Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-09-19

A Schools Greatest Need.
Viewing a school from every point
of view, we conceive the most needfuI
ingredient in rightly organized school
is religion-the pure love of Christ
the spiritual, inspiring faith Of heaven
born religion. We say it, as the con,
viction OF our soul we say it as they
who have felt it's need and benefits :;
we have made the statements phioso-
phic minds will ask the why.
As mOrtals engaged in divine work,
we need divine help. Truly, when we
consider ourselves, we must confess
that we are weak, ignorant beings; ut
terly incapable of ourselves to rear i'm,
mortal plants fit to present to the Mas
ter. But to feel that we have ever at
command a source from which we NAV
derive help in every case, is certainly
soul cheering truth-one command
ing the regard Of every earnest work
er in the cause Of education. How Of.
ten has every teacher met with instan-
ces in school government for which he
has felt himself insufficient; when he
has felt he needed guidance; when he
has felt the questions arising in his own
mind, What shall | do? How shall |
do? Then, then, how needful is the
hgiOn which assures us that " LO | am
with you always" What a treasure
to have within our constant reach a
guide that can not 60 wrong-a teach
er who processes all wisdom. Every
one of us has felt, at times, like sink
ing under the burden Of care O, yc
of little faith, would you but stretch
out your hand Of faith, you might feel
the arm Of everlasting love ready to
encircle and bear you up.
Not only is Christ's love essential to
the teacher, as strength in his weak
ness, and as wisdom in his ignorance
but to make him fit pattern for the
imitation Of his scholars it is doubly
necessary. There is a power from
which no teacher can divest himself
exampIe-mOre effective than any
other method of instruction, and which
no caveat can cancel You might as
well put child in the fire and pray
that he may not be burnt, as put him
under the care of vicious master and
hope that he will not be vicious The
contagion of example, like the malaria
Of cholera, works silently, insensibly,
constantly, widely. Even men can
scarce resist it, how then shall chill
dren? Think not a few cautions will
save them. Behind their little eyes
are active brains; and, little as you
think of it, they are capable Of going
through the most complicated process
es of reasoning without knowing any
thing of logic. They read countenan,
ces, they trace thoughts, they scent
inconsistencies as the war-hOrse snutfs
the battle from afar. What one Ro-
man once said to another, we may say
to the teacher, "Thou shalt live so be-
set, so surrounded, so scrutinized by
vigilant guard that thou canst not stir
a foot without their knowledge. There
shall be eyes to detect thy slightest
movement, and ears to catch thy low
est whisper" and we may add, if then
art evil, thy careles look, or move
ment, or whisper may telegraph lies
in immortal souls or fire trains upon
the track of distant magazines But
if thou art actuated by holy principles
thy every movement may be cord
drawing them gently, invisibly on in
the paths of goodness. No district
would put the small pox in the school
house yet vaccination is some protcc-
tion against it; but there is no prophy-
Tactic against the virus of a bad exam
pie Equally operative is good ex-
ample. As well suppose that children
can gambol and sing upon the bosom
of some fowery mountain without
breathing its fragrance and enjoying
its beauty, as that they may sit at the
feet of a good man, day by day, with
outreceiving the impress of his soul.
s.