spherical, and that the apparent motions of the heavenly bodies were caused by the actual rotation of the earth on its axis. So that the universality of an idea was no evidence of its truth, and consequently his opponent must find some better and stronger proof of the existence of God than the circumstance that it had been universally believed in.

To this Mr. Wilson rejoined,-when Copernicus told the people that they were in error in regard to the sun, to have made out Mr. Carlile's position, he should have informed them that their mistake consisted in believing that there was a sun, when there was none in existence. But he told them that they were quite right in believing the sun to exist, but that their mistake consisted in the wrong notions they had respecting it. So there were many wrong notions concerning God; but the fact that erroneous ideas had obtained in regard to the nature and person of the Supreme no more proved that there was no Supreme Being than the mistakes prevalent on the nature and motions of the solar orb went to prove that no such orb existed. Indeed, were there no sun, no one could have had any idea either right or wrong about it; for no one can think of nothing, if any one thought he could, let him make the attempt and he would soon discover his mistake; since it possesses no predicates on which the mind can fix its thought; so in relation to God did He not exist it would be impossible to form any conception, even an erroneous one concerning such a Being. So that the fact that men entertained ideas concerning Him, however various and imperfect they might be, demonstrated that He existed.1

1 The writer of this paper, in a debate with Mr. Holyoak at the close of one of his lectures, urged this argument. He said the question of the existence of God lay in a nutshell. It was a fact, of which any one by reflection might convince himself, that every idea of the mind rested on a basis of reality. That in works of imagination, although they did not deal with real persons, their prototypes had a real existence, in other words, real men and women formed the substratum of the delineations of character found in them; in short it was impossible to have an idea of nothing. The gist of Mr. Holyoak's reply was, that he might say he could think of Mr. Woodman's argument which had nothing in it. To this the writer replied, that Mr. Holyoak's remark went to prove the statement which had been made. It reminded him of the definition of nothing said to have been offered by an Irishman, viz., "a footless stocking without a leg," where he made the negation of an object-of something having an actual existence the basis of his whimsical definition; but one which certainly did not lead us any nearer to a conception of Nothing. So when it was said, for instance, of a box that had nothing in it, the idea rested on the box, which it must be admitted was something. So when Mr. Holyoak said that he might think of the argument which had nothing in it, even assuming that to be the fact, there was the argument which was something, whether there was anything in it or not.

To this Mr. Carlile argued that such ideas were imaginary; on which Mr. Wilson demanded a definition of an imaginary idea. For several speeches, however, Mr. Carlile evaded the subject, till Mr. Wilson insisted that ere the discussion proceeded his opponent should supply the definition demanded of him. Neither he himself, nor should Mr. Carlile address the meeting till he complied with this requirement. The latter finding further evasion impossible, gave the well-known quotation from Shakespeare, where he speaks of the "airy nothings of the brain, to which we give a local habitation and a name.' "Well," said Mr. Wilson, "it is not a very intelligible definition, but we may, perhaps, manage with it. As Mr. Carlile has given his definition 'tis only fair that I should give mine; and I will do so by an illustration. Suppose a traveller were to pass through this town for the first time some dark night, and noticed a sign suspended over the street. Though may not have visited the town before, he may have heard of it and of different inns it contains, and he may possibly imagine this to be some particular inn of which he has heard. Supposing him to pass again when the moon is shining, and when he sees enough to convince him that he was mistaken and yet not seeing sufficiently clear to be certain as to what it is, he may imagine it to be some of the other inns of which he has heard. But should he afterwards see it in broad daylight, he no longer imagines any thing about it because he clearly sees what it is. If this then is a correct view of the case, and I don't think Mr Carlile will be able to prove it otherwise, it follows that an imaginary idea is a wrong notion of something which exists, and that an imaginary idea of God is an erroneous view of Him.

he

"But," said Mr. Carlile, "it is stated that God is a spirit, let us have a definition of spirit. Let my opponent define of what spirit consists." "When you ask me for a definition of spirit," rejoined Mr. Wilson, "I do not know what you mean. If you mean that I am to define what spirit is in itself, I will ask you to define what matter is in itself and you will be quite as much puzzled to tell what matter is in itself, as I should be to explain what spirit is in itself. If I were to ask you for a definition of matter, and you described its properties and laws, I should be satisfied; shall you be satisfied if I give you a similar definition of spirit?" On Mr. Carlile answering in the affirmative, Mr. Wilson resumed, "That man is possessed of affections, thoughts, and feelings no one can deny; but as these have entirely different properties and laws from those of matter it follows that they are entirely distinct from and independent of matter. Two of the fundamental predicates

of matter are extension and solidity; that is matter occupies space, and no two particles of matter can occupy the same space at the same time. Moreover, the larger the amount of matter, the more space it occupies. We also have the means of ascertaining the amount of matter either by the two-foot rule, by measures of capacity, as the gallon, and its gravity, or the pound weight. But thoughts, affections, and feelings are not amenable to these laws; for how many affections or thoughts or sentiments are added to a person, his bulk is not increased thereby; neither can you measure out a yard of thought, or a gallon of feeling, or weigh a pound of affection. Then again, another law of matter which does not obtain with regard to spirit, has relation to motion, by which any material object in passing through space occupies time in proportion to the space traversed by it, so that at any given rate of speed it will occupy double the time to perform double the distance. Not so with the thoughts; these can visit the moon as soon as they can visit the next door neighbour, and can traverse the universe as soon as they can traverse this room. Spirit, therefore, possessing properties so distinct from those of matter must itself be distinct and have a distinct existence, otherwise its properties would be identical with those of matter."

