The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-18

long and determined. Scientific culture was
opposed and its disciples prosecuted. But it has
triumphed over opposition and persecution. 1t
has battered open college doors, revolutionized
common-school education, and sits proudly in
university chairs. Having won position in our
educational system, it is beginning to put forth
claims of Importance which cannot but be recog-
nized. The tendency of the times is towards
materalsm in thought and culture. My aim is
to counteract this extreme tendency, and to pre-
sent the higher subjective or spiritual element
in education.
Education must begin in the concrete. The
mind awallens into activity through the senses
God has so arranged the two great existences of
the universe that the material seems necessary
for the education of the irnmdteridl. Nature is
the first schoomaster, or rather the first text
book, in which it learns at least the alphabet of
knowledge The material sciences give culture
to the senses-the lowest form of mental ac-
tivity. The naturalist becomes sharp-eyed,
quick to detect similarities of form and color,
with his memory well stored with facts. The
facts which he gathers are compared and classi-
fed, and the results organized into science.
This gives exercise to the faculties of judgment,
generalization, and classification, and affords
the means for their growth and development.
But here they stop in their educational influence.
not satisfy the demands of the spiritual element
in education.
The power which the study of mathematics
confers commands the admiration of mankind.
By them, man determines the velocity of light,
puts his measuring line about the sun, and
weighs a planet as in a balance. He takes the
facts which the long arm of the telescope has
dragged down from the skies, puts them into an
equation, and by an algebraic manipulation pro-
phesies the condition of the heavens for centu-
ries to come He sits down in his closet, works
away with diagrams and symbols, catches
wandering asteroid in his algebraic lasso, and
turning to the star-gazer, tells him to point his
telescope to the heavens, and 10! newborn
planet marches across his field of vision. But
still they fail to educate the highest and best
parts of our nature.
The importance of the sciences in education
should be fully recognized. 1t has banished
dreamy speculation, given defniteness to
thought and inquiry, and put vitalizing spirit
in certain departments of elementary instruc-
ton. The Baconian innovation, by which the
mind burst the shackles of ancient methods, has
given birth to more elevated ones. The triumphs
of science have been wonderful. By them Gu
ver picks up fossil bone, and 10 the animal
walks before him. Agassiz finds a single fish
transforms it into living fish of the Paleozoic
age. Lyell tells you how long Niagara has been
flowing. Hugh Miller unrols the earth like
scroll, and reads the history of the creation in
the great physical Bible. Sciences should never
be omitted, yet should occupy lower and sub
ordinate position in a curriculum of study.
Facts are important; but to deal with facts only
would be to dwarf our higher nature. man
of mere facts is either a sceptic or q bigot;
he lowers himself to the lowest plane. This is
confirmed by the materialistic philosophers of
lhe age.
Spiritual culture demands the education of the
reason, or intuitive power. The spiritual eye is
to be made bright, and its range of vision en-
larged that it may find God in nature and re-
velation. The sensbties claim their share in
this higher culture. Heart culture is as impor-
tant us head culture-is it not more important?
A good feeling is worth more than fact, n sem
timent than principle. fact is a stone in the
temple of science; sentiment is a stone in the
temple of character and character is better than
| science.
The third element in spiritual culture is the
| will. 1t is the sovereign among our powers.
Seated upon its regal throne, it issues its man
! dates, and intellect and sensibilty afford will
! ling obedience.
The aesthetic nature demands culture. Nature
| enjoins this duty by the provisions she has
made for it, Art comes laden with its treasures
| for this work. stanza of poetry every day, in
! place of problem in the arithmetic, will pay
| both pupil and teacher A schoOl-sOng in the
heart of child will do as much for its character
! as a fact in its memory. The crade-sOng that
! fell from mothers lips becomes sacred me-
mory that inspires the life.
Spiritual culture requires the training of the
| moral nature. Moral power is worth more than
! learning or genius. The intellect of the nation
! should he consecrated to vrue. Learning should
be put into the channels of righteousness. The
| youth OF the land should be made to feel that
1.-THE fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis
! dom"
The religious nature should receive culture.
| Religion embraces three elements-faith love,
and obedience To develop inquiry is right;
but there is a place where inquiry must stop.
| The exclusive study of the sciences tends to un-
| dermine faith Seeing effect related to cause it
| fails to discover a first cause Pupils should be
| led to see that all science begins and ends in
! faith; that beyond the known stretches a great
| unknown; that the loftiest attanments of the
| intellect are but mountain peak from which
we may catch glimpses of a land of glory be-
| yond.
The religious nature is the mother of art; it
| aids the progress of science. Religion was be-
fore science; religion kinded and preserved the
| tame. The learning of the ancient HndOos was
with the priests; the priesthood watched over
| the light OF knowledge in the dark ages; and
priests went down to Spain and brought up the
| learning OF the Saracens, and spread it over
Europe. The religious nature reaches down
ward and elevates science. 1t inspires it with
divine attributes. Inspired with religious feel
ing, Plato could say, "God geometrzies;' Keper
eXclaim, so God / but think Thy thoughts
alter Ihee!" and Muller believe that ''the eve of
man may catch the eye of God beaming out from
the midst of all His works."
For spiritual culture inspiration is better than
instruction. IL Is better to inspire the heart