The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-12-29

For the "Frc Trader"
Thoughts tending iowards the suijecL IF
Education.

Education.
MOI.
This world, especially the part of il where
we dwell, ia busy scene. In all directions
do we find IMAM at work eNc:Sed and inter
cs,cA he plods on and the face of the cath
assumes new aspect under his hands. lie
has done so much. It were vain TO attempt
description Of his hborS, and beside, FAR
ADLER pens than this now welded have, ma
ny times. made the effort. Alau has. in
these Latter days, accomplished what. few
ages ago, il would have been deemed mad.
ness 10 have attempted ami, rs phySi, al
and intellectual being, he stands ca proud
emiHcnce and hciS. tNcrc it ever night totc
proud, we would saw juN'g IrCud of his
powers and his douCS Like king Of an
cient times, lac looks over the monuments
of lis greatness and glory and cNclaim>, SIS
not this great Babylon that I have buildcd
for the honor Of the kingdom 10y the might
Of my power and for the honor of lly males
tyE" Like that proud King, lie lorgcts to
aScribe the glory TO tie great Being by whrSc
blessing he has been enabled Ia accomplish
all. Nay more wilha stranger lack of even
worldly wisdom, there are mon, in this nine
tecn,h century, in free. snlic htrred Amen.
ca. who forgetting that handS-phyS
power alone can do nothing. not OILY neg.
leci the culture Of mind, but Justify them
selves for this neglect. "Sinupr." say they,
twill this put food in our mouths and clothes
on our backs; viii il warm and shelter Il.
We are weary of the subject Especially
are those wordly-wiS ones oNcrtrd # any.
thing is said in behalf Of the culture of wo.
mans intellect. "Of what use will II De-"
Al a a.
to make bread and butter; 10 spin and
weave; WILT teach them how to kecpthcir
houses in order or tC get lvinG2' There
is another class rather more advanced mthe
sense Of living, who are ready To- admit that
it is ucedful to cultivate the intellect some.
because they see that by this means, they
can obtain more physical comforts aud get
greater name among the sons Of men, and
above all. make more money; therefore
they would have their sons study the Scirn.
ces Sc far a. it is plain to them that the sci
enceS can be applied to these lofty objects,
and, for appCarauce'S sake, their daughters
even, must skim over the surface Of few /
pretty studies. Still they like not to hear
much Of intellect; it must not interfere with
their pleasure o( their profits. They love
not science Tor is own sake.
On this weariSome subject, the culture OF
mind, Mr., Editor. above the din of the work. /
shop, the lowing of the farmers kline: above f,
the eager discussions of the Speculation aud .
the merchant: above the gossip Of folly and /
the revelry Of the seekers after pleasure, an
humble one would fam LIT voice and utter
few words. Are food and cio'hiaG, hous- T.
cS and ldnGS all that an immortal iafofgrat
being needs; are they what he most needs: /
or are we TO believe that man is only flesh
and blood, bones and siuewS, with Only TO- .
diiy appctiteS and wants? Has he not a .
spiritual nature Of infinite importance. from
which alone his bo-y becomes Of any valur
without which, it would be but >enSelcSS F.
mass of matter? What, 10 thi, spirit, are
the food and raiincnt and houses aud lands .
so earnestly sought after, so highly esteem
ed? DO they satisfy its wants. or fit il for .
its destiny? The body. the casket of the .
soul, is so constituted, it must be granted .
that It should be full and cared for, but men
are so deeply sensible Of this, they scarcely .
need be reminded ofit-the body. its wants, /
its health has 4 thousand active advocates
where the soul has one and vet the soul has
wants as imperious-yea infinitely more SO.
1t hungers and thirSts; it need, shelter
shall never grow old, which shall perish
never. Are the food and raimeut and wealth,
which, so tauntingly aud triumphan,ly We
are told, learning does not give, such a. will 7
satisfy the spirits wants: are they at all fit .
ted or designed for It? lfnot, may we not
turn upon our opponents their own weapons: .
Ihey-the advocates Of bodily labor; oGthe .
value of worldly goods alone have spirits. .
OF what use TO spirit are these goods and /
this labor? Do they satisfy It's hunger aud
quench its raging thirst; do they enIlven /
and cheer II aud give it strength for lis high
duties and destiny? II is idle to a<k-we
know they do not. Then we should pursue
them no longer. Such is the fair conclusion
to the argument against science, applied To
physical pursuits--t applies more strkingly .
here for the spirit is Of infinitely more i'm I.
portance thsn the body. II il be replied TO
all this, that should the body not be cared
for, the spirit could no, be. because death
would end all care. True we answer: in
this sense we soon die in either case. Ifthc /
spirit is not cared for. the body will never
theless moulder to dust. but the spirit. that
which thinks and feels and wills. which
will endure amid the wreck of worlds and
the destruction of all material nature-phGf
iriH become oft! \ more rational theory
however than either the physical alone or
the spiritual alone, we believe. Mani>
compound being. Hehas bodily wants and
appetitcS which mus, be satisfied and forthis
the earth must be titled; the mechanic must
labor and the merchant must trade: he has
also spiritual nature, higher, nobler, which
allies him TO angels aud purified spirits.
This too must be fed, must be cared for,
must be fitted FORTS high destiny. In,ellec
tual culture alone, will ct it for its destiny
wisdom is ITS food, the water Of the river Of
life lis drink. Wi>dom-learn ,rhdt il is.
how beautiful, how glorious, in the words Of
"the wise man." and ask thyself, lover Of
pleasure aud az gold, If aught of thy possess.
ions are so valuable; ask thysclf how /, be. .
comes thee to enquire Of Thdt value is "thiS
pearl Of great price," If then, as is insin. |
mated, the culture Of mind does not supuly
our bodily wants, does this n, all prove that
mind should not be cultivated mos, careful
ly, most asSiduously? Higher wants are
thus supplied. The nSiuuaton howeycris
false. II is TO science much more than to
bodily strength, that are indebted for our
comforts and our Injuries; our food and our
clothMg even. Were il not so the s,vare
of the forest would long ago have been in