The Plymouth pilot. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1851-1852, 1851-06-18

! ingness, when important and weighty
subjects of converse tion were introduced,
but the intelligent person is always al
home under these circumstances, his in
.elligence gives him passport to the
best Of society, and will secure respect
wherever he goes.
2d. A taste for mental improvement,
tends to the promotion of virtuous prin-
ciples, the mind uiU have employment,
this appears to be an unvarying law Of
our nature, the mind is an active princi-
pie. and if not usefully employed. ii will
find employment in pursuits of debas-
ing tendency. Now that person who
possesses taste for the acquisition of
useful knowledge, that person finds an
active and agreeable employment in his
literary pursuits, these occupy his mind,
and fill up agreeably all his leisure mo-
ments, hence he has but little relish for
low debasing pursuits, and as matter of
course he avoids many temptations, into
which persons of contrary propensities
are very likely 10 fall, true there may be
exceptions, but we hazard nothing in
saying taste for mental improvement,
as a general thing, is a powerful preser-
vation against vice, ii throws the ener-
gies Of the mind into virtuous channel.
Sd. An extensive fund Of useful infor-
nation, promotes our usefulness, bear in
mind reader that you were created for
usefulness, your powers of mind were de-
signed by the Creator of all things to ex-
ert benign influence in the world, we
do not say that the ignorant cannot be
useful, all can be useful to some ex-
tent: but that intelligence will most ex-
pand our sphere Of usefulness. cannot be
doubted. it gives us means for usefulness
which the ignorant cannot reach, 10 be
eminently useful as christians. as philan-
thropists, or citizens, we must possess in
telligence.
4th. The general diffusion of knowl-
edge. among us is internally connected
with the perpetuity of our civil and re-
ligious privileges; a Republican govern
ment cannot long exist without intelli-
gence and virtue in the people, let us ex-
anime this point for moment, in Re-
publican government, the people elect
their own rulers, they are the sovereigns,
from them all power originates, to dis
charge properly then, those weighty du
ties which devolves upon them they must
possess intelligence; without intelligence
they cannot fully understand their rights;
without intelligence they cannot fully
guard their rights when danger appauls.
cit is intelligence, says a distinguished
statesman. that has reared up the col
umns of our national Union, and this a.
lone can prevent them from crumbling
into atoms"
Intimately indeed, is the future pros
perity of our country, connected with
this subject; knowledge is the despots,
deadliest foe-know ledge is lbertys
hope. Surely then that duty which we
owe to ourselves, to our neighbors. to
our country, to mankind generally, and to
our God. all these call upon us to be dill
ligent in improving our minds, and to be
dilligent in promoting the cause of edu
cation around us.
In my next. propose to notice several
things connected with the prosperity of
education, school houses, books, the quail !
ifications Of teachers, the duty of pa
rents, &c. AN INDIANIAN.