The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-15

Ideals do exist; and If they be not ap-
prOximatcd to at all, the whole matter
goes 10 wreck. No briCklAyer builds 0
wall perfectly perpendicular; mathemati-
cally this Is not possible; u certain degree
Of perpcndiculArity suillCcs him; and he,
like n good hricklaycr who must have
done with his job, leaves It So And yet,
If he sway tOO much from the perpcndicu-
lar; above all II he throw away plummct
and level, and pile brick on brick needless
lust as it COmrs to hand! such brick
l0yer, | think, Is in bad way. He has
forgotten himself: but the law Of gr1lvil0.
ton does not forget to act OH him; he anu
his wall rush down into confused weller
Of ruin" ..
Let lis apply TO our work the plummct
and level according TO this Illustration
from the quaint English philosopher. We
have difficult aud delicate work 10 per-
form, u three.fpld being TO act upon, and
we should constantly feel the response
bilities of our position. We hive q chance
for the exercise of most exalted benevo-
lenCe-tO. pour mental and moral light
into bcniglted human souls and make OF
the rising generation men Of tic stamp re-
uuirCd by the exigencies Of the time
good citizens Of our common employer,
the State; "mGn who their duties know |;
who know their rights, and knowing, dare
maintain them" And what sublimer act
Is to be performed on earth than to take
in charge the youth who, from want Of
proper home influences, is almost II mere
animal: 10 grin his attention by kind
words, then touch the secret spring by
which his mental md moral nature Is set
IN notion-ieeble, 1t may be, but still mo-
ton enough 10 show that the soul was not
dead but sleeping. Why, the very face
will show the change, for not more surely
does Time write his wrinkles on the brow
Of Age than does Intelligence stamp the
countenAnce Of youth with the impress of
Beauty.
The State owes the school liberal
f0undatiOn-freedOm in the performance
Of It's proper functions, wise supervision,
aud ample support. The school owes It
10 the State 10 send forth yearly into all
the industries Of civil life, thousands Of
youth of good morals and industrious
habits, properly informed in regard TO the
history Of I0ur country and the genius Of
our form Of government; from whom an
intelligent exercise Of the high functions
Of American citizens may, with reason, be
expected.
One point, purposely omitted, but vital
to my subject, is the query, Should IL
Protestant State require tho reading Of the
Bible in It's schools! Should Il forbid this,
or should the matter he lCfl, us now, IN the
hands of local boards? A battle On this
question is coming in the immediate tu.
tilrc, and it becomes us 10 weigh the Is
sues and plant our standard on the side of
right.
Frondc, the English Historian, aller
considering the material and intellectual
splcndOr Of the age, says III this is all,
one noble soul outweiglls the whole Of il"
Let us follow knowledge to the outer cir
Gle Of the universe. The eye will not be
satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with
hearing. Let us build our streets Of gold,
and they will hide as many aching hearts
us novels Of straw. The well being Of
mankind is not advanced IL single step.
knowledge is power, and wealth Is power,
and harncsscd, us in PlatOs table, 10 the
chariot Of the soul and guided by wisdom
they may bear 1t thrO' the circle Of the
stars; but left to their own guidance or
reined by n FOOLS hand, the wild horses
may bring the poor fool to PllptOn's end,
and set world on fire.