-. 1.: -- -. - . #:-Oipits9..it; illtblist
ADDRESS
S. W. TEWXSIIVRY, Esq.,
Of Lathroz, Ai a Subbath'•&hooi Festival, held
lah - 6122:t.etnrreb, Brooklyn, Pa., Sept. 1,1858.
' • [Published by request I
.
T '
LADIES, AND - GENTLEDEN.TIIO s present
occasion is highly interesting and suggestive.
Within:these hallowed 'shades, we have as
-sembled; upon this lovely morning, to engage
in the exercises ola Sabbath School Celebra
tion.
Before me, composing the various
.delegations, are the young, the middle-aged,
and the old, that have left behind them their
amusements and their cares, for the purpose
of coming 'hither to participateirobe.festivi.
ties of the:day., .
An exhibition like this, affords the contem
plative mind food:for prOfltable,meditatio.n.
Inlecikingover•the - assembly, I see displayed
'the physical changes of man, incident to his
pilgrimage front ..the,..cradle. to -the grave.
Bowed .- fortnN furrowedlrows,_and hoary
locks,' Warn ns of life's decline, . and convey
. the : admonition, that our fathers and Mothers
swill soon psis away ' and the places''that now
know them, know-them no more forever."
As venerable age furnishes its leisons, so
may we derive instruciion from the contem,
plation of manhood is its prime. ' At - this
period, the victor in • life's we - o'4re ; flushed
with success, burdened with bettors, panting
for renown; proudly surveys the arena where-
on was displayed his valor ; and instead of
hanging.his weapons upon the ivall,and yield
ing to the allurements-of pleastire, or' repose,
shouts ''EXCELSIOR ravel dashes on to achieve
other and still more glotious conquests. .
But if-the consideration. of old
,age, and
manhood's priane, is edifying and instructive,
no less so'must be the study Of, man in. his
youth, or adolescencii. This I.,ritiLts me di
seedy to my subject ;. for in accordance, with
armngerneiat I propose to offer a few remarks
upon the suliect of education in general, but
more part:milady in, reference to the proper
intellectual, nioral, and pltysiCal culture of
vouth:
-- I begin; then, by . remarking that: every
child; as is well known, comes into the world
endowed with ti'mind of a siren cakeity.
Thii'mind, though .a unit, is, neYerthele-s,
composed of manypfferent faculties, each of:
which- performs someimportant office in the
mental economy ; and as the subsequent
career of any individual is intima , elv associ
ated With the s5-stematic, harmonious, and
complete development of all the
. powers of
the soul, it is highly necessary that correct
views of edricatiOn by. entertained - by teach
ets, parents, and guardiau..- -All know that
the first impressions the and -of - a child re
ceives, are more lasing than those made at
a later period, afer the intellect becomes, 9S
it were, indurated by I;itbit, and its power in
a measure distranteti s by the excitements and
absorbing concerns of life : Hence we dis
cover the value of surround - Me children with
•
influences favorable for'slievelopirient of
their Mental" energies, anT 7 establishing over
them a salutary disCiptine bused on a . just
conception of the pants. iin - .1 capacity, the:
• vearniegs and destine of immortal souls/
That portion of the mind 'culla:icing memory,
ideality; the perceptive and reflective :facel
: ties, should early receive the attention of
skillful educators, who 'should seek, not •so
much to infuse a large nrnourtt of ideas and
. uninteresting facts into the pupils! minds, 'as .
to train them . how to think—how •to pursue,
a line of cons ecutive reasoning. -:Tliis induc
tive mode of insA action - which, you ale a
ware, is fast becoifiing truiversal, iu the-opini
on of . enlightened and . progressive Minds,
tendsJimoye to the annealing,invigorating and
normal
cultivation . of the.intellect than all
other systems of instruction, abroad in the
land. -In former. times, 7 :-atid indeed, to a
great extent, jt is so at the preserit:day-pu
pils were too much made the.. passive - recip
ients of knowledge ;—their minds, crowded
with other people's thought s,were-uninitiated
in the art, of ratiocination. Steffan", the
mind, is not educating :it ; and though,"by.so.
doing, the memory -may be imptored,yet this
:Would not seem-to afford good reason for a
dopting the, "pouring in" system.' Indeed,
memory, is, by no means, the only faculty, of
the mind requiring Stimulation., The'dog--
ma of!a Grecian - sage that, " snore memory,
mere 'triind," is an, expliided theorem.. It
- frequently happens, that'petsons gifted with
retentive merucryihave poor judgment, the
lack of which greatly impairs their usefulness;
if it does'not absolutely disqualify - them for
the high and responsible duties of life. Let
it be. remembered, ;that - ability to attquire
- knowledge is not, theLonly . eViclence of intel
lectual greatness." The child that early ex
hibite skill in memorizing,is not sure of being_
i geniis ;,-instances to the contrary often oc-.
cur.,
tut while other-faculties of the. intellect
hare's just Claim - upon the 2feeeptor's atten
tion; the cultivation of the reasoning powers
• shouldreceive his unremitting care. Train
children to think closely and . they • will 'be
-come. intelligent, sagacious, noble-minded
men endwomao ; not addle-brained dandies,
nor hysterical, novel-teading,lezy devotees of
fashion—a reproach to their sex, mete drones
in society, despised by the industrious, ,and
serving no Useful purpose whatever.
. • Slaves can never be made of thinking. men.
