The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-25


centuries. 1t has been, and is still,
struggle between religion and human
PHILOSOPHERS to fix this primary doctrine
of life. Lycurgus, Pythagoras, Socrates,
Plato. Cicero, Seneca, Quintilian, Luz.
ther Erasmus Sturm, Montaign, Bacon,
Comenius, Locke, Rousseau, down to
Huxley and Spencer have all contended
for a special Interpretation of human life,
and striyen to educate the race by 1t.
In fact, every educator is first an inter-
prefer.
But in this lecture / am concerned
about Christian eduaction, or an educa-
ton that is limited to the doctrines
taught by Christ He was the birth of
new era, because He brought to the
world the sublimest doctrines ever taught
men. He brought final truth. He set
value on the individual, declared inn
mortality, revealed sin, employed the
Holy Ghost to regenerate, revealed God
as father, declared universal broth
erhOod and announced his divinity as the
basis of all human glory. Such doe
trines gave new inspiration to life and
birth to a kingdom that should be uni
versal. His aim is the redemption Of the
race, and in his idea of redemption is
included every power of human nature.
HEST. III ScIltIdl. are Lit
doctrines that give distinction to Chris
tian education, and this distinction is
as essential and radical as is the truth He
| taught.
1t is necessary to call attention to some
Of the false notions of Christian educa-
ton. There is a class of men who have
little sympathy with it, but at the same
| time are forced to patronize it, and it is
| not surprising that they should interpret
| it a meaningless farce.
Christian education is not to be con-
| founded with moral education. Morality
moves on entirely different basis. Chris
tianity finds its basis in the divine SON
| ship Of Christ and the true GOdhead;
morality finds its basis outside of God.
Nor must it be cOnfounded with few
minutes Of daily devotion, or an Occa-
sional companionship with members Of
the church. The reading Of & few YER
SEES OF Homer and a short prayer to JOve
| is not teaching Greek, however much
the leader in such ii pagan worship might
believe in Homer and JOve. Companion
| ship with Pythagoras or Newton would
never have made a mathematician Of
man. The donation of a Bible on gradu
alton day, is too small an affair to meet
all the claims of Christ.
Christian education is the incubation
of the doctrines Of Christ as the final doc
trines of life. a college that does not
| teach the Bible as the supremest text
| book, does not give Christian education
any more than Sunday School that
teaches Hostetter's Almanac gives Chris
| tan eduaction.
| The value and necessity of Christian
| education are seen in the results of
| l. I,
| ing in our civilization that is not the pro-
duet of Christianity. Trace our history
| from His advent, and everywhere He has
redeemed our life.
| 1t is to Christianity we owe our best
| literature. 1t has opened deepest re-
gions Of thought, and inspired the sub
| FINEST visions of the poet. Take the
| Christ out of Dante. Milton, Shakes
| peare Wordsworth TennysOn, Shelley,
| COwper. Pope. Schiller, and what is left?
1t has redeemed our homes. Christ
| redeemed childhood 1t was not the
work of Wordsworth and Dickens. it was
the work of Christ. The church has been
| the preserver of our children.
Woman owes all she is to Christianity.
| The church was the first to educate her,
even when the State fought the idea
as a diabolical heresy.
| Our social life has been blessed through
the power of Christianity. 1t has set
value ON the individual and has destroyed
every system of degradation.
| The question now is a plain and sim
pie one. Shall the doctrines of Christ
| be the fundamental aim Of our education,
or shall we disregard In education the
sole creative factor of our civilization?
| The State declares for a secular edu-
cation and rules religious teachings out
OF it's schools. The church stands for
| Christ, and bases upon Him its educa-
| tiOnal work
Every period of our history that has
ruled revealed religion out of education
has been deluged with infidelity and vice.
| The renaissance had it's birth in Italy.
With the revival of the study of the
classics. came discount of religion and
an expulsion of it from education. Italy
was deluged in an infidelity and vice
! from which it has never recovered.
In Germany the renaissance was cOntroll-
ed for religious ends, and out of it grew
the Reformation.
Rousseau and Voltaire waged war
on religious education in France, until
they had dethroned Christ, and enthroned
reason and culture as the aim of educa
ton, and through this came the vilest
influences that have ever cursed a nation.
To-day the States in America are OPP
posing religion as the basis of educa-
ton, and tide of infdelity is sweeping
the country. Young women in secular
colleges join with the Anarchists of Chi
cago in jeering stab at the church.
Viewed as a policy, the opposition Of
the State to Christian colleges, is the I'M
wisest procedure, and is almost base in
its gratitude. The State owes more to
the church of God than it owes to itself.
1t cannot preserve in it's citizens the high
est element of their grawtn and, security,
and yet it impedes the church in its eff
forts to work for the State. ~ 40
There are a,few unphilosophic men who
think the State quite sufficient. They
talk of a Christian State. If they mean
a State in which men are allowed to pray
without being hung, then China is as
good as America. If they mean State
whose ethics are the ethics of Christ,
| tbop har-raon1c Go hlat h troll and Iii