Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

rate them in our thoughts. Why then does the language of life assign the former to the heart, the latter to the head? It is because experience proves that sensations, when acute, and the emotions which arise from them, produce very palpable effects upon the organ of the heart: and then taking effect for cause, the latter has been assigned to the organ in which the effect is most palpably manifested. We may here observe, in our common language, traces of bygone materialism; and although we cannot change the expressions, we shall at least guard youth against the grievous misconceptions which might arise from them. Common language also assigns the will to the heart; the will which resolves and acts; but we shall not adopt so erroneous a term. The will has its peculiar attributes; on one hand it does not choose to act, till thought has preceded its determination; and though in this respect dependent on the mind, the mind in turn receives orders from the will: on the other hand, though the will cannot deviate from the orbit of motion assigned to it by our natural tendencies, yet it has choice of action, and preference within that orbit; it is the will which regulates our life, which acts, and which is consequently responsible.

It would seem, then, that in order to the right training of childhood, education ought to be specially directed to the will. We should thus go straight to the point, instead of reaching it by a circuitous path.

But this direct road to the will, which chooses freely what pleases it most, is not open to education. We must therefore take another path in order to reach it. The study of the human soul inspires us, however, with one certain maxim for our guidance: "Man acts as he loves, and he loves as he thinks."

These few words teach us the true secret of the art which we profess. Would you learn how to render children orderly, and good, and upright in their conduct? inspire them with pure, and benevolent, and upright inclinations; for we act as we love. And do you ask, how you are to inspire these inclinations? Familiarize your pupils with their corresponding ideas; for we love as we think: the thoughts

G

form the heart, and the heart forms the conduct; such is the general rule; nevertheless, it is not without its exceptions: for free will cannot be bound; and all we can do is to regulate it according to this maxim. The effect will not be infallible; but yet our efforts will never be wholly unsuccessful.

All parents and teachers have an inward consciousness of this great maxim. And how should they not? since they cannot be entirely blind to what is continually passing within themselves. Under the guidance of this involuntary consciousness, they confidently appeal to the thoughts of their pupils, in order to reach their hearts, and thus influence their conduct. But they need a clearer, fuller light. Now, as we wish to apply our course of language to the cultivation of the heart, we have given much study to this important subject, and we here offer the result of it: but before we examine the means, we shall begin by defining the object towards which education. should lead its pupils.

CHAPTER I.

The Object which should be kept in view in the Education of Children.

THE learned, who have written on education, define the object towards which we should endeavour to lead youth, by the following words: virtue, perfection, dignity of human nature, high destiny of man. These expres

sions undoubtedly convey grand and beautiful ideas; but they are too vague. Every one may stretch or contract them at will, and may measure them, as it were, by his own standard. We want something more definite and tangible.

The sages of antiquity often attempted to draw a picture of what they conceived man ought to be. They wished to have a living model before their eyes, for life speaks much more effectually than cold maxims. Example has a force which is peculiar to itself; nevertheless, their

model, though continually retouched, had enormous defects there was always in him something cold, and hard, and contracted, something that shocked the nicer sense of right and wrong. They could describe the citizen, the warrior, or the philosopher; but always at the expense of the man. Since our Blessed Saviour, however, has come down upon earth, we are happily relieved from the necessity of inventing for ourselves a model worthy of imitatation. He was sent to us by the Father of Mercies; and He acts all the more powerfully upon us, because we cannot know and contemplate without loving Him. Our course of language will, therefore, direct attention to Him, and will endeavour (according to the Apostle's expression) that He should "be formed in the hearts" of the pupils. In order to assist such teachers as may choose to make use of our work, we shall now attempt a sketch of our Blessed Saviour's character; although we deeply feel our utter insufficiency for so lofty an undertaking. In making the attempt, we experience all the embarrassment of Leonardo da Vinci, when, in his picture of the Last Supper, he wished to represent our Lord true to the image which he had of Him before his mind and in his heart. But he overcame his embarrassment, and we will surmount ours, in order to cast as much light as possible on the subject.

