The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-23

include both mental instruction anC
moral training. Mental instruction
alone would not effect the moral de-
velopment Of man directly, for the
learning of the truths of physical
science, mathematics, logic, or even
the proper use Of language itself
would not change mans nature,
Such culture of the mind would
heighten his capacities, and hence,
if the man were moral before, be
would be developed in his opinions,
from the fact that his comprehension
would be enlarged and his ability to
employ his talents improved. If,
however, he were immoral before, he
would be apt to be made more i'm
moral by simple mental instruction.
You could never teach rogue to be
honest by cramming his mind with
Euclid or even the beauties of chemical
science or the principles of skillful
syllogisms in logic. And this is the
reason so many partially educated
criminals may be foundin our prisons.
Their minds have been cultivated,
but their moral training neglected.
When some partially educated man
commits forgery, as a certain class
Of citizens who get small amount of
mental instruction and desire to live
without work sometimes do, many
persons will tell you that it is proof
of the old adage, "a little learning is
a dangerous thing" whereas. in fact,
all such cases arise from the princi-
Piles l have just stated. The mind
has been instructed and the moral
nature left untutored. "a little
learning is a dangerous thing" but
in the language Of the late Prof. Nc
Guffey, "none at all is still more
dangerous" Mental instruction is
not directly moral or immoral in it's
influence. It is simply the training
of the mind and does not in itself
effect the character of the student.
1t is the vehicle through which the
moralist reaches the Individual. 1t
is by the use of language with reasons
deduced from nature and from revela
ton that he founds his system Of
moral philosophy and conveys it to
the mind in such form as to command
the concurrence Of the students judg-
ment. AS l have said, there is no
system of education which does not
combine with mental instruction
some form Of moral teaching. This
moral teaching begins with the
sketches in our infants primers, AID
is carried through nearly every de.
partment of study except, perhaps,
only the study of mathematics. 1t
would be useless to detain this audi
ence with any remarks upon the
value of education. 1t is the one &C.
quirement which man may call his
own, and which he is not liable to
lose by adversely or misfortune. 1t
is an individual possession. Each
man must acquire it for himself, and
when acquired, it cannot be taken
from him, neither can it be be-
queatheG by him to any other person.
1t gives to man new ideas and lofty
thoughts. 1t enlarges the whole na-
ture, and is the source from which all
social, as we'll as intellectual devel.
opments, has been made. TO appre.
ciate the value Of education we need
only to take the rude savage, who
possesses very little beyond the un-
improved mind which nature gave
him, and compare his state with the
educated Englishman or American
of the present day. All the progress
that the world has made has come
from education. 1t has given US the
civilization of the 10Th century, and
its chief glory is that to-day the bless
ings Of education are participated in
by the masses of the people, and this
elevation Of the masses is the source
alike Of our prosperity and of our
power. 1t has given to all the peo.
pie Of our country an inducement to
press forward and prepare themselves
for the battle of life, for here ssevery
man is the architect of his own for.
tune" 1t has been a common be-
lief that great differences exist be.
tween the minds of different persons
in point of capacity, but experience,
while confirming this theory to some
extent, has demonstrated beyond
question that nature has been much
more equal in her gifts to men than
was formerly supposed. There is far
more difference in the uses which
men make of the gifts which nature
has bestowed upon them than there
is in the gifts themselves, and for
this reason the diligent boy accom-
plishes most in school, and the labo-
rious, painstaking man achieves more
in life than men who start with more
brilliant prospects, but less willing.
ness to win success by patient labor.
There are very few geniuses and
equally as few idiots. The vast ma
iOritv Of mankind halono IN thet