Washington telegraph., 1856-10-08
WASHINGTON NO.

| iidDU-lldiu vi fcltSlUu
plants in the infant mind the seeds of So
berness, morality and Cody fear; it leads
it from the contemplation of the fading
beauties of this earth to the glories of the
better land; it fills it with pure and holy
aspirations for higher, nobler scenes than
earth yields And, considered thus, in
its moral relation to those whom it is the
duty of the teacher to train up, We come
to consider that duty. And here | find
that [ have imposed upon myself deli
cate fssk:~.3Bat speaking not as to indi-
viduals, but as to class, trust l shall
not be deemed presumptuOus in endeavor-
ing to impress my opinions as to the ma
ture of that duty upon those who may
hear me tonight.
1t is fearfully responsible duty-fear-
fully responsible because to him to whom
is committed the training of an infant
mind, is virtually committed the mould
ing of the nature of a human being, the
shaping of its destinies For In proper
tion as the moral requirements which are
binding upon the teacher are obeyed by
him; in proportion as the example which
he sets before the pupil committed to his
charge, is in conformity with those obliga-
tions which he owes to Society and to his
Maker, just in that proportion is his duty
performed, First impressions are lasting,
their influence is permanent, and the
youthful mind apt to be controlled by
the circumstances by which it is most i'm
mediately surrounded. We may there
fore, without any hesitation, conclude
that the duty of the Christian teacher
is to endeavor, by all means which he
may legitimately use, to store the mind
Of the pupil with such useful knowledge
as will fit him to discharge properly and
conscientiously the duties which, in man.
hood, shall become incumbent upon him
to impress upon him deep and abiding
sense of those moral obligations, which,
binding to some extent in themselves,
serve however only as a groundwork for
the nobler, purer, more beautiful, the per-
feet system of the Christian Religion, un-
der whose gracious and blessed influences
SO many of those whom 1 see around me,
have recently been led So shall the du-
ty of the Teacher, onerous though it be,
prove an incalculable blessing to those to
whom it is discharged, and yield a rich and
plenteous harvest to the laborer. The
duty of the pupil may be summed up in
a very few words: Obedience and respect
are due from the young to their seniors.
Placed as you are, young ladies and young
gentlemen, under the guardianship of
these kind friends, whose duty it is to i'm
part to you instruction, you cannot more
perfectly fulfill the obligations incumbent
upon You, than by needing their admoni-
tions and giving yourselves unreservedly
to their care They will lead you in plea
SAINT paths, place within your reach the
means of acquiring that which will fit you
for usefulness, make you ornaments of So
ciety and the pride Of your friends and
country. More than this | need not say.
Surely the qualification which the sense of
having done right will afford you, will be
a sufficient reward. But there are greater
yet in store for you. Be kind to one an
other; and in after years, when you shall
have attained to the full stature of men
and women, when Fortune shall have as
signed each one Of you, your separate sta
tions in life, when the cares of earth shall
compass you round about, and your tired
souls shall find no rest in the then present,
Memory shall watt you, with gentle wing,
back TO these pleasant scenes of your youth,
and you will find pure and holy joy in
recalling the forms and voices of those
who are now your loved companions and
kind teachers; and living over in fancy,
the days when you were school-boys and
schoolgirls, you will be happy in the re-
collections of the Past.