VOLUME 1.
An Appeal to Loyal Men.
It is fashionable now toabuse the Pres
ident, the administration, the military
management. Doubtless, all these have
their errors toanswer for. Blow them up,
if that afords you any relief! try it
often and feel better for it. But, wheu
you arc through with that, we must tell
you, loyal countrymen ! ihatt/uu are not
yourselves up to the mark—must
evince a different spirit from that which
gave Chambcrsburg to the flames, leaves
your armies for months unpaid, and fills
their ranks with anything that will pass
for substitutes, -or you are doouied to de
feat! Do you remember that Maryland
genius, acting as guide to a British officer
over the field of the fight—we mean the
flight—of Bladensburg, who, pressed to
explain the route of so large a force of
militia (himself included) by a handful
of British regulars, finally scratched out
of his du 1 head the explanation that
"Somehow or 'nother, they didu t seem to
take no interest?" Let their lasting dis
grace warn you in time!
The war approaches its close. Let us
promptly fill up the quota now called,
and.the loan now a.-ked for, audit may
bended triumphantly this fall. \\ o are
confident that no further draft wiTl be
made or needed. But the two hundred
millions for which Mr. i i ssendeu asked
ought to be subscribed at ouec. Our
coldiers are fighting ami dying unpaid,
because you, for whsm they are fighting
and dying, will not lend your government
the money at 7 3-1 >'ths per cent interest
—a higher rat* than is paid by any other
government on earth—higher than is paid j
by any thrifty, forchun le 1 citizen for all !
the money he needs. If it cannot be bor
rowed at this rate, it cannot at all-
Loyal Americans ! we entreat you, each
and all to put every dollar you can honest
ly spare into this loan, and do it at once.
Don't ask lliat the s ddiers go unpaid un
til you can screw ten per cent from the
necessities of your Government, but put
up your money now ! Don't expect the
Treasury to give you your bonds on the
instant—what matters, if you do not in
tend to sell them forthwith? They will
come very soon; meantime your money
draws interest from the moment it is paid
in. While others are fighting and dying,
prove that you arc not unwillingor afraid
to trust your means to your afflicted coun
try!— .V. Y. Trihiinr.
SSi"" Correspondence from Hilton Head,
of date August 2d, states that until with
in two weeka affairs in Florida had been
very quiet. Several recent raids by Gen
Biruey has, however, invested that district
with some interest. An expedition on
the Fernandina Railroad resulted in the
destruction, at Callelian, of two cars and
the telegraph office, the capture of a loco
motive and seven cars, and a number of
horses and a large quantity of small arms
and stores weVe captured. Subsequently
a more important expedition proceeded up
the St. John's in transports to Taylor's
Ford, on Black Creek. A column advan
ced to Whitesvillc on the south fork of
Black Creek, where a force of rebels was
drawn up to dispute the crossing. A
skirmish ensued, which ended in the com
plete route of the enemy. The fighting
was sustained on our side by two colored
regiments, who behaved with a commend
able degree of valor. The force pushed
ou for thirty miles, aud destroyed the
trestle-work and an important bridge over
the St. Mary's river. At Clay's Hills
they had a brisk skirmish with the 2d
Florida cavalry, who fled in confusion.
The column then marched to Trail Ridge
ou the Cedar Keys Railroad, and destroy
ed the trestle-works. They next proceed
ed on the old Alachua trail to Darby's
Still, ou the Lake City Railroad, where a
trestle work and a water tank were des
troyed. While the water tauk was burn
ing, the wind suddenly chaugcd and qom
muuicated the flames to a building con
taining two thousand barrels of rosin, all
of which was consumed. The column
proceeded to storm Baldwin, but the ene
my evacuated the place during the night.
Our troops here secured a quantity of
guns, sabres aud forage. A rebel male
was also captured, one of the letters, da
ted at Baldwin a day or two previous, sta
ting that the force in that place consisted
of the Second Florida Cavalry, the Scott
Battalion, four companies of reserves,
Dunham's artillery aud Villepigue's artill
ery. Our forces now occupy Baldwin
and Camp Milton. The formidable earth
works which Giluiore caused to bo erected
for the defense of each of those places,
are still stand iug. Cars ruu daily between
Jacksonville and Baldwin. Tho princi
pal object iu holding Baldwin is to de
prive the rebels of the use of throe Hues
of railway, and prevent them from dri
ving cattle from the lower aud richer por
tions of the State iuto Georgia. The
rebels have subsisted their armies for a
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
long time on cattle taken from Florida,
and by cutting off this supply we must
seriously affect tlicir condition. A few
days ago the steamer Alice Price was run
aground in Nassau creek. Florida, the cap
tain being on board at the time. The
vessel remained fast for a short time and
then went to pieces. She had on board
a quantity of ordnance stores for Gen.
