Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-03


HOE. HARvr7 RIcE's LzCTuRE-MEssRs
EDIEoRs: George Francis Train in his sky
rocket Ieeturs last winter, took occasion Il
apostzophiEe The Cleveland Library AssOeia.
zion in Bonbastss FuriosO manner, sOms-
what in this wise:
"Why dent you employ home talent
Why do you import Lecturers from Boston !
Why don't you listen to Ohio and Western
men, instead Of superanuated old men from
the East?" etc.
Well, 7 answer, it don't pay. Z" A prophet
is not without honor saDe in his own country -
Thursday evening had the pleasure of lis
tening to one of our home men, and if there
has been any lecturer here this winter who
put more sound, profitable and practical CON-
mon sense into an hours talk than did Mr..
Rice in his lecture on the " Elevation Of the
Masses" unhsppily failed to know of it.
and we'll would it have been for all the young
Of our city, had they listened to his words of
practical wisdom and yeti regret to say the
audience was far smaller than it has
been on many occasions Of much less
Importance, proving clearly that hone
talent is as far from being appreciated as
ever.
Mr.. Rice may not be an orator in one sense
Of the term, but if q manly voice, dis
tinct uttsrance, psrspieuOus style, and con =
else, yet somewhat poetic language and at
tractiTe ideas, can render a man pleasant
speaker, then be is one.
In his treatment of his subject, he not only
showed himself q thinker, but an earnest re-
former. His analyses Of man his position,
powers, and destiny the necessity of general
education for sll the true mode of culture !;
the superiority Of the combined physical and
mental system to simply that Of the mind !;
the importance of self-improvement, and the
value Of time for this end the superiority Of
educated laboring men; and the dignity Of
man and labor, was very masterly and
logical, as we'll as beautiful.
He enforced his argument for the equal
cultivation Of the physical with the mental,
by reference to the German nation, who have
by their superior system Of education, made
themselves the strongest, healthiest,
happiest and most learned people on the
globe.
Mr.. Rice himself, standing over six feet in
his boots, and we'll proportional every way,
is himself a fine exemplifcation Of his own
theory sound mind in well developed
body.
He divided the human family into " at least
three races" the Red, Black and White -
The frst, typical Of savage and uncivilized
life, is destined to disappear. The black,
perpetual puzzle to the white man." is
,e II. ard fa NnaffUnd IN ha
permanent and progress in knowledge and
civilization and the white is to continue the
bonner race Of the world and to rise in the
coming future, high and still higher in the
scale Of being and improvement.
Among the many good and true things said
was, that " if a SYSTEM Of common school ed
ucatioa had been spread throughout the
South 20 years ago, there now would have
been no such a rebellion" Also, " that
mountains make freedom loUing people, and
prairies great people, and that northern grit
cannot fail to be more than a match for
Southern ehivalry.
He paid just tribute to Ohio's noble sys-
TEN of free schools, with its army Of scholars
led by 20, 900 teachers-its High Schools, the
Colleges Of the poor as we'll as the rich.
Should I criticise him at all it would be
upon his rather severe fling at New England
ers-" Saints on Sunday and sharpers all the
rest Of the week" That surely is Sam
SIickism. New England's sons, though
keen, are generous and noble-hearted, and
none more brave or self sacrificing for their
country, and none more practical advocates
Of the Church and Common School. Also, in
his negleeting to notice the Bible and sanctu
ary as being co-equal, if not superior, to
Common Schools and mental culture 10 the
elevation Of the masses. Surely religion and
learning should always 90 hand in hand
Was not the one always the coadjutoF, II nj [
the forerunner Of the other? The education
of the heart is certainly Of equal Importance
with that Of the head. Is not that, in fact,
to be the grand regenerator Of mankind, fOl-
lowed by the other? Is it not the church
and the sohool-house, the Bible and the
school-master, virtue and education, that Is
the hope Of the world? The history IF all
fallen Republics teach, US surely, that the
highest civilization without the Bibley and
education without the Gospel of Christ, would
result only in lofty and more magnificent
misery. ONE OF THE MASsFs."