The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-06-19
ALEXANDRIA, La. WEDNEODAY, JUNE ~, 1919.

selves must educate them. For a
stranger cannot confer on him what
is the second requisite of good ed
ucation, an education of love and af.
lection. Then, 0, how soft is the
touch of the hand of the father or
mother to the heart of the child,
how gratefully is the child penetra-
ted by the exertions of the parents,
how readily do all the blossoms of
the young soul open themselves un-
der the loving rays Of the paternal
eyes, to which it turns as the sun
flower docs to the day star of our
planet. Education, therefore, must
proceed from the father and mother
at the same time, that earnestness
of the one may be intimately united
with the mildness of the other. Fl
nally, education should be an educa-
tion of good example; for good ex
ample is the soul of education.
There are, we parents, no more at
tentive observers of your conduct
than your children; there are no
more ready imitators than they. Take
then especial care, if disunion is be-
tween you; let them not become
aware of it. Only go before them
with an example Of mercy and
righteousness and piety, and they
will follow. "For they go whittier
the spirit is directed to go, and de.
part not therefrom. Let your coun-
tenance 60 before your children. that
they may follow in the right patti" "
Behold, then will, as the psalmist
says: "Thy children be as olive
plants around thy table, Then
with love, care, mildness and severi.
ty should you educate your children.
But for what end? What direction
shall we give them that they may
follow it2 When the Lord educated
the people of Israel, on Mount Sinai,
He gave them the code of justice
and mercy and the law of sauctifira.
1 ton. He first instructed Israel con-
corning their acts toward their fel-
low-nen, and then concerning their
conduct toward the Lord; and thus
is man given 10 two directions, and
has to build up for himself two
worlds, the one the existing human
world, the other the inward and
higher world Of the spirit; and fol
both must your children be educa
: ted. But is this enough? No. far
ther yet does the province of educa
ton extend itself before our view il
should rear man also for the inner
the spiritual world. In the frs
: place the mind should be awakened
, to a free, living activity; supersti
, ton and terror should be avoided
e that the spiritual eye may be enabled
to survey everything with clea
vision, that man may demand an &C
count and obtain the reason of al
s. that takes place. Next, however
: the feelings of the child must b.
D awakened and formed, for these a
\ last are the ne'oler part of man; hi
1 sensations sshold be directed towar,
Il the good and noble, that he ma,
n learn early to love the good and t
e abominate the evil. Next conscience
+ that guardian of the Paradise of th
e human heart, must be awakened t
pronounce aloud independent sen
! tence over himself, that the chill
o may betimes be made aware Of tn
d Judge inherent in his own heart,
d listen to his voice, to attend to hi
n reproof and his appreciation, and t
e make his warning and his incitin
1t only through an equal cultivation G
3, the mind, the feelings and cor
l. science. Does man in reality be
!, come an entire man, who govern
= himself, who is king in his ow
n Ikingdomb Yes, education, believe
!: Brethren, is difficult, a great work
r and, nevertheless, l have not yet, lie
T. you to its highest pinnacle-to Rel
q gion; to religious education. Rel
y gion must be the basis of education
n or else it is valueless and an useles
IL fragment. Religion must be th
e spiritual influence which covers th
} spiritual bonds which unites til
e whole system of education, or els
W the whole will one day fall to piece
l. and vanish into nothing. For sine
L in religion alone all the virtue
IS whatever is beautiful and immorta
3 have their root, how could thes
st he transnlantad into the 40,