The times., 1891-06-19
Educational Sermon.


AT THE OPERA House, JUNE IA, 1891,
By REV. j. X. REITzEL.
Nothing is hid that shall not be made mani
Test, nor secret that shall not be KNOWN anu
come to the Light Luke vIIi-lT'
.'Let us make man in our image and let him
have dominion 1: 20.
There are three institutions in civil
lized society as we know 1T which are CO.
ordinate, which we recognize as divine
ly established Il the family, the Church,
the school; as institutions these are
deep-seated and universal. First came
the family, then The church, then the
school. The principle of the relation of
being to being on which the family is
founded is expanded into that fellow
ship or institution known as the church,
SO that this wider relation of man to
man could be exercised. And when such
conditions arose which the family and
the church did not meet then the school
was instituted, but it is still an eXpan-
sion of the same principle on which the
family is founded and just as this prin-
ciple is faithfully expanded into the
church and the school can these institu-
tions be sustained. The church mus.
practice that primary principle involved
in knowing and serving in the true re-
lations of man to his fellow in society,
that larger family in which all are EN-
braced, and so with the school it is here
to do a work which falls outside of the
family. and the church, to lead and train
individuals for the true relations Of
members in society.
Aristotle said, "the first step in true
investigation is to ask the right ques-
ton" We have had many definitions
of education, many theories and meth
ods in educational systems, yet a few
simple questions may help to a clearer
understanding Of what should be me- mt
by education. Now, then, for few ques-
tions. DO you think it is actually neces-
sary to educate? Certainly it is, for
without education all would be ignorant
of things and we would simply have no
development. no movement, man would
come into no increased use or command
of the world about him. Coupled with
the origin of man is the idea that he is
to have dominion. This simply means
that man is to learn to know things,
their nature and use and then to control
them But why do you impart instruc-
ton to the young-why not let them fall
in with common nature and absorb, i'm
bibe knowledge of things? Because
by instruction, lmparting knowledge of
facts, we lead them more quickly to know,
better and do better. But knowing bet
ter and doing better, will that secure
their well-beng? Yes, only however,
so far as their well-being is involved IN
the well-being of Others. Do we then
mean that instruction is given ii knowl-
edge Of facts is impaired, so that with
knowledge of facts life may be so ad-
iusted to right relations as to find its
speedy well-being in the well-being of
others? This seems to lead us in
sight of true principle of education,
and such principle carried out by nat
ural methods, though competent means
will bring natural results, namely: a
WISE useful individual, safe and pros.
porous society. This would give lis what
we should mean by cultured people
people peaceful, comely, beautiful, but
also of wise minds, well-governed dis
positions, generous natures, people Ofin-
dustrious, useful habits this would give
us well ordered society, made up Of truly
educated persons as distinct from those
who have been simply taught. having
managed to acquire facts as they wete
set before the mind by some one who
places facts before the mind, something
like food is placed before the individual
at a boarding house, with this difference
however: the one sees how much may
be crammed into the mind, the other
seeks to see with how little they may
satisfy the mouth. Yon can just as truly
say that the person living at a boarding
house, paying his way with money given
him by some one else is supporting him
self, as to call person educated who
has simply passed an examination on
facts put before the mind by what is
called teacher
If education should do anything it
should lead forth the intellect, especially
the reasoning faculties. and the moral
sensibilities to not only acquire facts,
but so to know things as to control
them. If to know and control things is
a feature of education, then to under
stand and control that greatest of all
facts, oneself comes first in education,
because it we do not acquire such q
knowledge of that thing nearest self, so
as to control it, how can we expect to
control things more remote? The one
true sign, the genuine badge of educa-
ton which we all can recognize is the
control of self in reason and in love !;
this is the fundamental idea of true edu-
cation involved in the original state
ment as to the destiny Of man-"let him
have dominion; here lies the superiority
the divinity of our life, and it gives
us authority to say that the best proof of
the eternal life is that thorough COM
mand over ones own physical earthly
life. Our correct views of the regenerate
life comes from recognizing that germ
of the divine resemblance in man, which
developed under the faithful discipline
of the higher faculties, brings the indi-
yidual and the life here and now into
the most perfect dominion and useful
ness.
This lofty, yet just idea of education
may be illustrated by cluster of vari-
gated beads, pearls, and gems held in
careless, uniformed, unattractive mass,
the few on the esurface hiding the many;
now to educate is to bring these gems
into proper arrangement so that each
will set in harmony with the other in a
supplemental way SO that color, figure,
and form may do good ministry. God,
that unsesrchable thought of creation,
has made the mental faculties, the moral
. qualities to lie treasured in our lives
| like so many gems rich and rare and we