Читать книгу The Seventy's Course in Theology, Second Year - B. H. Roberts - Страница 20

Table of Contents

1. Suggestion on the Lesson Treatment: No analysis is given to this lesson. It is designed to give those to whom the subject is assigned—and one, two, or even more may be assigned to the subject—an opportunity to make their own sub-divisions and work out their own treatment in their own way. It should be said in passing, however, that it is to be hoped that the treatment will have some relationship to previous lessons in part I of the present Year Book. It could receive such a treatment, for instance, as would lead to the justification of the doctrine set forth in lesson V on the fact of our scripture revelations being local; that is, revelations that pertain to our earth and its heavens as set forth in the Book of Moses, chapters i and ii. Also it could be made to contribute to the reasonableness of the existence of Great and Presiding intelligencies in various parts of the universe, of their controlling and directing their worlds and world-systems in harmony with the great and eternal laws by which the universe is evidently governed. This much to suggest merely that there is a relationship between this subject and the lessons that have preceded it.

2. Sources of Information: Almost any school text book on astronomy will give information on the extent and grandeur of the universe. Especially would I recommend Newcomb's "Popular Astronomy," Harper & Brothers, Publishers, New York; Gillet & Rolf's Astronomy; and "Other Worlds than Ours," by Richard A. Proctor, in which the plurality of worlds studied under the light of recent scientific researches, could be consulted to advantage. "A history of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom," by Andrew D. White, vol. I, chap. 3, could be consulted to advantage; not so much with reference to a description of the extent or grandeur of the universe, as for the light he throws upon the struggle that took place in the development of the ideas which led to the modern conception of the structure of the universe and the laws that governed therein. For a description of the extent and grandeur of the universe, as also for an account of the resistence to scientific ideas in relation thereto, Draper's "Intellectual Development of Europe," Volume II, chapter viii, could be consulted, and the same authors "Conflict Between Religion and Science." Some valuable quotations on the same subject are to be found in "New Witness For God," Chapters xxviii, xxix.

3. Suggestions Upon the Structure of Discourses and Lectures: In the Seventy's Year Book No. 1, there were six lessons in which suggestions were made on the matter of the formation of lectures, or discourses. The six lessons, however, were really but one. The suggestions then given went no further than to admonish the student to give definite form to his discourse, urging that there should be

1. An Introduction.

2. A Discussion.

3. A Conclusion.

We again call attention to the necessity of adhering to this definite plan, if the discourse is to be instructive or intellectually entertaining.

4. Clearness: The most important concern of a speaker is to make himself understood. If he fails in this he fails in everything. This is true of every speaker. It is doubly true of one who has a message from God to deliver to the world. Clearness then in the expression of ideas is the first quality to be considered. The first essential to clearness in the expression of his ideas is for the speaker himself to have definite knowledge of his subject. Clearness of expression must be preceded by definite knowledge and clear thinking. The chief cause of obscurity in expression is a lack of systematic, clear-cut thinking. Men speak as they train themselves to think. If men will only train themselves to do systematic thinking, speech, or expression of thought, will largely take care of itself. Men generally may not be conscious of it, but it is true nevertheless that the mind is constantly thinking. It seems to be an essential of its nature to do so. One cannot stop thinking even if he would, so long as he is awake and conscious. What we call the mind will think about something, but we usually allow it to drift aimlessly in its thought. It is earned away hither and thither by every passing object, noise, or word that suggests an idea; or else we allow it to be driven to and fro in the realm of our imagination by every passing fancy. No effort is made to control it. We think of everything in general and nothing in particular. What is needed in our intellectual development is mind-control. Obedience of the mental faculties to the will. The mind should be compelled to work out lines of thought upon any subject that is given to it to reflect upon, until it has arranged in orderly fashion all the present knowledge and ideas possessed on the given subject. And thinking, be it remembered, is but arranging knowledge in orderly fashion in relation to our ideas, with the view of arriving at definite conclusions. Elsewhere in illustration of these views, I have said: 'Er. no. I have been a visitor in families where parents have undertaken to put the children of the households on their good behaviour. I have seen the father and mother undertake instanter to make the children polite to each other, considerate to parents, gentle in word and deed; and I have seen the children look up in astonishment and then go on in the same boisterous and quarrelsome way to which they were accustomed. The father and mother on this dress parade occasion could not make their children understand what had not previously been made a habit to them. The children could not understand for the simple reason that perhaps never before, or only once or twice before, with long intervals between, were they corrected in their manners. Parents in order to have their children appear well must give them daily training until politeness and good behaviour become habitual to them. And only in this way can they become ladies and gentlemen—gentle in speech towards father and mother, gentle in conduct towards brother and sister, respectful to strangers and well behaved in all the relations of child life. In order to produce this the training must be continuous. Not harsh or rough but exacting, nevertheless. So it is with the powers of the mind. A man who has never trained his mental powers in logical methods of thought cannot hope to stand before an audience and succeed as a public teacher. To bring together beautiful and logical thoughts that will be instructive to those who listen and satisfactory to himself—this power can only be acquired by thorough and constant mental discipline. It is only to be acquired by earnest effort, by hard work. But remember, to be a Seventy means just that—work, mental activity, leading to intellectual development, and to the attainment of spiritual power.

