Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-03-19
WHOLE NO. 1861
Written for the ACE.
Education-for what Object 7

Nearly everybody wishes for an
education, as they may understand its
use. They think it will give them
greater power, greater influence to
control themselves, and all mankind,
ineyery walk in lifc-Politics, Religion
and Society at large. acknowledge is
power" and eagerly sought after by
all governments, corporations, and
individuals alike, for the 0dcdntage
it eivcs over the ignorant. The high
ly educated mag be useful, humane,
philanthropic-Christ-like; or they
may be as the majority are-seIiish,
sensual arrogant, vain, and deceliSh. -,
We have highly educated "devlIs,
also, educated christians. Fisk, Stokes,
Gould, Tweed and leading politicians,
in and out Of Congress, may represent
his Satanic Majesty, while very few
like Socrates, Luther, John Murray,
the Wesleys, Anna Lee, Garrison, and
Peter Cooper, have acted the unselhsh,
humane, philmthrophic, christian life
An education sought after in these
times means what TO become more
humane, benevolent, charitable, hum
ble-Christ-like Nay. If a gradu-
ate of our institutions Of learning
should manifest these Christian graces,
his parents, guardians, or friends,
would be horror-stricken, disown him
at once. and have him incarcerated as
lunatic. An education, as they un.
derstand it, is to obtain greater pow
er for more selfish ends-for self
agrandizement-t to over reach in ex-
change Of labor, mental or physical,
with the ignorant masses. To get for
one hour, day or q years service IN
fine, to get a living without much
physical labor. To initiate Ceazer'
Napoleon, Webster, Douglas, rather
Christ and lis apostles. Our whole
educational plan is based upon the
system that "might is right" We act
no higher morally than the beasts, CT
lower animals. The brute takes all
his strength can cover. Docs man SIS
a nation. or individually, act morally
higher? ? Is it more moral to over
reach-take the advantage Of the less
educated through mental strength than
through the physical ? Are not all
civilized nations, and individuals, get
ting, and controlling, all their mental
and physical strength can cover e.
Did Webster, or Douglas, Or our pres
ent Congress act otherwise? Are not
Beecher, Chaplin, and all other minis
ters, lawyers and physicians doing the
same Webster in his first suits
could 2et but from two to five dollars,
but in his two last cases, his services
were bought for $4,000. lie was
supposed to be worth that. He took
all lie could get, 50 with Becchar..-
In his beginning. "out west, $50 y
year was all he could get, and 2 very
poor house to preach and live III st
that. Now he Is worth in market
from $4,000 t. $4,000, and would
take 100000 if he could sell Zig
services and genius 50 high. This IS
tie rule in every Kind Of business
might is right :" College education
i. sought after for the Advantages il
gives over the ignorant. II means,
yiay Il EtAa betl,' gano, III politics,
law. medicine. and religion--or in
other words, to exchange services with
the uncducated ten to 4 hundred 4old
advantage The 800 t. 400 slave
holders in all the Southern States, with
the best of IN education, could control
: 100000 Of the uneducated poor
!, whites and blacks. They understood
, the power of knowledge, and discoun-
tenanced schools among the whites
and prohibited them among the color
ed population. 1t appears, then, that
knowledge is sought after for selfish
ends-for money. getting, for over
reaching the ignorant-out generating
: the masses: virtually cheating, deceiv-
ING and robbing the less learned
This being the fact when will the
millennium dawn-righteousness, peace
and honesty have sway, christianity be
repected and daily practiced instead OF
, formal lip service once 4 week as III
the past and present ?
NATH'L RANDALL, N. d.
Woodstock, March 10, IA.
IN NJl:4ol,1I rT,a,o, COW. %bot