The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-06-23
Phrenology i'm the Pulpit.


inward lives. 1t is a melancholy fact, that
men know less about that which is the very
element of their being, than about anything
else in the world. l suppose if were to 60
among the intelligent men in my congrega-
ton, could get every variety of informa-
tion on subjects connected with the daily
business affairs of life-upon questions of
political economy, upon various questions Of
commerce, facts concerning the structure of
ships, steam engines-I could collect any
amount of information on all these, and
thousand other kindred subjects. But when
ask them 1ohat is inside of themselves, they
can tell me of great mandatory, and eX
plain to me the operation and use Of all the
machinery in it but upon the question of
the machinery of their own minds, they
cannot say word. In regard to CONNER
cial matters, they know all about them !;
they have examined them, they have com
pared their ideas on these subjects, and have
classified them. They believe themselves to
be immortal creatures, that they have throb-
bing within them a soul that shall live
as long as God himself shall live yet, when
l ask them any questions in regard to their
inward nature, their only reply is, 81 don't
know, don't know They do not know
what their reason is they do not know what
is the nature of their moral poloers they
do not definitely understand the nature of
operation of any one faculty of their minds !!
They understand the nature Of the soil or
the earth they know what it is capable of
producing they know the use of the plough,
and all the implements of agriculture they
know what to do with plant that is not
thriving, they are skilful to impart to it a
fresh life, and make it flourish. But if any
plant that ought to grow in the mind is
stunted and does not thrive, they cannot
tell how to make that grow. They don't
know what to do to bring it forth.
1t is difficult for minister of the gospel
to set forth the truth intelligibly in respect
to its relation to the human mind. | think
it is partly because men have not been Curl
Gus in respect to themselves, and partly on
account of the many bewildering systems of
mental philosophy that are in vogue in our
day. For if there were none of these sys-
TENS except the old schools of metaphysical
philosophy, would defy any man to obtain
by means of them any clear idea about the
soul, for at best they are of but little more
value than so many cobwebs. Men may
study them, however, if they have taste
for them if man loves logic and discus
sion, let him take one of the old metaphysi-
cal mental philosophers, and he will have
means of busying his mind until he grows
tired Of such business. But if man wishes
to know practically what he is made up of,
if q man wishes knowledge of human ma
ture for definite practical purposes, there is
no system which will aid him in acquiring
that knowledge like the system of Phrenolo-
gy; not interpreted too narrowly OR techni-
cally, but in its relations to physiology and
the structure of the whole body And may
say here what have never said before in the
pulpit, that the views of the human mind
as they are revealed by Phrenology, are those
views which have underlayed my whole
ministry; and if have had any success in
bringing the truths of the gospel to bear
practically upon the minds of men, any sue
cess in the vigorous application of truths to
the wants of the human soul, where they are
most needed, owe it to the clearness which
/ have gained from this science. And ]
cnlld asl for the raenoh hers nE q II