The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1882-02-22
Hole, ON enc ssAIs


81 have always,r SAYS Professor Huxley,
"been strongly in favor Of secular education
in the sense Of education without theology !;
hut / mast confess l have been no less seri-
ously pe-plexed to know by what practical
measures the religious feeling, which Is the
essential basis Of conduct, was 10 be kept NJ,
in the present utterly chaotic state Of opinion
on these matters, without the use Of the Bible
The Pagan tnorzlis,s lack life and color: and
even the St0ic, Marcus, Anionius. Is too high
and refined for an ordinary child. Take the
Bible as a whole; make the severest de-
duc.ion which fair criticism can dictate for
shortcomings and positive errors; eliminate
as a sensible lay-te9cher would do, if left 70
himself, al that is not desirable for children
20 occupy themselves with-and there still
remains IN this old literature 4 vast reSiduum
Of moral grandeur. And then consider the
great historical fact that for three centuries
this book has been woven into the life Of all
that Is best and noblest in English history /:
that il has become the national epic Of Britain.
and is familiar to noble and simple, from John
O'Groai's house to Lands End, rs Dante and
Tasso were once to the Italians; tia; il IS
written in the noblest and purest English, and
abouuds in exquisite beauties Of merely
literary form; and, finally. that it forbiis the
veriesl hind, who never left his village, 20 be
ignorant Of the existence Of other countries
and other civilizations, ard Of a great past.
stretching back 20 the furthest limits OF the
Oldest nations in the world. BY the study of
what other books could children be 50 much
humanized, and made to feel that each figure
in that vast historical procession hlis like
themselves, but 4 m0meHtssry space in the
interval between the two eteruiJies, and earns
blessings or the curses Of al time, according
TO It's effort to do good and hate evil, even -
they are earning their payment Tor their work.
And if Bibie-readiHg Is not accompanied
BY constrsint and soleunily, as 1t Il were !
sscraHIen,al operation. l 90 not believe there
is ANYTHING IL which children take more
pleasure. At least, l know that some Of the
pleaszuisst recoliecti0us OF my childhood are
Connected with the voluntary study Of an
ancient Bible which belonged to my grand
mother. There were splendid pictures In 10,
= be sure; but l recoliecs little or n0thir,
about them save = portrait Of a high priest in
has vesgments. What comes vividiy back 20
my mind are rsmembrances OF my delight in
the histories of Joseph and David, aud q my
keen appreciation Of the caiyalruus Kindness
of Abrsha in his dealings with Lot. Like a
sudden fash there resurus back upon me my
utter seoru Of the PettifocginS nieanness Of
jacob, aud my sympathsgic grief over the
hears-Ureaki KING lanaeniaton OF the Cheated
Esau, Hast thou not Blessing for me
also, o ny father :" And see, as in a
cloud, pictures Of the grand phaulasuiagoria
Of the book Of Revelation.
81 euumerate, a. ;hey issue, the childish
iuPressi1us which cUme croNdiag ont Of the
Pigcon-hsles in my brain, in which they have
lam almost undisturbed for forty vea7s. I
prize them as an evidence that cliild OF eve
or SIX wears old, left % his own devices nav
be deeply interested in tie Bible, and draw
souud moral ,usiena1ee from Il. - CogtsBsPor-
Org Rsrisr.