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LANGUAGE AND HISTORY.

tion, and all our teaching, become sanctified by the spirit of religion. Even the mere sketch of what should be done, would fill volumes, and I must, therefore, content myself with enumerating the wants, reserving for another opportunity the discussion of the mode, in which they might best be remedied.

The law of man's internal life is to be traced, in every individual, by directing his attention to the consciousness which he has, of his own thoughts and feelings, at each time, and to the standard of true and false, of right and wrong, which is implanted in him, as a light, to shine in his darkness.

The expression of man's internal life, or of that which passes within him, is deposited in language, which, correspondingly with man's thoughts, comprehends his own existence, and all that surrounds him, but represents every thing in the peculiar colouring of the mind, into which it is received, and by which it is reflected back upon the world. The native tongue ought, therefore, to be taught with a view, to enlighten the child on the nature of his immortal being, of which language is the mirror; on the tendency of its different powers and faculties, and on its condition. Foreign languages should be introduced, as means of comparing the different peculiarities of thought and feeling in different nations, and, yet, tracing the unity of human nature in them all.

The law of man's external life, or what constitutes social morals, has, as well as that of his own internal life, a record within the child's mind, to which the teacher ought to appeal.

The expression of his external life constitutes history; which, instead of being, as it is now, the history of man's social brutality, ought to be a record of the progress which man's condition made, at different times, towards the attainment of the divine purpose concerning man. Such history, however, is still unwritten, though the sources for composing it are plentiful.

THEIR UNIVERSAL IMPORTANCE.

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I feel, that a more full discussion of these important topics would be highly desirable; but being conscious that, in a whole course of lectures, appropriated to them exclusively, I should hardly be able to do them justice, I have been only anxious to point out the place, in which languages and history would come in, and what instruction ought to be given, parallel with them, concerning the immortal nature of man, and its various relations. The modifications, which ought to be made, with regard to the different spheres, in which the pupils will have to move, are more manifold here, than in any other department of knowledge; if it were for no other reason, than because the field is infinitely richer, and, considering the shortness of man's life, and the limitation of his means of acquiring knowledge, truly endless. There are, however, some things which ought to be universally taught. It is not needful for many, nay, I am afraid, useful but to a few, to know what views men have entertained, at different times, of the soul,—particularly if, as is commonly the case, the erroneous systems of past times, are made the road to the discovery of truth. But it is needful to all, that they should be at home within their own hearts and minds, where, at present, most men are perfect strangers. It is farther needful to all, to have a full understanding, and a deep feeling, of the import of their native tongue, and of its connexion with the mind. And, lastly, it is needful to all, to have a knowledge of the history of their own nation, that the oppressive state of society may be to them a source of instruction, not of irritation, and that every man may, according to his station, be able to ascertain the causes of existing evils, and to sow, as an intelligent member of the commonwealth, the seed of better things for the generations to come. Men are not machines, not ciphers. Every man has a positive power of social good and evil; his existence will bear positive fruits of one kind, or of the other, for those that are with him, and for those that come after him; and, therefore, nothing should be neglected, that can serve to enable a man to

make the state of things, in which Providence has placed him, a blessing to himself, and his own existence a blessing to others.

To the third great department of knowledge, viz. that which treats of the divine being, and divine things, my next lecture will be exclusively appropriated; so that I may here conclude the present.

LECTURE VII.

HOW FAR HAS CHRISTIANITY HITHERTO BEEN ALLOWED TO INFLUENCE EDUCATION, AND BY WHAT MEANS ARE THE DIFFICULTIES, ARISING FROM OUTWARD DISTINCTIONS AMONG CHRISTIANS, TO BE OBVIATED IN IT?

RELIGION is not only that which ought to crown the work of education, but it ought to be the basis, the life, and the end of the whole. Until this principle be acknowledged, in its full import, and in its universal application to all classes, and all individuals, we cannot speak of Christian education being established among us. There may be attempts, here and there, in a single instance, and in a certain manner, to Christianize education, or, rather, to superinduce some of the things belonging to Christianity, upon a system which has for its object, to divide man between the world and his self. But, with all this, our education still remains essentially unchristian, both as regards its general character, and, in particular, the manner in which religious instruction is conveyed.

Let us take, as an instance, one of the prominent features of the Christian code concerning the economy of human life, I mean the brotherly equality of the members of Christ's church, and ask, what deference is paid in educa

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DISTINCTIONS OF RANK IN EDUCATION.

tion to the injunction of the apostle James, who admonishes us "not to have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, "the Lord of glory, with respect of persons ;" and warns us against that proud and ungodly practice, to say to the man in gay clothing, "Sit thou here in a good place;" and to the poor, "Stand thou there, or sit here, under 66 my footstool." If it be contrary to the spirit of christianity, to make an humiliating distinction, and an intentional outward separation of rank, among adults, among whom the difference of pursuits, and, consequently, of habits, of feelings and of modes of thinking, naturally gives rise to a variety of distinctions, even independently of any vain or conceited motives, how much more sinful must it be, to introduce such distinctions and separations, artificially, among children, where those causes do not exist ? Who gives us a right to say to the child of the rich father, "Come and live thou here, where every thing is "abundantly provided for thy comfort, and thy instruc"tion ;" and to the child of a poor man, "Go, and get

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thyself taught there, where thou mayest get as much “information, as we think it right for the poor to have?” Will any candid man stand up and say, that this is not in direct opposition to the Apostle's precept? Shall it be argued, that he merely refers to the separation of sittings in places of worship? Are not your schools to be temples of the living God, in which children are to be brought up as his children? If they are not, nor even pretend to be such, verily, you had better shut them up, than bring upon yourselves two-fold condemnation. And, if we are not to make invidious distinctions with regard to the sittings, which is the lesser thing, how much more unchristian is it, to make them with reference to the greater thing, viz., the opportunity of cultivating and instructing the immortal soul? So far, however, are we from valuing the injunctions of the Gospel, that we have not only separate sittings, but often separate buildings, for the worship of the poor, and of the rich; and, in education, there is as