Newspaper Page Text
26, 1849 ]
Stltttil.
1
DUCATION-
The following remarks are extracted from an address of
Gon. Slade on the subject ol Christian Education delivered
at Chigago, and reported for the Western Christian. Gov.
Slade is the Corresponding Secretary and General agent of
the Board of National Popular Education.
Nothing.said the Lecturer, is-moretrite, than that the age in
which we live is, pre-emim-ntlv, an age of progress. One of
these elements is the spirit of'freedom. It is a fearful ele-;
me rf—Steam and electricity are powerful elements—tnigh-j
ty agencies, acting on mind as well as matter; hut not equal
to jno element of progress of which we are speaking. Arm
inAlligeuce with power and how fearful it becomes ! If you
stjsh for evidence of what we have said, we have onlv to
(*rn your attention to Europe, in its present condition. This
element of progrses is working wonders —it is almost every
where seen and felt, in civil matters as well as in social and j I
religious, Europe, in its present agitated sta'e, may be cited
as evidence of the fact stated. Wlmt other power is agitating
and upheaving the old world ? What nas overturned one.
whole nation already ? and wlmt. at no distant period, is des
tined to change the whole political aspect of the older and
more oppressive nations and kingdoms of Europe ? It is mind
acting—mind in progress—mind struggling to be free. Man
now begins to feel, even in the old world, that he is a man, and
that being such, he possesses the right to think, speak and
act for himself. He is now doing so, and will do it still more
and more. Human rights are beginning to be better under
atond, and more sacredly held throughout the civilized world.
Liberty , Equa/ity an l Fraternity are becoming as famil
iar as the letters of the alphabet. In Europe, the law
of force is yielding to the law of public opinion, and of rea
son. The world is dreadfully agitated. Every tiling, al
most, hears the marks of progress. Things must and will
progress —the present as we have remarked, isa progressive
ago. What therefore, is necessary to regulate and guide
this progtess ? Wo answer, public opinion. as well in this
country as in Europe. What shall that public opinion bet
It will be wright or wrong? hence, effort is needed to make
public opinion right,—right by the Bible. God holds us re
sponsible for much—for allvve have, and lor all we do, or
neglect to do. Our responsibility is great, and every day is
becoming greater. What, therefore, ought to be done at the
present time to regulate and guide ail matters pertaining to
the purity, peace, growth, and perpetuity of our country and
its free institutions? Do we not need another power? a
power differing materially from any one in operation among:
us. In our judgment we need a conservative (lower. And!
what shall that power be 1 Wo da not want a stand sti ßfl
conservatism; an obstinate conservatism; for such a power!
would prove a curse rather than a blessing. Some men pos
sess great wisdom, at least in their opinion, hut it is a kind!
of stand stilt or do notfiing wisdom. But we do not want suolb
S conservatism. We want the conservatism of healthy pro-t
gress, which consists in Christian Education. We waiftj
men who will think, speak anil act independently. Men whej
will do that which is right; men who will do something
the good of their race.
But what is to make our free institutions andcountry saiH
We answer, universal education. All men must be educafijj
—the chasm between the educated and uneducated must |pg
filled up.
But what is education ? What is that education wliich jH
leeded at the present time ?
The Christian element must not be overlooked and disr|&
garded. If it is, then, the system adopted is defective. I'M
ucating the memory is one thing, and educating the whetm
man is quite another.. The fear of the Lord is the b>'ginniiH|
of all true wisdom. Education without the fear of God is 9
curse. Look to France, if you please. There the iutellefl|
was trained and highly cultivated, while the heart of cofl
science were wtioly neglected. And the result you know ijg|
ready. The heart and conscience must he educated as w
as the intellect. The heart has. been grossly neglected H
nearly all of our efforts to educate our race. This is
wrong* It is beginning at the wrong end. As we bcfoH
remarked, educate the heart and’ conscience, and then the iH
tellect. Obsere that divine order, and wo ourselves, and oiH
children,our free institutions, and our whole country are
happy and prosperous.
