Smyrna times., 1878-11-27
For the Smyrna Times
The Fatal Consequence of Neglect
ed Education.
For the Smyrna Times.

DEAR Bro. HOFFECKER AS you very
kindly published i'll your valuable paper,
three articles prepared by me, upon the
subject of education, showing as | flatter
myself to have done, beyond the possibility |
of contradiction, that man was designed |
by his great Creator to be educated in his |
physical, intellectual and moral nature |
| now request, that you publish two more |
articles, on the fatal consequence Of neglect |
ed education. Education like most other |
things, has two sides to it, and as have |
presented one side, now desire with equal |
frankness to present the other also. The |
fatal consequences of a neglected education,
| propose to consider both from the nature
of things, as they appear in our daily obser-
vation around us, and scripture stand
point. The scripture passage selected as
basis, may be found in Proverbs, 29th
chapter and 18th verse "A child left to
| himself bringeth his mother to shame"
Solomon in this passage announces in i'm
mediate connexion Of cause and effect, the
fatal consequences of neglected education.
! The cause stated, is child left to himself
| the effect, parental dishonour. Bringeth
! his mother to shame
But, what are we to understand by the
expression, "a child left to himself?"
What does it imply? 1t doubtless stands
directly opposed to all the many and great
advantages which an education. strictly re-
| ligiOus would bestow. Toall the knowledge
he would gain, all the self dicipline he
would acquire, and all the happiness he
would enjoy. child left to himself, is
left to the control of his own fallen and
deceitful nature, to the polluting influence
of corrupt and vicious world, to the
seductive snares Of Satin, the avowed enemy
of God an man "who walketh about seek
ing whom he may devour." A child left to
the impetuosity of its own unbridled pas
sions; left to follow the working of his own
stubborn and rebelious will left to form
and cultivate his own habits Of life left to
select his own favorite objects Of pursuit
and enjoyment; left to choose his own
companions and associates; left to himself
without instruction, without reproof, with
out control, for that reason, the little one
grows up, only to be made swift prey tC
its numerous and powerful enemies 1t is
left to itself, left by her for want of knowl
edge to perish. Poor dear child, it would
have been to it, the greatest mercy had i
o never been born. Better for its mothe
that it never should have seen the light o
day-than after seeing it-she should leav,
it to itself.
In support Of this theory, appeal to th
nature of things. What is there, in all tn
endless multiplicity of creatures and things
in this world left to itself, that comes T.
any good Explore for this purpose, tn
three great Kingdoms ofnature-the animal
+, mineral and vegetable-and find one ir
stance. 1t cannot be done, because cor
st trary to the design Of God in all his work.
Take the building, the noble structure
see it rising from its deep foundations wit
just and fair proportions, exciting the aC
miration and praise of every observer
s. Leave it to itself, without the superintenC
ing care of the builder, does it come to an
good? Nay, rather mass of ruins. TAX
a garden, with rich and productive sol
. strong enclosure and hansomely arrange
in all its parts. Leave it to itself withol
" the care of the husbandman-does it con
o to any good? None. Take the nobl
the generous horse, which contributes h
labors to lessen our toll and thus enabl,
US with comparative ease to cultivate IL
earth and perform our journeys. Lea
him to himself, TO be his own master wit
out being subdued or trained, does he con
to any good? None Let us now look
another class of things, left to themselvC
Let the human body be seized with sor
mortal disease, and left to itself-what W
be the result? certain death. Suppose
fire smothePing in closet, or upon t
roof of a building LETT to itself. Does
come to any good? TO evil, and evil on
Behold how great matter little f
kindleth." From the foregoing exampl
we distinctly see, that things animate a
inanimate left to themselves cannot col
.s-tf to any good-none is to be looked for
- but, will in certain cases do much har
How much has poor humanity suffer
from contagious disease, and burning
W. left to themselves? Now while it is trl
- that things animate and inanimate, left
gas gas, themselves can do no good, but much har
Heat it is true even in a stronge and more ext
i,nIg MN. sive sense of man left to himself. &C
som sinner destroyeth much good," and his
- is not only employed in destroying good
the world but the commission of evil, Il
{, destroys both body and soul in hell foreV
IS of To leave child to himself, without pro
Glow framing VI 1 eu0aOo1 20 - W tiPtNt - :
~ 1 fHFQVaF. greatest