'true, destx:rtisiii 'may shackle the limbs, but
not the-soul ! ~ That no tyrants . chain Can
bind-Hgo-dungeonhold—nci bayonet enter ! '
Aipark of Divinity , * created for immortality,
it bids..defiance to the oppressor's power ; and .
though Oebody, it animates may Wither and
. quiverin agony upon the rack: -the battle
field, orlat.,the stake, yet conscious of its
destiny, exulting in .its freed r,, it rises
superior to - the, anguish of the. t nteut, and
unconquered, undismayed, wi lehrjas of
triumph—with exultation of Soy, it closes its
earthly. career,
.and takes its flight ter the
' mansions of bliss I- : • . ' .
Again' . An : All individual; whose reasoning
. !amities have been nioperly 'disciplined, is
-lees apt to._ embrace error than one' whose
education is deficient in this-particular. Our
_everyday experience confirms the verity-of this
declaration. • . . - lr. .- - ,
_
. Further:. many of our youtfr ' people are -so
much absorbed - in the • tmsl3P
and-to as
alarming eitent=pernicious literature of the
day; so much engaged in tritlitg miusetheos,
and,-worshipping at fashion's s_brin4ithat they
can afford no time to devote to the cultiva.
tioo of the 'bunt highest energies ; no time
for laying in a stock of splid attainments so in.
dispeusible for their fuitire usefulness. and
success. This state of things is truly deploi-
- ,
_ •
K. WE :MET OURSELVES TO No PARTY' THAT DOES
able; and .can be corrected only by a proper
education ofthe young ;•by teaching them to
love scientific truths more than fiction
curbing their wayward fancies ;, gradually!
Accustoming their strebgthenieg v powers to
grapple with difilculties,untll a hebit is fermi.;
ed of patient,. systematic, and thorouh iii,
vestigation; Streit a habit once contracted;
will "grow, with their growth, and strengthen
with their strength," until a taste for the fruits
of philosophibal research, and whatever in
literature is pure and msthetical, will become
. so firmly' established as to exert. over them
an influence- that will enable them to with
stand the solicitations of Vice and . maintain
amid the most trying circumstances, a requi
site degree of fortitude and composure. Since
life is astern reality,should notlhe ethicatio
of youth be conducted with especial reference
to this ' fact? The reply of Agesilaus, al;
Spartan g, when asked what he thouht
most proper't'or boys tolearni should no tbel
forgotten.. Indeed, in the education.of child
ren, ive might, learn many profitable lessons.
from the records of antiquity.
I reipeetfully submit that it is the duty or,
every young man whatever maY behis pecu e
Mary cirounistances, er social pesition, to no
-quire some useful trade, or profession. Life
is full of changes.. The rich of to-day, are
poor to-morrow ;
and the young would dol
well to•Riepare for 'all the vicissitudes that,l
attend us on our earthly pilgrimage..
.', Too, every young lady, however -rarious,
her attainments in ether respects, shouldi
familiarize herself with the whole routine!
of what the Roman :matrons celled , "res do e ;
tizeslica"--dornestic affairs. Unless she do
this, her-education is,incomplete ; she is un-.!
qualified for engaging in the business of life,`:)
and-rendering eheerful and pleasant her own';
home, should she be fortunate enough to
cure one, It may be an unpalatable truth, : :
but—to the shame of both sexes the it said—
very many of the young, who ought to know - I
better, take far more pains to adorn their per
sons, to create a sensation by an . attractive;
exhibit
.. of dress-moods, galvanized jewelry, .1
and French-paste'brilliants, than to lay upiu i
memory's store-hous3 a 'magazine of know- '
ledge for ,subsequent use. The present is :I
denominated a utilitarian age, and, we are;
called a practical people. , This is rnauifestly
true; but the way in which malty of the
young are being educated, or -rather mis .
educated,woeld seem to contradict the vaunt- 1
ing asgveration. We have too Much of
parlor, and too little kitchen culture ; too
many genteel rowdies and too few good
farmers and mechanics ;. to much Superficial
ity, and too little I,'utiianic integrity and
common sense; too much fawning at the feet
of opulence, and not enough sympathy for the
poor; too much sham-politeness,and too little,
heart-felt courtesy ; too much time spent in
frivolous pyisuits, and not enough dovoted to
life's practicalities; too much - interfering with
other- people's business, and eeelectiec no, .
own. on i tor' a return of those motel old
Macs of primitive simplicity, • when 6 honesty,
sobriety, and virtue, controled the action of
men, more than they do. at the present day
En epeou-opirlions everywhere prevail; and
the-e can be corrected in no other way than
b: diffusing intelligence among the people,
—paying strict regard to the educatiotrof the
young.
Bet the intellect orellildren should not be
cultivated reeaell+e-s of their moral suscepti
bilities- That this has been too often Sone,
the history of the, world b l ears melancholy
testimony. li.nowledge is truly a mighty .
power—a power that ; uncontroled by priu
ciples of morality, unsubservient to the holier
impulses of the.soul, is probe to overthrow
the barriers, erected by the usages of enlight
ened society = trample ,law and' order in the I
dust—oppose the claims of Christianity, and t o
feckless of consequences, rush madly onward, ;
. -
intent only on the accomplishment of its un
hallowed desigas! - The pages of history— t
sacred 'and proifatie—ancient and modern,
-abound with examples touching 'the fact in
question. Behcild an Alexander„at the head
of his Unconquerable legion,sweeping through.
the East likea.demori of i•crath, razing city
after city into the :dust; butchering' been,.
tombs of unoffending intedeteere, - and -con
signing to hopeless bondage multitudes more;
desolating whole provinces with fire and
sword, and carrying the terror of his arms to
the remotest bei ndaries of the civilized world!!