5. The Cultivation of Thought-Power: Thought upon a subject in any broad sense embraces substantial knowledge of all the facts, and all the reasoning that may be based upon the facts. Education in the proper sense is the cultivation of the power of thought, with the added power of expressing those thoughts in some forceful manner. "How then," asks Mr. Pittinger, whom we so frequently quoted in lessons of this class in Year Book No. l, "How, then, shall thought-power be increased? There is no royal road. Every one of the faculties by which knowledge is accumulated and arranged or digested into new forms grows stronger by being employed upon its own appropriate objects." Mental activity is the means by which the material of knowledge is gathered, and all faculties strengthened for future gathering. Each fact gained adds to the treasury of thought. A broad and liberal education is of exceeding advantage. This may or may not be of the schools. Indeed, they too often substitute a knowledge of words for a knowledge of things. That fault is very serious * * * * * for the only way by which even language can be effectively taught, is by giving terms to objects, the nature of which has been previously learned. But many persons need to speak who cannot obtain an education in the usual sense of the word—that is, college or seminary training. Must they keep their lips forever closed on that account? By no means. A thousand examples, some of them the most eminent speakers the world has produced, encourage them to hope. Let such persons learn all they can. Wide, well-selected, and systematic reading will do wonders in supplying the necessary thought-material. Every book of history, biography, travels, popular science, which is carefully read, and its contents fixed in the mind, will be available for the purposes of public speech. Here a word of advice may be offered, which, if heeded, will be worth many months of technical education at the best colleges in the land; it is this: Have always at hand some work that in its own sphere possesses real and permanent merit, and read it daily until completed. If notes are made of its contents, and the book itself kept on hand for reference, so much the better. If some friend can be found who will hear you relate in your own words what you have read, this also will be of great value. Many persons, especially in our own country, [America] spend time enough in reading the minute details of the daily papers to make them thoroughly acquainted in ten years with forty volumes of the most useful books in the world. Think of it! This number may include nearly all the literary masterpieces. Which mode of spending the time will produce the best results? One newspaper read daily would amount to more than three hundred in a year, and allowing each paper to be equal to ten ordinary book pages, the result would be three thousand pages annually, or six volumes of five hundred pages each. In ten years this would reach sixty volumes! This number, comprising the world's best books in history, poetry, science, and general literature, might be read slowly, with meditation and diligent note-taking by the most busy man who was willing to employ his leisure in that way. * * * * * Neither will the speaker have to wait until any definite quantity of reading has been accomplished before it becomes serviceable to him. All that he learns will be immediately available, and, with proper effort, the facility of speech and the material for speaking will keep pace with each other."