Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-08-17

gods at whose unholy sbrines Co
lumbia's sons and daughters have
bowed so long and earnestly.
Lay low in the dust the national
gods fashion, pride and extrava-
gance. Let the sacrifcial fires die
out, no more to be renewed, and
with the Inspiration of work for God
and humanity shining on your brows
go forth to do aught.ye can toward
leading upward the masses.
With sadness we note the worship
OF those unholy gods, whose shrines
are scattered all over our fair land.
But with the sadness mingles a glad
note of thanksgiving, for sounding
down the ages, the voices of the fG-
ture whisper of a purer, and better
type of civilization for America.
So, already the handwriting is on
the wall, written in hopes rich bla-
zonry, and eloquently it speaks of
grand possibilities, which the law of
Compulsory education shall work out
into golden realities. All thanks to
the legislative power whose wisdom
enabled them to see in the signs of
the times, the need of this most wise
law. Many objections are brought
forward against compulsory educa-
ton, but none of them are valid.
Very many children will now receive
an education, who would not under
other circumstances; for, though it
is to be regretted, it is true that
there are parents who do not care
whether or not their children are ed
ucated.
If we do not educate the people
up to a higher standard than that of
the present, our history, a few cen
turies hence, will be but history of
a nation of the past.
Although education is a grand mo-
tive power, it is not all; side by side.
hand in hand, with it must 90 the
pure and peaceful principles of the
religion of Jesus Christ. Within the
vistas of the ages awaits the golden
era in the annals of the nations,
when swayed by the mighty power
of education and christianity Joined
hand in hand, nations will no longer
wage war with each other, crime and
and cruelty will be alike things of
the past and forgotten. But, united
by the bonds of common veal, the
nations shall walk together in peace
and harmony. Though it be not Civ
en- to US to fix our gladdened eyes
upon that golden era, yet it is ours
to make this age a stepping-stone
toward that glorious consummation
of the ages.
Let every school-child in the land
be taught that with him rests the
high destiny of leading up the peo-
PIE into higher groves of thought
and action.
America needs more true men and
women; she has enough of the but
terly class. She needs those who
are not afraid to do and dare; but
she must educate on a different ba-
sis if she would have less of the but
terfy class, and more earnest work
ers. Parents must awaken to the
danger of giving their children the,
so-called, fashionable education so
much in vogue at present.
Fellow teachers, our work is d
grand one, there is none grander,
search as you will over the wide
fields of labor you will find no nobler
work than that of training the
young mind for time and eternity.
The school houses scattered over
the land hold the nations future; we
are not laboring for ourselves, but
for the nation. To US is given the
training of her future statesmen, or
ators and divines: With us rests the
vast responsibility of bringing up our
nation to a higher standard than it
has ever yet attained. Let us then
take as our talisman "purity in all
things" and earnestly labor to wor-
thily discharge the trust committed
to US. Thus making possible for the
twentieth century a purer code of
morals than any of which the nine
teenth can boast. MATTE WADE,