The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-12-05

laws relating to streets, sidewalks, and
domestic animals, for instance and vari
ous other minor statutes, are hahituaiIv
violated IN country places bv some of the
best people The great number Of people
from all countries now living in nearly
all our towns and villages. and the fre
quent removals to other places on the
part Of many citizens, are hiDdrances to
the speedy attainment of real unity or
homogeneous character by the popula
tion of our local communities People
will not love their country unless they
love the place where they live and en-
deavor to promote it's Interests
at is said that our system of popular
education provides sufficient safeguards
against the dangers here pointed out
But even if its work were henceforth to
be perfect. its operation would necessarily
be too slow for some things which our
present situation requires Our school
system as it now exists cannot be de
pended on to remedy or avert the evils
which threaten US. Most of the class
whose use of prehistoric methods of
thought leads them to rely upon instinct
and intuition, rather than upon anv re
suits of human experience. have enjoyed
the opportunities of our schools, and
have received in an average degree. the
benefits which our system of education
now confers The people from whom
these dangers arise are not stupid or ig-
norant nor are their minds inactive -
They have been through our schools
they edit newspapers, make our political
speeches in all the country places, and
represent US in Congress. They are not
so much uneducated as miseducated
their faculties are active, particularly of
late years. but they are undisciplined and
msdirected, and the result Of their think
ing is largely erroneous For these dit
fculties our public school system furnish
es no adequate remedy. Two things are
especially to be noted in our popular
school education it usually leads to no
interest in literature or acquaintance
with it, nor to any sense of the value of
history for modern men,-a very serious
defect; and it's most characteristic and
general result is distate for manual
labor We have some good schools, of
course; but great numbers of teachers
and principals of our high schools in
country places have for several years ex-
plcitly taught their pupils. and urged
upon parents, the sentiment that in this
country education should raise all who
obtain it above the necessity of drudgery,
that there are better ways of making a
living than manual labor at so much for
davis work, and that these higher ways
will be open to those who get an educa-
ton All this has resAlted in a dainty,
effeminate, and false view of the world as
place where only uneducated and infe
rior people need work hard or engage in
toilsome or unattractive employments.
There are two or three small bodies of
dissenters from the popular religions
whnse work is one of the factors Of the
life of the nation They have prepared
some excellent material for better state
of things. A few cultivated men among
,hem have given the nation the best of
It's literature The work of most o. the
ministers among these dissanters is at
present indeed, rather more literary in
its character than is desirable. They do
not so much preach as write literary
essays. Their position is, however. in
large measure, a necessity, and the char
acter of their work up to the present time
has been the inevitable product of the
most important intellectual and religious
movement of the century But a vital
advance ought also now to be inevitable
ior them Some Of them see the gravity
of our national situation and prospects,
and are doing all in their power to pre-
pare the people about them tor wise and
wholesome action and life in the service
OF the country. Others cherish an urbane
philosophical optimism. and smile at the
idea of any serious danger to American
institutions, political or religious, But
these live curiously remote from the con
mon people. or meet them only in the
peculiar relations which charity involves.
They often know more about other times
and lands than our own Most of them
are, like the best men in the pulpits OF all
the churches, Loyalty devoted to truth,
and eager to be helpful to mankind, but
they have to contend at every step
against the spirit of the age. The people
of this country are-to apply phrase
from NJ Raoul Pictet-'prone to value
none but paying facts They know what
kind of preaching they want. and they
not supply it. they employ another. 1t
is expected that ministers will preach on
national interests or morals on Thanks
giving Day and on the Fourth OF July;
out as things are now few congregations
would listen, without serious dissatistac
ton, to any thorough or adequate treat
ment of the subjects which are most i'm
portant and vital for US as a nation
After few such discourses there would
be an imperative demand for sermons of
the usual type. The good people in the
churches are weary and careworn when
Sunday comes, and wish to be comforted
soothed. and entertained by the preach
ing And in this commercial age they
will not pay for preaching which does
not suit them. So there are many men
whose religious teaching is of the wisest
who have much difficulty to live, and
who are entirely unable to equip them
selves as they should for their work. If
there is any new development of moral
forces or increase of religious vitality in
our time, these small companies of dis
senters from the popular religion will
have close and vital connection with IT.
though not in sectarian ways.
"As to that numerous class of people
who insist that Christianity is itself ex
hausted and outgrown, and that we have
already reached something better, they
have not developed anything that can
help us in our present needs. They do
something in opposing the superstitions
and absurdties of some church people,
but thus far their criticism has been mar
row. sectarian, and impractical. The
priests OF the Roman Catholic church
occupy position of great Importance in
relation to the new conditions and tend
encies of our national life Although
many of them are rather churchmen than
American citizens. their influence is like
lv to be, on the whole rather helpful
than otherwise They do vast deal o.
good work upon very difficult material -
Their course should be critically observ
ed, but they deserve far more sympathy
and recognition than they receive. Their
teaching forbids consultation of the spir
its of the dead, and mem bership in secret
societies. This last requirement will
keep many voters out of the movement
for the initiation and debasement OF the