proper actions of that spiritual life by which it is entertained and advanced.' 6 THE EPITHET NAZARENE.' RESPECTING the return of Joseph and Mary to Judea, and their abode in Nazareth, there is one circumstance in particular deserving notice, which is, the very lowly state to which Jesus chose to humble himself. Of all the towns of Judea and Gali lee, Nazareth was peculiarly despised, as the habitation of the dregs of the people, and as hav. ing never produced an illustrious or good personage. This accounts for Nathaniel saying to Philip, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Hence, it was as infamous among the Jews to be called a Nazarene, which signified a most worthless, infamous fellow, as among the Greeks to be called Cretians, who were always liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies. Jesus Christ chose to be brought up at Nazareth, that he Jews.' Jesus Claude's Posthumous Works. ANECDOTES. .... THEMISTOCLES, when a very young man, was observed, soon after the famous battle of Marathon, in which Miltiades obtain ed so much glory, to be much alone, very pensive, unwilling to attend the usual entertain ments, and even to watch whole nights. Being asked, by some of his friends, what was the cause of all this, he answered, The trophies of Miltiades will not suffer me to sleep. Thus, fired with a love of glory, he became, in a few years, the first man in Greece. Young christians, faith presents to your view far greater glories than Greece could bestow on her most successful heroes. The perishing honors of Miltiades and Themistocles, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. Could they forego all the pleasures of youth to have their names enrolled in the records of fame,—and can. not you, by the help of Almigh. ty grace, become a good soldier of Jesus Christ, in hope of ob. taining a crown of glory that shall never fade ? 'Mothers can do great things!' A CLERGYMAN, now fulfilling the duties of his office punctually, ed, when examined by the bish ardently, and faithfully, was ask. op's chaplain, whether he had made divinity his study ;-he replied he had not particularly; 66 " said he, but," my mother taught me the Scriptures." "Ah! said the chaplain, 'Mothers can do great things!' The young man was examined with respect to the extent of his knowledge, was approved, ordained, and desired to preach before the bishop. Mothers may perceive how necessary and useful are their pious instructions, and be encouraged, while their husbands are busily engaged in providing for their families the meat that perisheth, to be diligent, bring ing up their offspring in the knowledge of the Scriptures, as the mother of Timothy did. This anecdote may also lead reflecting parents to consider what ought to be the education of their daughters, that they may become such mothers; for on the education of daughters, depends the future welfare not only of families, but of our country. The excellent mother alluded to in the above anecdote, wrote as follows to another of her sons on hearing of the birth of his eldest child :-'Give him an educa. tion, that his life may be useful; teach him religion that his death may be happy! PRO PATRIA. MISCELLANY. ESSAY ON EDUCATION.....Continued from p. 521. In this connexion it may be inquired whether certain modes of education are not injurious to society, and dangerous to the morals of youth. Still it is our aim not to descend to particulars; we there fore only ask, whether the sparks of AMBITION, SO often kindled, and sometimes blown into a furious blaze, by flattery, by rewards, by invidious distinctions, are not hazardous to the moral culture of the heart? This we believe is more common in our lower schools, than higher seminaries; because minor teachers are more generally there employed; teachers incapable of animating their pupils by proper motives. Authors and teachers often unite thus to poison the public mind. "No one," "saith à learned writer,* "will deny that to wish for the favorable opinions of those around us to a certain extent is consistent with the christian laws, but the love of glory, the desire of being distinguished, and admired, and * Foster. Their praised, is among the antichrist. ian motives of action." Again he says, "I think I cannot be mistaken, when I assert, that much the greater number of our fine writers have really encourag▾ ed the love of applause, of fame, of glory, which places them in the most pointed hostility with the christian religion." good sense has, however, compelled them, often to acknowl. edge the emptiness of this glory, and to express their contempt for "the fool to fame." Yet they inconsistently apply every splendid epithet to the men, who are impelled by this passion. They describe glory as the best incentive to noble actions and their richest reward. They place the temple of Virtue where it is merely an introduction to the temple of Fame. They lament that they cannot "climb the steep where that proud temple shines afar." Again recollect. ing that all kinds of fools have offered clouds of incense to all kinds of villains, they elude self reproach, by saying it is honorable fame, they pursue. Odi profanum vulgus restores their self approbation. Having frequently declared, that a good and wise man prefers the approbation of the Supreme Being to all things else, they feel at liber. ty again to tolerate and cherish the love of glory. Is not ambi. tion or a thirst for glory, that wild fary, which no man ean tame? Does it not set on fire the course of nature? Is it not set on fire of hell? Why is Africa bound in chains? Why is Europe red with slaughter? The demon of ambition hath been let loose upon them. Like the grave it cries, "Give, give;" it swallows the applause of a nation, of the world, and cries for more. I know it will be said that emulation, or a laudable desire to excel, not ambition, is excited in our schools and academies. I know also that calling bad things by good names does not change their natures. Emulation is the soft, the delicate, the pleasing name of ambition. Her voice is melodions, as a syren's song; but she has the jaw teeth of a lion; her face is smeared with gore; she lives on blood. "But children and youth are idle unless we rouse their emulation, their lives will be wasted, their opportunity for improvement for ever lost. What shall be done?" What shall be done! Inform them, that they are in a state of probation, that a price is put into their hands to obtain wisdom, that eternity may depend on a moment. Inform them how noble are their capacities, how sublime their natures, and yet how dependant, how responsible they are to God. Show them the use and importance of the sciences; the ingratitude and baseness of idleness. Show them what they owe to themselves, their friends, their parents, their country, and their God. Awak. en their consciences, but