Circumstances in which our Lord lived.

The whole human race, with very few exceptions, were deeply sunk in error and corruption. The Creator of the universe had but one temple upon earth, at Jerusalem, and there He was, as elsewhere, the Unknown God, who was honoured indeed with the lips, while the heart was far from Him. The Jews had a perfect law in that of Moses, whom Plato acknowledged to be the wisest of legislators. But its great precepts, which inculcated good faith, righteousness, mercy, and filial piety, were superseded by sacrifices, offerings, and minute observances. A blind people were led by guides who to blindness added hypocrisy and artifice; and who, full of pride and hatred themselves, instilled these feelings into the credulous multitude. The letter which kills, was everything in Pales

tine; and the spirit which maketh alive, was nothing: it had taken wing, leaving behind it nothing but the empty shell, as the butterfly discards its inert chrysalis, and flies away in the spring on its bright and beautiful wings. Such was our Saviour's native land. It could yield but what it had-darkness and corruption.

Now, if this was the state of Judea in spite of a revelation of the true God, and of the Law of Moses, it will readily be supposed that the nations, which were devoted to the deities of Homer, might indeed distinguish themselves in human science, in arts, and in war, but that their religious opinions, and their worship, must necessarily sink them deeper and deeper in depravity. Some have tried to persuade us that the gods of paganism were but ingenious allegories, to represent the works of nature, and that in reality the adoration of the people was directed to the Creator alone. But in order to produce this faith in any but the ignorant, it would have been necessary to destroy all the writings of antiquity, and all the monuments of art in Greece and Rome; and to change the names still borne by many cities, mountains, hills, and groves. All the vestiges of antiquity proclaim that our fathers worshipped a host of impure deities, whom they thought to embody in statues and to enclose in temples, and that they did bow down to the work of their own hands.

How stupendous, then, was the task that our Saviour undertook in this world of desolation; to bring all nations into allegiance to their Father in heaven; to make of them one family, united by the sweet ties of brotherhood, and living here below in the joyful hope of immortality in another and a better world.

Never had such an idea occurred to mortal man; and it was this idea which animated the whole life of our Saviour, and which nailed Him to the cross.

Principal Features in the Character of our Lord.

We may define the character of our Blessed Lord in these few words: He loved God the Father with his whole heart, and in Him all his family on earth. This twofold love, this Christian charity, is the sacred fire which He

came to kindle on earth, where it had never before been lighted. If we follow the steps of our Master, and listen attentively to His words, we shall see that everywhere and in everything, it was the same charity which acted, which spoke, which suffered, which prayed, which died, and which rose from the dead to lay the imperishable foundation of his work. He entertained for his Heavenly Father the deepest respect, the liveliest gratitude, the most unbounded confidence, and a devotion so entire, that He could with truth say, "My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish the work He hath given me to do." In devoting Himself to this work of salvation, he proved Himself to be very man, and our brother; such a brother as none had ever been before. He alone could say, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Nothing short of divine power and wisdom could establish the kingdom of truth and righteousness on the earth, which was full of darkness and iniquity. The people of Palestine had, indeed, the key of the Kingdom of God, and were looking with impatience for the coming of its Founder; but when He came they knew Him not, because their ideas were all carnal and earthly: they were the vile slaves of sensuality and ambition. Even the Apostles, who had been so long trained in the school of our Lord, partook of these errors, in spite of the respect, the confidence, and the love which they bore to Him; and we see with what gentleness He gradually opened their eyes and enlarged their hearts, which were so straitened in affection.

Though the multitude loudly proclaimed that never man spake like unto Him, and though they were moved by His goodness and mercy, yet the chiefs and elders of the people were ever in waiting to lay snares for Him, and to calumniate Him. He repeatedly put them to silence, but again and again they returned to the charge, resolved to sacrifice Him at any rate. The Redeemer knew that He should be their victim; but He knew also that His death would ensure triumph to the cause of God and of man. (John xii. 24.) He therefore patiently persevered

« AnteriorContinuar »