Birney's expedition. She was an old
worthless boat, and was soon to be taken
from the Government service. It is un
derstood that a rigid examination will be
instituted into the circumstances attend
ing her loss.
A Great Man's Friends Deserting
Him.
The New York Jfcrtibl, which has
striven more prcsistently than any other
paper in the land to puff Gen. MeClellan
into notoriety, with the view of getting
him a few complimentary ballots at the
Chicago Convention, has begun to discov
er that he is not tire "available candidate '
it has labored so earnestly to prove him,
and has consequently made another of
those changes of base for which it is so
celebrated. In its issue of Tuesday, after
attacking the Worhl for its glorification
of the General, it proceeds to speak ot
him in the following disrespectful manner:
" It will bestated asa fact, however,which
cannot be denied, that (ieneral McClellau's
.Richmond campaign was a failure, and
positively fearful to think of, fromhis ter
rible losses in men and all the materials of
war. It will be further said that General
MeClellan. in his movements against the
enemy, betrayed too much of the confi
dence of the inexperienced leader in his
promises to his army or no more defeats
and no more rctreats.'niid in such dispatch
es as this : that' We shall drive the ene
my to the wall.' It will be said, too, that
from the unbounded confidence of the
country in these promises of General Mc
Clellan the revulsion in the public mind
from his misfortunes was infi
nitely 11. :ressing and harder to bear
than any other disappointments of the
war." What cause could have produced
this sudden cooling off of enthusiasm for
the foremost martyr of Abolitionism?
Last fall, the day before our gubernatorial
election, General MeClellan wrote a pub
lie letter, declaring his political sentiments
to be in perfect accord with Mr. Justice
Woodward, tie candidate of the Peace
faction for Governor. This summer the
same General MeClellan in a classical but
slightly ungrammatieal oration at West
Point expresses himself in favor of a con
tinuance of the war. Perhaps thia slight
apparcut inconsistency has been remem
bered to his prejudice, and explains the
Herat I'* latest feat in aerobatics!
CHARLESTON.—It would seem from
several paragraphs of news in late Char
leston papers we have received that an
attack upon that city is anticipated be
fore a great while. The following item
is from the Mrmrj/ of the 3d instant.
"We oppose to making mention of mil
itary movements iu the public press but
for tho benefit of croakers who have look
ed so forlorn ever since troops were with
drawn from the defense of this city to
strengthen the arm}' of Northern Yir
giuia, it may be as well to state that the
first of several well tried regiments, the
number and strength of which we will
leave the enemy to discover, have arrive
ed iu this department, and frill be found
at the right place wheu the enemy-makes
his next advance. "
It is plain from'this that the garrison
at Charleston has beeu pretty thorougly
depleted to stteugthen Leo's army; but
its chief significance, as we have said,
is the fact that it indicates an unpleasant
nervousness concerning the intenoions of
Gen. Foster.
The Charleston Courier, iu making the
same announcement, cautiously observes
that ' it is uot deemed prudect to men
tion the exact strength of this force, but
it is eucourageing to know that iu the
uevt effort of the enemy to take the city
the disprofortion of numbers will not be
so great as in the lasj campaign on John's
aud James' Island which resulted so glo
riously to our arms.— Phil lWss-
FORTRESS MONROE, Aug. B.—The
steamers Euiaw aud America arrived in
Quarantine this morniug from Peusacola
—all well. They report three cases of
yellow fever there wheu they left, on the
3d iust.
Gen. Grant arrived from Washington
this noou, on the steamer Diamond, and
after remaining three hours proceeded up
the James river.
There is no news from City Point.
NEW YORK, Aug. 12.—The Her
ald's Oth corps correspondent of the
9te says : A rebel Lieutenant came
within our lines to-day, and reports
if the amnesty proclamation was gen
ally understood in the rebel army, the
desertions would be increased one
hundred fold. I
11 Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end,dare to do our duty as we understand it"— A LINCOLN
BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 18(54.
