soul, an emanation from the Lord, His likeness, photographed, in the spiritual light, which beams, forever, from His face, is unprovided for, and undisposed of! Whoever will, may, educate a child. And, a controul is, thus, asserted, over human thought, human desire, and human will-since, education comprehends them, allas the inherent right of any, who assert it, which is not claimed, over sheep or oxen; or, even, in the vineyard, or the cornfield. Man shows his deed of gift, from God, to yoke the patient ox, or shear the harmless sheep. He takes no ear from off the standing corn, no round and bursting berry, from the full and purple cluster, but, as God's gift, to him, for meat. While, the mere will, to attempt it, is claimed, as his ample and sufficient charter, for the training of a child: a soul, on which the blood of Jesus has been shed; a germ of immortality; a candidate for heaven!

And,

One glance will show, that this cannot be right. God does not care for moral creatures, least. When the dire ruin of the Fall occurred, no price was paid, to ransom, from its curse, the physical Creation. It "groaneth and travaileth, in pain, together, until now." when God's purposes are served, with it, its “end is, to be burned." But, for the human soul, the Son of God came down, from heaven. He took its place; and underwent its death. And, now, there lies upon it, as the mark of that new ownership, which its redemption consummated, the signet of the Cross; by which, God seals it, as His own, and consecrates it, to His service. He never has let go His hold, upon the heart; nor, for

VOL. IV.-4

a moment, intermitted His prerogative, to mould and train it at His will. Through faithful Abraham, He set His mark, in blood, on all the children of the race. And, when the elder covenant was merged, in that, of which it was the shadow, cast before; and baptism took the place of circumcision, His Cross, who shed His blood, that man's might cease to flow, traced, on the brow of His redeemed ones, the Sign of their salvation; and marked them, as the Lord's. And, now, observe the perfect parallelism. Of Abraham, in whom the sacra ment of circumcision was instituted, God declared, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household, after him; and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." To the Twelve, through whom, the sacrament of baptism was ordained, for all the nations, the commission was, also, given to "teach," them, "all things." And, when St. Paul, to the Ephesians, enumerates the gifts of the Ascension, the list, which opens with "Apostles," ends with "Teachers:" "and He gave some," to be "apostles; and some," to be "prophets; and some," to be "evangelists; and some," to be "pastors and teachers." I know the apt and ready answer: these were spiritual teachers. But, I ask, if man is not a unit? If there can be any teaching, which does not influence the spirit? And, if, since the greater must include the less, the spiritual teacher is not the true agent, in the education of the man? Again, I know the apt and ready answer: the things, which apostles were to teach, were those, which Jesus had commanded them. Again, I

ask, if man is not a unit? Again, I ask, if they who are entrusted with the greatest, are not held for all the rest? Where is the skill, or where the power that shall resolve the unit, man, as pedants teach, and as empirics try to practice, into the physical, the intellec tual, and the spiritual? Does he come, so, into the world? Can he be born, in three instalments? Can he die, in three? Can he stand up, before the Judge, in three? So, neither, can he live, in three. And, there fore, never can be trained, in three. It is the heart, that is the man. And everyhow, the heart is one. It comes, as one, into the world. It is regenerate, as one, in holy baptism. It stands, as one, at that eventful point, where good and evil part, to lead toward heaven, or hell. As one, it makes its choice, between the two. As one, it yields itself to the corruption of the Devil, or the renewal of the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier. As one, its takes its leave of mortal life. As one, it is to stand, before the awful throne. As one, it is to go careering on, for ever, in an immortality of happiness, or misery. And, therefore, education is but one. And, therefore, to the agents, whom the Saviour designated, to make lost man, the child of God, in holy baptism, his training, all, has been entrusted. And the school, for sin ners, is the Church; whose office is to make them saints. And EDUCATION IS A DIVINE THING: because, the authority, to educate a human soul, can only come from Him, who made it, first; and, then, redeemed it. And, see, how nature countersigns, in this, the law of grace. Who moulds the pliant muscles of

The only master of a And parents, teachers, usurpers, one and all,

that new-born babe? Who shapes his stammering accents, into words? Who frames his words, unconscious yet, of meaning, into prayers? She, to whom God conveyed the authority, together with the name, of Mother. And, when the father curbs the wayward child; and chastens him, in love; and makes him kiss the rod, that smites him, for his good, it is God, in him, that does it. And there is no power, inherent, in one human being, to controul another: to deny him the indul gence of a natural desire; to compel him to exertion, which he does not choose to make; to punish him, for that, which he has not done, which he should, or done, which he should not. moral creature is his Maker. governors, spiritual pastors, are and tyrants, but as God deputes, to them, His power. And, as the most complete controul that can be claimed, or exercised, in moral creatures, is that, which is to make them what they are not, and choose not to be, which is the work of education; and, which, that it may win and wield its will, takes it, at disadvantage, in its helplessness, and never lets its hold go, till its life goes the claim to educate could never be allowed, but in the basest treachery to our immortal moral nature, to any who has not received authority, from God. I can but throw this thought, before you, to be thought out, by you. But it is elementary, essential, truth. And the claim to educate a child, which stands on any lower ground, is the claim of the Czar, to consign an exile to Siberia; or of the Inquisition, to imprison

Galileo. Power may enforce submission; but, it cannot win consent. And, in ten thousand thousand voices, nature's instinctive, universal, protest, still, will rise to Heaven: "E pur si muove:" and, after all, it moves!

II. And, now, the means, to educate a human soul must come, through God. EDUCATION IS A DIVINE THING : not only, as it is from God; but, as it must be through God. I do not mean, by this, the simple truth, that even, to count, is proof of a divine Creator. I speak of education, in its true and noble sense; as the developement-literally, the bringing out-of an immortal, Godlike, nature. In this sense, it must comprehend the whole; not limit itself to any part, or parts. Suppose the germ, that nestles in an acorn, to be developed, only in the bark, or in the leaves of the primeval oak! It would be more than most men mean, by education; or most children get, by it: to write their names; to keep accounts; to reckon interest; to make a bow; to sing a song, which has no sense, in words, which are not understood; to whirl the wanton Waltz, or the lasciv ious Polka. These are not, even, the bark, or leaves, of education. Then, how much less, the tree; its roots, its boughs, its sheltering shadow, its sky-piercing aspirations. Proportion, to its end, perfection in its kind, are the great principles of excellence, in every thing. In man, then, most of all. Only, in him, has God proposed to re-produce Himself. And, when the aim was marred, through malice of the Devil, then, to restore, was harder than to make. In every work, the means