Here is present d:a Man endowed by nature
with extraordinary - intellectual part* which
were developed y.a thorough and systematic
course of instr etion. But, unfortunately - ,
born a prince, exposed,, from childhood, to
corrupting intlueoces of a dissolute court;— '
gratified in all his desires, no wOnder his mo
_
rid sensibilities beaame...deprared ; and in
stead of.having been servicable to mankind,_
Ibe is re.vealedto, us gas a monster of ericked•
,
Lness, a scourge to his race. From the career
of this blood-thirsty conqueroeend other per
sonages of similar character,. we learn a use
, ful lesson. We discover how necessary it is i
for the ultimate good, not only of each indie
%ideal, but for ..the universal brotherhood of;
man, that the moral faculties, the humanizing,
i l .,and refining suSceplibilities of the soul receive.
their due propciqiOn of culture and develop
; ment conjointly" With the education of the
I intellect. Loo- over community,' and•yor(
will find indivi ualepossessing a considerable
, fupd 1 of intel l igence—perhaps enterprising
'arid suecesful ip business; but with morals de l
plorably lax. I SUch - persons, though they
~mair be treated. with civility by-the upright; '
rarely receive their coufidence,--nerer their.
esteem. There is between virtue and ',vice ;
purity and impurity, such are antagonism.
that for these elements to - 'assimilate - would'.
rbe utterly impossible., A man void of moral'
principle may' truly, be compared toe red=
clerks* shirr et s.ell—tossed rudely about by:
; every wave thatsrolls, and every wind that
blows. Vice, conscious of its • hideousness
and deformity, endeavors to , screen itself from
observation. Virtue, relying upon
Wo ifs intrin- .
sic 'rth, 'Courts no disguise, or concealment,:
but . displays I itself
.openly to view. The
former is cowardly and deceitful, : the latter .
magnanimonsjand true, The reward of vir4
toe, is presept enjoyment, and prospectiv4
felicity beyond tbe grave. The votaries of
sin, wretehed,.deaded,and abandoned,knovi .
atle of the delights experienced by the culi .
toted in mind
. and pure in . heart ; conse
quentlYthey will reap, while:in this. "World;
naught cave a harvest of misery, and find un= -
timely graves, leaving behind them no "sunny
neurones,"—no estinples worthy of imitet;
tion. ',
Mankind admire_ _heroic "achievements
whether -of intellectual or physical prowess,
But there is a heroism 'no loss. entitled to our
ontroit; cs , usqueljanna Cotuttir,
admiration because it manifestis itself in a
silent, unostontiave manner. I allude to
that moral courage which enables a man to
do that he thinks is right ; regardless ,Of the
seofrs, and jeers, and railery of the world.
This eletnent of matt% nature cii . ostitittes the
true hero; and oh ! that each of - us Might
exereise,more of it, and fear lett,wltrit our
companionstould say of us, were we to adopt
Certain mica' for the , government of bur
lives f•
" since morality And Christianity,
as revealed to us by. the Wont of Inspiration,,
are intimately_associated with the ,happiness,
prosperity, and glory of our country, it is of
Ottil importance that -the rising generation,
which mast speedily become the custodians
of the liberties, - both Civil and era
eujoy, be taught the
: moral responsibilities
devolving upon them. There is no disguis
ing the fact, that . morals,. public and pd.
vete, are becoming- alarmlingly depraved all
over cn. land. The journals of the day,their
columns teeming-with recitals of awful and
disgusting crimes, herald forth to the world
this. melancholy truth. But how, I inquire,
are we to arrest the fearful torrent ollorman
depravity that is rolling throughout the length
and breath Of our union,- threatening to en
gulf in its stygian waves every vestige of that
morality and patrivistn which forms the
only Cement that binds these individual and
sovereign States in one harihonious confedera
tion,- except by educating our youth morally
es well as intellectual) Obviously this con
summation can Le- se'cured iu no other way;
and secured it must be, or, I fear, our Re
public has seen its palm'e t days! And
what American citizen,in whose bosom glows
a spark of that patriotic zeal that nerved a
Warren-and a Washington fur the contest,
does net 'shudder as he contemplates the
frightful consequences that would intvitably
ensue, not only to us, bat to every land, and
.people, and tongue under the whole heavens,
should our Union become dissolved. Shall
we, by a criminal unconcern, allow the fair
edifice of otir constitutional liberty to crumble
in the dust, and have it said of us tit posteri
ty, as involved in all the horrors of anarchy
and fratricidal war, they drag after them the
galling chain of slavery, "you knew your
duty, but you did it not! you folded your
arms in oblivious repose, while the foe was
sapping the temple of freedom ; and we, I*,
the unfortunate victims of your neglect, InOt
linger out. a wretched existence,, and transmit
to our children the same execrable boon
Forbid it, my friends 1 forbid it ye spirits
that watch over the destinies of this "land of
the free, and the home of the brave!"
