Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-12-12
: ssEBHCA7I0NHL. . * s.
"The Philantrophic Spirit That
Should Actuate The Teacher"
A Paper by j. H. Lewis,
an Edgefield Youth at
The University of
Nashville, Tenn.

an Edgefield Youth at
The University of
Nashville, Tenn.
It is related Of Rousseau
that, on the occasion of one
of his foot journeys through
France and Italy, he stopped fol
refreshment and rest.in peasants
cabin. The wretchedness of hu
man misery, as be there saw it, in
spired him with profound sorrow
for humanity and equally profound
hatred for the rich classes; those
who were living at the expense ot
the unspeakable sufferings of the
poor peasants. It is to this shock
to his very sensitive nature that
we owe to great extent the volume
that has moved the human heart
more deeply than any other pro-
duction of human pen. There are
some who will not, perhaps, agree
with me, but when I read some OF
his sentences like these: 20 men,
be humanel it is your highest
duty; be humane to all conditions
ofmen, to every age, to everything
not alien to mankind. What higher
wisdom is there for you than hu-
manity? Love childhood, encour-
age it's sports, it's pleasures, its
lovable Instincts" I cannot feel
but that Rousseau had philan-
throphic spirit. 1t is his humanity
that gives him degree of uni'y,
consistency, and even of beauty,
for his life otherwise was very
much disordered and degraded.
Although he was an inspired tramp
and did not even regard the sacred
tie of marriage, yet it was, in part,
Rousseau's pen that fired the train
that brought about the American
Revolution, and also the French
Revolution. Both events were
triumphs of humanity over op-
preston. So we see it was not his
ability as teacher that gave him
his fame, which has lived so long,
and which shall live throughout
the ages, but his humane spirit.
Next let us mention Comenius
who lived a century before Rous-
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fame reached our shores Tin 1854
be was invited to become president
of Harvard College) although
when he started in his life work he
was only Moravian pastor. 1t is
said he loved the people so much
that he quit preaching and became
q teacher. Learning in his time
was prerogative only of the teW'
but it was the desire of Comenlus
to establish system of education
80 far reaching that every home
was to become school. He com
posed a school manual, the "Orbis
Pictus," which was translated into
various Languages, and became the
universal text book for two CEN
turies. The greatness Of Comenius
WAS due to the fact that he was
above all else philanthropist. He
knew the people, saw their wretch
edness, and he became martyr
for their cause. He believed the
people were perishing for lack of
education and 30 he arranged a
scheme for their salvation.
Let us come back to period a
little nearer our own time, and we
find a Swiss youth whose soul was
burning with love for the poor, op,
pressed, degraded people. His
first impulse was to be a preacher
but he failed in his first sermon
Thep be tried law, but some un'
pleasantness in his experience
cooled his political ardor. He then
turned agriculturist, for he saw he
could do very much for the poor in
this way; but his scheme soon
failed, after be had spent all hls
own means, and also that which
his dear wife possessed when they
married. This Swiss philanthropist
was not to be out done in his dolns
something for humanity. AS a las
resort this man, Pestalozzi, set up s
school and gathered in the out-cas'
children of bis neighborhood. The
atory Of his life is the most pa
thetic ever written. From hi
twentieth to his eightieth year ht
had but one purpose, to relieve tn
wretchedness of his poor country
, men. He had discovered that poll
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