Parents now educate their children, to shine among men-M
to row rich in this world—to become popular, and live H
case and pleasure on earth, nnd finally die graceless and !■
lost.. We need not say this L defective training, and wholH
unworthy of rational beings. It is all wrong. It willne*.
ct make our children wlmt we ought to make them. An-j]
•other, and a better system of education is needed. Our plan
•s before hinted at, in this, —educate first the heart, thm the’
conscience,— and finally the intellect'.. But the child is now
schooled to sharpen the intellect, and not to impress the mind
cultivate and improve ilio heart, anil educate and regulate!
the conscience., Whatshould we thinkof sending a. locotno-:|
tive with a lull head of steam on over our railroads without
aa Engineer to guide its movements ?’ Just us well might
we do this as to send our children out into the world without!
proper moral training! Ifthe heart and conscience are prop-l
erly educated, they will become engineers to the intellect,
*nJ saf. I.y guide it however rapid its motion.
What are the best means lor Christian Education ? The
Bible is the foundation of all true knowledge. This is, and,
must he the great text book for educating the soul. This
book too is happily adapted to the moral aud intellectual
training of all classesand conditions ol men. We have said,’
It is the best means, and. wo here repeat the remark, to im-J
press it, if possible, more deeply upon the mind. Parents,
should therefore put their children to the reading of thia book,|
&i)t gnr*
not its occasional reading. They should require them to:
study it well. They are not to teach them theology, as it is
taught in the schools; but ihpy are to make them thoroughly
‘acquainted with the principles and factsofthe Bible. The
Bible is full of truth. It will repay a careful reading—a
thorough searching. It will exercise the mind, and give it
ample scope forthe full exercise of all its powers. Noother
book equals the Bible in this respect. Ils study- will aid and
j greatly strengthen the human mind.
ij The study of the Bible brings ns intcrconthct with Deity,|
and with the sublimes! objects of Nature; In fact Christian
Education underlies every thing else, even legisla'ion itself.
Legislation may do its best, still there is something in the
1 back ground, and that something is made apof the principles,
!spirit and mighty influense of the Bible. Hare you ever
thought of this ? Has it occurred to the mind, and impress
ed itself upon the conscience and heart ?
The education for which we pleid is not written upon
parchment, or paper, but upon the he*rt,jiist where it should
he, to be perfectly understood and ly felt. Christian
education ought to take the place of pplitk'S anti party strife.
If the means and timo spent in each ftwssleniial campaign,
were devoted to the purpose of education, our country would
be safe, whoever might be elevated to the presidential chair.
| jit is not parlyism we plead for, but education based on Bible j
principles or truth. Our country is indeed in great danger,
! is unsafe, and if it is saved, as we hope it may be, it must be:
, by tlie Christian haven infused into the masses of the people.
—!
tt e l i g t o a s.
In one of his letters on Revivals, specified sev
etal things on the part of ministers fflk were hindrances
to revivals, and that to such an extenltluf few if any revi
vals were experienced when they pMal, and concludes
with the following statement. ,19
“But the obstacle to success the most fatal,
afid by far the most frequent, witiiiofTjmnpas* of mv oh
nervation, especially in the is 100 much re
liance. on themselves, and 100 little *’
There are, undoubtedly many fciflwiknces to revivals
among ministers, many among privafi Christians, and were
they all enumerated and set in array tl*o church, they
would be truly appalling. But, first anil
prominent would be “too much reliance in'self, and 100 little
on God.'’ This, we had almost sail, is hindrance to re
vivals, s unbelief i* the sin, the jxw'itttfoyiiig sin of sin
ners. All other hindrances would vii -Were it ndt fir tins.
