Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-03-28

w. INV, - hu5 VI all. lHtTclOI, II
r is indispcnsably necessary, in order
; to correct the errors of our GOV
= ernment, and introduce into our
Republican Institutions, permanent
and complete harmony and due
moral order, that the youth Of both
: sexes should thoroughly under
stand and practically embrace the
truths which express the relations
they sustain.
, They should have high moral
aims--be inspired with the idea OF
perfection-be familiar with the
manner of maintaining these OBJ
jects in all the duties and relations
OF life; and with the way in which
everything may be made subservi-
ent to their accomplishment. Each
youth should be so educated that be
could stand alone, nor stagger,
were the weight Of a worlds re-
sponsibility resting upon him NOT
towering to the clouds in intellect,
while his moral and social natures
remain undeveloped; nor rising up
to the heavens in holy feelings,
while the intellect is uncultivated--
neither an intellectual giant, nor a
moral dwarf. In either case it were
like rearing a monument on too
narrow foundation, and leaning
so that the line of direction for the
center of gravity falls without the
base.
Tn the one case, the mind would
fall into rank tnfdeIfty; in the 9th
es into besotted Superstttton.-
But the educational superstructure
should be reared upon the broad
foundation Of the qchole maa-its
sides rising strong and perpendicu-
lar, that when the cap-stone shall be
fitted to its place, the whole may
present beautiful, symmetrical ed
ifice, which shall defy the storms,
the winds and the rains, and stand,
towering aloft, a beacon to after
generations.
1t is to be the peculiar work of
the rising and of coming genera
tions, to free our Literary, Civil,
and Ecclesiastical institutions of
their corrupt usages and senseless
forms adhered TO in the past, and,
by too many, held sacred in the
present. To he able to do this
needed work, our youth must be
trained to independent thought. !
care not what superstition, igno-
rance, prejudice or bigotry may
say, they must be trained to indie
rtsznaent Thought, and disciplined to
stand alone-to exercise their own
powers-or they never can be able
to rend asunder the mountain bar
riers intervening between them and
truth, and triumphantly enter her
golden fields. That they may rev.
olutionize society, they must pos
sess, in an eminent degree, the pow
er to examine and decide for them
selves. The truth will not hunt
them; error alone destroys. They
must scquire acuteness of reason,
to detect the sophistries of the sub
tile q boldness of intellect to expose
the ignorant demagogue, and be
sotted devotee; heroism Of soul.
to contend earnestly for the truth,
regardless of frowns or batteries.
Can all these ever be acquired so
long as they are kept in leading
strings, and bound to swear only
in the words of others? Nay, YER
lily, our youth must be fully taught
to exercise freedom of thought and
freedom of opinion, that aristocracy
in all its forms may be extirpated
and that the true spirit of Republi-
canism and the genuine principles |
of Christianity may work out, in
both Church and State, the great
and glorious ends to be accomplished |
by them. 'Bind not the image of
God; fetter not human thougntp'
The minds of our youth are endowed
by the Creator with means and ca
pacities for indefinite improvement
Do not parents and teachers believe 4
this ? Then bid them go forth fear
Iessly and examine FULLY and freely, {
despite anathemas, however loud, or
long, or deep! Oh, tell them not
that they are free to investigate, and
then chide them forhoncstly formed !
opinions 1t were better to pre- !
scribe certain opinions which they t
must entertain, (as too many do) s
md thus save them the farce of /
for truth only to abandon t
It, should their views not accord /
with the peculiar notions |
of their teachers s
Tell them not to exercise freedom /
Of thought and of opinion, and then
brand them as refractory and with |
lraw your confidence, because, in /
lcting the part of freemen, they may 8
nave exercised their God given pow c
,rs in examining for themselves q
Alas how many parents and other i
eachers are guilty of this course! {
)f illiberal views, contracted capac- I
ties, and narrow minds themselves, t
hey fan would restrict all others +
within their own contemplate lin t
is. Nay; rather teach them not to t
hrink from examining any opinion, |
contrary to theiro In
pire them with such a love of earn {
st investigation, that they will new
i leave their work half done, nor r
est satisfied with a one-sided, par t