Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-13
PROM THE BALANCE.
ON EDUCA lion.

pufSs Wiid1loSsSi tas'sS , de iofetY5 what
io,ver, things are Of go ID report, the BIZ
BE plainly teaches AMI energ esical, Elk
forces, by the fan;tion 81 d.ysne authority.
Children h ,dld be accllooeit TO isink at
this pure tolntain. II every cbriitain
country, anl in ours particularly, they
fhoald De diligently instroefei from thetc
Sc creatures Of wiflosa asi know.edgr,"
which th. facrsd vollm. coatains. rs
plain Sc tai aitely in ,oftaas djttrines &
preceprs lhould bemale to /" drop as the
rain and dliil! as the dew" into theirten
der minds. Thus, through the divine
bl-!iiag. tne feeds Of trath AMI righ,eoui,-
neis would take rot in their hearts, and
they would be gradually preparing for ex-
ceil.nce aad dietulne(s il the various. focal
realtors as, we'll as forsa future fate of
unf,ilcd purity AMI perfect felicity.
i is equally matter OF regret and az
soniihmeng, that chritiaa nations have iii
so great degree, neglected to incorpo-
rate the Bible into their iylems Of educa
ton ani the -attoniihmcnt is greatly
incresfed by comparing the conduct Of
chriltians, 10 this reipeet, with that OF
p ms and Mahome ans. The mott df
ting liihed Pagan nations have been Care.
fui TO intrud their children in the prins
ci2Ies, ceremonies AMI practices Of their
religion. The Mahometsns univeIfall,
bring up their chiilren in the habit OF
revsring the .4ls0rau, in the contents OF
which they diligently initrutt them, even
from infancy, and efeem all other learning
20 be triA,ng, in comparison with the
knowledge of that book. But The chill
drenof nominal ,chrittians are fuGered to
!. grow up ia Ignorance of the Bible. Its
divine authority is Acknowledged the
peerlefs excellence of It's morality is grant
ed; and yet the avails of it, in forming
the principles, the manners and habits of
children and youth, are fadIy neglected.
s 7, whatever caules this regled may be
owing the effects are fatal to Grill den,
who growing up, void Of moral AMI re-
4ligi ,us principles and without mental re.
arainls, fall eafy victims to the lsduttions
~of vice.
Inafnuch as virtue, or pure morality,
chsrshed and .fuaported by religious prin
ciples, is Especially ina republic, the BATS
ofioeial ordei and public happinels,itis We
Iy plain, that inttrutting children in the
iacrsd icriptures is infinitely importan,
TO this country, in poLaieaL view and.
ihould, therefore, engage the lively atsen-s
tion of Legislators and msgitrates, as we'll
as of parents and teachers. a found and
prudent policy is concerned, as well to.
prevent the.cxifenee ofcrmes againa focal
order, as 10 refrain them by punifhments
whea they do exit: ard furely no pre-
ventive to vices aud crimes can be found,
70 eAcacious, & at the fame time, 70 prac-
ticable and eafy, as by deeply enfamping
the minds of children with moral and re
ligious impvefii ons, by due application
of the truths of the facred book. If all
the peculiar and hyperion advantages,
which chriitianity affords, were to be pru
IDENTIFY and faithfully uisd lin forming the
principles aid habits OF children, it would
have an aeonihins effect in purifying the
public maras. We're fcripture knowledge
70 be made an indiipen6ble partot ichool
infruction, throughout this country, vice
would BE- 4balhed and hide its head, legal
panifhments would be rare, the beauty OF
focal order, would every where be appa-
rent, and that ri2hteoufneis would ipring
up and f ,nfifh, which exaIteth nation.
AT the fame time judicious Election from
the Bible would be more proper, as iyt.
ten of jtbool iafrae7iaa, than the promi :
cuous reading OF the whole volume ana
that, tor the following reaions. in our
Englih tranaa,ion OF the Bible, fome.
words and Phrafes have, in this age Of re-
hnement, becone indelicate and unfuitalle
to be uled IN ichooIs.
Some hlitosical fa,fs are relataJ E,cb