Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-03-06

| lie COulu not WltDStanu the piercing eye Ol
intellect which looked into his motives, nor
the skill of the armed man familiar with
tried and trusty weapons. A host OF pa.
triots, understanding for themselves the
foundations on which an equitable and stable
| government must rest, and competent to
administer or defend its just and discrimi'
native laws, would be able to foil the self
| seeking, the fraudulent the irresponsible,
and keep within safe bounds the illiteracy,
the studied villainy, and the scarcely less
dangerous apathy to historical warnings,
which ever threaten the overthrow OF good
government. In matters of religion, the
gravest concerns that can engage reflection,
universal ability to think, to resolve doubts
and end controversy which originate in mis-
conception primary or adopted at second
hand, would bring near that union of dis
cipes In one body which has often been at
tempted and sometimes honestly prayed for,
but which seems to be as far off as ever
That 1t shall come admits no question, be.
cause the subject of divine promise and
prediction; but its realization will not be
miraculous. Doctrinal and ecclesiastical
errors will yield only to true principles of
philology and correct Interpretation. When
the student has learned to think for himself,
with the Greek Testament and his lexicon
before him, he will refuse to accept the
piety and good intentions of his parents as
grounds for personal religious belief, but
will for himself critically examine the basis
of doctrine, and satisfy his soul from the
fountain OF truth. He will no longer sub.
nit blindly to be led by teachers blinded by
partisan, denominational zeal, but will him
self demand to know whether these things
be so. Such educated spirits, who defy CEN
sorship which limits the field Of investiga.
ton or prescribes the class Of evidence, but
are resoute to range free and unshackled
wherever their guiding star shall lead,
are destined to revolutionize the Christian
world For mental freedom, like civil lib
erty, is infectious, and will spread.
The progress of culture is also greatly
hndered by misdnection The age is in
tensely practical; Its chief characteristic is
commercial. Surely the times are evil when
Greek is studied for profit, not contempla-
ton, not for the elevated pleasure and ex-
alted instruction derivable from acQuaint-
ance with the language in which were writ
ten or spoken the noblest specimens Of lit
erary excellence the world has ever known.
Everywhere is the boast of "the self made
man." though the factory in which he is
moulded it must be confessed is in the habit
OF turning out some rather poor jobs. The
concessions To culture Tend to preparation
for the marketable occupations; so many
years OF study and so much money set over
against the prospect OF a return in bankable
funds, or the means OF procuring liveli.
hood. Under such pressure of the times"
the physician regards not his noble proies
sion for what Knowledge and skill may be
able Ia do toward alleviating human suffer-
ing, but its value to him as a source of reve-
nue.. His Latinity Is deemed sufficient II 1t
will carry him safely through the phar-
macy, though IL does not enable hin: to
gather classic riches from Cicero or Horace.
The lawyer prepares not for the correct in
depreciation and exposition of the code
for the sake OF detecting and Furnishing
crime, delivering the oppressed and procur'
ing justice, but equips himself for his call
ing with both eyes to business, prostitutlng
reputation even to purpose OF profit. Not
entirely has disappeared the criminal prac-
tice, SO common century ago, OF fathers
who "desigDed their sons tor the ministry"
without any thought of consulting the will
or wish of the Author of religion. Only
signal failure, like that of Dominic Samp
son, or some direct providential interference,
could prevent the sacrlcge. The adoption
of u course in German by the directors OF
the public schools has been urged, not that
the pupils may be able to read Goethe,
Richter, and Schiller in their original ton.
que, but for the reason that this country is
filling up with Teutons, who will need hats,
and boots, and -four, and bacon, and we
must be the better prepared to drive profit
able bargains with them in the marts of
trade.
For years past there has been a vigorous
and sustained attack upon classical training
and university methods, a clamor for such
a curriculum as shall equip for practical,
business life (; and IL has required all the in
fuence OF the best educators, backed by the
protests of men enlightened to the value OF
hut ft,Atr larly tn fhpt Ia nT
utilitarian sentiment Yet reflection would
make it evident that the proposei course
could result only in ageneration of one idea
men, that it could not produce Il scholar but
only an empiric, to whom, at his best, Tenny-
sons lines would fifty apply
But life in him
Gould scarce be said to flourish, only touched
On such time as goes before the leaf,
When all the wood stands in mist of green,
And nothing perfect.
Nothing deserves the name of education
which does not call into active exercise all
the mental faculties, and to do this the study
of the classics is II necessity. There is no
imagination in arithmetic, no poetry in a
triangle, no ethical code in an algebraic
problem. The one idea man may make
favorable impression and command meas
ure of respect if permitted to adhere to his
speciality, but shows TO serious disadvan'
tage when compelled TO deal with other de-
partments of knowledge. Here 1rtttng is
the test Peter Dealtry struck the right
humor Of Corporal Bunting when he de
scribed him as "a mighty fine talker, but
shy of the pen" for, says he, "if man can't
write down clearly what he means for TO
say, does not think as how he knows what
he means when he goes for to speak" lfa
mere talker have learned how 10 "chOp
logic" and send off verbal pyrotechnics, he
will surely carry the crowd with him. but
when his written utterances are subjected
to the criticism OF capable minds it will be
ascertained whether he knows that other
men know, or knows for himself. Many
an orator interprets too literally the derivd
ton Of "rhetoric," from ye0. to How, to say !;
If something flows from his lips, If only the
veriest trash the merest sound, he satisfies
himself and too many.
Previous to any adequate sci culture there
must be the discovery of self, the revelation
of an immortal being Jean Paul Friede-
rich Richter says of himself "One fore.
noon, | was standing, very young child,
in the outer door, and looking leftward at
the stack Of the fuel ood,-when, all at
once, the internal vision, 81 am a ME Gch
bin Elm ich)" came like fash from heaven
before me. and in cleaning light ever after
ward continued then had my ME, for the
frst time, seen lJSeli, ana lOFeVer AS IN
the case Of that great philosopher and post,
so in every case, this birth, this awakening
10 the one awful fact which contains within
its greatness whatever renders subordinate
facts interesting or precious To human intel
ligence, is the death Of utilitarian precon.
ceptions. The existence and history Of all
worlds is nothing if be not l. Ii this den-
tty To which consciousness testifes has no
meaning but tha. which relates to and is
bound within the compass Of single globe
whose fashion and use shall perish present
ly, am plunged into chaos Of contradic.
tions, and being is mystery unsolvable and
without light. Part of destiny Is unfolded
in the flash from heaven. There is a call 10
a higher life, a holier ministry, than was
recognized before illumination. | was not
made to feast, TO fatten, and to die. He to
| whom consciousness has come can never
rest contentsd with occupations and gains
odprous of Garth hut offers he life Of di iVin-