St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-04-07

officer was saved from disgrace and dis
miSsal.
The educational system of Germany,
OF more especially of Prussia, is some
thing marvellous. A sort of military
precision and energy pervades it. The
children begin to be soldiers, for they
carry their books in knapsacks. While
we are discussing the question whether
the Bible shall continue to be read in
public schools, in Germany religious
instruction has il definite place, and
portion of time in the school system
here. Teaching holds the rank of pro-
fession. Teachers are not hired for IL
single term or IL year, but AN appoint
ment conditioned upon Il rigid exam
ination, is permanent. Qualifications
for teaching first. then permanency and
experience. The result is naturally
good.
Above the primary schools are the
Real Schnlen and the GymndSid. The
former are more scientific, the latter
more especially classic. | think the
German does not study SO many differ
emt subjects as the American, but be
comes more proficient in those which
he does study. So it is with German
teachers in the higher departments.
The work is greatly divided, and as one
man has only Il small piece to do, he
can do that more thoroughly.
The theatcr is an institution here, be
yond all question. Berlin has thirty
theatels and fifty churches. do not
know how many thcaters New York
city has. but il contains nearly five
hundred churches. The theaters are
open every evening of the seven days
of the week. Multiplying the number,
thirty 10y seven, and We find that the
Berlin people have two hundred and
ten theatrical entertainments each
week. Statistics show that two per
cent of the population of this city at
tend church on the Sabbath. The per
centage in the thcatcr every evening
must be much larger. In the prelude
to Faust. Gnthe represents the man
agcr of the theater as saving:
For of course like To see the throng
When the stream of people presses To our booth
And with powerfully repeated thrors,
Forces itself through the narrow port of grace.
/ In the bright day. already before four.
With thrusts they fight their way To the office,
And i'll hunsers need at bakers doors.
For Il ticket almost break their necks
\ very intelligent German lady ex-
pressed it still more strongly To me,
thus. 1.-The Germans would rather 90
to the thcatcr than go to heaven
Other popular places are concert halls.
One of these for example. Bilse'S. is
larger than Wieting Opera House, with
double galleries. The lower floor is
| furnished with hundreds of tables and
/ chairs. and the galleries partly with
private boxes. and partly the same a>
/ below. People assemble here. and at
| perfect ease cnioy their beer and eve
| ming meal if they wish. while Il very
! fine orchestra. as large us Theodore
/ Thomas. performs the most splendid
music. There are other places similar.
and such entertainments are furnished
at small expense. They are places of
resort Ia enjoy music. for social inter
course. aud for beer and smoke.
The Germans make their beer gal-
drnS and beer halls places tor friends
To meet. One scrs them filled III the
evening and especially on the Sabbath.
Ladies' are there as we'll aS men. our
drinking saloons are places of vice and
often of crime the Grrmau> do not 90
| to such cNcc>Se> III theirs. Beer has
not the maddcnimg effect of wrctchcd
| Whi>kcN. Another vicious practice. that
of ''trratiu". which makes matters
Worse with lis. does not prevail here.
Each one pays for his own. Perhaps
| what | have written seems like com
mrndation of the brcr-dlimkiug custom.
1t i> not cummcndatior. but contrasting
it with the drinking habits of our pco-
pic. 1t appears to me not 81 bad.
RcligiouSlN. the Germans are Il mNS-
terry to me. Till recently. confirmation
in the church WAS compulsory. but ap-
patiently church membership carries no
obligation along with it. to the German
mind. The people du not attend church.
except ii few the sabbath is Il rccrea-
tiun day. 1t was the sentiment of Fred
eric the Great. Let every man get To
heaven in his own way. Though this
was Il maxim of one of the greatest of
rulers. would not dare to trust it with
. ont testing it carefully 10y the teachings
and laws of One greater than all whom
the world has called great. know not
how much deep and earnest religious
= life there is here without the same
forms aud obscrvamccS which the relig
iouS teaching i'll onr land enioinS: |
presume there l. very much. But IL
seems to me that there is need here ol
ten thousand MoodyS and Sankey's t.
he the instruments of another rcforma-
| ton. Germany has done and is now
doing Il great work in the conflict
against Jerusalem. The Protestant
world owes debt of gratitude to the
nation that Is hearing the brunt of til,
, conflict. The most tender religion.
I sentiment hreathes through much al
German literature. But with the pco-
Pile ut large ii seems to me Il state o
Icthargy exists in respect to spiritua
life heard the court preacher say il
ii sermon last Sabbath that the peopl,
were "dreaming of Il religion withou
= any conscience in it,
A FEW DRY FACTS.
u The German Empire. us now consti
:. tuted, was the result of the recent wa
e with France. Austria had few veal
Il before received Il humiiating defeat IL
Il the battle of Sadowa, and the overthrow
e of Napoleon I'll. and the Empire q
u France. consolidated the North German
CONFEDERATION into the German Empire
The constitution bears date April Ii
1871. King Wilhelm of Prussia WA
G proclaimed Emperor Of Germany IA
; Versailles, France, January 18th, 1871
The Empire bears some resemblance (,
y our national government. ..By tn,
l. terms of the constitution, all the State
d of Germany form an eternal union fo
q the protection of the realm and tn,
: care of the welfare of the German peo
II pie" The kingdoms. duchies, princi
l. palities and free towns which are unite,
e in the Empire are twenty six. In re
Is spect to his authority and functions tn,
ii Emperor occupies position somewha