FBOK UM. GUAM'.
HEADQIARTEBS ARMT OT TOE POTOMAC.
Aug. 10, 1804.
Everything remains quiet in the front
of Petersburg. The rebels for the past
two nights have been feeling our lines on
the left, but nothing more than skirmish
ing between the pickets has taken place.
Descrterscontinue to arrive in small squads.
A Lieutenant and twelve men reached
here yesterday. They tell the usual sto
ries of the demoralization and the speedy
destruction of the rebel army. Thous
ands they say arc leaving on account of
not receiving any pay, while their families
are starving, and they arc determined to
stay in the rebel service no longer under
any circumstances. Gen. Park is now in
command of the Oth corps.
Additional particulars have been receiv
ed of the action on Sunday. A part of
the 2d Corps and part of the 10th Corps
were engaged with the enemy in the af
ternoon near the Bottom. The lOtli Corps
under Gen. Biruey took part of the line
of works with four brass guns and a num
ber of prisoners with small less. The
enemy fell back to a strong position.
The 2d division of the 2d Corps was
drawn up in line of battle, and advanced
about a mile beyond where Hancock cap
tured the four guns two weeks ago.
Hero the first brigade, Col. Macy, com
manding, took the lead and charged across
a corn field, over a hill and down into a
ravine, where they came to a stream with
swamp on the other side, the ground be
ing covered with impenetrable brush on
the margins of it. During all this time
they were exposed to a very heavy fire from
the Rebel artillery which did a good deal
of damage. It was found impossible to
cross the ravine andourmcn were halted
and lay concealed as well as possible until
dark, when they were withdrawn.
The Second division lost three hundred
men in the engagement.. The First and
Third Divisions, which were in support,
lost about two hundred and fifty from the
effects of the rebel artillery. The woun
ded were all brought off. Our troops still
hold their position in front of the rebel
works, which are very strong and well
defended, owing to the nature of the
country iu the vicinity.
The Pirate Tallahassee.
Captain Reed, of theUt Billow, before
reported captured by the Tallahassee, gives
the following particulars of his interview
with the pirate Captain :
I was two hours and a half on the Tal
lahassee. She has one pivot gun, three
forward guns, and one brass rifled gun,
of large calibre, on the hurricane dock.
She has also several spare guns.
Her Captain John Taylor Wood, was
quite free and unreserved in his talk with
us, and said he could steam 10 knots an
hour, and had crossed the British channel,
21 miles in seventy-two minutes.
He would not fight, ho said, unless
compelled to, and preferred to run, as his
vessel was so fast.
lie also declared that within one week
he had destroyed over 50 vesrels, and that
within 30 hours of my capture he had
destroyed sixteen sails, namely, three
ships, two barks, and the rest •hermaph
rodite, brigs and schooners. One of the
ships was the Adriatic of New York,
captured the same day he took my ves
sel.
He added that he would slacken up our
coasting trade so that Uncle Abe would
be glad to make peace.
He asked me about the Nantucket light
boat,aud afterwards said, recurring to his
designs, that there were more afloat than
the Ftprula and T<illahat*r? J meaning of
course the Confederate ships of similar
character to his own, and I'ncle Abe had
better look out.
Captain Wood appeared very affable
and said he was performing an unpleasant
duty.
The Tallahassee is an iron steamer, of
English build, schooner rigged, has no
yard or top masts, and lost her main mast
in collision with the Adriatic. She is a
very long, narrow vessel, burns soft coal,
and has about a hundred men on board,
who are subject to the discipline and or
der of a man-of-war. All the officers are
Southerners, aud she hud three or four
negroes on board ,who did not appear very
jolly.
WHEELING, Aug 11.—The following
dispatch, dated Cumberland, August 8,
has just been received by Gov. Boreman,
and fully confirms the report of the
scout:
"lattacked M'C'ausland at Morfield
yesterday morally at daylight, aud com
pletely routed his command, capturing his
artillery and 420 prisoners; also 400 hor
ses and equipments, 3 battle flags, and a
quantity of small arms. The number of
the enemy's killed is unknown, but large.
Gen. Bradley Johnston was captured
with his colors and three of his staff, but
subsequently escaped. Col. Peters, 21st
\ irgiuia, rebel regiment, was mortally
wounded. MeCausland to the
mountains. The enemy was pursued tow
ard Wordcnvillc, Howard Dick and up
the south branch, from ten to tweuty-five
miles. My command became so wearied
with the chase and so encumbered with
prisoners and captured property, I thought
it best to bring it here. My loss is 7
killed and 21 wounded.
