The southern press., 1851-08-27
Asr the Southern Press.
MECHANISM No. XIX.-By Josiah Hslbrsok


Let there be light, was the first command ever
given. Let your light shine before others, is
another command from the same authority
Except for he first command this world might
as well not have been. Except for the second,
or the spirit of it, the frat must have been CON-
parativey without an object Physical light
was the object of the first command moral
light that of the second.
Giving light Ia perhaps the highest object of
human or divine aim. While it is the highest
object, il is also probably the richest source OF
happiness. To communicate is withall a source
of pleasure; most Of all to the young and
unadulterated. With children, narrative is
| graphic; because simple, fresh, and truthful
| A case A girl of five years, on being asked what
she did at school, replied, say A and B and vii
on bench" Truth coming fresh from such q
gushing fountain affords rich pleasure to the re-
ceiver, and still richer to the giver. The doc
trine that" it is more blessed to give than to
receive is of old and high authority. This is
especially true in giving light, as giving is not
diminishing, but the richest mode of increasing.
These are great truths to ALL most of all TO
those selected to fit the young for their future
vocations, by enlightened minds and elevated
characters. In an address before congrega-
ton of Washington schools, by b. b. French,
President Of the city Board of Alderman, he re-
marked, :" To drink in learning is one thing TO
pour it out for the benefit of others is quite
another thing Information simply to be re-
tained, il like the wealth of the miser." The
knowledge miser is even more unfortunate than
the money miser as the less he gives the less
he has In the New York schools, where send
ing light abroad is part Of their system, it is a
uniform fact that those which diffuse most light
abroad shine brightest al home. What is tue of
schools is of course true with the individual
pupils composing those schools. Those who
give little have little; those who give much
have mu,h Among the numerous teachers
and parents in Washington whose pupils and
children have prepared specimens of their i'm
provement fer the express o' ject Of aiding the
Improvement of others, every one speaks with
the highest pleasure of rich delight and rapid
progress as the results. Without a word on
the question of corporal punishment tench-
ers can be assured that by permitting their pu-
pills TO enjoy the pleasure, feel the dignity, and
acquire the light arising from imparting light
to others-making regular offerings TO patriot
ism and to science---they will find no occasion
or place for corporal punishment The whole
school will be high above it.
The chest fields for acquiring knowledge to
impart again are those Of nature and art--science
applied to human pursuits most of all to agri-
culture and mechanism. In each of these pur-
suits there is bound.ess field for acquiring
the richest knowledge. made still richer by i'm
parting IL TO others. For thus imparting light
opportunities are never wanting. Teachers in
stitutes, school superintendents members of
Congress, Of State Legislatures and Govern
ment func.iopnries of every class and grade, ag-
rcutural and mechanics fairs, and rost of all
and for all, "Industrial Exhibitions" for the
schools of the country, and the whole country,
to be held in connexion and general reciprocal
ton with each other, furnish opportunities in ex-
istence or in prospect for diflusing the light OF
practical science to all aud thus to render all thrice
blessed--once blessed in receiving, twice in
giving.
EXPERIMENT. of mechanism,
drawing, minerals, and other productions Of ma
ture and nrt were sent some time since from the
New York schools to Palestine, and to the sever
al islands u the Mediterranean. In return were
received specimens Of the selling stone" supposed
TO be Of the same kind AZ that used by David in
his conflict with Goliah also some Of the 'hnsks
which the swine did eat" referred TO in the para
ble Of the Prodigal Son, and several others Of
| interesting Bible associations