American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-08-28
Communications.


In nhsEWlVh '-In our attempt TO COM
pare the education of the head with that
of the heart, it will be necessary for us
in the first place to understand the i'm,
port of the term education when applied
to the head and heart. Education, in its
unlimited and complete sense, refers to
all the influences that tend to form and
elevate the character of man. The term
head is used 6guratively, and signifies
the mental or intellectual faculties which
are capable of being developed by prop
er education.
To educate the heart, as spoken Of
here, is to prepare ic by proper moral
and religious training, so as to be fit
subject of redeeming grace, and everlast-
ing glory. 1t will not be denied that man
comes into this world the most helpless
and feeble Of all animals, yet, endowed
with power of mind, capable of limitless
expansion, although this probationary
life be too short to compass the vast fields
of knowledge which the capabilities of
his immortal mind are susceptible of
grasping and comprehending.
Yet, by proper training and disciplin
ing of his mental faculties he may be-
come useful being, a blessing and an or,
nament to society. The acquisition of
knowledge has always been, and still is
one of mans private pursuits, and when
acquired to certain extent, is one of his
greatest accomplishments, and is of prices
less value it gives accuteness and cor,
rectness to his senses and to his heart,
virtue. 1t dispels the misty sha des of a
barren and natural Imagination, by accus-
toming the mind to dwell on reality. But
man has been endowed by God, his crea.
tor; not only with the noble faculties Of
thinking and reasoning alone, for he has
an immortal soul planted within his bo-
som, which must run parallel with its
Author to eternity.
Religion, therefore, has a claim to our
first and principal attention, and demands
the morning of our days, aud the first
season, the Spring of our lives, before we
are encountered by cares, distressed by
Affections, or engrossed in business it
becomes us to resign our souls to God,
and prepare for our final exit from time.
Education has too frequently been held
to be cultivation of the intellectual to
the neglect of the moral powers. Some
of our statesmen have rightly dwelt upon
the necessity of intelligence to the per-
petuity of our free institutions, scarcely
seeming, however, to be aware that intel,
ligence without moral principle to direct
and regulate it, might become the very
engine through which evil men might
effect our overthrow. And who has not
seen that an educated man, without vir-
tue, is but the more capable of doing
evil. Who does not know that kuowl,
edge misdirected becomes instead of a
boon to be desired, bane to be depreci>
ated. 1t has been said with emphasis,
that knowledge is power;" but to be
a good thing it must be rightly applied.
Gods grace in the heart will render the
knowledge of the head a blessing; but
without this it may prove to US no better
than a curse. There are no principles
but those which have their foundation in
religion which are to be depended upon
in cases of real distress. Religion is the
balm of life, it enables us to encounter
every emergency, and bears us up under
all the changes to which our lives are
subject. Let our aim and desire be to
cultivate the intellectual, and subject it
to the influence of refined, moral aud re-
liglous sentiments; it adj mts and sets in
motion the intellectual machinery of the
hnman heart, so that without friction or
jar, all its parts may go on in harmonious
and easy action, accomplishing the great
est amount OF good and securing the
greatest amount of happin ess. M.
PROSPECT, Aug. 81, 1867
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