The only safe guarantee for the
_perpetuity
of our institutions, faulty. though they may
be., in consequence of the imperfection of
human natu re,is manifestly in. tU intelligence
and virtue of the people. The permanency
of our government depends, not more upon :
the masses ; for, as we have - - endeavored to
show,splendid talents unsanctified by the re
straining and harmonizing, jtitluences of a
spotless morality, are often made subservient
to the worst of purposes.' Through the wis
dom of its founders, the plan of our govern:
melt is - such,that the avenues to civic.prefer
ment.are open to all, whether high or low - ,
rich or poor. Patricial and- . Plebeian have
nu place in the magna elearta of our...liber
ties ; but. no man should be invested with
the law-making, or lain-administering power,
whose conduct, is not regulated try precepts
.uf Divine truth. It is a shame and reproach
to us, as a people, that such an atinosphere of
moral pollution surrounds, and:even pervades
our halls of legislation. Since the habits
: and manners of those - standing in high places
are apt to he copied by the inJltitude, the
corruption'and venality of legislators, and
others in authority, exert a ballful influence
upon society at large. In view 'orthis fact
alone, who does not feel to exclaim withlef- ,
ferson, "I tremble for my country, when 1 re
member that God is jast r
Whatever is wrong should be abolished ;
but mankind can rarely be made to do right
by coercion. There appearsto be, ...I"cilic.us
princiolo chat urges us to resist any
means employed' by others to force us into a
Compliance with their wishes. The correc
tion of evil and abuses, whether social or
political, local or, national, can be effectually
accomplished only by the influence of reveal
ed Ch:lstianity, whose cardinal principles
should early be instiller] into every youthful
mind. You are doubtless familiar With the
language of Washington in relation to this
matter. Says this great andsgoed :man, "Of
all the dispositions and habits that lead to
political prosperity, religion and 'morality are
inlispmlible supports. A noble precept
this—one viouthy to 'be recorded in golden
characters, ih every household throughout
our land."
Children should be tanglit, that meekness,
gentleness, truth, forgiveness, compassion,an'd
•love, are the most pcweiful weapons for the .
conflict of life. True. it is, that "life is a war
fare ;" and- I' hazard the assertion, that our
foes'can be oftener vanquished by "the soft
answer that turneth away' wrath," than
by any other means. ' •
As parents desire the welfare of their off
spring, they should exercise over them the
strictest , superviliance,—firmly. yet gently
suppressing- every undue manifestations of the
passions, which, if allowed to control the
intellect in youth,will be apt to do so in after
years, when habits have become confirmed.
The seeds of good and evil- are planted in
every mind. Both varieties will germinate ;
and it requires a skillful hand to foster the - I
growth of the one, and restrain the . inherent
proclivities of the other.
This work of moral culture, so gs.sehtial to
the exaltation and stability of our national
character, demands the serious consideration
of all. No education -is complete without it;
no station in tits it would not • dignify and
!
adorn. The unperverted aspirations of man's
I .fiature • requi s reit ;. timidly felicity' prompts
it; Revelation enforces it. Who, then, will
not lend their influence in pronioting this,
the best good of fallen humanity I—Who so
cold and misanthropic, so indifferent to the
welfare of others, so deaf to mercy's cry, that
will fold their hands and sit quietly down,
when all around them, perhaps in the bosom
of their own families,_=are immortal souls,
draped iii the habilimehts of moral deprivis
ty -; mildewiOg for Want of spiritual light: and
beat; lost to all emotions of self-respect ;
tormented with the agonizing consciousness
of their - forlorn condition, and dashing win
toad career,., to. end, perhaps, in irretrievable
.
ruin 1
Friends of humanity ! - probationers for
NOT CARRY THE FLAG -AND KEEP MI! TO TRU MUSIC OF. Vale UNION."
, • _
'a, Ctafshg, _Boning, October 7, 1858
eteinity ! I entreatyou to pau and consider
what you are, what the relations •• u Sustain
to the world, what he responsibilitieadevolv
ing upon you. Foreiery talent misiiinpr- -
ed, evw v ddty nndi.lharged,yottwilf be held
amenable. As etlightened 'as
guardians of our natimal Falladium,as
and tenplers of youth, leeched you to . in- '
dustry,llto watchfidriess, to. virtue, and to
patriotism. Let yotr light shine, not with
It fitful gleam, but kisreacy, benign radiance.
Grapple with error, it'd eV° the monster no
quarter: Beard ignirame th its den ; and
drive superstition to its gloomy' lair. Hold
no parley with vice; hug virtue to your bos
oms. Be resolute to,do mid to dare., Give
truth a,cordial welcome ,falsehood
Seek not FOlr•Uhirifitqlijej,._!-15..• JO all' for toe
honor of your country. rod_your God. 'Pre
serve, under all circumstines, your self-com
mand, and self res - pect. - Stifle not the-"still
small voice" of coneciene. Do right at al!
tiMes ; do good as you have opportunity, and
you will lead peaceful ,ad happy lives; be
honored Had respected ; <le lamented and be
remembered with regret by your relations
and friends.
But aside from intellectial and moral cul- I
ture, there is a department of !science tool
often undervalued, yet sautary in its influ ,
voce, and eminently worhy our regard. I
allude ton knowledge of hose physical laws
that pertain to tho aniwateconorny of man.
The mysteriously sympatletie. relation subs
siting between the mind,and `body, fully
justifies the proposition, 'Tat there tan be no
intellectual health and vitiot without a norm
al and harmonious
So
at! the
physital potters. So liktkvise we may re
mark, in passing, that corporeal ability 4.1,e-•
pends essentially upon thebealtby condition
of the mental faculties ; fur grief, anxiety,
leinorse, or care, !messing long upon the mind,
exerts an undue influence upon-the bodily
organism—producing stun:Aims a complica
tion of disorders and ofisn death itself. Hence
we observe the beatitif t e,. and sublime tele-
Lions existing betweeri mind sad mat:er.
