Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1888-08-30
MARouEss. LEcrunx.
An Interesting Discourse Before
the Teaohcrs' Normal
Institute.

The lecture at the ceurt house
Wednesday vening by DR.. Marques,
of Fulton, was refining, ,elevatinga and
ennobling in its character. II was
replete with eloquence and abound-
ed in reference to ancient history.
He used no paper, and that fact
added much to the beauty of deliy-
ery. He spoke of the intellectual
and educational value of the Bible,
and without referring to n divine
author, or its worth TO the imnaor~
tai soii, he used many strong argu-
ments why the Bible should be
studied for its literary and classic
yalne. We think he volced the
sentiments of the majority Of cur
teachers when he urged the study
of the Bible in our public schools.
Methods are much, books are
more, said the lecturer. Without
books we lose the lessons and ex-
perlence of antiquity. The Bible
is a history of the past, teacher OF
the present and prophet of the
future. No book can SO properly
claim a place among the education
al books of to-day. The German
schools have long realized the lit
erary Bible, and have long consid-
cred it as the best of classics.
Man will tear off the surface OF
the earth to study the rocks because
they are old. For the small sum OF
25 cents any antiquarian can lay on
his table the oldest work of an
tiquity, older than any other class
ic. The Bible, from a historical
standpoint, is of great value. His.
tory is properly taking an impor-
tant place in an education. The
literary beauty and literary value
must not be overlooked. Not many
books can rank with it. Truly,
none but Shakespeare's works can
come anywhere near to it from a
pure literary standpoint.
Byron had it on his table. He
read it, and from it he obtained
"thoughts that breathe" and ex.
pressed them in "words that burn. u
There is no writer of great emf.
nence but whose writings abound
in reference to the Bible. Cut from
McCauley's works all reference to
the Bible and you slash it and spoil
it until it is unreadable.
Poets, novelists, writer's ano
speakers ell refer to the Bible. i
is work of great power as an edu
Gator: it makes us think, feel anc
act; its power outlasts all abuse
Most books decrease in value; o.
every 1000 published 65S lose
money to the author and publisher
200 barely pay expenses, and 15(
make small profits. For every
900 published $50 are unknown
at the end of the year, $50 may last
three years and not so will last a
lifetime. For at least 3 900 years
men have been writing books, and
only 500 authors are heard Of al
the present day.
Now here we have a book that
has outlived all books, and thus its
life and intellectual vigor are
shown. The common schools have
sprung up from seeds cast by the
Bible. A book that has done Sc
much for education merits respect
from students of education. How
much does learning, music, philos.
ophy and law owe to the Biblei
The Bible is the chief cornerstone
of all the leading thought of to- day
The Declaration of independence
could not have been written by any
man or set of aIen but those who
have made a close study of the
English Bible. Thomas Jefferson
the modern Pharoah and George III
of his day, in his declaration Of
liberty, SAID: "Let my people 60. u
Scriptural study is indispensable in
the formation character. The
Bible goes hand in hand with
science, civilization and law
but. this book, in spite ofall it has
done for liberty, refinement and
art, in spite of all it has done fol
education, literature and law
this book has been prescribed fol
its religious propensities; Danish.
ed from our schools, because it il
religious. Is this right after all il
has done for the cause of schools
and education? But whether il
be admitted to the schools or not
be assured that the love of learn
ing will never cease as long as w
study the Bible. Be assured, the
welfare of children and the pool
will never be neglected as long a,
it's truths are inculcated. Be sur,
that science and philosophy will
never be cast down while the stud,
of the Bible opens such a field fo
both. Be sure the love of countr,
will never die while the love O
Bible lives. Be sure the spirit o
patriotism will not grow cold, 81
long as the lessons of the Bibl,
are taught. Be sure the brightness
of the intellect will not be les
bright, SO long as this great bool
sheds it'light on civilization.
The many warm friends of Prot
Blanton in Mexico will read tn
following from the St. Louis Re
| -. HI 18Th ;,tarns4.