. The ways in wfiich ibis spirit ho’- mum. raid.-
land to have histones, inflections and uuihtentWe expres
j Live, or his gestures easy, natural and impressive, ft is
! there, when his chief anxiety is to pn s< nl the truth forcibly
•to sinner’s mind, arid when hefeeis that this or that meas
ure or movement in the church will secure the end. It is
’ there when ho is afraid to present the truth of tho gospel in
| the pin n common sense language of tin- Bible, lest some par
j tioular hearers should thereby be oifondcd. It is there,
ijwhen he has some philosophy which must bo preached, or
{according to which hts ideas must be moulded, ia order that
■sinners may be converted. ■‘‘jllfo -’ -i
This spirit is in the church when she : s afraid to discipline
’ some prominent member, or some member having influential j
j connections, lest the interest of the church should suffer.—
Iff* is in the church when sho feels that a revival can be ef
fected only it} connection with some particular preacher or!
when she feels that she can have a revival at
\any lime when she will only do her duty, nr, that God cannot
i revive his work without her co-operati a ; or in other words,
that a revival depends upon her and not upon God. It is not
Hour intention to enumerate all the ways in which this spirit
jof self-reliance exhibits itself either in t ho ministers or in
‘private Christians, hut only to advert to a very fcw of them.
The opposite spirit is a leading char note ristic of good men
J mentioned in the Bible. The faogun .m of Moses was,. “Ij
j'thou go not with u, carry us not up hence ;” that of David,
I “My soul wait thou only upon God,’ for my expectation is
Ifrom him.” The apostles could not go out from Jerusalem
and preach the gospel “until they” were endued with power
ijfromoa high,” an! when the Spirit came and rested upon
‘them, they were mainly anxious to secure his continued pros
'ence and agency. Tho feeling of the most eminent ol them
l]was, “For as much as God gave them like gifts with us—
| . ti . i j |>> _ neither is he
that planteth anything nor be that watcretb, but God that
‘giveth the increase.” Where this spirit exists, the minister:
.may and God’s Dutin
’ stead of being mainly anxious about his style, his gestures.’
1 1 is tones, or reflections, he will speak “us of sincerity and
as of God,” and this will do more to carry the truth to the!
i hear* than all the trappings of oratory with which lie-can
‘adorn himself 1 . Tha church, where this-spirit exists will
‘prize the gospel as a rich treasure, and highly esteem those
who labor in word and in doctrine ; hut she w ill feel that
i though f'aul may. plunt and Apollos water,, yet God must
i give the increase, and hence her prayers will ascend to God,
and her expectations will he from him. lfmemhersareguil-j
ty of flagrant sins, whatever may be their wealth, influence,
or connection, she w ill call them to an account; feeling that
,‘God regardeth not the rich more than the poor.
Said the pastor whose labois had been richly blessed, “I
have olten felt, in times ol revivtl, that it matters compara
tively little what is preached, il it i,s but the gospel, and the
| sermons of which I have thought comparatively little. I have
| [often found to have done more good than my more labored pro.’
Inductions.” Auotlur pastor who had. been instrumental in,
gathering a large church, on retiring to his study one Sabbath*
and reflecting on his sermon, threw the manuscript into the
fire, it appeared so worthless. During the week, a lady of
his congregation called on him, anxious to know what she
should do to he saved; and her attention was arrested by their
poor sermon. The good man was humbled for his self-re
liance, and said, “I will never burn another sermon.”
FAITH IN JUSTIFICATION.
Justification is ascribed to faith, because it is by faith that
we receive Christ: and thus it is by faith only, and not by
any other grace. Faith is peculiarly a receiving grace,
which none other is. Were We said to be justified by re- .
pentance, by love, or by any other grace, it would convey to
us the idea of something good in us being the consideration
on which the blessing was bestowed ; hut justification by
; faith conveys no such idea. (,)n the contrary, it leads the
mind directly to Christ, in the same manner as saying of a
person that he lives by begging, leads to the idea of iiis living
on what he freely receives.
I It is thus that justification stands connected, in the Scrip
tures, with union with Christ: “Os him are ye in Christ Je
sus, who of God is made unto us—righteousness.”—“There
is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ
jJesus.” —“That l may he found in him, not having mine own
righteousness whicli is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God bv
ifaith.” From these and other passages, we perceive that
| faith justifies, not in a way of merit, not on account of any
j thing in itself, be it what it may, but as uniting us to Christ .
