Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-15
Education of the Heart.

worse for it either! !
Education of the Heart.
We have sometimes been startled at the
thought that while SO great effort is made to
ydeVelope the intellect, so little is done to
cultivate and give right direction to the
affections of the heart Who does not
know that in the sympathies of our nature
there exist the boundless resources the ex-
haustless springs Of human happiness aye,
and we had almost said the most fruitful
cause Of human misery? For, from the lack
or misdirection Of those sympathies how much
of misery proceeds! 1t is undeniable that
knowledge may secure wealth, and skill
may create many advantages and open the
way to distinction and honor. But knowl-
edge may exist without love, and wealth
and distinction may be acquired without
happiness. The affections are suffered to
remain undeveloped, or to grow wild in an
aimless or, it may be erroneous direction.
We take care to fill the minds of our
children with the knowledge of books, as if
they were merely to be thinkers or if our
thoughts take more practical turn, that they
may be successful toilers in great workshop
of life. We educate our boys as merchants,
doctors, lawyers, divines, aud artizans for
getting that they aie to be men, and to act
their part among those who have sympathies
and passions III common with themselves
No less erroneous is the education of girls.
Even the very system too often pursued in
schools stiles the finer feelings of human
nature, while it strengthens and developes
emulation, ambition, envy, from which but
little of the happiness of life can flow. Ear
ly should We begin to strengthen and give
right direction to the sympathies of our chill
dren, that in the rough and tumble of life in
which they are to be engaged, they may have
some soul as we'll as intellect, and thus fit
them to discharge worthily the highest and
holiest duties of a true humanity.
We all act too much as though the great
end of human life was to amass property
We make haste to get rich. We are so in
tent upon this end that we find little time
for social intercourse and that pleasant fel
lowshiP upon which so much of the happines
of life depends. With an increase of pro
perty comes an increase of care; our tim
and thoughts are engrossed with tho fuctua
tions of the markets and the rise and fall Z
; stocks; while our poor hearts-alas bu
too often do we leave them to the cold char
tiles of the world, Notwithstanding their rea
sonable and important demand for nourish
ment and support, we turn them empt
away Where is he who is rich in all th
, wealth and greatness Of strong, sympath
zing heart?
Notwithstanding the wrong we woul
thus do ourselves God does not leave us
: even amid the activities of life, destitute {
: the opportunities of heart cultivation. Oh
jects of sympathy are often presented befor
US. Our suffering fellows need, aye, SUI
o plicate our aid in our very midst are col
/ slant opportunities for the exercise of a
n enlarged and generous affection, which blessC
!, and is blessed. We speak not Of what al
1t called charities in the modern sense of tt
y word. We have great deal Of benevolenc
e but it is aggregated or associated, We q
It good, but it is by proxy. Some berevolel
& society may be the almoner of our charit
er for we haveno time for personal benevolenc
% and thus cheat ourselves of all the advaRtay
a. which personal, active benevolence wou
IS secure The necessities and wants of Il
50 poor may be supplied, but the wants of O.
ne own hearts are unsatisied. We may gi
s. gold, but not the cordial utterance of Xii
ID and manly sympathy; alas soon we sh;
m not have it to give, for every day our sto
e. is growing less, since by our neglect we
?. to cultivate the source from which tr
"a and hearty sympathy springs. AS peop
be as we'll as individuals, we are thus prepari
ne our own epitaph-' rich intellectual, pow
se fuI, but aUithout heartP
n Let it not be thought we plead the eau
or of charity. It is rather the cause of the
u s:owers of charity we advocate, than that
re- the recipients We plead for the cult,
Us tion of those heart affections which enr
mt him who possesses them, the exercise
which furnishes the luxury Of doing go
ue which makes the man happier, the domes
DO circle the centre of the choicest and best
fections, which makes the neighborhc
70 more social, and strengthens the great tie
10 human brotherhood. If our intellects
ma mand nourishment, so do our hearts
llo not their cry be unheard.
de-
bo SILENT INFLUENCE.-It is the bubb
nd spring that flows gently, the little riyulet t
hat glides through the meadows, and which /
red along, day and night, by the farm ho
that is useful, rather than the swollen fl
irst or the warning cataract. Niagara excites
!, at wonder, and We stand amazed at the 20
bow and greatness of God, as he pours it
The his hollow hand But one Niagara is emo
luh for the continent, or world, while the s
ery world requires thousands and tens of tt
de-. sands or silver fountains and gently fov
uor rivulets, that water every farm and mead
If and every garden and that shall flow
YOU every day and every night, with their ge
I quiet, beauty. So with the acts of our
you It is not by great deeds, like those Of
martyrs, that good is to be done; it IS
no. the daily quiet virtues of life-the Chri
the temper, the meek forbearance, the spi
uire forgiveness, in the husband, the wife
And father, the brother, the sister, the friend
an neighbor, that good is to be done
ALBERT BARNES.