"Yes," rejoined Mr. Carlile, "but you have not proved that the spirit continues after the body dies." "No," replied Mr. Wilson, "nor do I intend; nor is there any necessity to do so. I have demonstrated by the distinct properties of spirit which are altogether independent of matter, that spirit is a distinct entity from matter; and it is for Mr. Carlile to explain by what laws (if he is acquainted with any, I know of none) when the body dies, that which is distinct from and independent of it ceases to exist also."

Mr. Carlile, taking a lighted candle from the table and blowing it out, asked, "What is become of that?" "Why," retorted Mr. Wilson, "you have shifted it;" and seizing the candlestick and placing it behind him said, "and what is become of the candlestick? I have shifted that. You cannot see it, but it exists nevertheless. So you have destroyed nothing nor have I. left Mr. Carlile, it is time to drop it." the debate closed.

But if you have no better argu-
So thought that gentleman and

Mr. Carlile thought he could have a better chance of success on the Authenticity of the Bible, and intimated a wish to meet Mr. Wilson on that subject, to which he readily acceded. The account of this second debate must however be deferred to the next number of the Repository.

(To be continued.)

THE SUNDAY SCHOLAR.

(READ BEFORE A MEETING OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, AND PRINTED BY REQUEST.)

DEAR FRIENDS, This paper has been prepared in compliance with a request made at the meeting of last year. It is submitted with diffidence, and is, of course, the expression of but one opinion. The suggestions are intended to be practical, because the whole matter is one of real work, and any hint, however slight, which can aid the efforts of a teacher, should not be withheld. As Sunday school teachers there is for us a clearly defined duty and a grave responsibility.

It becomes us then to inquire what our duty is, and how we may best discharge it. In an Association like the Sunday School Union the present subject may be supposed to have been sufficiently discussed. This may be true as regards the past, but the advance of time brings new conditions which require new plans, and repeated inquiries often elicit fresh and suggestive answers. Taking this view, we may hope to derive some benefit from the present attempt, and the consideration of the subject may be useful if it serve only to remind us of our duty.

The Sunday scholar is still a problem for our solution. He has been regarded as a block from the quarry to be formed into a statue of just proportions; as a marvellous machine, whose activity is to be directed to the performance of some useful work; as a tablet for the emblazoning of a useful and holy life. He is something else than any of these and more than them all. He is a being made in the image and likeness of his Creator, and designed by Him for a state of eternal happiness. We cannot, therefore, but regard him with deep interest, and watch his progress in intelligence with deep anxiety. As we hope for the good time when " peace on earth and goodwill towards men" shall prevail, we must employ every true means and exert every good influence which can hasten its coming.

The Sunday scholar is of various ages and requirements, and to supply his successive wants the instruction afforded him must be graduated. He does not, as in former times, come to acquire the rudiments of secular education, but to receive instruction in religious truth, and for this only have we to provide. His attendance is voluntary, so we must endeavour to render our teaching not only useful but attractive, and that we, as instructors, may be of the greatest possible service to him we must supply the best teaching power within our reach. More than all these, we must be examples for his imitation; our teachers must, by

their manners, language, and conduct, set him the pattern of Christian singleness and purity.

As the time for instruction is limited, care should be taken not to attempt too much, but so to arrange the plan of work as to make the lesson thorough and systematic. The want of this too often produces carelessness and indifference in young scholars, which renders the further consideration of the same subject laborious to the teacher, whereas if the lesson is clearly and fully set before their minds at one view they are more likely to retain it, and to return with avidity for a fresh one, indeed, the creating a desire for the knowledge of holy things, and so drawing the scholar into closer communion with the school, is a most important matter for the teacher's consideration. As the young are to succeed their seniors in the church, and to be the means under Providence of showing forth the truth by an active and holy life, they should be attached as much as possible to the body of which they are to become members, and be protected as far as possible from counter influences that would draw them away; their sympathies should be enlisted on the side of what is right and pure, and they should be engaged as early as possible in the performance of such minor duties as may be safely entrusted to them. A kindly interest in them should be manifested, that they may see they are valued by friends to whom their well-being is a source of happiness. They should be shown that their existence argues the world's need of their peculiar talents and powers, wherefore they must strive to cultivate them, so as one day worthily to fill the position in life for which they are best fitted, and thus to dignify that position by attaining in it the full stature of a man as the means of becoming an angel.

It may now be well to speak of the Sunday scholar at the four different periods of his life,-infancy, boyhood, youth, and manhood.

In his tender years he comes to be taught the simplest lessons of truth and goodness; he must not therefore be wearied with an alphabetboard or with spelling, but, placed with a number of his school-fellows, be addressed by a teacher, winning and affectionate in manner, who will tell him those beautiful stories with which the sacred volume abounds, and which always interest and benefit children. In this pleasing and easy manner a great part of the Scripture history, and much information about God, and about the angels and the future life, may be imparted. The many duties of children to parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, should also be specially treated of. An agreeable variation of the proceedings will consist of the recitation and singing