The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-02-18
Education.

very able and eloquent pastoral of our
Archbishop, published last Sunday. The
distinction between mere intellectual in
strucefon and true education is there most
clearly set forth, 80 that no man can avoid
understanding it. Mere instruction in the
sciences is addressed to only one faculty Of
the mind-its intellect. True education
appeals to its moral element, a1so-the'
will. Education informs the intelligence,
but it also cultivates the affections, schools
the passions, and ennobles the soul. 1t
makes not only scholar of q man, but it
makes of him An upright citizen, good ia
Their, an unswerving patriot, and, on occa-
sion, hero. Without cultivation in the
various virtues of courage, fortitude and
honesty, q man would be as deficient in all
these things "a he would be in arithmetic
or grammar without study or schooling.
It 10 true, az the pastoral tells us, that
the public school projectors pretend that
there is such thing as general morality
to system of religion, but, as we are also
told by the pastoral, such morality is a
house built on sand. There is no real
foundation for morality except in revealed
religion. Without such revelation it has
no sanction, no authority but the mere
reasoning of man, which disappears before
the clouds of strong excitement. A morale
while every thing is calm, but as soon as
the appetites grow clamorous or the gale
of desire becomes strong, reason is inclined
to retire into it's academic shades and leave
the field to passion.
Morality, then, must be taught, aud it
must be taught under the supervision and
control of religion, that is, it must be pre-
sented in the shape of fixed, invariabIe
and authoritative principles, under the
sanction of revelation, and as being be
You'd all possibility of doubt or discussion.
Therefore the priest Tor preacher) must
control the teacher in this matter or the
morality>taught by the latter may not be
in accordance with that propounded by the
former, and each will be neutralized by the
other. A child is supposed to be under au-
thority all the time, and that authority is
divided among three persons, the parent,
the priest and the school teacher. 1t is evil
dent thai, if the parent or priest differs with
the teacher on questions of grammar and
strives to influence the child in accordance
with his own views, the consequences will
be disastrous. In the same way, the parent
ought to accord with the pastor in the sys-
TEN of morality which he teaches to the
child, and SO ought the school teacher. The
efforts Of these three must be harmonious if
they are to be efficacious.
This di Guilty is thought to be obviated
by prohibiting the teacher from making
any reference at all to morality or religion,
leaving that topic to sthe pastor in his
proper time. But it might be as we'll said
that the parent fought not to dabble with
that subject either. The truth is that
moral education goes on all the time that a
child is in contact with other human
beings. The conduct, the%anguage, the
very manners of both parent and teacher
constantly influence the child's ideas of
right and wrong and it becomes of the first
Importance that its every association should
be such as to impart and strengthen pure
tone of moral feeling. The idea of making
some six or eight hours every day perfect
blank in the current of moral education is
entirely futile and puerile.
The pastoral then alludes in eloquent and
indignant terms to the tame subserviency
and supineness of many Catholics in this
community on the vital subject of schools
for their children. 1t tells them in plain
language that their responsibility in this
regard is not only grave ip the eyes of men,
but is also of the gravest kind before God.
For the sake of saving q few dimes to be
spent perhaps in folly or dissipation, they
to entrust the precious treasure of
q child's soul in the hands of public |
teacher whose influence may easily shake |
ts faith if not destroy it. We commend |
The careful study of the pastoral, especial
y on that point, to all '1iberal" Catholics. |
Patience and Wisdom.
We think that the need of admiration
justly be withheld from the South
ern people for the nrudence and rnndara