" S. W. W. AVEBILL, Brig. Gen'l.
" Brig. Gen. B. F. Kelly"
NEW YORK, August 12.—The Com
mercial's Wathing on special says:
Sherman's success at Atlanta is not
considered a problem, and the cap
ture of the city is expected soon. '
From the Waverly Magazine.
SHE WAITS BY THE RIVER FOR ME.
Down by the mnnuuvi»i{r stream.
That merrily wind* through the valley,
I've wand« red in day* that are gono,
With the joy of my heart. gentle AlUe.
When dreaming of childhood's blest scones
There's one form that haunt* nie forever;
'Ti.s the form <-f Mweet Allle, my qneen,
An>l .she waits by the banks of tho river.
Oh, light may the shadow* of care
Creep over the heart of sweet Allie;
She waits by the river form«
That merrily winds through the valley.
May the footsteps of Time move along
And leave me at last in the valley,
Where <-ft I've been charmed by the suns:
That flowed from the lips of sweet Allie.
Oh. would that the bright sunny time
«>t youth might Htill Hparkle forever,
Like the waters that ceaselessly flow
In the channel of our beloved river.
Hut, oh ! there is time enough yet
To wander again with sweet Allie; k
Fhe waits by the river for me,
That merrily wind* through the valley.
JOEL 1»* BWETT.
WIT AND WISDOM.
THK.UK is a great deal of fawning in so
ciety. in order to be fawned 011 again just
as among suckling puppies half awake.
TUB great gulf, in which so many gov
ernments have perished, casts up the frag
ment, and indcfatigablo man refits tliom.
A MAX at Rochester, N. Y., last week
sold 55,000 pounds of wool at one dollar
a pound.
AN old .Indian, who had witnessed the
efieet of whisky for many years past, said
a barrel labelled whisky contained a thou
sand songs aud fifty fights.
" I THINK, wife, that you have a great
many ways of calling me a fool."
"I think, husband, you have a great
many ways of being one."
"WHY does father call mother honey?"
asked a boy of his older brother.
" Can't tell, 'ecpt its because she has a
large couib in her head.
. " GEORGE, do you know that Mr. Jones
has found a beautiful baby on his door
step, aud is going to adopt him?"
" Yes, papa; he will bo Mr. Jones' s/</i
--soit, won't he ?"
JOSH BILLINGS deposes, among other
good things, " that yer leant judge a man
bi biz religun cny more than yer kan
judge hiz shurt bi the size ov tho kollar
and ristbands."
A VKKI'ANT Yankee, seeing tho an
nouncement iu large letters, in front of a
beokstore, "Nothing to Wear sold here,"
exclaimed : " Wal, now, I wonder who
said there was!"
A Fori'isii fellow advised a friend not
to marry a poor girl, as he would find
matrimony with poverty " up hill work."
" Good," said his friend, " I would rath
er'go up hill than down hill, any time."
- A MALTESE offered his services to a
dragoman at Alexandria. " Know Eng
lish well, sir," said he; "have served
many English gentlemen. I'm English
subject, sir; I get drunk, sir—get drunk."
OLD Farmer Cloverseed is a very po
lite man, so much so that he is even cour
teous to his cattle. He is frequently
heard to say, as he drives his yoke of
steers, "Please haw Buck; also Bright.
Thank you.
A MISSIONARY in London was recent
ly riding ou the outside of a cab, and
told the driver that he had boon in Chi
na. Cabby was much interested aud
promptly asked—
" Ale they a civilized like people about
there, sir; do they take their giu of a
moring?
You arc grer.t bore," said an enraged
gentleman, from a chamber window, to a
youth who had been serenading his daugh
ter for halt an hour—" you arc a great
bore, aud I think you' meat* to keep on
boring until you get water, and there it
is, emptying a pitchorfu! of water upon
his head. •
t&f An Irishman catching a thief's
hand in his pocket at the post office the
other day, knocked the rascal down,
and began to trample on his carcass as if
he was dancing a Fardowner's jig.
"What's that for?" said a bystander.
"Oh !" said Pat, "it's small change ho
wanted, and faith I'm after giving him
a few post office stamps."