The mind is the vitalizisg . force that impels
the physical machinery ;.;--the various organs
of body the media through which ,are
communicated the thoughts and emotions of
the soul. The eleinentary principles which
goYein nris.d and . lodvy together with the
laws o£ promoting* the health of each, should
form a part of the education of every youth.
Of M u tt avail are filth:try ,attaiomentsvoid
of physical ability to make them serviceable
fo the world ? Verily they . are like the ta•
hint bid in a napkin ! - But how many gifttad
and cultivated minds there ire doing noth
ing, comparatively, f i 4. the good of society ;
lingering out a painful .existence=wretched,
melancholy and foilorn, solely an account of
physical impotency;! in early life, they dis
regarded the s laws bf their being, atid now,
alas ! tormented with the recollection of
4u irre past; cherishing. no hope of re
covery in the future ; their prospects blasted
—their aspirations unrealized, their days are
spent in unavailing regrets—in mourning
liver their folly and-disobedience.
"Order is Ilea% eis first'law," and every
thing created by Jellovah,moves in conform
ity to those immutable principles ordained
for the government of his boundless univetse.
nom 'the planetary worlds, performing their
sublime and harmonious nvolutions in'im
mensity of space, to the veriest ,animalcule,
in air, in eartit,or in ocean's fathomless caves,
we have the same undeviating system and
regularity. Ilan is no exception to - the
stupendous plan. Intellectually, morally, and
physically, he is subject to the laws adapted
to his capacity, wants, and organic conform
ation. Were he ,to obey implicitly these
laws, health, happiness, and prosperity, would
crown hiS earthly career. l'e.iause he diso
beys them, is the reason of much of the suffer
ing and-wretchedness prevalent in our world;
But I propose to speak more particularly of
physiological laws, the universal infraction
of which, is -entailing upon our nation a
catalogue Of dreadful evils. A cursory in
vestigation of the subject cannot fail to
satisfy the feeblest understanding, that, as a
people, we are physically deteriorating.
This Utah has arotised the attention of the
philanthropic and sagacious, who are becom
ing justly alarmed in view of the consequences
resulting from such a condition of things.
Are the rising genenstion,linquire,as healthy,
as lvigorons, as celebrated for muscular.
braWn, hardihood, and power of endurance,
its svere their fathers whose liven were 'spent
amid toils, pritntions, and dangers, incident
to their arduous struggles in subjugating the
wilderness, and fitting it fur the abode of
civilization and the arts of peace This
question admits of but one response,and that
in the negative. It may not .be unprofitable
to inquire into the cause of this wide-spread
physical degeneration. A solution of the pro
blem may be found in the fact,'hat in propor
tion as a nation -beconteS wealthy, it becomes
luxurious ;and luxury is the parent of num
erous evils which tend to enfeeble both mind
add *body: Idleness, extravagance, intemper
ance, and debauchery, s'prino from financial
piosperity ; and if. allowed ° free course will
produce tbe ovetthrowl of the best Government
under heaven.
The , history of the world bears witness
that luxury, and its concomitafitS, unrestrain
ed by the dissemination of correct principles,
will enervate the most virtuous and chivalric
people. Effeminacy once- allowed a perma- 1
tient foothold in a State, its extradition is Hut !
easily aftected. But inastanch as tho'preven• 1
tiou of any-evil is-usually lass difratalt than
its cure, it behooves a cotninuuiry to use all
proper means to prevent the intro loction of
whatever may become a source of annoyance
and alarm. •If then, we would behold our I
land occupied by an intelligent, enterprising,
.1
and capable population; our youth should
be - taught the mechanism of "the house we
live in,"."the palaCe..ef the soul." "Know'
thyself,?' is a maxim, the interpretation of
which, they ought clearly io understand.
llow much positive suffering might have been
prevented by a kruitiledge of nature's simplest
laws I Horace Mann, the great apostle of
popular education, :.remarked , in substance
..While at college, I was taught the motion of
the heavenly bodies, and the laws pertaining
thereto, with as much precision as though
the - stability of the universe delrended upon'
it; but of the laws that govern my own sys
tem, I was left in profound ignorance; the
consequence of which was; '1 broke down itt
my second-college year,and have been living
on borrowed capital ever - since." .The case
of this distitiguished scholar, is only one a
mong thousands illustrative of a pernicious
mode of education. It is s not enough that
, . •
the' intellect and Mokaisetitilltie t nts be subject
ed tQ discipline.—The
. physical powers must
be educate(' also, or.choastrous consequences
wilifollow. This is a truth,whiell . should
et, ...gage as
ignorance, in this enlightened age, is highly
culpable, not to say criminal. How many
ti'ere are, living in the Cobstabt vici.ation of
the laws of health, 'who, should they become
prostrated by disease, would irnpiously.charge
their misfortunes upon Providence. ! The all
wise Creator never designed the human fami
ly should degeneraie into an emaneiated,
woe•legone, hypochondriacal race of invalids..
No! he made tis for a noble purpose; and
fitted us fur enjoying : a great'deal of happi
ness while on earth and if by violating the
laws of our being, we involve ouitelves in
misery and ruin, the fault rests' with us, and
not . with God.
