The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-09
DIP r r .SHEARER'S LECTURE
At LITTLETON.

DIR. Shearer said that he had been
talking on this line Of educational
interest for % years, and his address on
this occasion was worthy to be called
the product Of the thought for a quarter
Of a century No attempt here at
synopsis OF the address can do 1t justice
nevertheless, it Will be interesting to the
reader to know even some things he
said.
In part DR.. Shearer said eve as
sumo the ordinary view of the sacred
Scriptures as Gods word, and they are
Gods word written by men inspired SO
to write. If YOU believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ combines perfect divinity
with perfect humanity you may expect
his Word shall partake OF the same
features In this Word you have met
together inerrant humanity and abso-
lutte divinity. The Bible is the Magma
Charta of the church of Jesus Christ
1t is easy to locate such a book IN
education. All great religions OF the
world have had such basis. Purely
secular education was formerly I'M
known. 1t is entirely modern. 1t has
been left to Christian people to neglect
their religious oracles in their education.
"There is growing demand,'' said
the speaker, ''to put the Bible in secu
lar education" Restore the Bible to its
place in the higher education and it
will find its place in lower education.
There is new era dawning which
demands the proper recognition OF the
Bible in liberal education. Latin, Greek,
Mathematics are the doorway to liberal
studies Sociology, Mythology, State
Craft. Economics, Literature, Science,
&c. A man who is simply specialist
in any one of these is a crank "a master
of them all is only walking encyclo-
padia.
Here the speaker related an amusing
anecdote of how two learned Doctors at
the University of Virginia proposed to
give instruction to each other. One
was a specialist in Greek and the other
a specialist in Mathematics In their
first lesson to each other the specialist
in Greek asked the other the definition
of root - and the specialist in Math-
ematics asked the Greek scholar also
| the definition of root" Their def
nitions were so very different the great
scholars became each disguised with
the other and gave up the course OF re-
ciprocal instruction.
| Extreme specialism is not good for
teacher or pupil.
History deals with the origin Of
people, the rise and fall of nations. The
Bible is the key to all history by reveal
ing God in it. History is futile which
fails to tell us that Christianity is the
head over all things to the church from
Eden to Paradise.
The Bible unfolds the proper prnc-
pies OF Government. The family pre-
cedes the Church and State The
social law originates with the author of
mems social nature.
Fourth of July orators say free gov
eminent was discovered 100 years ago.
The bill of rights here in the United
States is forfeited unless lived I'D to
according to the warrant given bv
Moses. And so long as we stand by the
warrant nothing can prevail against it.
An oath ought to be above party fealty
because it rests on the Bible
The speaker made strong plea for
the influence of the Bible in places of
authority for 'when the wicked bear
rule the people mourn" It is accord
ing to Gods warrant. The ideal COM
monwealth is in the God-given Hebrew
commonwealth
Compel every system to make obey
sance to the sermon on the mount
! Physical Science says. "Whence come
the laws OF matter, the beginning of
life, modes OF Development, &c?'
Natures oracles are silent. The God of
nature hath spoken and told us all in a
word-"Through faith we understand
| that the worlds were made" &c.
Literature, Art and Oratorv have all
drawn from the same fountain of God.
The Bible is the textbook Tor the race
the teachers hope of successful effort
| at every point.
The principles of the Bible are ire
slstlhle. It's claims are paramount. The
Bible is the great search-li.ht OF the
world Which turns every way to shed
| light to him who looks for it. "Thus
saith the Lord" is It's unceasing refrain
Liberal learning cultivates the tastes
and imaginations and no culture is
complete which does not consider the
equality of all mans needs. The Scrip
lures meet this demand.
Men say that the Bible is spiritual
book and wholly exclude it from the
school-room because 1t is such. Satan