The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-06-02
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GFor the Spirit Of Democracy.
EDUCATION.

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intellectual and religious capacities of the
mind. 1t constitutes the present and ulti.
mate character of man-during the pres.
ent life, and the endless period of eternity
Itdoes not simply imply kn owledgc ofbu,
sinsss tran sactions-of dollars and cents
of the road to wealth and transitory honor;
but has its basis in our spiritual nature,-
our ultimate destiny before the throne Of
God. 1t also implies knowledge of po-
litcal economy, morals, the rights and
duties of citizens under civilized Govern
ment. This knowledge should therefore
be common 10 all. This is the basis upon
which all popular Governments build their
hopes of durability - embracing first a
knowledge of business transactions, and
rising in the scale of mental acquisitions
to perfect intellectual manhood. This
principle is engrafted into our political
constitutions. and forms prominent tea-
ture in the business of our legislature.
Upon the virtue and intelligence Of the
populace depend the administration of
wholesome laws-the progress of christi
anity, apd the march Of the human mind
to the destiny assigned it in the creation
of man.
The great end to which all knowledge
should be employed, is to demonstrate the
wisdom of the God of nature. Every
science cultivated by men. naturally leads
the mind to adore the fountain Of all knowl-
edge-the Creator Of the universe. We
behold the benefcence of the Almighty
from the study of the flower in the forest
glen, to the shining hosts above us, that
perform their revolutions in majestic 81.
lence through the heavens, Ths Lord
appeared 10 Moses in Horeb, and voice
said: "Draw nigh hither, and put off thy
shoes from off thy feet; for the place where
thou standsst i, holy ground" Every
student when he approaches tho study of
nature, should remember that "The earth
is the Lords, and the fulness thereof'-that
all matter, with its various properties and
motions originated from the hand of God.
The benefits of intellectual acquisitions
terminate not with the present life, but are
transmitted from one generation 10 another.
We behold the Intellectual labors of the
ancient dead around us-our lives and
character are fashioned after them in many
respects. Notso with the man Of riches
he, dies, and with him dies his influence
and his fortune. But the man who makes
a single discovery in the fields of nature,
leaves behind him an imperishable name,
and bequeaths to generations unborn the
results of his labor-results that tend to
promote the happiness of our race.
The mind is the immortal part Of our
nature-it ceases not to exist when the
BODY has accomplished its functions, and is
resigned to its native earth. 1t is matter
of infinite importance, therefore, that Gov
ernments should make large provisions for
the improvement Of mankind in his moral
and intellectual nature; as the mind is the
only faculty that distinguishes him from
the brute creation. But this argument
leads us further. Man will be held ac-
countable in the day Of judgment for his
stewardship on the earth. He cannot per-
form the great objects of his creation, with
out the acquisitions Of knowledge. 1t is
true that mere mental acquisitions will not
prepare US for an acquittal before the
throne of God; but taking the aggregate
of the causes that constitute christian
nation, or christian world, it must be ad-
mittsd that without knowledge of the
sciences, christianity must cease to exist
in the earth, and universal moral and re-
ligious darkness reign without a rival.
This forms sufficient reason why Gov
srnments should ldlegislate uponthe subject
of education-why they should demand
of the capital employed for the various
physical wants, a sufficient amount for the
intellectual growth OF our nature.
We have observed that the study OF the
scisnces tends to lead the mind upward to
the fountaiH Of all good-the God of ma
ture. Though the student may discover
from philosophy and revelation that this
earth must pass away, and be resolved into
chaos, "it will undergo new organization,
and be rsmoulded into scenes Of beauty,
and abodss of happiness. Such may be
the order of nature, to be unfolded in a