Notes on the new reformation in Germany : and on national education, and the common schools of Massachusetts / By George Combe.

  • George Combe
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on the new reformation in Germany : and on national education, and the common schools of Massachusetts / By George Combe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/88 (page 35)
    “ If I am right, ignorance is never better than knowledge, anywhere, nor with any religious opinions.” Nothing can surpass the excellence of these sentiments and their beneficial tendency. They breathe the spirit of real Christianity, as well as of philosophy and patriotism. We rejoice to remark that other orthodox men are animated by the same admirable principles. A letter signed T. P., which is understood to be “ from a gentleman of high standing in this community,’’ says, “ The Board (of Education) has been selected with great care, and (as it has always been acknowledged) with great imparti- ality. If the demon of party-politics has knocked at the door, I believe it was never opened to him. Of the secretary himself, I am almost unwilling to speak as I think. Between him and myself, as I have already said, there exists the ex- tremest difference of religious doctrine ; and there is no per- sonal intimacy to affect my opinions ; I judge of his character only by his public doings and sayings. But I have observed his career for years.” Here a variety of Mr Mann’s public services are enumerated and eulogised. “ In important public offices, I have witnessed his unsurpassed devotion to duty ; and now all his hours and all his faculties are earnestly employed in the great work of public education. He may continue to be assailed from time to time, as he has always been, by those who cannot be willing that the gifts of God should come to man unless they pass through the channels which they suppose themselves to have sounded, and are, therefore, ready to sanction. But if all men were of this mind and mood, the plague of a greater than Egyptian dark- ness would he near us. Happily it is not so; and I hope he will go forward on his way of usefulness, cheered no less by the consciousness of good endeavours than by the evidence of success, and strong in his own excellent purposes, and in the sympathy of all who find in the good lie seeks an end which all good men may desire.”—P. 40. Such sentiments as these, publicly expressed by men en- tertaining extreme differences of opinion on religious doc- trine, are refreshing and highly encouraging to the genuine philanthropist. And what has produced this admirable and truly Christian spirit in a community which exists in a state of habitual and high religious and political excitement ? It is the perfect equality of all sects in religious privileges and political power. The pride of domination engendered by national establishments of religion deadens the just and ge- nerous affections in all but the highest minds in their com- munion ; while the sense of injustice, oppression, and exclu-