The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-29
from ne NY. zrihune. Noe. a6


which Should Exist in Regard to it.
From the " Y. Tribune, Noe. %.
The Thanksgiving services 10 Plymouth
church yesterday morning were in unison
with the spirit of the day-unusually
bright and pleasant. The floral decora
tons Of the pulpit are always more elegant
on Thanksgiving Day than on any day Of
the year, except perhaps on Easter Sun
day. A basket at the left of the reading
desk contained rosy apples, oranges, lem
ons, parsley, and celerly, the whole capped
by a sheaf of golden-hued wheat, with red
pepper pods hanging from the band. In
long, slender glass vase on the stand be-
side the pastors chair we're oranges and
bright flowers. with ferns and punches of
grapes hanging over the sides. The nut
sic was unusually fine, embracing Hyden's
marvellous work of the Creation" and
Barnby's "Oh Lord, how manifold" The
house was completely filled Mr.. Beecher
read the 92nd and 93d Psalms, the first
of these beginning with the familiar words
Of thanksgiving, 1t is good thing to give
thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises
to thy name, oh most High" The ,344th
hymn was then sung. After prayer of
thanksgiving for the mercies and blessings
OF the past year, the pastor began the SER
mon. Toe text was from Isaiah XxXiii. 6,
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the
stability Of thy times and the strength Of
salvation.
have chosen, said the preacher as a
fit theme for discussion on sf'ch day as
Al. q -: 4 1
our public schools. The Democratic waye,
which De Tocqueviile long time ago
prophesied, has not run its course, nor can
we yet even discern what this great wave
will do and accomplish, We arc as men
who in the month.ot April, with no other
experience than that they have got in the
month Of April, ere attempting to inter
pref what will be the fruit of August and
September. The influence Of picked men
upon public policy is hot growing less.
Aristocracy is only part of Democracy,
and though it has developed itself some
tunes separately, that was abnormal, and
the final condition in which the whole body
of citizens shall have relations upon all
matters of public interest, must De Demo
cratic. The influence of the cOmmo2
thought of the whole body of citizens is
having more and more effect upon the pub
lie welfare, and is itself stimulating and de-
velOping speclaities aud specialists, for
right rooted specialists are stems which
Democracy throws up for its own sake.
The high are the servants of the low in
every well ordered community. The
spread of Democracy is only word de-
scribing the fact that the whole population
of nations are becoming intelligent enough
to exert an influence on public policy and
public affairs. The number of those who
know how to think and to execute is stead
i'll increasing in every civilized nation ia
Christendonl. The progressive INTEL
gence of the whole Of society is the pecul-
lar work of our age We are not the first
who thought education necessary to man,
but we are the first who have attempted
to carry out the nobler proposition that in
telligence is necessary to mankind.
DEVELOPMENT FROM THE BOTTOM.
In every age there have been efforts tc
educate classes OF men for the public veal
But only in our tunes has there been effort
20 educate society ITSELF We are deVeo
ping in this land from the bottom upward
a system of education; and 10 this land
under the peculiar influences which con
duct public affairs, the higher schools, the
colleges aud universities must ask leave tt
be from the prosperity and health of the
common schools They are reciprocal.
do not undervalue the spiritual wol
Of Chistian churches. do not leave un
estimated the effect of the higher cultur
OF specialists. | am far from saying it i
wise to give to all the education that it i
best tc give to some. You might as vel
say that in an army every private SHOULD
have the same tactical and strategic know
edge as the officer. | do not disesteem O
leave unmeasured that in science which i
the most Significant aud the least cstmat
edits method. Ii | were to introduc
into the building art new rule in whic
inches are not inches and feet not feet
everything that has been organized an
built would be changed by the appcatio
of the new rule. The method Of thinking
the method of proof-this new method
the Sphinx of to-day. No man can tie
what that shadow means which it throw
far forward Of itself. But | regard a
these things as factors in the work in be
halfof intelligence. Universal intelligenc
will give a summer temperature to science
to art, to morality, to religion itself -whic
is as much the child of intelligence a
intelligence is the child of religion-and t
ali wise public policy.
ENAhtS iASM FOh COMMON SCHOOLS WANT
ED.
Every section of society has in turn as
grows, 1t it grows to any considerable de
gree ct truition, its period Of enthusiasm
We have political euthusiasms, and carr
society through most dangerous passes b,
1t. We carry society over new road
rough and hard to travel. by enthusiasts
We have commercial emil usiasms, and w
have their reactions, and great depart
ments in human industry have in tnrl
their enthusiasm. To-day it is in building
railroads. Enthusiasm may carry on
section of industry too far, but it carries il
and 1t is great gain on the whole. W
have enthusiasts in morals-b
it temperance to-day becomes thing G
national thought. We have enthusiasms q
amusement-now it is music aud al
the world sings, or whistles; now it is bi
lizards or rifle shooting; and then it is boat
ing and batting, Now we must have a re
vival in our common schools We hay
never had an enthusiasm of this nation i
its Wilderness on that subject. We hav
the material in this nation for the mos
tremendous groundswel that any natio
ever felt in the matter of intelligence, sue
as will make this nation what it never ha
been and never will be without it. A ma
ton OF men uneducated is like an iro
mountain whose ore is unwrought. Fou
things are necessary TO the commo
schools: (D That education shall b
oon,mon. 10Y that - Sbou 10 o. 49, l,,o.o