Perhapsit is not sayingAoo . much - to aver,
that the progress of Christianity in any na
tion depends essentially „upon the sanitary
condition of itsiSeofile.• A State physically
eebauched, must; from the nature of things,
become morally so. Wherever the passions
and apretites sway fheir stepter, humanity
'elapses into a Oita!) of brutish insensibility,
and heathenish barbarism. Any derange
ment, or obstructibh of thii \functions
tends to enfeeble the nind,.and render it less
susceptible to outward linpresiions.—less ca
pable fur the evolution of thought. In- view
of these things, we collect.the itnportance of
physical, as well as thental and Moral culture.
It is sad to contemplate the multitude of
vices and 'habits existing among us, all of
which operate to impair the public health.
An enumeration of these evils would fill a
volume.—Time forbids us tb notice but a
few of them.
First, a majority of our population, cape-
dally those who , reside in towns and cities,
do not Inhale enough pure air, in consequence
of which Many die ere life's meridian is tit
inirw.l.-tihavaMopeClitliy tri wintiOn
ill-ventilated apartments, the whole of one
sex, and a large portion of the other, spend
day after day, week after week, month after
mouth, inspiring.. noxious gasses that vitiate
the blood, and consequently impair the
healthfulness of the entire system. The vic
tims of this .tupid folly become feeble in
body, languid and irresolute in mind. 'Their
comeliness vanishes; and art is employed_ to
supply Abe loss. Health departs; and the
physician finds his way to their habitatim.
0, ignotance! into what labyrinths Of
wretchedness and despair thou bringest the
frail children of humanity ! When,
oh, when',
will thy thraldom lie broken, and mankind,
emerging from the darkness of error,,ba-k in
the sunlight of wisdom and truth ?
Secondly, intemperance is doing its work;
bighting the fairest prospeets; desolating
hearts and homes; blasting character and
destroying both body and soul.
Thirdly, the obscene publication; circu--
lated all over our land, eostrupt and demoral
ize youth fo a degrde that, I fear, is but
slightly reafizel The influetice of these pro
ductions is hostile to the diffusion of knowl
edge, and opposed to. the best good of tb
ciety: Let every 'parent warn his children—
evety guardian his wards—etery. teacher his
pupils, against contaminating themselves
with these means of bodily and spiritual cor
ruption. ' A seasonable'admonitien in respect
to this matter, may prevent years of decrepi
tude ; and what is still worse, agonies of re
niorse.,' • No emotions of false delicacy should
hinder a prompt dischatge of .duty in this
particular; as well as in all others, relative to
the welfare . of the youthful and inexperie nced. Fourthly, a, neglect to take a sufficient
amount of Muscular exercise, is an evil of
_growing magnitude. At this day, many
young men, and, perhaps; a few of the gentler
sex, affect to esteem manila' labor degrading.
Indeedi-so much do tome of. these finical ex
c`reseences abonhinate the idea of toil, they
frequently treat industrious`tnen and women,
the only true nobility on earth, with absolve
incivility. They doubtless itnagine their
delicate persons, redolent with perfume, be
tlizned with trinkets and gewgitvOs which
would better become an s nrquimaux, or
South-Sea islander, institutions too immactt=
late for contact with dust of the labor-field,
the laburatury, ur worn-amp. roor 'mown,
sods! tlimfgh their imbecility - entitles them
to our pity, yet were they apprenticed to
some useful trade, and forced to pursueit,
'they, and community, - would be greatly ben
efited !
.. s
Fifthly,every varietyof fashion that obstructs
the free and vigorous exercise of our physical
powers, should be, at once,. ignored. Fashion
is', a despotic sovereign ; and 'all over our
land." the sculptured Marble" designates the
spot where his victims repose. The man
who deliberately blows out his own brains, or
by any other means; purposely "shuffles off
this mortal coil," exposes his memory to ever
lasting infamy ; while thousauds on thousands )
who, knowing the consequences, by a leek
less violation of Ilygeia's laws, are commit
ting suicide every day of theil lives, will, af
ter _ death,
.lie eulogized for their ' virtues,
and their translationfrom earth atributed to
a dispensation of - Providence! Self . ..murder
is a crime-prohibited by the Decalogue; and
pray, whatts the - difference whether commit
ted instentaneously,or by a series of acts which
ultimately produce the Mule result !' Crime
1 is crime, whetbef perpetrated fashionably or
otherwise ! and I wish this truth could be
Ithundered in the ears of every accountable be
ing in christendom, and arouse the: perishing
,
1 sons and daughters. of humanity to a-sense
of their imminent peril,"ind Cause theta to fly
from the
_brink of that awful precipice ; to
.
ward vihich?.they ire blindly hastening.
