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On The Tendency Of The Pagan Morality And Polytheism To Corrupt Young Minds.
heathenism hath risen high in his esteem , to the degradation of ? mild and meek reli g ion . I do not say , that he hath ever cooll y decided for heathenism , though viewed in its most alluring dress .- I am inclined , however , to think , that , in consequence of having contemplated its specious and attractive beauties with too warm an admiration , the first of our English writers hath given a false colouring' to 6 f his inimitable
many parts History . It must be a very feeble , or a miserably darkened , mind , that would embrace a single article of the Pagan creed as an object of faith . Yet I have lately seen a deep philosophical disquisition , in which the author seems to profess himself a convert to Paganism . To pursue my subject—I cannot help observing , that boys are to train of
even obliged adopt a false opinions and ideas , whether they are disposed to reflection , or not , while masters seem studiousl y and painfully to inculcate into their minds a defective morality and a vicious polytheism . I shall particularize one glaring instance of par ^ tiahty for heathen ethics , as exemplified by heathen characters . The preposterous veneration , with which the Pagans are-regarded , 'wilj in the of
appear composition themes . It seems to be an established rule in theme-writing , to draw every observation and example from heathen sources , . nor ever to admit into the composition a sentiment , or a character , from the Gospel . The irrationality of this rule cannot be sufficientl y exposed . In favour of it , I have never heard a reas 6 n advanced , which deserves a moment ' s attention . Archdeacon Paley hath intimated , that no ethics are finished without the Christian
dispensation . In the old morality , there was much false opinion much ambiguity , many wide chasms , many defects ! The Christian ethics were designed to correct the errors of the Pagan—to dissipate the . obscurity-r-to discharge the blemishes—to supply the deficiencies—. to purify and perfect the whole . The true System of morals , therefore , is really inseparable from Christianity . Cur ideas of the four Cardinal Virtues b
y no means coincide with those of the philosophers . Our motives to virtue are very different from theirs . Christianity hath introduced , in fact , new virtues into the system , which have thrown a softening lustre over the old . Take , for instance , the Fortitude of Regulus , and introduce her to St . Paul . She assumes , at once , a new shape ; she appears in a li ght , which a heathen could have
never contemplated . With the Roman , she borrowed her support from Inflexibility , Disdain , and Pride ; with the Apostle , she was sustained by Patience , Resignation , and Humility . Roman and Christian Fortitude are two opposite characters . To expect a boy , therefore , to adhere only to the morals of Socrates or Seneca , and blame him for the slightest reference to those of Christ , seems to cany with it of
a degree profaneness . To this charge , however , few schoolmasters , I fear , can plead not guilty . What must a schoolboy think of Christianity , thus excluded from his thoughts ? What must he ¦ th ; nk , if he have any ideas at all , of the censure that reprobates the leatt allusion to his reli gion ? If he implicitly rely on his master ' s judgment , is it a wonder that he entertains degrading sentiments of the faith in Jesus ?
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Tendency Of The Pagan Morality And Polytheism To Corrupt Young Minds.
heathenism hath risen high in his esteem , to the degradation of ? mild and meek reli g ion . I do not say , that he hath ever cooll y decided for heathenism , though viewed in its most alluring dress .- I am inclined , however , to think , that , in consequence of having contemplated its specious and attractive beauties with too warm an admiration , the first of our English writers hath given a false colouring' to 6 f his inimitable
many parts History . It must be a very feeble , or a miserably darkened , mind , that would embrace a single article of the Pagan creed as an object of faith . Yet I have lately seen a deep philosophical disquisition , in which the author seems to profess himself a convert to Paganism . To pursue my subject—I cannot help observing , that boys are to train of
even obliged adopt a false opinions and ideas , whether they are disposed to reflection , or not , while masters seem studiousl y and painfully to inculcate into their minds a defective morality and a vicious polytheism . I shall particularize one glaring instance of par ^ tiahty for heathen ethics , as exemplified by heathen characters . The preposterous veneration , with which the Pagans are-regarded , 'wilj in the of
appear composition themes . It seems to be an established rule in theme-writing , to draw every observation and example from heathen sources , . nor ever to admit into the composition a sentiment , or a character , from the Gospel . The irrationality of this rule cannot be sufficientl y exposed . In favour of it , I have never heard a reas 6 n advanced , which deserves a moment ' s attention . Archdeacon Paley hath intimated , that no ethics are finished without the Christian
dispensation . In the old morality , there was much false opinion much ambiguity , many wide chasms , many defects ! The Christian ethics were designed to correct the errors of the Pagan—to dissipate the . obscurity-r-to discharge the blemishes—to supply the deficiencies—. to purify and perfect the whole . The true System of morals , therefore , is really inseparable from Christianity . Cur ideas of the four Cardinal Virtues b
y no means coincide with those of the philosophers . Our motives to virtue are very different from theirs . Christianity hath introduced , in fact , new virtues into the system , which have thrown a softening lustre over the old . Take , for instance , the Fortitude of Regulus , and introduce her to St . Paul . She assumes , at once , a new shape ; she appears in a li ght , which a heathen could have
never contemplated . With the Roman , she borrowed her support from Inflexibility , Disdain , and Pride ; with the Apostle , she was sustained by Patience , Resignation , and Humility . Roman and Christian Fortitude are two opposite characters . To expect a boy , therefore , to adhere only to the morals of Socrates or Seneca , and blame him for the slightest reference to those of Christ , seems to cany with it of
a degree profaneness . To this charge , however , few schoolmasters , I fear , can plead not guilty . What must a schoolboy think of Christianity , thus excluded from his thoughts ? What must he ¦ th ; nk , if he have any ideas at all , of the censure that reprobates the leatt allusion to his reli gion ? If he implicitly rely on his master ' s judgment , is it a wonder that he entertains degrading sentiments of the faith in Jesus ?