every opening with which the understanding of the child presents you; make use of various methods, so as to ascertain in what way great truths may find the most easy access to her mind. Especially observe to tell her nothing new without making it familiar by some obvious comparison.

For instance, ask her if she would rather die than renounce Jesus Christ; she will say, "Yes." You add; "What! would you give up your life for the sake of going to heaven?" "Yes." So far, the child thinks she should have sufficient courage to do it; but though you wish to make her feel that she can do nothing without divine assistance, you will gain nothing by simply telling her that she cannot be faithful without the aid of grace; she does not understand all this; and if you should teach her to repeat these words without understanding them, you would accomplish very little. What then shall you do? Relate the story of St. Peter; represent him saying in a presumptuous tone, "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny

thee; though all should desert thee, yet will not I." Then describe his fall; he three times denies Jesus; a female servant terrifies him. Tell why God permitted him to prove so feeble; then refer to the case of an infant, or a sick person, unable to walk alone, and make the child perceive that we need that God should sustain us as a nurse carries her child; in this way you will explain the mystery of grace.

But the truth which will be understood with the greatest difficulty, is, that we have souls more precious than our bodies. Children are early taught to speak of their souls, and this is well; for this language which they do not understand, scarcely ever fails to accustom them to form some confused idea of a distinction between the body and the soul, before they are able to conceive of it. As the prejudices of infancy are pernicious as far as they lead to error, so they are useful when they accustom the imagination to truth, before reason is sufficiently developed to comprehend it. But it is necessary to estab

fish a firm persuasion of this truth. How is this to be done? By perplexing the mind of a child with the subtleties of philosophy? Nothing can be worse. Confine yourself to making clear and obvious to her, if possible, what she hears and repeats every day.

As for her body, she is but too well acquainted with it; every thing inclines her to gratify its propensities, to adorn it, and to make it her idol; it is of great importance to lead her to slight it, by showing something within her far more noble and excellent.

Say then to a child in whom reason has begun to be active, "Is it your mind that eats?" If she answers incorrectly, do not reprove her; but gently tell her that her mind does not eat. "It is the body," you will say, "that eats; it is the body that is like the brutes." "Have brutes any understanding? are they learned?" "No," the child will answer. "But they eat," you may say, "though they have no understanding." "You see then, very plainly, that it is not the mind that eats; it is the body that takes food

for its nourishment; it is this that walks, and that sleeps." "And what does the mind do?" "It reasons, it knows persons; it

answer.

loves certain things; and there are others that it regards with aversion." Say likewise, as if in sport, "Do you see this table?" "Yes." "You know it then?" "Yes." "You see then that it is not made like this chair; you know very well that it is made of wood, and that it is not like the chimney, that is built of bricks?" "Yes," the child will Do not proceed any farther, unless you perceive by her eyes, and by the tone of her voice, that these simple truths have made an impression on the child. Then you can say, "Does this table know you?" You will find that the child laughs at the absurdity of the question. It is no matter; you may continue. "Which loves you best, this table or this chair?" She will laugh still more. Proceed, "Is the window very learned ?" Then endeavor to advance one step further. "And does this doll answer, when you speak to it?”

"No."

"Why not?" "Has it not any un

it will." now?"

derstanding ?" "No, it has not any at all." "It is not like you then, for you know it, and it does not know you." "But after your death, when you are laid in the ground, shall you not be like this doll?" "Yes." "You" will not feel anything again?" "No." "You will not any longer know any one?" "No." "And will your soul be in heaven?" "Yes." "Will it not see God there?" "Yes, "And where is the soul of the doll You will find that the child answers you with a smile, or at least gives you to understand that the doll has not any soul. By resorting to these and similar methods, you may gradually accustom children to attribute to the body the properties which belong to it, and to the mind its peculiar operations, if you do not indiscreetly propose certain actions that are common to the body and mind. Avoid these intricacies that tend only to obscure truth, and always be content with clearly bringing to view those things in which the distinction between body and mind is most marked and obvious. There may be found,