; It is that which the act of marriage is on tho part of a female:
jby it she becomes one with her husband, and (whatever
[might be her former poverty) legally interested in all that he
‘possesses. Having him, she has nil that is his. Thus it is
j that, Christ being “heir of all things,” believers in him be
;como “heirs of God,” not in their own right, hut as “joint
| heirs with him.” Ami as, in the marriage union, the wealth
which ail indigent female might derive from the opulence of
her husband would not be in reward of her having received
him, so neither is justification tlie reward of faith, but ol the
righteousness which is ol God by faith.
Great things are ascribed to faith in a wav of healing. —
Many of the miraculous cures performed by our Lord aro
ascribed to the faith of the parties. The virtue, however,
proceeded not from faith, hut from him. ft is the same in
justification. By faith we receive the benefit; but the ben
jefit arises not from faith, but from Christ. Hence (lie sain*
thing which is ascribed in some places to faith is in others
ascribed to tlie obedience, death, and resurrection ot Christ.
— Fuller.
PRAYING AND GIVING.
‘What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.’’
This is not only applicable to the union of man and wife,
but ulso to tho great duties required by tho gosp*d. Two of
those duties are ‘prayer and alins.giving.’ And yet thou
sands are in the habit of sundering these two. Some men
give, and give much, who never think of asking tho guidance
of Heaven in the distribution of their alms, nor forthe bless
ing of God on wlmt they impart. And, therefore, they hav*
no reason to expect such a blessing to attend their charities.
Other men pray both long and often, that tho naked may bo
clothed and the hungry fed; but they very seldom put their
hands in their pockets to relievo the wants ot tho needy.—
And such men stand but little chance of receiving the bless
ing of Him who said, ‘lnasmuch as ye did it unto one of tho
least of those my brethren, ye did it unto me.’ But Goif
has required that prayer and giving should be united, and
this union is happily illustrated in tiie case of tlie Rev. fo
tham Bewail, a venerable clergyman well known in Maine..
The American Messenger says that he once entered a meet
ing in behalf ol foreign missions, just as the collectors of the
contributions were resuming their seats. Tlie chairman of’
the meeting requested him to lead in prayer. The old gen
tleman stood hesitatingly,.os if lie had not hoard the request.
It was repented in a louder voice; but there was no response..
It was observed, however, that Mr Bewail was fumbling In
his. pockets, and presently ho produced a piece of money*,
which he deposited in tlie contribution box. The chairman,
thinki ig he had not been understood, said loudly, ‘I didn’t
ask you to give, father Bewail ; Tasked you to pray.’ ‘O,
yes,’ he replied, ‘/ heard ym, but l cannot pray till I hart
given something.’
Divinity (f Christ:—T wo gentlemen were once disputing
o*i tlie divinity of Christ. One ol them, who argued against
it, said,—
“If it were true, it oerlainly. would have been expressed fn,
more clear and unequivocal terms.”
“Well,” said the other, “admitting that you beliaved it,
were authorized to teach it, and allowed to uso your own
language, how woulJ you express the doctrine to make it
indubital.il’ ?”’
“1 would say,” replied tlie first, “that Jesus Christ is tho
true God.”
“You are very happy,” rejoined tho other, “in the choice
of:your words; for you have happened to hit upon the words,
of inspiration. St. Joim, speaking of the Son, says, ‘This is,
the true God and eternal life.* ” — Christian Advocutt.
11l Humor. —Never doanything that can denote nn angry
mind ; for although every body is born with a certain de
gree of passion, and from untoward circumstances will some,
‘tubes lie < 1 its operation, and he, what they call ‘out of humor,*’
,yet asi risible mail or woman will never allow it to bods.
covered. Check and restrain it; never make any determina-.
‘lior. until you find it has subsided ; and always uioid say-.
|ing any thing that you may wish unsaid.,—Lord Collingwood .
133