Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-04-22
educational.
EDUCATION ASD CHRISTIANITY.


But Education alone is insufGcientto secure the
Symmetrical development Of individuals, the pro-
gress ana permanence Of society. Turning our
attention to ancient history we read Of high de-
gree ofeiyilizationamong the Egyptians Carthage
mans ami Romans. But historians make the i'm
portant admission that they obtained much of their
knowledge and philosophy and consequent refine
ment, by tradition from the descendants Of Noah,
anu that Greece owed It's civilization to great
extent to the settling among them Of the Titans
who were religious people.
Modern efforts to civilize savage people have
proved fruitless when prominence was not given
to the religion Of the Bible Schools, among the
Indians tribes along our western frontier, were
only rendered successful and permanent when
Christianity presided over them, and the princi-
pies Of divine truth were inculcated A single in
stance cannot be mentioned, occurring within the
memory ofany Of US, ola people elevated, refined
and enfrsnchised without the Gospel. Burmese,
Hindoos, South Sea, and Sandwich Islanders
owe their civilization to Education and Christi
anity, the patient missionary unfolding the rays-
teries Of relzionwhilst lie impaired knowledge
of the arts and sciences.
Religion Of some kind is necessary. Education
and wealth, and physical Geography the most IA
yorabe, are poWerless without It. In its absence
the people are Ishmalite' $, every mans hand
against his fellows. Accepting this truth men have
ever acted upon it. No great thinker or ambi-
tious man who thought to erect throne and wear
crown, ever undertook to consolidate a people
and establish them upon national basis without
religion. That Religion may be f lse or it may he
true. 1t may be shifting sand or stable rock
But whatever 1t be; Hiearehism, Rationalism or
Christianity, it must be made the basis of the
social structure To Religion, fabulous and pueriIe,
yet believed by the people, and binding them by
It's invisible tiesto an unseen world, Assyrians,
Greeks, Saracens and others we're indebted for
their national existence and greatness. The gor-
geous temples ontLe banks Of the Euphrates, the
Pantheon in Rome and the Parthenon crowning The
summit Of the Acropilus the proud Mosque
flashing back the rays of the sun, were the great
hearts OF tho nation, sending out the life current
wAich yiyified the masses and by common reli-
gion all grades and classes were constituted har-
monious people "a social unity.
Now how important that the Religion that is
made the foundation of the government should be
the religion Of the Bible The elevation. and re-
finement, and prosperity of the people will be de-
termined by their religious faith Theone 10 the
measure Of the other Our fathers believed this;
and hence in the wilds of the New World they
erected the school-house beside the saactuary,
and camented the stones Of their national temple
with the influence of q pure Christianity God
grant that It may stand forever
Without Christianity there can bs no freedom.
Other and inferior gifts God may grant to ma
tons that have utterly forgotten Him, butitwould
seem that the crowning gift of freedom win be
granted only to one in whose heart there is the
belief in God. There are passions sleeping in
the human breast that, in theopen sea of life, viii
always awake, and overShelm the vessel of Free
dom, It they are not quellcd by one Eye. .
OF this truth a striking exemplifcation is fur
nished in the history of the French Revolution. =
Idings We're borne across the sea ofthe establish
ment by the American Colonists of free, Demo-
cratic Government and at our altar France lit
the torch OF wild enthusiasm She resorted to
the 'tremenduous tillage which began BY clearing
with the confagration, and ploughing with the
earthquake, snd irrigating with human blood. -
Assembled in convention the Rsyolutionitts voted