Sixthly, swirls the impatience of the mass
of our population to obtain viealth, or firee,
that too little -time is devoted for reereation
—for allowing the -recuperative. energies, of
the system to peanut! their Oka; conse
quently health is itnpaired.'and the aspirant
often., fails to !secure his-olleot through 3113
injudicious precipitancy Je its pursuit. -
One thought twit' ,As the material and
spiritual prosperity nf. odr nation depends
greatly upon the physical stamina of its in - -
habitants, So upon the same .contingency
bangs th means of its protection against
foreign invasion. suppose an enbiiy were to
land upon °Or ehorbs to morrow; who, thiiik
you, would balm to respond to the tocsin
or alarm ?--76rst to .rally around our country's
standard; and urged on by -gl9oop,niettio
ries of the past, bare'theit booms to th . 6 foe,
and swear, as did cur revolutionary sires, " to
die freemen rather than live slavee—svienr
to' prOtect from desecration Omit household
gods ? Would they be of thit class which
luxury and vice have eafeebld ?
strong and capable "of bearing the
fat --
d
ly
ol
b'bject;. never yet attained ply pity
ing the unfortunate does not relieve their
distress. Cominiseration is not the only (.Ity
enjoi Le I upon -us. - •
Finally, my friends, if we would be instru
mental in alleviating„the woes of mankind—
in consumating the heaven-born scheme of
the world's enlightenment and evangeiiratiorl;
we must arouse from our slumbers; bid ftre
kell
t 6 luxury 'and ease; close our ears to
plesitire's siren voice; eschew seta-dines.% and
whether in matters, of religion,
politics, or morals; succor the distressed ;
,forgive the erring ;,encourage the timid ; cau
tion the,bold . ; pity rather than, censure the
ignorant; in short, in all our conduct
. obey
the precepti of,justice, inerey,and love. _"So
shall our earthly career be Useful and happy ;
and when, at last, the grave opens to receive
us, we may lie down in death, tranquil and
serene; and with the_ pleasing consciousness
of ditty done;-Close our eyes on all subliniaty
things; and sustained by the ChristAiirs faith,
triumphantly exclaim, in view of the felicities
that await us in the spirit:. land—
•
"Farewell, conflicting hopes And cares,
Where lights and shanes.alternale dwell!
bight thp unchanging morn appears!—
Farewell, inconstant world farewell :"
PioOd: in Mifflin County, Pa.
We mentioned that-on Wednesday night
the rain came down in torrents, and that a
young - man nankddam lfueardy had' lost
-his life on w fish asket. -The circumstances
attendinr , his death_were• of the mOst harrow
ing kind, be liming held on to the'tiasket for
two lung hours; which must have been years
to him on the brink • Crf • etetnitY; duriM:rs all
which time the turbid ivere grad ually '
rising
rising higher and hither, until at last, con
sciods that his. mortal career on earth was
closing, he said, "Geed can hold on no
longer," and Was,swept into eternity; The
young man
. who had been with hirtksticeeed 7
ed in reaching the shore - When the water first
rose; and gave the Mardi. Several neighhoti
Were soon gathered oti . - the shOra and vari
ous ineffectual efforts made to'.restitte him—
among them, an attempt ,to swim horse,
throwing ropes, tEc., but the only inetliVl
that Cotild have saved hintiind nuharipily t
thou_ght of, namely, Carrying a rtiph acrovs
the bridge, and, irith'persens On 61161ideof
the Stream, moving upwards Arail It would
have come in -contact with his body:
The Creek and dams 'were searehed in all (fi
rer:liens for his .body, during Thursday, kri
day, Saturday, and Sunday, but with tire ex
ception of his overcoat, which wits Hooked tip,
on Sunday, no trace of hini was diseosered
until Tuesday Morning, when Jonathan liar- i
rol, a colored - man, residing _et the head ot' ,
the Narrows, Bali a bOily finw in the river be,
low the mouth of Jack's Creek, which proved .
to be that &young McCurdy. It was brought
to
to town and interred by hi. • "
coo eagumea, tears of age, and esteemed as
a giliet o kindly-disposed reastwon
Gaiette &pt. 23d.
-
SPEAKING OUT IRE A ats:— A eurres ;
pendent of the Richmond - ..lliTateli" tells
the following inn letter from. 060 of ?hal
Springs : .._ •
"An amusing incident occnred le the ears
of the Virginia and Tennes , .ee _rood; tillich
must be preserved in print.. k- is too good
to lie lost. As the train' entered the'big tun.:
net, near this place, in actitadate with -the
usual custom n lamp was lit. — A . servant.
girl,, accompanying her tub:iress, had sunk.
into itprofoundrilumber but juot as the lamp
was lit, she awoke„ and ' half asleep imagined
herself in the infernal regions.-Frantic with
fright she-implored her Maker to have mercy
on her, remarking at the some time that the
"devil had• got her at last." Her mistress,
sitting on the seat in front of the _terrified
negro, was deeply mortithat, aid 'called upon
her--" Mollie, don't make such a noise_; it. is
I,be not afraid.". The poor Afrieanyrimediate
ly exclaimed, "Oh, tnissua, date you ; jest:
what I 'spected ; I alwayi thought if giber I
got to de-bad' place, I .wont k see • -you der."
These ietnarks•-were uttered .with •so much
veal:Came that not a - ward was- lost, and
the whole car became convulsed with laugh
ter." •-- • . -
• ,
- tzar -wow you like me to give you a
sovereign` askid a little boy of - a gentle
mati,he met la the street. •••• -
"To be surewould,' was the repty:
- "Very well, - then,' said the boy, "do unto
others as you would others should do to-y9u."
sgr An ()Id Maid'sligOtitbat whefi men
break their hearts, if is , all the sameaS wberi
a lobster breaks one of his olaws—aflother
sprouts immediately, AO grows in it place.
Vottifife,ls, gumber
gbitational.
'lf you would leuiu,---study.. ILyou woild
beciiiue learupractice what'you,learn,' '
•
keip tour Tempin •
BY OTI3DAW.C.