SWITCHED OFF.—" Boys," said a vil
lage pedagogue, the other day' " what is
the meaning of all that»Solse iu the
school ? "
" It's Anthony Sykes, sir, who is all
the time imitating a locomotive."
" Come up here, Tony, if you are turn
ed into a locomotive, it is high time you
were switched off."
Tin; way the little 2-40 tow-head got
the'• dominie," was after this fashion:
"James, what person is man, in.the
sentence. ' the man is drunk V "
Don't know, sir."
" Decline it and see."
" First person I am drunk, second per
son you are drunk, third person he, or the
man is drunk."
" That'll do, but in future I would ad
vise you not to emphasize strongly on the
second person singular, or I might play
fives against the side of your head with
my ferrule!"
ilucatunmV Department
The Christian Element iu Common
School Education.
An editorial article appeared in the Juno
No. of this Journal on '-the Christian El
ement in Education"—asserting that such
clement should necessarily constitute a
portion of the education imparted by pub
lic authority in a christian Republic. A
respected friend and correspondent asks
us to state how much and what parts of
the christiau system of religion may be
taught in the Common Schools, without
infringing on those rights of conscience
aud of free opinion on the subject of re
ligion, which are guaranteed to all by tho
constitution and our social institutions.
A sufficient reply might be made to this
question by saying, that the Christian El
ement in State education comprises just
so much of tho christian system of relig
ion as tho State-constitution andtlielaws>
as exponents of that constitution, recog
nize and establish. For this is a chris
tian nation, as was asserted in the firmer
article 011 this subject, and Pennsylvania
is a Christian State, —Christianity having
been declared, by one of her eminent ju
rists many years ago, " to be a part of the
law of the land." AVe will not content
ourselves, however, with this compendi
ous mode of disposing of the point, but
will go so much iuto detail, as not only to
comply with tlierequcst of our friend, but
meet, to the best of our ability, all simi
lar doubts and queries.
" All men have a natural and indefea
sible right to worship Almighty God ac
cording to the dictates of their own con
science; no man can, of right, bo compel
led to attend, erect, or support any place
of worship, or maintain any minister
against his consent; no human authority
can, in any case whatever, control or in
terfere with the rights of conscience; and
no prcfcreuco shall over be given, by law,
to any religious establishments or modes
of worship."
This portion of the Declaration of Rights
in the State Constitution is the starting
point iu the discussion of this question;
aud the true understanding of it must
necessarily lead to some conclusion iurcf
eijyice to. not only the rights of conscience/
but, the power and duty of the State in
reference thereto.
Who is " Almighty God," named iu
this solemn declaration ? Obviously, the
Deity of tho christian system,—this be
ing oue of the titles by which that Being
is therein designated. But to set this
question at rest by legislative construc
tion, a law was passed as early "as 1700
and is continued in force to this day, de
claring that "whoever ahall wilfully and
despitefully, blaspheme or speak loosely
and profanely of Almighty God, Christ
Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures
of Truth, and is legally convicted thereof,
shall forfeit and pay the sum of 10 pounds,
for the use of the poor of tho county
where such offence shall be committed, or
sufitr three months imprisonment at hard
labor, for the use of the poor." So also
by the same act, to " profanely curse or
swear" by the same names, id punishable
by fine or imprisonment. These laws—
the number of which might easily bo in
creased—sufficiently declare what Deity
is the God, and what system is the relig
ion, of our State. And itisuo refutation
of this conclusion to adduce the fact that
these laws were passed before the adop
tion cither of the old or the present amend
ed constitution, and arc therefore not its
exponent. Ou tho contrary, it may bo
more pertinently asserted that both those
constitutions are but the exponents of the
social spirit which cuactcd these laws ;
a propositiou which would be speedily and
unmistakably established were any attempt
made to repeal them.
Here let us not be misunderstood.. In
contending that the only true Deity whom
Christians worship is the Deity evidently
indicated by the terms "Almighty God"
in the constitution, and no other, —we do
not mean to say that belief in or worship
of some other supposed God is prohibited
in this State. Neither is it asserted that
no form of religion, except some uno or
other of those professed by Christians, is
to be allowed. Such would not be free
dom—christian freedom —of conscience.
