith— Better Off As We Are —God All About Us 569

Chapter III. Grounds Of Religious Certainty

Is Religion a Myth or a Fact — How can we Know that it is True — The Testimony of the Senses — The Law of Cause and Effect — The Existence of the Christian Church — The Testimony of History — Authenticity and Genuineness of the Bible — The Law of Evidence — The Testimony of Consciousness — All Men cannot be Deceived — A Three-fold Cord 580

Chapter IV. Repentance

John and Christ — The Preaching of Our Day — Repentance the First Step in a Religious Life — Condition of Human Nature — Differences in the Quality of the Same — Moral Qualities not Transmissible — What is Repentance — It Involves Three Elements — Results of the Work — Bunyan's Pilgrim — Pardon and Peace , 590

Chapter V. Sin And Pardon

What is Sin — What is Crime — The two Identical — Human Law and Divine Law — Law not to be Trifled With — God's Law Immutable — Law and Atonement — The Nature of Justification — Double Effect of it — The Condition of it — Faith — An Allegory — Results of Pardon 600

XX CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. Nature And Power, Of Faith

Importance of Faith— Three Ways of Gaining Knowledge— Sight— Reason— Faith— An Allegory— Faith Rests on Evidence— Different Kinds of Faith— The Process of Believing— The Power of Faith— Destroys the Seductiveness of the Present World by Revealing a Better One— Heroes of Faith —Sir Humphrey Davy's Testimony— How Faith is Secured— Christ's Example 611

Chapter VII. Regeneration

Christ and Nicodemus— Their Interview— Striking Features of it— What Part of Man is Touched by the New Birth— Not the Physical Nature— Not the Intellectual— The Love of the Heart— This the Centre of Human Personality—Why Called a New Birth— Illustrations— Nicodemus a Type of Humanity — Value of Outward Forms in Religious Life — Remarks of Gotthold 622

Chapter VIII. Believing On Christ

All Men Believe in God— Nothing Praiseworthy in Such a Belief— The Historical Existence of Christ — Christ a Revealer of His Father — Difference in Believing on God and Christ — One Near and the Other Remote — Conversion and Christ — Rationalists — Schliermacher's Argument— A Belief in Christ as the God-Man the Only Christian Belief. 031

Chapter IX. Christian Love

Different Kinds of Love — Christian Love Supernatural in its Origin— Characteristics of the Same — No Respecter of Persons — Natural and Spiritual Love — Christian Love Pure — A Mother's Love — The Love of Christ — Tender and Patient — His Disciples— Doubting Thomas — Christ on the Cross — An Impartial Love— Christ Recognized no Class Distinctions — Simon the Pharisee — A Strong and Enduring Love — A Self-Sacrificing Love — The Stoop from Infinite to Finite — Christ's Death — A Burning and Indignant Love — Connection Between Love and Hate 610

CONTENTS. xx i

Chapter X. The Holy Spirit

Who and What is the Holy Spirit— This Question an Important One- Christ and the Spirit — More than a Mere Comforter — Relation of the Spirit to the Trinity— Offices of the Spirit — Enlightens — Convicts— Reveals- Sanctifies— Variety and Extent of His Operations 653

Chapter XI. Prayer

Prayer Real — Also Reasonable and Consistent — Objections to it — Two Ways of Meeting These— The Faith Argument— A Question of Authority —Logical Argument— Unchangeableness of Natural Law— What Good does Prayer do— Reflex Benefit of it— Brings the Soul into Line with God's Movements— Intercessory Benefit of it— Furnishes a Medium for the Communication of Blessings — Skepticism in Relation to Prayer — Prayer at once a Duty and a Privilege — The World Needs Prayer 650

Chapter XII. Conscience

Two Tribunals — Conscience and the Bible — A Moral Judge in the Soul —Does Not Make Laws — Mistake of Many on This Point — Its Decisions Dependent on the Amount oTXight and~Knowledge Possessed — Conscience Not to be Violated Except When Opposed to Some Known Higher Law — Conscience of a Wicked Man — Of a Christian — A Guilty Conscience — Byron's Testimony — A Source of Blessing or of Torture 668

Chapter XIII. The Voice Op Duty

Choosing Between Two Courses of Conduct — Meaning of the Word Duty —Foundation of the Idea— Duty and Right— God the Source of Both— The Best Interests of the World — Of the Individual — The Words " Ought " and " Ought Not "—What They Stand For— The Number of Influences Opposing Duty and Right — Duty and Self-interest — Duty the Regulator of a Christian Life 674