SERMON 1. THE NATURE AND THE VALUE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. Train PROVERBS Xxii. 6. up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. AFFECTIONATE and conscientious parents will ever regard the education of their children, as an object of attention most deeply interesting, and a duty involving the most solemn responsibility. There may be found, indeed, amongst every order of men, depraved and unnatural beings, who, like the ostriches in the wilderness, are hardened against their young ones, as though they were not theirs,* and who are cruelly indif *Job xxxix. 16. Lamentations iv. 3. ferent to their interests as well for time as eternity. But I cannot, for a moment, believe that persons of this description are within the reach of my voice. I may, therefore, at once enter upon my present subject, not doubting that it has in itself abundant interest to command your most serious attention; and I may trust, that you will not be dissatisfied at learning my design, of appropriating the four mornings of the Sundays in Advent to sermons upon education. It must be obvious, that in so brief a course, the subject can by no means be fully treated. Nor is this my intention. The great principles can alone be touched upon. They whose duties, as parents, guardians, or instructors of youth, demand from them a knowledge of the practical details of education, must be referred to some of the numerous excellent treatises which have already been published. The pulpit, however, is the appropriate place for exhorting Christian parents to this study, and the examination of a subject vitally connected with the moral and religious improve ment of the community. Your preacher would embrace the opportunity it now affords, of exciting your attention, and directing your inquiries, to these topics:-What should be the chief design of education? what are the best means of promoting this design? and what is the reward that will attend its promotion? You will observe that these topics are naturally suggested by the text. The way in which a child should go-to lead him into this way, and prepare him to walk in it steadily and constantly should be the chief design of education. Train him up this precept, up-this carried out into all its details, directs us to the means. In the last clause of the text, the reward is expressed when he is old, he will not depart from it. But we have a preliminary consideration before us-education may be secular or religious-that which prepares an individual for the occupations relating to his temporal existence, and to fulfil his various social duties, or that which teaches him his obligations to the Supreme Being, and the principles by which his conduct is to be regulated in every relation of life. The latter exclusively might be considered as the appropriate province of the Christian teacher. But, in my estimation, both should be included-since they are intimately, nay, indissolubly connected. Religion is the best and surest basis for instruction in every department; for it controls the passions, it purifies and expands the affections, it teaches the right application of the intellectual powers, and provides the highest incentives to the performance of every duty incumbent on man. But as this position is so important, and as it may not have been duly considered by all who hear me, my discourse this morning will be devoted to it, and will thus constitute an introduction to the three which are to follow. Religious education may be defined in the language of St. Paul, bringing up children |