The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-06-21

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS.
DR.. John S. Wilson presented the follow
ing:
The Committee on Foreign Correspondence re-
port to TIE Assembly that though no delegates
have appeared from the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church and from the Associate Reformed Synods
Of the South, yet it has come to the knowledge OF
this committee that delegates were appointed by
these venerable bodies to represent them at our
present sessions The committee would recon-
mend that the Assembly express It's regret that the
brethren appointed have not found it convenient
10 attend, and that delegates be now appointed to
represent this court and convey its Christian salu
tations to these bodies at their next meetings.
The committee would therefore recommend that
the Rev. w. f. Junkin, Principal, and Rev. y.
VI. 2. Otis, Alternate, be and are hereby ap-
pointed 70 attend the meeting of the General As
semby Of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
in 1872 and that the Rev. +. MeNair, of Arkan-
saS, Principal and Rev. D. Mcneil Turner, d. D.,
Alternate, be appointed to represent us in the As
sOciate Reformed Synod of the South at its meet
ing this fall
Adopted.
EDUCATION.
The order of the day was taken up-the
consideration Of the report Of the Standing
Committee on Education. The report was
again read.
Dr.. Wals--Mr. Moderator, being rather
Unexpectedly called upon to speak on this
occasion, my remarks, | fear will be of a
rather random character. | will promise
you, however, at the outset that they shall
be very brief | think it may be safely as
serted that there has never been time in
our history when the spirit of education was
more alive both in the Old World and in the
New. The sOyereigns of Europe are taking
a deep interest in the subject because they
believe it viii strengthen their warhke pre-
paratiOns. In the United States there is
now an intense discussion going on in rela-
ton to this very subject. The States are
developing new systems of education for the
purpose of impsrting instruction to all classes
and conditions Of their population. Sir, you
having been familiar with the history of the
General Assembly for the last half century,
can testify, l apprehend, that you have
never known a meeting which has given so
much time to the subject of education.
There are few historic facts to which |
would be glad to call your attention, that
are very significant. Whilst they have no
direct relation perhaps TO the subject under
consideration, they are so connected with it
as to Illustrate the one great idea which is
now peryading public opinion. 1t is stated
that at the battle of Jena in 1906, Napoleon
the l. destroyed one-half the Prussian army,
and that the King of Prussia inquired of one
of his sagest counseiOrs, what should be done
TO retrieve the fortunes of his kingdom and
strengthen it TO hold its place among the
nations: and that that counselor replied,
"You must educate all the people. From
that time We date the origin of that system
of public education which has worked out
such wonderful results in these last years.
Last summer Napoleon, with one of tbs finest
armies ever organized, marched to the Rhine,
and in order to make the war between France
and Prussia "short, sharp and decisive" as
ne stated that he'intended to do, he brought
the TUrcos from Algiers, those mighty men
Of war, men of great muscular strength and
thoroughly trained for the field of blood.
He threw them against the Prussian forces
and it is stated that when they were brought
in conflict with the speetacled soldiery Of
Prussia, the latter were too hard for them
that those students from the Universities
proved themselves the superiors of those
Barbarians whom Napoleon expected to per-
form such wonderful deeds. Hence, it is
stated that it became proverb, that Turco
was more afraid of a pair of spectacles than
Of battery of cannon.
When the Prussians triumphed at the bat.
tie of SadoWa, the Emperor of Austria called
a Convention, parliament of schoolmasters,
and it is said that three thousand assembled,
that believe is the historic fact and he
inquired of them what he should do to lift
up the fortunes of his empire. They decided
that he must educate the people. He is to-
day engaged in prosecuting that great work,
In 1851, "WOrlds Fair" was held in Lon
don, and all the nations of the earth were
called together to compete for prizes in
mechanic and artistic skill The result was
that large majority of the premiums were
taken by England, because she was better
educated than many who were brought into
competition with her. Sixteen years after
wards, the "Paris Exposition" took place,
and England took but 10 premiums when
200 were awarded. The question arose,
Why was this? And it was found that during
those sixteen years the other nations had
advanced to such degree in education that
England had fallen in the rear. She is now
engaged in pertecting system of education
to reach all the masses. She called parlia-
ment, We are told, of statesmen, engineers,
schoOlmaSters, who stated that the cause of
her failure at the Paris Exposition was that
the masses of her people were not as well
educated as those of many other nations.
Now the point l desire to make is this,
that if merely secular education produces
such grand results in states, what will not
sanetifed education do for the Church?
When It is brought under Christian infu-
ence, and conducted for the glory of God,
what greater engine of power can be welded?
About two weeks ago | heard one of the
most complete lectures on education it has
ever been my pleasure to listen to. 1t was
delivered by the Hon. Mr.. White, Superin-
tendent Of State Education in Ohio. He
stated that the greatness of Switzerland, that
country set as a diamond in the midst of the
Alps, was owing to the high education of
her people; and that Prussia had also be-
come so great on this account. But was it
not John Calvin's teachings, and the princi-
pies of the Reformation inculcated by Martin
Luther and his eOadjutOrs which have made
those countries so great and glorious? Chris
tianity preeedes civilization and education.
1t is the great power which puts, all these
other forces into motion.
Another fact illustrative of this idea.
have seen it stated, as an opinion merely,
that NAPOLEON Bonaparte possessed as great