CHAP. XII.

How Deaf and Dumb persons are instructed in the first Truths of Religion.

WHEN the difference of soul and body is once clearly ascertained, as in the preceding chapter, and the deaf and dumb are become sensible of the superiority and nobleness which thereby distinguish them from brutes that can neither reason nor think, their souls stand eager to follow wherever we lead the way they take their flight up to heaven, descend again to earth, and plunge into the abyss, with as much promptitude as our own.

They have seen with their own eyes that a house does not build itself, nor a watch construct itself: they have admired this little machine, and have observed, without the least suggestion from others, that the

inventor of it must have had a great deal of ingenuity.

But when we show them on an artificial sphere, the periodical motions of the earth, and the planets round the sun; and afterwards let them see the execution of these in miniature, in Passemont's scientific machinery, their souls are then expanded and elevated with sentiments of delight and admiration, to which all our expressions are inadequate; their surprise soon borders upon extacy when, ascending to the fixed stars, we state their distance from the earth, and remoteness from each other.

They now begin to comprehend that a machine so prodigiously immense, containing so many exquisite beauties vying for superiority, can be the effect of infinite power alone. They see and know the use of artisans' tools in the fabrication of their works: it is unnecessary to make any observations to them concerning the impossibility

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of such tools being employed in the fabrication of the universe.

If we write down, that He who made all these things has no body, nor figure, nor colour, so as to come under our senses; scarcely do they deign to cast their eyes over the proposition, because their own good sense alone tells them that it is impossible to conceive eyes, ears, hands, and feet for Him. This is what we call being a pure spirit, whose opera tions are not impeded or retarded as ours are by the heaviness of our bodies.

It is now time to announce that he whose works transport them with astonishment is the God before whom we prostrate ourselves, a spirit eternal, independent, immoveable, infinite, present every where, beholding all things, who can do all things, who has created all things, who governs all things. There is no necessity for hasty strides here; if our steps are slow they will be the more sure, and our patience is amply compensated

by a view of the gradations of respect towards God, displayed in the hearts of our pupils, which, in general, are in exact proportion to the progression of their knowledge of him.

Let us give a specimen of our mode of proceeding in the explication of the divine attributes.

You have not been in this world always, we say to our pupils: you did not exist thirty years ago; you came into the world like other infants, whose birth you are informed of daily; your father was before you; your grandfather was his elder; your great grandfather and great-great grandfather were elder still; each of them had a beginning in his turn it was God who formed them in the breast of their mothers; it was then only that they began to exist: just so it has been with all the other men who have been born and have died since the beginning of the world. But he who forms all others, cannot have been formed by

another elder than he; therefore, he has had no beginning.

This is not all. Your fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and great-great grandfathers, are all dead. You also, will die when God so pleases. They have had an end in this world; you likewise will when you die. Their bodies have been put into the earth when their souls separated from them; yours will also be put into it when you are dead. But God will not die,he will never have an end,—he has always been, and he always will be; this is what we mean by the word eternal.

The independence, and other perfections of God, are explained in the same manner. We do not aim at philosophical or theological demonstration; our design is merely to make ourselves understood, and by our simplicity we succeed.

Hitherto when the name of God was inscribed, the pupils lifted up their hands