But we do assert and conteud, that while
our State institutions concede to every one
tl)£ right to worship any supposed deity
and practice any religion ho may prefer,
so long as the public peace and decency
arc not disturbed thereby, yet, that all
those institutions do most evidently re
gard and adopt Christianity as thegeuoral
rule, aud only tolerate departures there
from as those exceptions which are indis
pensable in order to secure freedom of con
science.
Ilence it is that in the section of the
Declaration of Rights immediately follow
ing the one already quoted, it is provided,
that, " No person who acknowledges the
being of a God and a future state of re
wards and punishments, shall, on account
of his religious sentiments, bo disqualifi
ed to hold aTiy office or place of trust or
profit under this Commonwealth." Thus,
while the largest liberty consistent with in
dispensable conscientious obligation is giv
en, this section also most evidently shows
that all persons fit to hold a placo of trust
■iu the State are expected to have settled
'• religious sentiments," at the same time
that it fixes tho extent to which tolera
tion in this respect shall extend- And
the same is the case iu regard to jurorsand
witnesses.
Rut to return to the direct legislative
recognition of Christianity,—acts passed
iu 1705 and 1794, with various odlcrs
since, prohibit all " worldly employment
or business whatsoever on tho Lord's day
commonly called Sunday, works of neces
sity and charity only excepted." Aud so
rigidly have the courts enforced tho ob
servance of tho christian Sabbath, that a
contract made on that day has been de
cided to bo void, and persons who consci
entiously observe the seventh yay or Sat
urday as tlicir Sabbath,have been punish
ed for working on tho first day or Sun
day.
The christiau matrimonial relation, —
that of tho marriage of one man to one
woman, —is also protected and enforced by
law, and that to such an extent that Mor
nionism, so far as relates to polygamy can
not legally exist amongst us, much loss
the free-love enormity which altogether
ignores marriage for life.
Iu short, so thoroughly christian ia our
statute book, that every command of tho
Decaloguo is thereby enforced, except tho
second and the tenth, aud these arc omit
ted for the reason, 110 doubt, that the sec
ond (in relation to graven images) involves
a question of opinion 011 which meu may
honestly differ, and the tenth a matter of
mere motive or feeling which is beyond
the reach of human law. As to tho first
commandment—that announcing the be
ing and ;;olcncss of the Deity,—we have
already seen that it is reiterated iu the
Declaration of Rights and enforced by
several acts of assembly; and, so fully
docs it seem to have been the intention of
the Legislature to establish tho Laws of
God, that even the filth commandment
(that which enjoins honor to parents) tho'
apparently on involving a sentiment, is en
forced, so far a human tribunals can con
trol the feelings, by compelling the child
to nourish and support the parent, even
to the second generation, when poor and
unable to work.
But it would be as tedious as it is uu
nocessary, to enumerate all tlic marks of
Christianity impressed by law upon our
State institutions. They are all thorough
ly, eminently, primarily christian. That
fact is as obvious as is the other great
republican fact of our system, viz : that
while we are Christians as a people, we
have and can have no established sect as
a State. And this last is the fundamen
tal principal to be kept iu view and to
guide us, iu tho process of adapting to
and adapting in, our public schools, tho
Christian element of instruction.
Hence it follows that whatever iufor
mation is proper for a child at home iu a
christian family, and which is christian
iu its nntucd and tendency without being
sectarian, is not only proper for the same
child in the public school, but also that
its inclusion in the course of instruction
in the public school is obligatory. For,
how else can justice be done tho child?
Tho State is a christian State. The
school is a State school designed to rear
up intelligent, well informed aud chris
tian citizens. If therefore, the State, or
its agents the Directors and Teachors,
neglect this element in his education,
which would not have been neglected had
not the State interfered aud taken him
from the home school, —the State is guilty
of the deep wrong of requiring from
him, in adult life, certain qalifications or
actions, which it deprived him of the
means of preparing for in youth. This
point admits of no successful deuial; and
it is timo to come directly up to it, and
to do our duty iu the momentous premises.
But, finally, what is this christian ele
ment ?
