ANNA SHERWIN was an orphan child of Mrs. Dermott's deceased brother. For a year she had been residing in the family of her aunt, who treated her with all the tenderness which she manifested for her own children. With the buoyancy natural to youth, Anna had ceased to mourn her parents' loss, though she loved to call to mind their instructions, and to govern her conduct as she thought would please them. With the enthusiasm of a child, she looked forward to "the catechising," as her cousins had styled the teaching of their mother, and was the first to take her seat and to be in readiness for the second question. When the others were in their places, Mrs. Dermott requested Anna to repeat the answer given at the head of this chapter, and then asked, "What volume contains the word of God?" "The Bible, or 'The Book.'" "How do we know it is the word of God?" "Because—because—" The little ones looked at each other, but could not answer the question. "I will ask another question. How do we know, Walter, that the Shorter Catechism was written by the Westminster Assembly?" "Because we have always heard so," replied the boy. "I suppose people who lived then told their children, and they told theirs, until it has come down to us." "I once saw an old gentleman," remarked the mother, "who told me some interesting circumstances respecting that most remarkable body of men. His father had told him that his great-great-grandfather was a member of the Assembly; that he knew and had conversed with those who wrote the Catechism, and that he had related many interesting facts, which, with letters and other papers, were now preserved in an antiquarian library. "In the same manner we know that the books of the Bible were written by the men whose names they bear, and can distinctly retrace them to their authors, both by history and tradition. Besides, God enabled them to perform many miracles, such as healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, raising the dead to life, to prove that they had received authority from him. Ha also enabled them to foretell many events which have since taken place, and thereby has set his seal to their commission. "A poor negro was once asked, 'What reasons have you for believing the Bible to be the word of God?' "'Me have no reasons, massa,' was the good man's artless reply. 'Me want no reasons. Me read the precious book, and me feel it in here,' putting his hand upon his heart. 'Me know God wrote it for poor creatures just like me.' "The Bible carries its own arguments with it. Its writers often refer to this internal evidence of its truth. 'He that believeth shall know of the doctrine.' 'Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God.' "Multitudes have in this way learned the divine truth and power of the Holy Scriptures.