EDUCATION.

Colonist, Issue 55, 30 April 1858, Page 3

EDUCATION.

Love is the sheet-anchor of Education. It is God's grand argument, so to speak, in educating his own family. As love to Him is all in all—the substance of obedience, and the source of joy, so His love to us is the fountain of that light which is reflected from our hearts to Him again. In the possession of this affection, especially, is apparent God's image in the family. His power and authority must be loving. Love, so far from being inconsistent with inflexible firmness, is rather inseparable from it, For this sublime affection is not mere parental instinct, such as the lower animals manifest to their offspring; nor is it wayward, impulsive feeling. True love is God's love in us, and therefore one with holiness, truth, and justice.

When it is what may be termed an unprincipled or unwise affection, it will be manifested in every way most hurtful to the best interests of the family, by an easy self-indulgence, and a yielding to their wishes, whether right or wrong, reasonable or unreasonable; by partiality and favoritism, from senseless whim or caprice displayed to one or more members of the family, and giving rise to jealousies and evils which may last for life. Such a temper as this is is not love, but sheer selfishness, or a love of our own capricious likings and ill-regu-lated impulses; but not that holy self-sacrificing affection which seeks, above all things, the good, and by this the happiness, of its objects. Hence the real good of, and the real love to, the child can never be separated.

The memorable description of love given by Paul should find its reality in that of a Christian parent more perhaps than in any. other heart on earth:—" Charity suffereth long, and is kind ; charity erivieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh.not her own^ is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth ; heareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, enlureth all tilings."

It is difficult to say which is the greater defect in a parent —strictness and firmness in his family without feeling and affection : or, feeling ad affection without strictmss and firmness Under the one bad system the children are apt to become slaves or hypocrites ; under the other, tyrants or rebels. But true love is always firm, and true firmness is always love.— Macleod's Home Education.