Verbs have only two tenses, the present and the past. A verb
expressing action commenced and not completed, is in the present
tense; as, "Religion _soars_: it _has_ gained many victories: it
_will_ [to] _carry_ its votaries to the blissful regions."
When a verb expresses finished action, it is in the past tense; as,
"This page (the Bible) God _hung_ out of heaven, and _retired_."
A verb in the imperative and infinitive moods, is always in the
_present_ tense, high authorities to the contrary notwithstanding.
The _command_ must _necessarily_ be given in time present, although
its _fulfilment_ must be future. John, what are you doing? Learning
my task. Why do you learn it? Because my preceptor _commanded_ me to
do so. When _did_ he command you? _Yesterday_.--Not _now_, of
course.
That it is inconsistent with the nature of things for a command to
be given in _future_ time, and that the _fulfilment_ of the command,
though future, has nothing to do with the tense or time of the
command itself, are truths so plain as to put to the blush the gross
absurdity of those who identify the time of the fulfilment with
that of the command.
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