I pray you do not inflame their pride. Treat them as moral, rational beings. If these things do not rouse them; let them slumber. Use no unhallowed means, even to save them from infamy and ruin. Because a magazine cannot be preserved perfectly free from the humidity of the atmosphere, will you light a torch, will you set it on fire, and by the explosion hazard the destruction of your self and the garrison? Because human nature cannot be fired with the highest degree of zeal by religious motives, will you blow the coals of pride, of rivalship, of eternal hatred, and quench every spark of humility, brotherly love, and goodness of heart? Will you labor to render our seminaries so many furnaces in which are to be hatched young salamanders, Cesars, and Buonapartes? Will you render our colleges so many volcanos whose annual explosions shall spread successive conflagrations through the country? How did Jesus Christ instruct his disciples? Did he excite their laudable ambition, their burning emulation! Did he balance them one against the other? Did he excite a spirit of rivalship, of superiority, or distinction? Did he rouse Peter and James by representing Barnabas and John, as surpassing them in eloquence and fame. Did he not tell them to choose the lowest seats and to be the servants of all? "These were men,” it may be said; "children and youth must be stimulated by different motives." I pray you in what system of morals is this distinction made? By what kind of logic or divinity can it be proved, that those feelings, those motives, and passions, which are proper for children and youth, are improper for men, for parents, for the aged, for the dying? If the preceptors of youth may; why may not ministers of the gospel, lay aside their exhortation to humility, abasement, and self-denial? When do youth begin to be men? How long shall they be excited to action by a spirit of rivalship and emulation? When shall they begin to be humble; when shall they be christians? Are not some modes of education dangerous, may they not be fatal to the peace of society? Is it said that "these are the bugbears of a win. ter's eve;" when has this mode of education produced any baleful effects in society? Because men are often clumsy proficients in the work of moral rain, shall we congratulate our selves for their imbecility, or be deluded into a confidence in their wrong principles? Ponderous artillery may be so unskilfully levelled as to effect no damage. The gospel also may so counteract the lessons of emulation as to prevent their de. structive influence. A powerful antidote may prevent the effects of the most malignant poison. Though we think these are conclusive replies to the inquiry "When has this mode of educa. tion produced any baleful effects in society?" yet would I rather return the question "When has NOT this mode of education produced its baleful effects in socie ty ? When were mankind a harmonious brotherhood? How many Nimrods, Tamerianes, Attilas, Pizarros, Madocawaudos, and Suwarrows have been formby these lessons of laudable emulation! Where are Babylon and Nineveh, Carthage and Tyre? Where are Thebes and Palmyra; the holy capital of Palestine, and the Temple of mount Zion? Swept away by what?-the fury of emulation. What is the present state of Europe? What is the state of our own country? Are we not contending man against man, who shall have the mighty privilege of bursting open the doors of honor and public confidence? This is the spontaneous harvest of such seed, sown in the deadly soil of the human heart. Further, if we have suggested the true object of education, it will follow that the Bible should constitute an essential branch of instruction. The Bible is the charter of immortal felicity; the map of glory. It draws the curtain, which concealed the invisible world, it brings life and immortality to light; it is the book of life. Is it possible, then, that this volume should be excluded from many and not studied, as a classic, in any seminary of science? The time makes haste, we trust, when this will be considered an incredible phenomenon in the history of this christian country. To restore ourselves to the di. vine favor; to recover ourselves from the sad effects of the fall, without the study of revela tion, would be like teaching navigation without the knowledge of the compass, music without sounds, and the beauty of colors without light. As a miserable painting compares with a rich landscape of gardens, fields, villages, and temples, so the writings of men compare with the fair page of revelation. The Scriptures are among other volumes as the sun among the stars, as a king among his subjects. Other volumes are useful, as they unite their influence with the book of God. Those studies, which do not harmonize with the gospel, are like clouds without rain; blossoms without fruit. Every book, used in seminaries of science, ought to breathe a religious spirit. Here perhaps it would be just to remark, generally, that the defects of education in this country seem rather to be incidental, than radical. The proper sciences are taught; but are their relations and connexions, and consequences attentive. ly deduced? Youth are taught to understand, but are they taught to think? A savage may gaze with vacant wonder at a clock or other curious machinery; but an intelli. gent youth, who is taught the influence of the springs, the connexion of the wheels, and the relation of the parts to the whole, will enjoy a more rational admiration of their use, and contriv. e. So he, that is taught to od in every science, will In every science a devout ine on his mind. e see then how necessary is ligious spirit to those who teachers of youth. This is onsecrated ground. Let us put koes, suppress all our affections. design of education n with the gospel. tor, the professor, and the christian pastor, are fel. with gospel philan. thropy, who are themselves bein of eternal life. Let vice and infidelity never profane the teacher's heart. Such teachers, instead of elevating their charge to heaven, sacrifice them on the threshold of life; instead of nourishing them as lambs of the Redeemer's fold, they poison the fountains where they drink. Hence parents are bound to examine and ascertain the char. acters of those, who educate their children. Those, who of fer themselves as teachers, are bound to produce satisfactory evidence of their integrity, skill, and fidelity. Will a shepherd employ a wolf to guard his flock? Will you entrust a stranger with the keys of your treasures? Dare an irreligious man, assume the charge of in. mortal souls? For a moment suppose your self on the borders of that lake, which barneth with fire, where hope never comes. Listen to the cries, which ascend from the fiery deep. Some are cursing their God and King; some ar begging for a drop of water to cool their parched tongues. Whe |