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On The Tendency Of The Pagan Morality And Polytheism To Corrupt Young Minds.
above libidinous description . . A great deal of indecency follows , in reference to the rape—de Eumicho et de vitio virginis . But it is time to dismiss the subject . I would only submit the question to the consideration of the serious , whether they , who instil into the minds , of boys such licentiousness and corruption , do not contribute greatly to the diffusion of immorality among the mass of the people , and may not justly be deemed enemies both of our civil and reliious
Constig tution ? Is it not natural to suppose , that they who are taught to look bashfully on the ground , like the character whom , they personate , should secretly cherish the same feelings—that they should actually commit the same crime , when opportunity offers—and that , when released from school , they should boldly launch out on the wide waste of debauchery , to the ruin of themselvesand the depravation
, of the general morals ? To close the whole , then , with a view to what I have already observed—I would not banish the mythological poets , or the heathen moralists , from schools ; but I would advise every preceptor to comment largely on both , as he reads them with his pupils—to pass over every licentious passage—to point out carefully every defect—to
oppose the ~ false notions of Pagan ethics or polytheism to the pure doctrines and sublime revelations of Christ' —and , though he admire the Classics for their elegance , to dissipate from each obnoxious sentiment the beautiful lustre that surrounds it . I would wish , also , the Christian schoolmaster , when he gives out his thesis , to direct anew the composition of a theme . Let him no longer object to the Gospel
graces , because they are unclassical ; let him no more punish his boys for scriptural illustrations . And , as to acting plays , let him exclude , at least , a Chserea from the juvenile stage . I should be better pleased , if he would break up the whole drama—if he would utterl y annihilate his theatrical school . For private entertainment of this sort , there is gone out a spirit among us , that seems to brood no unalarming evils . The whole nation are playing off their stage tricks . Every
boy , and every unblushing girl , assumes the mask , the buskin , or the sock . And I much question , whether the seeds of this universal mania were not originally sown in Westminster-school . In short , I would wish every one , who hath . undertaken the delicate , the momentous , task of educating youth , to make that reli gion , on which the happiness of this life and the next is suspendedthe chief
, object of his attention and concern . Let him dedicate the Sunday , at least , to the study of the Scriptures . Instead of allowing his boys to sport away the evening of the Sabbath , let him confine them to reli gious books at school , read lectures to them on the Church Catechism , oblige them to take notes of what he reads , and give an account of the lecture from memory , assisted by their annotations . Let him
explain the Greek Testament , or the Septuagint , which they may peruse on other days , with a view to the reli gious matter , as well as to the language . And let him put into their hands some abridged account of the Ecclesiastical History ; so that , while they study the Revolutions of the Roman Empire , they may be somewhat acquainted , also , with the rise aud progress of the kingdom of Christ . P .
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.
above libidinous description . . A great deal of indecency follows , in reference to the rape—de Eumicho et de vitio virginis . But it is time to dismiss the subject . I would only submit the question to the consideration of the serious , whether they , who instil into the minds , of boys such licentiousness and corruption , do not contribute greatly to the diffusion of immorality among the mass of the people , and may not justly be deemed enemies both of our civil and reliious
Constig tution ? Is it not natural to suppose , that they who are taught to look bashfully on the ground , like the character whom , they personate , should secretly cherish the same feelings—that they should actually commit the same crime , when opportunity offers—and that , when released from school , they should boldly launch out on the wide waste of debauchery , to the ruin of themselvesand the depravation
, of the general morals ? To close the whole , then , with a view to what I have already observed—I would not banish the mythological poets , or the heathen moralists , from schools ; but I would advise every preceptor to comment largely on both , as he reads them with his pupils—to pass over every licentious passage—to point out carefully every defect—to
oppose the ~ false notions of Pagan ethics or polytheism to the pure doctrines and sublime revelations of Christ' —and , though he admire the Classics for their elegance , to dissipate from each obnoxious sentiment the beautiful lustre that surrounds it . I would wish , also , the Christian schoolmaster , when he gives out his thesis , to direct anew the composition of a theme . Let him no longer object to the Gospel
graces , because they are unclassical ; let him no more punish his boys for scriptural illustrations . And , as to acting plays , let him exclude , at least , a Chserea from the juvenile stage . I should be better pleased , if he would break up the whole drama—if he would utterl y annihilate his theatrical school . For private entertainment of this sort , there is gone out a spirit among us , that seems to brood no unalarming evils . The whole nation are playing off their stage tricks . Every
boy , and every unblushing girl , assumes the mask , the buskin , or the sock . And I much question , whether the seeds of this universal mania were not originally sown in Westminster-school . In short , I would wish every one , who hath . undertaken the delicate , the momentous , task of educating youth , to make that reli gion , on which the happiness of this life and the next is suspendedthe chief
, object of his attention and concern . Let him dedicate the Sunday , at least , to the study of the Scriptures . Instead of allowing his boys to sport away the evening of the Sabbath , let him confine them to reli gious books at school , read lectures to them on the Church Catechism , oblige them to take notes of what he reads , and give an account of the lecture from memory , assisted by their annotations . Let him
explain the Greek Testament , or the Septuagint , which they may peruse on other days , with a view to the reli gious matter , as well as to the language . And let him put into their hands some abridged account of the Ecclesiastical History ; so that , while they study the Revolutions of the Roman Empire , they may be somewhat acquainted , also , with the rise aud progress of the kingdom of Christ . P .