W. How can that which is not nature inspire? Hast thou need of what is not nature? When thou askest, how can nature inspire? dost thou not know that mind is nature, and as mind is nature, so nature inspires. T. Then what is spirit but nature? W. Thou wilt answer, “what is not wisdom is nature.” T. Truly. That which has no wisdom is nature, and that which has wisdom is spirit. W. Have thy words a spirit? T. They are the productions of a spirit. W. Is not nature the production of a spirit? T. Yea; and so are all things. W. Then, if all things be the production of a spirit, nature is the production of a spirit, and, if nature be the production of a spirit, thou seest nature unites to show what the spirit has done. It is the work of the spirit, and what is the work of a spirit is a revelation of its wisdom. Thou seest that the work must reveal the character and skill of the workman. That development, revealed by the work, is the inspiration of nature. It is the voice of God, which inspires his creatures with veneration. T. But what wilt thou say of the Bible? W. I will say, it is the production of nature’s works. It is the production of spirit, which is manifested in nature. It is what thou seest, the work of mind developed, or revealed, as mind needed. It is not as thou seest in all things. Thou seest as thy mind hast been instructed, and thou hast been instructed by others not wiser than thyself. T. But is not the Bible the standard of all truth? W. It is the standard only of its own truth. T. Must not all other revelation yield to its authority, when contradictory statements appear? W. Contradictions of nature are not a part of revelation. That which contradicts nature, is not revelation; because nature is a revelation of the wisdom of God. When thou readest thy Bible, dost thou see a contradiction? T. I have not found any contradiction of my faith. W. Hast thou found any contradiction of thy practice? T. I will not answer thy question. W. Is it not important to practice our faith? T. It is. W. Why, then, dost thou refuse to answer my question? T. Because I will not. W. But why will you not? T. Then, thou wouldst claim an exception to my cause. W. I claim only consistency. T. Am I inconsistent? W. When thou wilt answer as thou knowest, thou art consistent; but when thou seest not what is true, thou mayest be inconsistent with truth. Thou wilt not say thou art consistent in all things. T. Who art thou? W. I am thy friend. T. How may I know thee to be my friend? W. Thou mayest know, when thou shalt disabuse thyself of thy errors. Thou wilt not accuse thy friend, before thou hast seen aught against him. T. Thou wilt prove what thou hast said. I will not receive a doctrine, until I see what evidence it has for its support.