Smyrna times., 1878-11-06
F0r the Smyrna Times.
Education.
MAN THE CREATURE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION.


There is one important respect in which all objects
i'll this vast universe from the atom to the arch angel
uuite all witnesses for God all with voice
proclaim his eternal puwerand Godhcad And while
to the careless casual observer of these works of
creation present an 0SsCmbagC of objects without
plan arrangement or design; to the more attentive
and philosophical student of nature, they fields of
science rising above the other i'll continually
cending circles toward the throne of God, and are
everything in the animal, mineral and vegetable
Kingdoms, furnish proofs of organization arrange
ment, and design proceeding from one who acts from
cording to the purpose of his own will
Now, | claim it to be the highest and most apprO-
pirate Office of human reason to search out and deter
mine far possible the design of the great Creator
in the endless multiplicity of his works and having
done So to follow out i'll their utmost practical bear
ings. If for illustration, wish success in the cul
vaon OF plant we must seek first to understand its
nature; the SOIL IN winch IL lhrlVcS best; the climate
most cOngenial to its growth; and having done this,
we adapt our cultivation to it with reasonable hope
of success.
If we wish in the treatment of animals to raise
them to the highest state of Improvement, we must
seek to understand the laws which regulate and de
veOp their nature, and strictly follow their lndlca-
| tiOnS.
or upon the same principle if we would improve
the condition of fallen and dcpravcd, and raise
him to his highest state OF perfection and excellence,
We must investigate his nature, or the design OF the
Creator in his formation, and then follow strictly the
light and instruction thus afforded us with confident
expectation Of success. Hence solomon. who was not
philosophers has said. Train up child in the way he
should go and when he is old he will not depart from
IL.
according to the laws OF his bcing-accordng to the
! design of God.
| l assume man to be the subject of physical cduca-
ton. BY physical education mean that training of
the body physical man which mparts to it, health
vigOur grace, and which prepares it for all the great
| duties and ayocatlonS of life The proof which
propose to offer in support of this theory, will be
| drawn from brief comparison which shall insti-
tutc between the physical powers of man, and ami
mails; and show that while instinct is the law by
which the Creator designs governing the animal cre
ton, education is the law by which he designs TO
|
your attention is invited is that of walking Let us
begin with the infant, and compare it with other
young animals. Most young quadrupcds are able to
walk i'll few hours after their berth, and do In
this they receive 10 inStruction-they need none
beyond that instinct which is born with them. But
how is it with the infant-can it walk a few hours
after its birth? Has it the Slightest idea of such an
act? None at all Before it take one step it must
ordinarily pass through twelve months training
makes thousand ruitlcsS efforts, while every mus
educated to perform the task. What a striking differ
ence one walks by instinct, the other by education
The second point of comparison, is that Of language
Speech is essential to manit is of his distinctive
glOrieS And is the design of the Creator that MAJ
should be the master of an artculate language-tha
1t should be the great instrument, not only OF com
municatng ideas. but of unfolding and amplifyinl
the intellectual powers; The animal tribes have nc
artculae language; theirs is NATURAL How lar II Il
} the instrument of communicating ideas we canno
tell but We know their various cries are understood
by thvm and serve to some extent the purpose OF ou
more artificial and arbitrary modes of speech. Blu
while both men and animals have Language peculiar
a to themselves, how widely different the mediums
through which they come. The animal tribes have the
language not from imitation, nor tuition, but instinct
Take for instance the eggs of various fowls and caus
them to be Matched in one nest and then place then
under the fostering care of one mother-thcy will no
initiate each in their language but will break forth il
, languages of their several parents. The duck vii
not speak the language of the chickcn-nOr thu
chicken of the duck and 50 of all the rest Nor doc
the singular fact that parrots have been taught tC
utter few sentences and call a few nameS-anC
: mockng birds do initiate the language OF notes o
other birds deract from the force of this remark 70
first this talent is possessed by very fewOnd seCOnd
. when required either contribute to their elevation il
i the scale of being, for they only birds STILL no
does increase their individual happiness. 1t doe
nothing for them. Animal tribes then speak from
Z instinct only.
S But man acquires his language only through tn
. | process of education. With whatever education h
Q | may have been reared he speaks the language c
2 that nation and only after having been taught il
Nor is the acquisition of language, simple it
seem so easily effected but is the result of nnumera
BILE efforts in which the tongue, the the lungs
l. in fact the whole oral mechanism is taxed to the u
= lest extent. What then is the conclusion to whic
q these facts lead us? Why plainly this. that il
n stinct is the law by which the physical nature
animals can be unfoded-and education the law
which the Creator intends to develop the physiC,
nature of man. In the animal creation fish swim
is birds Hy uuadrupeds roam at large through instn
only God is their teacher and guide and his lesSoI
are all perfect But man is subject to a different d.
h sign lie acts entirely through education 1t is ii
l. law of his physical nature-for by its nStrumel
- tality alone can its simplest powers be unfOldet
Man therefore the subject of physical education.
WIN. URIE.
, To be cOntinUcdl