Page:The American Quarterly Register, Volume 6, 1834.djvu/224

220 REV. DR. COGSWELL'S ADDRESS. [Feb. but they frequently lament that they have so little. Knowledge is power, and the more a man possesses, if it be sanctified, the better. And be it remembered, "there is no royal road to knowledge." It must be obtained by dint of effort. We hear much of the march of mind and of science in the present day. Be this so or not, I am sure, Sir, that there is not only a march, but a rush of feeling, especially in these Western States, and unless the great mass of society is instructed, and their instruction is impregnated with religion, there will be a mighty whirlwind, which will, like a besom of destruction, sweep away every thing that is fair and beautiful. This can be done only through the instrumentality of a learned and pious ministry. Such a ministry the Education Society is raising up, and, in this way, it will greatly bless Zion, and do much to effect a marvellous transformation in the moral and religious character of the West.—On my way to this city, as I passed along beside the Niagara river, I saw upon Queenstown Heights, a marble monument to Sir Isaac Brock, to perpetuate his memory and the civil and military services he rendered to his country. Now, Sir, there should be erected, throughout this whole region, a monument more durable than marble or brass, which should tell to posterity not your civil virtues nor military prowess, but your ardent attachment to literature and religion, that "generations yet unborn may arise and call you blessed." To accomplish this, institutions of learning and piety must be established and maintained on puritanical principles. Thus this immense Central Valley may be sanctified and saved. The pilgrims of New England understood this. Hence they early erected institutions of learning, and dedicated them to Christ and the church. And hence, probably there is more good moral power in New England, than among any equal number of people on the face of the globe.

This Society, moreover, is adapted to promote the interests of the church, as it will train up an order of ministers who possess the habits of industry and economy. An indolent and prodigal ministry is a curse to the church. If the time ever existed, when it was lawful for a minister of Jesus to live in luxury and do the work of the Lord in a cold and sluggish manner, or not to do it at all as he pleased, it surely does not exist in the nineteenth century, at the dawn of the millennium. The Romish religion may be maintained and extended by Jesuitical practises; the Mohammedan religion may be propagated by the sword; but pure Christianity can never be diffused in either of these ways. The ministers of Jesus, would they promote the cause of their Master, must labor, and toil, and practise self-denial. The Education Society is calculated to raise up men who will endure such services and privations. Its operations are salutary, as it inspires a spirit of independence, by assisting young men to help themselves; as it induces habits of frugality and industry, by furnishing to its beneficiaries only a partial support—enough to keep them from despondency and excite them to activity—enough to carry them forward with their own exertions. This, too, is granted them in the way of parental loan, which is one of the noblest charities of the present age.

When the Society, Sir, commenced its operations, it paid the expenses of its beneficiaries. But it was soon found, that this course would never answer; for the bills of the beneficiaries increased from year to year, "grew with their growth." This is just what might have been expected from a consideration of the nature of the human mind. The next course adopted was to give the young men a certain sum, as much only as was supposed to be absolutely necessary. But this plan did not succeed, for they would involve themselves in debt, perhaps nearly as much as they would have done if no assistance had been rendered them. In this way one grand design of the Institution was frustrated. Upon this, the Directors became discouraged, fearing that the Society would fail in the accomplishment of its object, as all other societies of a similar nature had done; and they addressed a circular to the Presidents of the different colleges, and a large number of laymen, acquainted with the education of youth, requesting their opinion on this subject. The answer generally returned was, Adopt the loaning system. A large proportion of the beneficiaries also signified their desire, that this course might be pursued. Accordingly it was adopted, and the effects have been most happy. Eighteen years' experience has proved that this is the course, and the only course which can with safety be pursued. And here permit me to say, Mr. President that in New England, where this method of education has been most fully tested, I do not recollect a single clergyman or layman, friendly to charitable education, who does not approve the plan. A clergyman of high distinction, who some years since, was a professor in one of our colleges, remarked to me in conversation, "I have always admired the wisdom of the loaning system, adopted by the American Education Society. It is absolutely necessary to promote industry and economy in the beneficiaries. I was once concerned in the distribution of some charity funds at a college. The students who were the recipients, asked for and received more and more every year, till, the funds would sustain but about seven individuals. These funds you will remember, were bestowed as an entire charity. The almoners of this bounty perceived that this procedure would fail to accomplish the object in view, as but few individuals would be aided, and those few