ART. VIII.-RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG.

ONE of the most striking traits in that order of things which is established upon earth by the Creator, is the extent to which mankind are dependent one upon another, as respects their condition, happiness, and even character itself. The mutual influence which we exert in the various relations of life is immeasurable by any finite understanding. The connexions and consistency of this truth with the truth of man's accountableness, form a topic of great intricacy and mystery, which does not, however, come within the purpose of our present remarks.

No one will deny that there is the mutual influence which has just been mentioned an influence which even determines our existence, and not only gives character to our bodily life, but in great measure shapes the condition and destiny of our immortal spirits. Even supposing the soul of the infant to be at birth immediately transmitted by the hand of the Almighty to the earthly tabernacle which it is to inhabit for a season, still the characteristics of that soul are indisputably found to manifest clear evidence of parentage. What we call hereditary traits are as common in respect to the nobler, as in respect to the inferior, part of the human constitution.

There is no more important department of that influence which is exerted by human beings over each other, than the education of the young. Generation after generation passes in solemn procession over the slight scaffolding of earthly life, soon to plunge into the abyss of eternity; and each, before it disappears, should hand the torches of truth and duty to the next succeeding rank, not merely unextinguished, but trimmed and fed with utmost diligence and burning with augmented splendor. Every new generation is committed, in a great measure, as mere material to the disposal of its predecessor. In its fullest sense, human education may perhaps be properly regarded as comprehending all the influences, of whatever sort, which serve to modify the human character. Books, although they are generally considered the chief means of education, are in reality less important than many others. We are influenced immeasurably by oral maxims and injunctions,

and especially by the force of living example. We are taught of God by the operations of his Providence, as well as by the language of the Bible. How few are accustomed to consider the common events of life as helping to constitute their education! And yet all these events exert more or less influence upon the character; they are fraught with heavenly lessons of instruction and admonition. All the circumstances of our existence co-operate in our education. In the words of Cowper;

"Hark! 'tis the music of a thousand rills,

Some through the groves, some down the sloping hills,
Winding a secret or an open course,

And all supplied from an Eternal Source."

The most convenient mode of classifying the influences of education is perhaps that which has reference to the compound nature of man, dividing education into three branches, physical, intellectual, and moral ; including under this last head all religious influences. Without dwelling on the two former, let us pass at once to the third general branch of education, which relates to the heart. Whatever pitch of excellence a human being may attain in respect to his intellectual and physical characteristics, his life will not, on the whole, be a profitable one, to himself or to others, if he have a bad heart. Indeed the hurtful influence of a bad heart is likely to be enhanced just in proportion to the degree of physical and intellectual culture with which it is associated. The disposition to useful or harmful action depends very much upon the training which the moral powers have undergone. The human being is capable of discerning the relations which he sustains to his Maker and to his fellow-creatures and of feeling the responsibilities which rest upon him; and this capacity of discernment and feeling may be indefinitely improved by a wise management of influences. The earlier this course of

improvement can be commenced, the better. Childhood is the fittest season for religious education. There are some indeed who think differently; who say, for instance, that the Bible should be wholly kept from the hands of children, in order that they may study it more impartially when they grow up. Their minds, it is said, are so immature as not to be capable of deciding aright what is true

and what is false, and hence it is wrong to instil into those minds what may be only injurious prejudices. Such reasoning, one would think, bears too much resemblance to that which is employed to defend the exclusion of the Bible from the hands of even the adult laity, to be regarded without distrust by any genuine Protestant.

The principle of this objection to early religious instruction is palpably absurd. It would require us to omit all instruction of the young; for, in this point of view, the case is just the same respecting all subjects of education as respecting religion. Why not refrain from teaching children geography, for example, lest the books or lessons which we use should communicate wrong views of the science, such as the weak intellect of childhood could not repudiate. Do you say, the principles of geography are more generally agreed upon than the doctrines of the Bible? But general agreement by no means certifies the truth of principles; for the greater part of mankind have been agreed in principles which are now ascertained to have been false. This objection overlooks the fact that children must be trained in some way or other; if not in the way they should go, necessarily in some way they should not go. The only question is, shall we use our highest wisdom as to their education, or leave it to be wholly a random thing? Reasoning of the sort we are considering would prohibit us from educating children concerning any of the duties of common life, lest they should form. habits subversive of candor and correct judgment. Why should we bring up children to be, as we think, good citizens? or to practice habits of industry in any one of the callings of life? Perhaps when they grow up they will think we taught them wrongly; or at any rate perhaps they would have thought so if we had not biased their minds by education.

