I will not go into an exposure of these useless and false distinctions, which are adopted to help carry out erroneous principles.  The only pretence for a subjunctive mood is founded on the fact that be and were were formerly used in a character different from what they are at present. Be was used in the indicative mood, present tense, when doubt or supposition was implied; as, If I be there; if they be wise. Be I a man, and receive such treatment? Were was also used instead of was in the past tense; as, “Were I an American I would fight for liberty.  If I were to admit the fact.”  In this character these words are rapidly becoming obsolete.  We now say, “If I am there; am I a man, and receive such abuses? was I an American; if I was to admit,” etc.

All the round about, perplexing, and tedious affair of conjugating verbs thro the different modes and tenses will appear in its true character, when we come to give you a few brief examples, according to truth and plain sense.  But before doing that it will be necessary to make some remarks on time.

Tense means time.  We distinguish time according to certain events which are generally observed.  In the use of the verb we express action in reference to periods of time when it is performed.

There are three tenses, or divisions of time; past, present, and future.

Past tense applies to actions which are accomplished; as, I wrote a book; he recited his lesson.

Present tense denotes actions commenced, but not finished, and now in operation; as, he reads his book; we sit on our seats and hear the lecture.

Future tense refers to actions, which are to take place hereafter; as, I am to go from the Institute; we desire to learn grammar correctly.

Every body can mark three plain distinctions of time, past, present, and future.  With the past we have been acquainted.  It has ceased to be.  Its works are ended.  The present is a mere line—­, nothing as it were—­which is constantly passing unchecked from the past to the future.  It is a mere division of the past and future.  The Hebrew, which is strictly a philosophic language, admits no present; only a past and future.  We speak of the present as denoting an action begun and not finished.  In the summer, we say the trees grow, and bear fruit.  But when the fruit is fallen, and the leaves seared by the frost, we change the expression, and say, it grew and bore fruit.

Of the future we can know nothing definitely.  Heaven has hung before all human eyes an impenetrable veil which obscures all future events.  No man without prophetic vision bestowed by Him who “sees the end from the beginning,” can know what is to be, and no expression can be made, no words employed which will positively declare a future action.  We may see a present condition of things, and from it argue what is to be, or take place hereafter; but all that knowledge is drawn from the past and deduced from a review of the present relation and tendencies of things.