Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-01-21

= 4itd u d CuIi>tldI SCHOOL, was 10 nfm
e the natural result, so to speak, Of the very
n idea OF a school itself; exactly as the idea Of
). a christian state seemed 10 him TO be involved
n in the very idea of state itself The intel.
7 lectual training was not for a moment under
: rated, and the machinery Of the school was
a left 10 have Its own way. But he looked upon
D the whole as bearing upon The advancement
: of the one, and OF all instruction and educa-
! tion the boys were still treated as school
boys, but as school-boys who must grow up
10 be christian men. His education, in short,
was not (according 10 the popular phrase)
based upon religion, but was itself religious"
Who that looks np"n this subject wilh the
: eye of christian. will doubt the correctness
OF such views As Ihcse! spiritual kingdom
has been set up in this world, destined, event
ually, 10 swallow up all other kingdoms and
governments, not by the instrumentality Of
such carnal weapons as the false Prophet OF
: Mecca employed. bat by the all-pervadine
might of spiritual agency. operating through
the minds ant the hearts, the lips and the
lives OF properly trained, converted and sane
tiisd men and women. These men and vo.
men are now undergoing their incipieat pre-
paratlen TOR TINS work IN our common schools.
But II they are destined 10 such an agency,ln
such work, who will estimate the agency
and the responsibility Of him VINO IS enssseo
"a preparing them for II! If he VINO suo-
ScrIbes for ersrp I----.0 0trnt oDlect can say
that he has LAID I stone IN every church edihce,
and has hand in every christian enterprise.
then may not he who IS now educating and
"ai"4HS 0tn",r ~num ere long will be CON-
mIited the control of our churches and all our
benevolent lnStitutionSl And if he who sta
I tedly prays tor the success of every minister
and every missionary can say that he is help
! ing 10 preach the gospel IN every church and
al
who . now sowing the seeds Of sound knovi-
edge In the mind, of those VINO viii ere long
go forth 10 declare the message of salvation
al home and abroad,
And 1t is here, precisely, contemplating the
work OF the common school teacher in the
light now presented, that he appears 10 me TO
nave The advantage OF every human agency
Grant that the efforts Of the preacher are more
exclusively directed 10 the spiritual improve.
ment OF those to whom he minister's vet the
good that shall result from his labors depends
mainly upon the impression he NAV succeed
IN inaklnS- N the course of an hour, once or
twice week. But tns ,ea"her's charges are
under his direct influence Continuously, rpr
hours each day, through ali the week. And
though not called TO teach religion in for
NAL and dIiactIc manner, if SO inclined he
may do II in manner better snited 10 the capac-
ity OF his pupils. and much more effectual and
profitable. IN the Infinite variety of little every
day occurrences, assoc IatIng IL with all the
concerns Of ordinary life. BY precept and e1-
ample, hint, look. and gesture. And Just for
this reason, toO-thIs constant, unobtruSive
vet persuasive influence of a consistent, god
ly, every day life. has the common school
teacher the advantage of his co-laborer IN the
Sabbath School. Precious and hallowing as
Is the influence Of the Sabbath School teach
er,yet his direct labors. like those of the min
ISter are mostly restricted 10 an hour or two
on the Sabbath, and are confined 10 the ineuL
ctIt0n oi religious trnIh, rather than lis nrlr
ural app@esftor and Constant eo,ins oIr IN
connection with everyday affairs, as is the
case with the christian teacher in the every
day school. And when we reflect that many
children receive not only no religious in.,ruc-
ton al home, but all the influence brought To
hear upon them in tho family, has a tendency
directly the reverse; and thai many others.
though more. favorahly situated. from 6vs
years upwards, SpenG mare nf tL.l- 80:
waking hours each day in the school than they
do IN the family, Is ~ ton rnnch TO saw that ON
the character and influence oi The t,--L-.
much as any other human lnsirumenialty. de-
pend the character Of rising generation, the
future prosperity Of the country and the church.
and the eternal wel'-being of thousands of
precious immortal soulS'
CuCu II u ulltl tNNlrN tl some OF tnc IN
to fai,hfniness which thi, work hold.
out 10 him who would engage IN 1t from a sin
cere desire io Do good TO those under his care.
But there is higher aim even than this.
4. II Is the fourth and last which shall
present for your consideration. Call it preach
og if You WILL but feel that nv task would
be left unfinished without ii In aiming at the
highest possible Improvement of his scholars,
he teacher is only promoting the great ulir-
nate end for which they and all things else
we're made The lowliest flower. the tinest
insect. the meanest creature, are all designed
n their different ways. TO manifest firth the
,lory of Him who created them. But how
much more the children under your care, so
earfully and wonderfully made, with their va
led faculties. their physical. intellectual, emo
ional and moral natures, with all their ca
'acities for activity and usefulness and enjoy
nent. Surely, then, the aim Of him whose
'iiicr il is 10 develope and improve those won
irous powers, should be nothing less than that
or which the glorious handiwurk vas origi-
ially designed. And here. then. We have the
'nly aim al once CORES spoudIng fully with the
lature of the teachers work. and furnishing
ne highest possible incentives 10 faith,ulnesS
n II. for wha: other aim can reach bevond
hat which seeks the glory of Him, ,"of whom, and
hrouSh whom. and 10 whom are all thinssl"
And though such an aim implies in the pos
eSsor Of it that spiritual illumination with
ut which he can neither truly know nor
ervr, nor actively gloriy God. vet let il not
e supposed that it is impracticable for any
Ut the teacher If a desiCnedly christian
chool- Says the hiograrher Of the piors and
armed DIR. Arnold, before mentioned. she re-
mon OF an instructor To- his pupils was
him, like all the relations of human life,
MY IN healthy state whsr subordinate