The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-04
The Head and the Heart.

What are the young people of today
taking more pains to develop, the heap
or the heart? Is mental culture only
true education ? These questions COME
sharply to mind now and then, espef
cially as one marks, tbEe +s:end or tetJjsl-
oping young women.
UNs fashionable nowadays 20 be re-
puted "brainy." The civilized world
is full Of clubs and circles and socie-
ties and conventions for the study of
this and that popular author. theory,
art, of science. Matrons and misses
spend many hours in meetings for mu-
tual exchange Of thought-their own
or another's-a undertake courses of
reading somewhat appalling in view
of countless other claims upon modern
woman.
1t is wor thy ambition if We can give
good answers to questions at the head
of this article. Otherwise it is no bet
ter than the zeal of acqusitiveness in
other directions. AS soon as the pur-
suit of education develops the indivi-
dual's head at the expense of the heart
it is injury. Education which is not
toward symmetry of character is mis-
taken. Pride of intellect, however
mighty the intellect, is false and in
solent pride leading into ways of de-
struction. Because Of it men desecrate
the sacred laws laid down forthe good
of their kind and defy their Maker no
less. and much more culpably, than
the reckless ignorant.
Let strife for knowledge find its
highest motive in a desire to deepen
and broaden the usefulness of the
striyer. Let all learning serve to
strengthen a nature devoted to good.
After accomplishment avoid vanity.
Have pleasure but not complacency IN
the growth of intellect. Do not fall
into the error of thinking that the
Hclever'' are not bound by the same
moral laws that must control the SIM
ple. Do not let your growing
Understanding reach height which
will remove you from kindly sympathy
with your fellows.
While it is true that mental attain
ment changes our choice of compan-
ionship. it should never lesson our pa
tience with any yearning after the poor,
the ignorant, and the SHINING. When
we find the appetite for learning grow
ing keeper and keener, and interest in
orr fellow-creature's welfare becoming
regulated entirely by their congenlallty
we are to suspect that the head needs
an impetus. Whosoever does not pity
but scorns the unwisdom of an inferior
should have care. He is growing to-
ward moral distortion, and missing the
praces which all the gifted owe to their
Maker as the result of gifts and adj
vaptages. Wisdom is above rubies,
but only when our works are commit
ted TO the Lord are our thoughts estab-
lished. The Bible says nothing OF the
good of intellect apart from the heart.
r. charges US not to lean to our under
standing, and it declares that God
"pondereth the hearts" The unlm-
proved talent is largely supposed 10 DE
a talent of the head, and many VINO
make intellectual gains imagine they
will give the Master his own with in
terest. But of love, the talent OF the
heart he will demand increase.
! The study and application that tend
Ito self-aggrandizement are wasted ef'
forts. The head and the heart. The
attainment as q means, not as an end
"Take away the dross from the silver
and there shall come forth vessel for
the finer.n That vessel shall be the
heart full of true wisdom guiding the
head full of real understanding both
shall find favor and render the sweet
and high influences which declare the
warm, bountiful amplified individual.
ty. But "whoso boasteth himself OF
false gifts is like clouds and wind
without rain"