Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-29

true education Is strangely cenelsnt X
Il stop lust here Iou have as the re-
suit OF such training, = noble aud grace
fgl form and carriage, a bright and oo-
Tysnt eye, kesn, Logical and insen-
tive mind, subtle and nlmele ard
ready hSad-bat where Is the govern
ing power of the combination, which
snail bind the whole into the good anu
true, and therefore beautiful woman
Something more than ali thls-lntnItely
more than ali this must enter INTO
the education, TO make the education
complete. What Ne have been speak
ing OF Is physical and mental. out does
there not need spiritual training alsoF
The soul, the spint, that too must DC
trained and brought out and brought
up, before We can know 10 what these
polished and sharpened instruments
are 20 DC put whether they are TO
wound or 10 heai-whether they ale 10
be used tor self or for God.
For self or for God.
Shall those bright eyes look out. and
that action brain plan, and those deit
fingers work only for self and selfish
ends-hard. cold and careless. ambiti-
Gus, aspiring and proud, frivolous,
pleasure-loylng and extravsgant; or
shall they reach out 10 higher aims,
and seek the glory of Him who Is
above us, and the good OF those who
are around u.s. l think your Christian
education here enables you TO answer
this question arlght-l think you class
motto, Dec adjuvante, non tlmendum.
implies the answer; and that you have
been trained In the active exercise OF
those qualities of modesty, humility,
gentieness and trust, and faith and
love. which are the faculties OF the
spiritual nature, and the fruits OF the
spirit OF God, and which crown all the
true and beautiful and good that Is on
earth with the truth, and the beauty.
and the goodness of Heaven.
All beautiful things which earth can
offer-and | ask you TO mark the limit
alton, which earth can offer-there Is
none that can compare with what you
yourselves may be If your CLf'stlan
education makes you good and true.
have now got TO the point where | can
show you, not only how all your educa-
alton has been carried on on the prlncl-
pie that this is so; but alsO what beautl-
full provision Is made for us IN our holy
Christian faith, to exclude all selfish
and vain thoughts IN the attainment OF
this highest beauty, by making that at
talnment depend on going out OF self.
To follow the ideal of the perfect life
set before us i'll the example of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and to look upward
to HIS heavenly throne for the grace
and help TO follow His example.
Suppose you saw and knew some
young person, gifted with much physl-
cal beauty of form and feature. but al
together frivolous in disposition, un-
cultivated i'll mind. and undisclpined
III soul, can you conceive that under
any circumstances you would call that
person beautiful? Would there not be
nm unpleasant look in the eyes, hard
lines In the face, vacuous expression,
want of refinement, which would
show you that there you had only the
shell of what might be, rather than the
reality of what IS? Put that young
person under training, educate the
mental faculties, awake the intellect,
and open out the world OF literature
and art, what would be the effect upon
the physical beauty which before was 80
imperfect? Do you not see that
the vlvacIty, the life, the en-
etgy of an awakened mind
would fairly transfiguc face and
feature, and give them beauty not to
be found before? But again, suppose
that awakened mind to be indeed alert,
active, vigorous and cultivated, but at
the same time cold and selfish, would
you find there the beauty of which you
are IN search? You have, 10 certain
extent, illuminated the features with
the mind, but where is the softness, and
the kindness, and the sweetness, and
the grace? Is there not something more
wanting? AS the intellect has illumin-
ated the features with It's cold, dry
light, does not the intellect itself need
to be illuminated and warmed and
kIndled into beauty of It's own, by itself
receiving the holy and pure
Affections of the Spiritual Nature?
Here, then, it seems to me, we get the
law of all the highest beauty of subor-
dinate creatures and their natures.
Beauty is the manifestation or reiiec-
ton in any nature, excellent or perfect.
according to its kind of a higher nature
than itself. The mind is beautiful when
il reflects and manifests the beauty of
the soul, and the outer visible form is
beautiful when 1t takes the reflector
and catches the illumination of mind
and soul that are beautiful. Each, that
is, being educated and developed ac-
cordIng TO the truth of its own nature,
so as to bring out its powers and
capacities, nevertheless fails To satisfy
the sense of perfect beauty until 1t is
transfigured, renewed, sanctlhed 10y
communion with higher nature, so
also trained, educated, developed, ac-
cording to the truth of its nature and
the reach of its powers. The body, then,
must hold communion with the mind,
and the mind with the soul or spirit, to
reach even physical beauty-and so |
say all beauty of subordinate creatures
has Its perfection in the manifestation
or reflection or illumination 10y higher
nature than itself. But II this be so,
where are We TO stop? What is the
source of that spiritual beauty which
makes all other beauty to be good and
true, and therefore besutlfuP Must 1t
not oft necessity be that the soul reaches
out of self, aud seeks its source IN com
munion with God. and IN contemplate
ing the ideal and example of our Lord,
Jesus Christ, who shows us the DIVINE
perfection in human nature.
IL this true IN fact, as 1t Is ingenious IN
theory? Make the appeal 10 that lltera-
ture of which you have been students.
Take any real character in history who
NAV seem fittest TO toe set up as an
ideal for any class of men or any he