The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-12-08

pleasing, aud more than that, they are
fneedful aud important. yet the nlthd Is
worth more than the body, 1t is better
TO adorn and cultivate the mind, and to
direct it in the pursuit of ennobllnS 90,
iects. than to spend our whole time IN
learning the fashionable follies ct the age
The object of training the mind" we
repeat, "should be to enable the soul to
fulfil her duties well here, and to stand
ON high vantage, ground when she leaves
this cradle of her being for an eternal ex
fistence beyond the grave" An educa-
ton which does hot aim ultimately at
these resrss, is perversion of right ed
ucatioa aud teads to evil rather lhan
gocd. 1T is not true therefore, that edu-
] cation spoils children, but on the CONTRA
lry. it is the want Of education and train
ing that ruins thousands, while there
probably has never heeB oge who was
rightly trained and rightly edueased that
ever came to ruin. Parenss caRsot be-
stow greater blessing upon their ehil-
dren than bp giving them, in addftiets re-
judcious training, thorGRgh education
If they have wealth, they may beqreash
it to their children, but they should first
give them an education that they may
know how to Use their wealth for shegr
highest intellectual and spiritual good
! for an education is worth ten Thousand
times more than wealth. To psseHss
then We would say, give yaaF clflldFcn an
education to the extent of your ability.
If YOU have NOS the nesaAs, and canaot
do il, then euSirate in them taste for
knowledge, aad they will educate them
selves. @
The effect of intellectual discipline and
the right Development of the mind is to
subdue pride, and to depress and restrain
the carnal and selfish nature, aud to ex-
at the intellectual and spiritual in other
words, to give to the reason and the un-
derstanding their rightful supremacy and
control. To educate the mind Is to dl-
rect it in the pursuit of the highest and
noblest objects, and, to cultivate in the
minds of the young a love for the works
| Of nature, is, we think the most sure and
/ effectua means of exciting in them the
desire for knowledge which is so needful
/ to stimulate them in its requirement. 1t
is the love of fame aud distinction that
rouses the ambition and impels the will
of the general to daring exploits and he
roic deeds, and In like manner, it is the
mysteries, she wonders, and the hidden
depths Of knswledge which lie beneath
| the surface of hatur;sl objects, that fire
| the soul of the lover of nature and edUce
and develop the philosopher. Cultivate
in the young 4 love fer nature. and you
connect the cause with the effect, which
cause, if unperverted and unbiased, will
most likely result in good, perhaps in
greatness and true nobility. For God is
seen III nature, and his divine attributes
are stamped upon every object, and he
who studies natural science for its own
sake, cannot but see the proofs of his wis
dom, power and goodness, and if he will,
he may hold near and Intimate oommun-
aon through His works with the great
Author OF nature.
ID. Another advantage to be derived
from the study Of nature is,-it furnishes
US fruitful source Of innocent, pure, en-
nobIing and soul euiivening enjoyment.
Some men find almost their Sole .pjoy.
ment in boarding up money. Bat he
whose life and happiness are foundin the
qualification of his pride and avarice, is
like the piodigal son who would fain have
flied himself with the husks the swine
did eat, while his fathers table was laden
with the choicest luxurics his palate could
crave Some men live ia the gratifica-
tion of their self.loye Some live on van
ity. They feed on human breath. The
praise of men, and the favorable opinion
Of society respecting them, constitute the
aInlent of their souls, poor foddr for
immortal spirits)'! The farmer does not
feed his OK which he is fitting for the
market op water grucl; and if We would
fit our soals for immortalitv-ff we would
expand, roundSout, and develop our pow
crs and enlarge our capacities for enjoy
ment, wc must live on something more
substantial than tlfe praise of men. Some
men, very few according to DIR. Dick,
one in four hundred-live in the upper
story of their being, in their higher in
tellectual and spiritual natures while all
the rest live in the basement, or very near
it iu their lower animal Dnturcs. Eat
ling, drinking, sleeping, talking and laugh
ing, acting and idling, seeing and being
seen constitute the sum of life and enjoy
n.cnt of many, if not the most of men.
The pleasures of to-day are the same as
those OF yesterday, changed only as to
their order and succession, and those of
to- morrow will be the same as those of to-
day with slight variation. But he who
has been rightly educated, in whom there
is a refined taste to appreciate the beau