The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-08-19

enius was sixty-two years old, he was
called to the presidency of Harvard
College 1t seems that he gave the call
very serious consideration and even
half promised that he would accept it.
But he was dissuaded, as we are told,
by the Swedish Ambassador. However,
this may be. it is certain that he de-
cIined the call and returned to LISA.
Shortly after this Poland was inyad-
ed bv the SWedes and LISA was taken.
On this occasion Comenius wrote con-
gratuIatory address to the Swedish
king. Quick prOnounces this "impru-
dent" But in view of the tolerance
which he and his exiled brethren had
enjoyed there for thirty years, the word
imprudent does not seem adequate. We
wish Comenius had not done this, as
we wish Kamehameha had not perfid-
ousIy betrayed and killed KeOua. 1t is
the one blot upon the record of a sanity
life. But LISA was soon retaken by
the Poles and the house and property
of Comenius was very naturally marked
for special violence. He and his fami-
Iy escaped with the clothes they wore.
All else was destroyed. In this eX-
tremity Lawrence de Geer, son of his
former patron, invited him to Amster-
dam. Here he lived in comfort, taught
the children of some rich men for
living, and, owing to the generosity of
the younger De Geer, published hand
some and complete edition of all his
books on education, fOrty-two in num-
Der, according to Professor Laurie. And
here he waited and worked till in his
eightieth year he was called to his final
reward. Such were the most notable
events in the life of Comenius.
He was a man of deep religious feel
ings, and his religion furnished the mo-
tive of his life and of his educational
theories. Calmly disdainful of perse-
cutions and troubles which would have
crushed character with a less conf
dent faith, he devoted himself to the
religious advancement of his fellow
countrymen and his fellow men with a
singleness of purpose and without re-
serve. For it must not be supposed
that in deVoting so much time to edu-
cation he lost sight of his religious mo-
tive. He held that the seeds of wisdom,
virtue and piety are implanted in every
soul, and that it is the part of educa
ton so to nurture them that they may
be brought to a proper maturity, wis
dom leading up to virtue, and virtue
up to piety. The heavenly ideal of man
is that he should know all things, mas
ter all things, including himself, and
refer all things, including himself, to
the great God above us all. According |
education can know neither rank, con- |
dition, race nor sex, since before God |
all must stand upon the platform of |
common humanity 1t is worth one |
while to quote his argument for the ed
ucation of women, whom he calls the
later sex. And in passing we should |
not fail to notice the delicate cOmpli
ment which he pays to woman in re-
fusing to call her, according to the
current phraSeOlogy of his time the
inferior SEX or even, according to the
current phrase based wholly upon the
order of creation. Nor" says he, ito
say something particularly on this sub
ject, can any sufficient reason he given
why the later sex should be wholly
shut out from liberal studies whether
in the native tongue or in Latin. For
equally are they Gods image, equally
are they partakers of grace, and of the
Kingdom to come; equally are they
furnished with minds agile and capable
of wisdom, yea, often beyond our sex;
equally to them is there a possibility
Of attaining high distinction, inasmuch
as they have ofen been employed by
God himself for the government of peo-
pies, the bestowing of wholesome cOun-
sells on Kings and Princes, the science
of medicine and other things useful to
the human race, nay even the prophetic
office and bishops. Why then should
we admit them to the alphabet but af-
forwards debar them from books? Do
we fear their rashness? The more we
occupy their thoughts, the less room
will there be in them for rashness,
which springs generally from vacuity
of mind.
1t was thus his religious motive led
him in advance of his time to the doc
trine of universal education. I'VE de-
sign" he says, for all who have been
born human beings, general instruc-
ton to fit them for everything human.
They must, therefore, as far as posi-
BILE be taught together, so that they
may mutually draw each other out,
enliven and stimulate" How strange
all this must have sounded in the
seventeenth century,
And again in the same strain he says,
Not only are the children of the rich
and noble to be drawn to the school,
but all alike, gentle and simple, rich
and poor, boys and girls, in great towns
and small, down to the country vii
lagos. And for this reason. Everyone
who is born a human being is born
with this intent-that he should be
a human being, that is, reasonable
creature, ruling over the other crea-
lures, and bearing the likeness of his
Maker" This l believe to be the earli-
est appearance of a demand of educa-
ton for every human being simply be-
cause he or she was a human being.
While this was a tardy statement of
what seems to us an inevitable cOnse-
1uence of the acceDtance of Christian |
ity, it has taken the world two hun
bred and fifty years to reach the stand .
point of COmenius.
Shortly before his death, COmenius
wrote these words: Il thank God
hat I have all my life been q man of