"Mani myi stirs! they are gone;,"
claimed, half, audibly, as the echoing fnot
steps of some foir-scoreßoksy school children
died away fn •the .distance. I leaned my
bead tn
Upon yl.arnia a erg ,
0...-61i5g401.1 - Lnrougn one of thiise daysi
,so Tor-,
nsidable, io wall rtsitibitired in eftery.fiabit:. ;
er's ience--dir 'b lbe dem,—
;
hour, 1. will siiiye to keep mine'
The lesson of that day has Been an abiding
one. When storms arise, 6r wishes ate cross
ed, or difficulties multiply and angry-passions
snuggle for the mastery,,- that angel form
arises beitire me with tho4c magic words, the
temptest is hushed, attethii threatened storm.
passes awaY. .1
Of the qualities requisite for the,,succes.iful
teacher, cheerfulness ranks,amo - ng the firsi.
Where this - existed, both without the, schcrol
room-and within, much would be done to.
remove that itliptitation • (not wholly int= .
founded) which rests upon the profession—
that teachers are a gloomy, jaundiced; unso
ciable race.
• 1)1(1 any possible good result fronilietting
about this and that thirigi . thee .there might
be some ..iherv, of .excuse. . But. it has• been_,
cell Said, thllt there .are' but two kinds . of
evils about Which Men worry—thop which
calf be . o those. 'add thos which Cannot;
k is certainly wiser to reiliedy- those einla'
which we can correct, than to worry about
them; as to those we-cannot, self-toinsenting
must bring its, own consolation. Would any
'sacrifice the beat interests Of those entrusted
to their cliraie ;. their own peace -of Mind;
destroy their health and become prematurely
choleric and Eafe , WOrn, let them fret.--fret
fret repeatedly—fret continually, ...and they
will suiely attain vi het they . geek: On the
other hand, be it remembered, that these evils
are dispelled, and, their corresponding ux
cellent;iess. attained by wearing, a cheerful
countenance; —1 1 (.1r. Teacher.
*.-
.. -'--- *P. •••• - ' ..
HAT THE AGE W.viTE . .—The age - . does
not *mit mere tru4 ,
tualists and - functionaries,
but whold:liouled•lo*ers of tnelekind. It does
not 'want embalnieri- 'kith their spices, bat
planters and proMetheati Lungs; not ideas
plastered in pyramids. and roosleunr; but
moving Sri miirts and throbbing with the pul-,
gallons of joy add, love. And if these happen ,
io tie 4 !Atli," Onfie the old fashions, have no
Jrtio or heiirg calied,yisionaries—so long as
you see what you [say—whether your 'netgh-,
bons see it .or blitk at: it. See-visions-- - --it is
the thinker's elideion • and turn thern into,
factS-Lthat ig t 46 Orl;than's business. Ilream
dmaMs - a 64 brill thin . to pass: ge hospi.
-t
i .
able to every tin rtain beam that straggles
to vt.tti window:. Who 'knows but it. mat
travel froth the sk i es, and have ti Bud on its
track- T.: , ---fiunitifigideri - ..
i • -
•
iIiTONDEIItS FROG! Cp.TIVATION.—Commen
ing on the eitracirdinitiv ameliorating effect
produced by , cultittation,Dr. Paris ' 'an eminent!
author says; thatt there is'scarcely. a teketa
ble which we at ii . reselifentiploy, that canbe,
folk(' to grow naturally. Rice, rye and bar-1
ley hate Veen Illtfired by the industry of man I
kind from pants nce resetnhlina. thf l tp,sup l
it. ..0.5...• r• cs. 4 111.1 - 13 ata ULM ellavl ~ a [
...,
cognize their relit ion. The colewart, a plant
of scanty leaves,
‘ 'ut weghing half an ounce,'
has , been coliveited into cabbage,. \and_ the
potato was derived from a emallOatter-root,
wild in China 4tl &Conte Video. getatoo.
j)hoses - as Wortdeifut , hare taken placein.bor i
ticulture ; the tongh etiveritig of the almouud
into the soft fleali Of the peach ; the sour sloe
into the rielicioult plum ; the - austere crab 'o
the woods into t le golden pippin. •
....7 . • _
tlTill.klll* LAII I OR k' Understood, chiefly
because the tool' wherewith it is dime are 114.
visible. If the rain made as much noise as
a-mill, or if dm ight-sowing : fullwed hard al.'
ter a breaking-up plow, the prodiice ot the
mind would mi once 'assert a place in tha
prices -current. If a writer could .be sp
equipped with heels acid pinions, as entiral '
ly to t,amceai tft. Man within, like the Rule,-
matoti chess plitver,and senteiifes were rd-"
(forded by a wol.den, instead of a living hand,
the esintevis , onAl i f thought would 'ha at a pre.
mints, because' the cluck-work would seen*
to shoW that it Vogt somethingto make it - .
Chicago Journal.
i -••• 41 411 i -.,
' LANottAma.4Language is thq amber- i n.
which, a thoiiiands precious thoughts have
been tlafely imiledded and'preserved. -It bas
arrested ten thousand lightning flashes of
genius, which utiles, theft Axed and arrested
might have becin as quickly passing and pei
ishiag sis the lightning.' Words convey the
mental treasures of one petiod to the 'genera
tions.that folloiv ; and laden with this, their
- Precious freight, they sail safely across gulfs
of time in. whicth empires have suffered ship.
wreck and the taeguagesof common life have
su.k into obliv on, - • ,
we
edgewise, it w
et, know ge into our minds
1 5001/ Up \4l room to turn.
`'s