7. _The Candor of its Writers._—The authors of these documents write like honest men, telling their story plainly, without partisan bias. They relate the sins of their heroes, Abraham’s deception, Jacob’s double-dealing, Moses’ anger, David’s crime, Peter’s denial, Paul’s quarrel with Barnabas. Their tone of sincerity shows the truthfulness of the narration. 8. _The Elevation of its Teachings._—Here is a book, written in an age when even the most cultured nations worshiped idols and held the grossest conceptions of God, with correspondingly low ideals of morals for men. Yet in such ages, the Bible presents a view of God to which the world has been slowly broadening its vision; and a standard of character which rises far above that of Plato, Cicero, or Confucius, and is now adopted as the ideal manhood by ethical philosophers. Whence, but from a divine source, came those lofty teachings of the Scriptures? 9. _Its Influence Upon the World._—What the Bible has done shows the hiding of its power. (1) _See its effects upon nations._ The lands where it is honored, America, England, North Germany, are the three lands of most advanced civilization and largest hope for the race. The lands where it is forbidden, as Spain, or where it is unknown, as China, are those whose condition is most hopeless. (2) _See its effects upon individuals._ The people who study the Bible are not the drunkards, thieves, criminal classes. Those who have the word in their minds and hearts become purer, better, higher than others. It transforms men from sinners to saints, and its influence makes earth a picture of heaven. No false book, no deceiving book could thus make the world better. 10. _Its Self Convincing Power in Experience._—There is in the consciousness of man a conviction that the religion of the Bible rests upon a sound foundation. And he who puts the Bible to the test in his own experience, who lives its life, and follows its law, and enjoys its communings, finds an assurance to the satisfaction of his spiritual nature, that this book contains God’s message to his soul. Every Christian’s experience is, therefore, a testimony to the truth and the inspiration of Scripture. [To those who wish to pursue this subject further we recommend the following works: “Credo,” by L. T. Townsend; “The Logic of Christian Evidences,” by Dr. Wright; Chautauqua Text Book No. 18; “Christian Evidences,” by Dr. Vincent; “The Christ of History,” by Principal Young; “Historical Illustrations of the Old Testament,” by Rawlinson & Hackett; “The Story of Creation,” by Dr. Campbell; and “Farmer Tompkins and His Bibles,” by W. J. Beecher, D.D.] CHAUTAUQUA NORMAL CLASS—S. S. SECTION. LESSON II.—THE SUPERINTENDENT: HIS QUALIFICATIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY. By R. A. HOLMES, A.M.