In tlic first place, it is that knowledge
of the great facts of the christian system
of religion, which are alouo set forth in
the Scriptures of the Old and New Tes
tamOi.ts. Ileuce, the use in the schools,
in such form and manner as iho discre
tion of Directors and Teachers shall se
lect, of the ISiblo becomes imperative;
for this iudispensible knowledge is deriva
ble from no other source. Hence, also,
the llible is not merely admissible into the
schools as a history, or the only extant
work which contains an account of tho
facts it narrates. JS'or is it even merely
admissible as tho source of information on
those principles of christian morality,
which all agree to be indispensable in ov-
NUMBER 36.
ory correct course of youthful instruction,
than that and higher thau that, it
is admissible and is to be admitted and
used, as the word of God, —the fountain
head of our State faith and praetico, the
source whence proceed ourJawß, the bond
of our social institutions, the origin of tho
whole body of our liberties, and the very
cause and stay of our civilization.
'lherc arc it is true, parts and passa
ges in tho Scripturo about the meaning
of which men ajid bodies of men—all
earnest and conscientious in their bolief,
have differed,and willdiffer. There aro
different modes of worship, there are va
rious practices in life, growing out of
these differences. And herein it is that
the Stato guarantees to each tho, liberty
to differ; and, therefore, herein it is that
the limit of school authority in religious
matters is found. None of these is to
bo interfered with ; nor is tho peculiarity
of the parent s creed to bo stricken at
through the imprcssiblo mind of tho
child. All such interference is to bo
sedulously avoided by the teacher in his
christian teaching.
Here it may be said that not all teach
ers are sufficiently catholic in spirit to
discharge this delicate trust. But this
is an objection to the present generation
of teachers, if it be well founded, and
not to tho principle above asserted. As
well might it be contended that reading
or algebra should not be taught in tho
schools bccouse all teachers are not good
readers algobraists, as that tho general
principles of Christianity must not bo
taught in the schools, because all teachers
are not prepared fur the task. In ascer
taining the true theory of a perfect school
system and in attempting to put it into
operation, we aro always to regard *it in
its state of perfection, and thus carry it
into operation, or as nearly thereto as pos
sible j and not to lot it down or dwindle
it into a stato of inefficiency, or worse, to
suit present admintrative deficiencies.
There in enough—thank God there is
enough—of common christian ground in
the JJible, for all sects to meeton and cul
tivate the spirit of christian truth, lovo
and brotherhood, without impaling them
selves on sectarian points or irrevocably
diverging into sectarian by-paths. Why,
the Sermon on the Mount of itself is an
exhaustions text, whence the pure niind
of youth may be supplied with instruc
tion of the best and most desirable kind,
and which may be studied and explained
without trespassing on tho ground of tho
mos jealous sectary. Other portions there
are, —parables, stories and sayings,—full
of wisdom and truth, which all denomin
ations accept in the samo meaning, and
which no child can comprehend without
profit. *
The other great portion of tho chris
tian element in Education is fouud in the
instructions of tho christian teacher—the
true christian teacher; —imbued with tho
spirit of charity and love, —looking to
Heaven alone as the end, and not merely
striving to lead off into any of the vari
ous ways by which men seek to get there.
Realizing his duty to the child, to tho pa
rent, to the State and to God, —he will
never belittle himself or betray the great
trust committed to him, by making of him
self a propagandist, or of his office a mere
church-trap. 110 will continually feel
that, in laying in the child's heart and
soul a 112 olid foundation of the general facts
and principles of the religion of the Sa
viour, he is doing his whole duty in this
respect,—leaving lijruis of worship and
sectarian creeds, —since they must exist,
—to the control and selection of tho pa
rent ; —feeling, however, that if the found
ation be sound, the superstructure, what
ever it be, will bo all the better for that
soundness.
In few words, we would say that tho
christian element of education in a com
mon school is to be found in the Holy
Scriptures and in the catholic teachings
of the christian instructor; —avoiding in
tho use of both, all sectarian dogmas, but
insisting on tho leading principles of Chris
tianity, as the great rule of life for tho
citizen of a republican State.
And herein wo apprehend there is no
violation of the constitutional or legal
rights of any. Where there are unbe
lievers in the christian or believers in any
other system, all they can rightfully uiuim,
is, that nothing save what they boliovo
shall bo directly imparted to their chil
dren in the public schools. Ilenee, tlieso
children are to be exempted from all stud
ies of this class distasteful to their parents.
But that all such studies and exercises
shall be excluded from tho schools, be
cause distasteful to them, is a demand
about as reasonable as would be that of
having the christian Element wholly ex
punged from our social system, because a
Mahomedan or a Mormon or an Infidel is
displeased thereat.— Pa. School Journal.
' Jte#" Where the laugh comes in.