CONVERSATIONS ON THE BIBLE.

CONVERSATION I.

DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE.

IN the fall of the year, when it began to be cold and stormy, it was decided to discontinue the Sabbath school during the winter months. The reason given was, that the scholars, especially the small children, could not conveniently come over the bleak hills, through the deep snow; and that the classes, while they were together, would be uncomfortable, and could not therefore well attend to the lessons. A few of the teachers, however, thought that it would be better to continue the school. They said that the small children might stay at home when it was very cold and stormy, and they supposed that the rest would rather go on studying the Bible, and learning to be good and happy, even if they did suffer in coming to the school.

One of these teachers had a class of boys, and on the last day of the school, he proposed to them to come one evening in each week to his house, where he said he would give them some information in regard to the Bible, which would enable them to understand it better.

There were five boys in the class; only three of them, however, accepted this invitation. One of these was the minister's son. His name was Samuel, and he was the eldest of the three, being about 14 years of age. The

Class assembles.

The Bible God's Book.

second was about a year younger his father and mother were wicked people, who seldom went to meeting, and who were very reluctant that Roger, (for that was the name of this boy,) should go to the Sabbath school. Roger was a very intelligent lad, and was quite desirous of learning, but he had received very little instruction. The third boy was the youngest: his father was not living; but his mother, and his sister older than himself, took great pains to teach him every thing important for him to learn. His name was John, and he was about 10 years of age.

On the appointed evening, Samuel, Roger, and John assembled at the teacher's room. They all sat down around a table, before a pleasant fire, and the teacher had before him a map, like the first one in this book. The following conversation took place.

Teacher. Well, boys, I am very glad that you three have come to hear what I am going to tell you about the Bible. It is the book of God; it contains what God says to us, and we ought to do all we can to be able to understand it rightly.

John. Sir, how is the Bible God's book: he did not write it, did he, as men write?

Teacher. No, God did not write the Bible himself, at all. He caused good men to write it, and they wrote what he wished them to say.

John. Did he tell them, then, with his voice, and did they afterwards write it down?

Teacher. No, he did not even tell them by a voice which they could hear. But he taught them by an influence upon their minds, so that they should know what was true, and he made them faithful and careful to write it down correctly.

Inspiration.

Its nature.

Proofs.

Samuel. I do not think I know exactly, Sir, what you mean by an influence upon their minds.

Teacher. God has power over men's thoughts and feelings, as much as he has over the winds and the waves. The trains of thought in our minds are very different, and in some instances God regulates them by what is called a divine influence. He can make a person understand a truth without teaching him by words, or by writing, and this is the way by which those who wrote the Bible knew what God wished them to say.

Samuel. But did not God tell Moses on the mount what he wished him to write about the ten commandments, and the law?

Teacher. Yes, he did; and there were some other cases of the same kind, but generally the sacred writers were taught in a different manner.

Roger. Sir, will you tell me how we know that God caused this book to be written, and that he taught the men what to write? Do not some people think that the Bible does not come from God, but that it was made up by men alone?

Teacher. Yes, some men do say so. I did not mean to talk on this subject this evening, because you cannot understand it very well until you are older. Yet, as you have mentioned it, I will explain to you a few of the principal reasons why we believe the Bible comes from God. But I do not know that you, little John, will be able to understand what I shall say. But you must listen attentively, and try.

John. I will, Sir.

Teacher. The first reason then is, that it is very probable that God would adopt some way to teach us his will, and to inform us what will become of us when we die. And therefore we should expect to find, so newhere in

Internal Evidence.

Koran.

Mahomet.

the world, a book in which these things are written. Now the Bible is exactly such a book. We find in it exactly that kind of information which we should expect to find in a book from God. It tells us who made the world, and the first man; how that man sinned, and what is the character of all men now; what the cause is of all the suffering in the world, and why men must die. It tells us what characters we must form to please God; how we can form them; how our past sins can be forgiven; where our spirits will go when we die, and what will be done with the holy, and with the unholy, in another world. Now this is exactly what God would tell us, if he was to send a message to men; and therefore there is a probability, or a presumption, as it is called, that the Bible is from him.

Roger. But are there not any other books in the world which say they are God's books?

Teacher. Yes, but if any body should read those books, and especially if he should compare them with the Bible, he would at once be satisfied, that it was altogether most probable that the Bible is the genuine book. For instance, there is the Koran, which was written by a man named Mahomet, and which he pretended was written according to God's directions. Now, one great object of this book was to make good soldiers for Mahomet himself, instead of making holy and happy men. And it is much more probable that Mahomet tried to deceive the people, for the sake of getting a great army, than that God should cause such a book to be written.

Samuel. Did Mahomet ever have a great army of soldiers, by means of this book?

Teacher. Yes, and he conquered a great many countries, and obtained a great deal of wealth and power. But the writers of the Bible never received, and never

Story of the Robbers.

tried to obtain, any advantage from it, and therefore it is probable that they were sincere.

Roger. But I do not see that this makes it quite certain that the Bible came from God.

Teacher. No, it does not. This is one reason or argument; but this only makes it probable. I am going to mention the second and the third arguments, which will make it certain.

Samuel. I should have supposed, Sir, that if God had directed any persons to write what he wished to say to mankind, he would give them some way to prove that he commanded them to write.

Teacher. Well, can you think of any way of doing

this?

Samuel. No, Sir, I do not know of any.

Teacher. Well, I will explain it to you, by telling a story. Once there was a man, who was travelling in a wild country, far from home, when he was attacked by robbers, who took away all his money, and carried him into a gloomy cave. They kept him here some time, when at last they told him that if he would give them a certain sum of money more, they would let him go free again. He told them he would willingly give them the money if he had it, but that they had already taken all which was in his possession, and that although he had more at home, he did not know how he should obtain it.

The captain of the robbers said he must send a messenger for it. But the traveller asked how his family would know that he sent the messenger. "You have not," said he, any paper and ink here in the cave, and so I cannot write; and if the messenger goes and merely says that I sent him, my family will not believe him, and so will not give him the money. What shall we do?"