From the constitution of our nature and the arrangements of Providence, it is impossible that the human soul should remain a blank till it becomes mature. It cannot reach maturity, save through the discipline of culture, either designed, or what we call accidental. It cannot remain in any fixed condition. It has a tendency to expansion and development, like the tendency to growth in a tree. The longer discreet culture is delayed, the harder

it will be to effect desirable results. How should we think of a farmer, who, instead of training his tree in what he judged to be the best direction, should avow that he preferred to wait till it became large and vigorous through the lapse of years and could take a more firm and decided bent? The truth is, the soul of a young child may properly be likened to a prolific patch of earth. If we do not employ its energies, through our own care, in the production of wheat, or of some other valuable grain, it will bring forth a rank growth of useless and noxious weeds. The question whether weeds or grain shall be the product depends upon our management of the soil, in the case of the human heart almost or quite as much as in the literal cultivation of the earth. The constitution of the child's nature, his circumstances, his actions, (for he must act in some way or other,) would create habits without our help; and if those habits were evil ones, better that he had never been born, or had been exposed in infancy to certain death. Were it possible to keep him aloof from every good influence, he would necessarily become corrupt and hardened, being alienated from God and spurning all that is lovely and desirable in life. The worst we can do respecting our children is to leave them to themselves in such a world as this. We are to do the best we can and trust the event with God. It is important, indeed, (and this point has not received, by any means, the attention which it deserves,) that along with the inculcation of particular sentiments and practices which we believe to be correct, we should seek to cultivate, even in the youthful soul, a spirit of candor, a perfect readiness to be convinced of error by sound reasoning. But unless it is wrong to instruct children in any principles whatsoever, save that of utter indifference to all, it is not wrong to instruct them in religion. Why not demand that the man in mature life should delay forming religious principles till old age, on the ground that as years roll on he will become more and more capable of impartial and correct judgment? Is it said, the situation of manhood imperatively requires the application of religious principle? And can it be meant that religious principle is not needed by the child? Are the fear of God and obedience to his commandments of no importance in the early relations of life? It is true the duties of man

hood are more weighty than those of childhood; and so, too, the duties of middle age are usually more weighty than those of early manhood. But is this any reason for postponing the culture of principle? By no means. Other things being the same, the sooner intelligible truths are instilled respecting religion or any other subject, the better. The young need the influence of religion for the promotion of their own present happiness. Probably this fact is not in general enough regarded. When we think of religious instruction for children, we are perhaps too apt to refer its beneficial effect altogether to the future. But it is to be considered, that the more we can subject even a child to religious impressions and convictions and motives, the better it is for its own present well-being. Whatever the young can comprehend in respect to religion may be useful to them on their small scale of life, just as what is comprehended and practised by the adult is useful to him on his larger scale. Children may be made partakers with adults in that "peace that passeth all understanding," which the world can neither give nor take away.

Besides, children have a vast influence over the welfare of those around them. The happiness of their social intercourse with each other depends mainly on their mutual dispositions. The character of one child helps to mould the character of another. The conduct and qualities of children affect, to a very serious extent, the happiness of their parents and that of all nearly connected with them; and while a wise son will make the heart of his father to rejoice, an undutiful son may bring down his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. The more even the youngest children regulate their little lives by Christian principle, imitating their Lord and Saviour, whose character they may be made in a measure to understand, to revere, and to love, at a very early age, the more useful and amiable will they become to those about them -the more dutiful and affectionate towards their parents, the more kind and gentle and self-denying towards their brothers and sisters, and school-fellows and playmates, the more faithful and exemplary as respects all the relations which they sustain, whether in their own family at home, or in the school or the street, or any social companionship abroad. The longer the principles of Christian piety are withheld, the longer is the human being denied access to those fountains