Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-01-20
SELF-EDUCATION.

al eAtI1clS
address on Education, recen,'y delivered i
the village of Siroudsburg, Pa, BY Rev. j. W /.
MEKAsKEy, and published ia The Democrat of
that place,
All the moral revolutions.
1.-the intellectual discoveries, and all
the great asad mighty changes. ,asai His
'ory records, have been wrought by
that mysterious and und, ing essence,
the mind. How ,mporsan, then ,ha,
Tins mind should be enlt1va. ell. that its
energies should be directed Alright. and
that meihodbe emplo.edin its improve.
ment, which is best calculated TO de,e.
lope all lis faculties, and produce the
most beneficial results! We are ac.
EQUITABLE to our Maker for it's proner
direction, and wo be 20 him who Shall
pervert II TO unholy purposes OF impure
designs, or suiits il TO he ovevsun with
= the weeds and nehles of Ignorance.
when II should produce the fair flowers
and fruits ofan improved and cultivated
ground! Nothing is so important to a
man as good education, for nothing
can be accomplished, that is valuable,
without IT'S efficient aid. Education
can do more fer a man than all the
riches that ever Cesar posse ssed. Is
he poor aad unknown? |: can raise
him to fortune and to fame. Tie ob-
security that rested on his former days,
1t wlll dlsperse, and cast halo of re-
nown around his heretofore humble
name. While living, he shall be re-
specie! and admired, and when dead
his memory shall descend TO each sue
ceeclng generation, as one of the grea,
ofthe time that is past. The circum-
scrbed limits that bound human sight,
shall be no impeachment to his intelec-
tual view, but he will be enabled 10 lift
up the veil from futuri'y, and thro' the
dim vista of coming years, descry the
events to happen in time to come. AS
giant be will be mighty, and be will
be crowned with honor and with
praise.
But, what is Education' What is
this grand power, that like tie lever of
Archemedes, might move world p
This question has been often asked,
AID as often unsatisfactory answered.
1t is not the mere beaping up of crude,
unGigested knowledge 1t is not a.
lone, the learning oflhe schools, or the
information acquired within academic
walls. Nor is it solely the contents
of the musty records of antiquity, or
the ponderous tones of modern date.
1t is reading, il is observation, it is re-
fectlon, not singly or alone, but ccm-
bined, bearing each one upon the 9TH
er, forming the mind TO habits of indus.
try, charging its capacity, multiplying
its resources, and directing Alright its
powers. What would it advantage a
man if he had all The learning contain
ed in all the books that have ever been
published since the commencement of
time, if he know not how to arrange &
use the information he had acquired !!
He could not employ ii to accomplish
any end, anc it would be to those by
whom it was surrounded, as the dia-
nond in the mind, yielding no lustre.
He would so down to his grave with
out having performed any great work
to transmit his name to posteri.y-un-
honored and unknown. Such an in
dividual would be learned man, bat
not an educated one. Knowledge he
would undoubtedly possess, but such
knowledge would not have been rem
dered of value by reflection. We NAV
well compare mere knowledge to the
rude and anshapely ore, before it has
been refined by FIRE. But knowledge
arranged in the mind, and prepared FOR
service, by reflection and observation,
is like the highly valuable and brilliant
gold, brought from the same ore, thai,
was before so ungainly, and wrought
into thousand articles of beauty, USE
fulness and worth.
Self Education has been the theme
Of animadversion, and the regular sys
i TENS of the schools have been preferred
by many, as more certain and better
adapted to the end proposed. Wheth-
er they be SO or not, it is not our pre-
sent purpose to enquire. We must
draw OH. observations from Individual
examples. Of these the great mass Of
the community are composed, and their
charactersand history are alone lad OPP
en- to our view. We are not, and can
not be- acquainted with The private ex.
er!ions Of the body Of mankind We
can only be informed Of the events d
those, whose superior merits have OBJ
taineirtfem some biogra pher 10 chron-
lcIe the events Of their lives. Instances
there no doub: are Of some, who by tie
.'na'ced power of their own genius.
h; ~ rIssesin spite Of the disadvantages
OF an Improper education, but from
these 'so'a'ed instances, no general
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