The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. He is supported on crutches, but lacks so much support of muscle. He has a fine Geneva watch, but he fails of the skill to tell the hour by the sun. A greenwich nautical almanac he has, and so being sure of the information when he wants it, the man in the street does not know a star in the sky. The solstice he does not observe; the equinox he knows as little; and the whole bright calendar of the year is without a dial in his mind. His notebooks impair his memory; his libraries overload his wit; the insurance office increases the number of accidents; and it may be a question whether machinery does not encumber; whether we have not lost by refinement some energy, by a Christianity entrenched in establishments and forms, some vigor of wild virtue. For every Stoic was a Stoic; but in Christendom where is the Christian?

CHOOSE EXAMPLES CAREFULLY. Examples are often used to support general statements by giving the statement concrete and specific meaning.  Emerson provides a number of familiar examples to illustrate his rather abstract subject, that of "self-reliance." The first example of man's loss of self-reliance is well chosen because all of Emerson's readers would be familiar with a coach, just as you would be with an automobile. This kind of example draws the reader in. Emerson also cites notebooks and libraries as examples of the "crutches" that take the place of memory and learning through direct experience.  A well chosen example not only supports a statement; it also makes the statement more meaningful.

ARRANGE EXAMPLES IN AN EFFECTIVE ORDER.  In the first four sentences, Emerson contrasts what man has gained with what he's lost, so that point is immediately clear.  Though both sides are given, Emerson stresses the negative by placing it last. He gains added emphasis in the first three sentences by using the contrasting word but.  By mentioning only the negative in the fifth and sixth sentences, he strengthens his position and makes a solid impression on the reader.  Notice also that the order of examples moves from familiar to unfamiliar, simple to complex.  The examples are arranged here in order of their importance; if  you can convince your reader to accept your minor ideas, the way is paved for the reader to accept the major ones as well.

ASSIGNMENT. Write a paragraph in which you use examples to support your position in a matter relating to your school or church. Be sure to select examples that are reasonable and effective. Arrange them in an order which suits the subject matter.
A few suggestions are provided.

1. The spiritual atmosphere on campus
2. The recent building addition at PMC
3. The amount of work required for Homiletics class
4. Your choice