The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-11
EDUCATIONAL Factors
PLEA FOR RELIGIOUS TRAINING
MADE.
Rev. John NJ. Lewis Nentilates His
Ideas Upon the Necessity of Relig-
ious Education as a Basis.
Concluded from yesterday


1t is the function of the school TO
train the individual for ideal citizen
ship, whether as u citizen he spends
his energies on the farm, in the shop,
in the Office or in the pulpit. That
man is truly educated who is able
and willing, for the service he can
render to society, to adapt himself 10
his limited capacity and his inevitable
environment. In other words the
man who has learned the principle of
self-control and self-sacrifice is the
truly educated man. There is a So
called school learning which turns out
intellectual prigs or intellectual dudes.
But as far as being a positive factor
in the welfare of society they have no
influence. Some schools can be called
no more than sort of an intellectual
manufacturing shop, where the indi-
vidual is patched and painted with a
few facts and then sent forth as, n full
fledged graduate, while the powers OF
the soul have been left undeveloped.
Such education may make men smart.
but il does not make men moral or Il
valuable addition to the State
An educational system which does
not have for it's distinctive purpose
the training of the pupil in the moral
principles is false religion, and is a
menace to the well being of society.
For the ultimate ground upon which
society must rest is not knowledge,
but morality No state can permanent
w maintain itself unless the moral
law forms the basic principle of its ac-
tivity. The glory of nation does not
q Il l.. I.
the morality of the mass. Civilization
will rise no higher than the avera--r
morality of the common people. The
common people of tomorrow are in
the schools of today. 1t is essential
that the educator insisted upon the
cultivation of the moral principles and
the religious sentiment. Otherwise he
fails in his duty. The danger that
threatens us in these days of science,
of art and of literature, is moral Igno-
rance and moral Indifference. And if
our school neglect the moral and re-
ligious elements in education they
simply augment this danger. If our
educators so emphasize the intellectu-
al element in education that the indi-
vidual receives the idea that knowl-
edge is the only power, he commits a
grievous sin against society.
The individuals SO educated easily
fall prey to the temptation of using
their knowledge for unworthy ends.
And the service they may render so
ciety and State is founded too often
upon their own selfish interest. Such
an education develops politicians and
not statesmen, schemers and not hon
est men. 1t is out of such an educa-
ton the Mephistopheles of society IS
born. He has intelligence, but not
virtue. He has thought but not con-
science. And it is a developed con-
science that is needed in these days
of close, severe competition of the bus
mess of life.
The distinctive idea of education
then is to so discipline the mind that
intelligence and virtue, thought and
conscience, shall be united. And thus
enable man to lay hold. with
courageous hand, of the great issues
of life, and solve them for himself and
society. a pupil should be impressed
of his kinship with the Divine; whose
ethical ideas have been enlarged, and
one who goes out into the world as n
positive factor for righteousness, rea-
dy in his independent way to meet
the needs of his age and people.
JNO. NJ. LEWIS.