SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 321, 30 July 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

ON "THE BIBLE IN THE SCHOOLS." Professor Huxley says: Tako the Bible ns a whole; make the severest deductions which fair criticism can dictate for short comings; eliminate, as a neusible teacher would if left to himself, all that is not desirable for children to occupy themselves with, and there still remains, in the old literature a vast residuum of moral beauty and granduer. By the study of what other book could children be so much harmonised and made to feci that each figure in the vast historical proeession fills, like themselves, but a momentary apace in the interval botwosn the two eiremities and earns the blessing or curse of all time, according to its effort* to do good uud hate evil, even as thoy arc also earning their payment for their work. Bishop Moorhouse says in a lecture delivered in Melbourne: Morality can never become a determining force in human character unless it win its motive and support from Christianity—Sir Robert i'tel declared of a similar education. "That it is only half an education with the most important half left out." It was the perception of the fact wbieh inspired the celebrated declaration of Victor Hugo.—" Those parents who send their children to a school, over the doors of whioh it is written " Here religion is not tausht" ought to be summoned before the" magistrate ■"—What then shall we say of a state which is undertaking the education of the people and by its power of purse excluding all possibility of competition, deliberately affixes the superscription to the door of every school-room in the land 'i To make duty a practical force; in the life is the ono great aim everywhere. What is the nse of reading, writing, and arithmetic without that constraining sense of duty which subdues selfish pas.sion and employs all mental force and acuteness in the effort to do good to others ? A clever man without the sense of duty to constrain him is only the more dangerous scoundrel and ha will be moreover an unhappy and discontented scoundrel, a cu#hb to himself as well as a danger to the commonwealtb. —(F). THE BLESSING OF SIMPLE QOODNKB*. After all, there are few ways in which most of us can do better service for Christ in this world than just by being good. Sir Walter Scott's farewell to Lockhart contained wise counsel: "Be a good man, my dear." Cleverness shines more brightly io society, eloquence makes itself heard more widely, wealth yields a greater show of splendor, gives more worldly power for the time ; but plain, simplegoodnesß is likely to-have as bright a crown and as high a place in heaven as any of her more showy sisters. " Be good, fair child, let who will be clever, Do noble deeds, not dream them all day long."— There is the multitude not gifted for great things —the one-talented or twotalented people, who think they can bo of but little use in the world. Too often their temptation is to repeat the mistake and sin of the man in tho p arable, who thought his own talent too small to be used to any profit. But the truth ia, no life's eudownuient is too small to become a real blessing in this world. Even the smallest candle or taper will shed a little brightness, if lighted and set where it can shine. . . Suppose we had no gifts—no money—it does not follow we can be of no use. We can at least be good. We can get into our hearts the grace of the Lord Jesus, the mind that was in Christ. We can become so filled with the Holy Spirit that the light of divine love will shine out from our dull nature aud transfigure it. We can have something of the beauty of Chirst in our life. The light of good cheer that shines in our face as we pass victoriously through the hard thing of our condition puts hope into other discouraged hearts. The faith that fails not when things seem dark, that meets sorrow and suffers, but is not crushed, helps the faith of others -who are in liko experiences- Life is contagious.— Courage in oue struggler makes all others who know him braver. Joy in one spirit kindles joy in many other spirits. The ministry of influence is silent but it never intermits. By day and by night it goes on, while men wake and while they sleep. Even death does not interrupt it; and when the voice is hushed, when tin bands are folded, it continues to blues and inspire others. —Dr J. R. Miller (F).