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Literary
March 29, 1837
Morning Star
Limerick, York County, Maine
What is this article about?
A series of anecdotes from an infant school in New York, recounting young children's inquiries and reflections on theological concepts like eternity, immortality, God's existence, creation, and the incarnation, demonstrating their innate reasoning about faith.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
INFANT-SCHOOL ANECDOTES.
5. The word eternal was the subject of explanation. It was remarked, God is eternal; he had no beginning, and will have no end. A boy inquired, Are not our souls eternal? He was answered that our souls were immortal ; that all we know about them is, since they were in our bodies, which had a beginning But, said he, may not our souls have existed with God before they came into our bodies?
6. A boy six years of age told me that the day before he had been talking to a boy, who had said, that he did not believe there was a God. "Why, who made the world?" asked the infant scholar. "O. it came so." answered the young infidel. "But who made the people?" He made a foolish reply, about their being in the "ground, and the ants digging them out." "But who made the ants?" continued his little questioner. "They made themselves," was the reply. "Well, I believe that there is a God," rejoined the other, "and he made the world first, and then he made the men and women upon it." A very interesting conversation ensued, upon the recital of this adventure. One child asked, "How could the world come so" A boy of five years said, "How could the world make the world ?" Another one asked, "How could the ants make themselves before they were made, when they were nothing ?"
7. A little girl said, I was thinking the other day, how God could be from Everlasting, without beginning, and yet be born a little infant. I was troubled for a little while, until it came into my mind, that he only took upon him the form of man, and so had a beginning in his human nature, while his spirit, his divine nature, was all the time in heaven.
New York.
5. The word eternal was the subject of explanation. It was remarked, God is eternal; he had no beginning, and will have no end. A boy inquired, Are not our souls eternal? He was answered that our souls were immortal ; that all we know about them is, since they were in our bodies, which had a beginning But, said he, may not our souls have existed with God before they came into our bodies?
6. A boy six years of age told me that the day before he had been talking to a boy, who had said, that he did not believe there was a God. "Why, who made the world?" asked the infant scholar. "O. it came so." answered the young infidel. "But who made the people?" He made a foolish reply, about their being in the "ground, and the ants digging them out." "But who made the ants?" continued his little questioner. "They made themselves," was the reply. "Well, I believe that there is a God," rejoined the other, "and he made the world first, and then he made the men and women upon it." A very interesting conversation ensued, upon the recital of this adventure. One child asked, "How could the world come so" A boy of five years said, "How could the world make the world ?" Another one asked, "How could the ants make themselves before they were made, when they were nothing ?"
7. A little girl said, I was thinking the other day, how God could be from Everlasting, without beginning, and yet be born a little infant. I was troubled for a little while, until it came into my mind, that he only took upon him the form of man, and so had a beginning in his human nature, while his spirit, his divine nature, was all the time in heaven.
New York.
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Religious
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Infant School
Eternal
Immortal Souls
Gods Existence
Creation
Incarnation
Literary Details
Title
Infant School Anecdotes.
Subject
Children's Theological Inquiries In Infant School
Form / Style
Narrative Anecdotes Of Young Children's Reflections On God And Eternity
Key Lines
Are Not Our Souls Eternal?
Why, Who Made The World?
How Could The Ants Make Themselves Before They Were Made, When They Were Nothing ?
How God Could Be From Everlasting, Without Beginning, And Yet Be Born A Little Infant.