Year: 1872

BOURBON, Oct. 21st, 1872.


10 the Hon. TtOnapS AcDondid and Hem


bars gt tie 4Hra't21 County Ttcaers,
AssOctattoa.


In attempting to prepare an article on the sub


]ect assigned me some time since, feel at loss tC


know just where, or Aoac to commence


That religion and morality are the chief ele.


ments OF our public school system, u.s. COR ought te
oe, admitted by every teacher, as well as patron
and school officer in the land. But how far NAV
the teacher go in moral and religious instruction!
is the topic assigned me, and am unable to say ia
yon just how far.


Your own idea of the words morality and reli-
gion will have much to do in regard to how far you


may go in this instruction.


Our calling as procession, is second to none, an
In view of this, what we expected to do In the
discharge of our obligation teachers there is no
subject assigned for consideration, in the pub
lie schools, but has for its object tie moral, the
religious as well as the intellectual and physical
development of those trusted to our care. There
tore, MIR. President, claim that the office or obli-
CATION of the teacher is not accomplished when be
or she has officated III the common rectations of
our ordinary task assigned from the text books
commonly used, but there is something more i'm
pressive than all of this. What is it that mainly
distinguishes the civilized from the unciyilized nor
ton of our globe? Answer says, knowledge. query
knowledge of what? l answer knowledge of the
God OF our existence; the and supreme ruler of
all the kingdoms OF this earth This knowledge
Mr. President, and sufficient application of the
same to the minds and sensblties of the people.
Is a safe protection against the many evils and
errors into which mankind are liable to fall and If
is this knowledge, also, that lifts u.s. as an intelli
gent and christian people from the dark and dang
erous theories of Paganism And what a gain
ask, are we doing to impart soundness and perma
nency to that knowledge we profess so much 10
value and admire? Is it not most extensively true
that when we appeal to the different classes. and
occupations ofindviduals we meet with Indifference
If not with repulse? We solicit the farmer to visit
the school, but he iE TOO much engaged with the
care OF his stock TO look after his children We ap
ply to the tradesman, but his account of profit and
ioss must be adjusted before he can attend to the
source OF profit and oss-in the mind We call uuo,r
tne physician, but he has too many patients in the
arms OF death, to allow him hour for arrestipg
the spread of contagion, by which if neglected.
hundreds Of Others must per ish. We apply to the
lawyer and the judge, but they are redressing the
wrongs and avenging the violated laws of society,
they are so engaged in uncoiling, the folds of ur-
ent serpent which has wound himself around the
state that they cannot stop to crush a hundred of
the young, ere they Issue from the nest to wind
their folds alike around the State the laws and it's
ministers We apply to the clergyman; he bids us
God spee1, but commends us for assistance to ths
first man we meet, for he an1 hs flock are be-
leasured by seven evil spirits in the form OF seven
Qt.2g kaaaf1fo al 49, ty,.,
torsh IRON his doors and the first man we meet is
MS clerical brother, but he too, has seven fatA
heresies TO combat and he solemny assures us that
the most dangerous leader of them all, is the man
we have just left. We apply to the wealthy ard
benevolent who are carrying vast religious enter
prise abroad; but they have just shipped their car
goes OF gold to Africa to Asia and TO the uttermost
isles OF the sea AMI spare nothing never asking
themselves the question who in lie neri generation
will support the enterprise they have begun and re-


ain the foos-hold they may acquire, if they suffer
heathenism and the idolatry of worshiping base
passions to spring up in their native land and around
their own doors. We go to those great antagonist
theological institutions, which have selected high
social eminence all over the land and entrenched
themselve against each other as warning generals
fortify their camps upon the summit of confront
ing hills. We implore them to send out one wise
and mighty man to guide this great people through
wilderness more difficult to traverse, than that
which stretched between Egypt and Canasn, but
each hostile sect is engaged propagating creed
which it bn"cs to be against the fatal delusions
OF those various and opposite creeds which each of
the other sects also kr,o. to be true. OH when will
men learn that ever since the Savior bowed his head
upon the cross and said sit is finished there has
been hufh enough in the world to make all men
wise, holy and happy. All that is wanted, all that
ever has been wanted-is minds that will appreciate
truth. The barbarian cannot appreciate it, whether
born in New leland or in New England The be-
nighted and bruitifed child, whose thoughts are
born OF prejudice, whose actions of sensualism
whose moral sensibilities have been daily scared
from his birth with the hot iron of vicious customs
and maxims, cannot discern truth, cannot know it,
VIII not embrace it, whether his father is called
sarage or a christian. If we say that the concep-
tons and desires of such minds are Transcript of
divine truth, what do we affirm the original to be?