state before God, till the disclosures of eternity settled it irrecoverably and forever.

This work also requires impartiality. A partial investigation only increases the evil to be remedied. A onesided, selfish trial of our state, multiplies our spiritual dangers. It is almost impossible to be perfectly honest with ourselves. It is much easier to cry "peace," "peace," than to probe the heart to the bottom, and explore its uttermost ramifications. Multitudes give up the investigation in despair, because they have not the moral courage to grapple with its difficulties, ferret out all the subtle refuges of the heart, and explore all the "chambers of its imagery." It is said that the eagle can look the noon-day sun directly in the face; but there are only a few men who can look directly at themselves with unblenching vision. Closing the eyes to the truth, however, is no way to arrive at it. Refusing to see, is no way to obtain light. Flinching from the most honest, impartial self-scrutiny, is prima facie evidence of spiritual delusion. The bankrupt gains nothing by refusing to know the utmost extent of his liabilities. Honest openness, perfect impartiality is not only an indispensable prerequisite to arriving at the truth, but it is one of the best evidences that we are already in the truth, and that the truth has set us free from "the law of sin and death."

These suggestions we throw out from the fullness of our hearts, and hope that they will lead some of our readers at least, to a more intelligent knowledge of their relations to God and eternity.

WHAT IS EDUCATION?

From Sedgwick's" Means and Ends of Self-Training." "What is education?" asked a teacher of a class of girls. Young persons, when asked such general questions, do not reply promptly. They have no thoughts on the subject, and therefore have nothing to say; or, their thoughts not being arranged, they are not ready to answer, or, they may be too diffident to answer at all. On this occasion, half the girls were silent, and the rest replied, "I don't know, sir."

"Oblige me, girls, by saying something," urged the teacher. "The word is not Greek-surely you have some ideas about it. What is your notion of education, Mary Bliss."

"Does it not mean, sir, learning to read and write?" Mary Bliss paused, and the girl next her added, " and cyphering, sir, and grammar and geography?"

"Yes, it means this, and something more. What is your idea of education, Sarah Johnson ?"

"I did not suppose education meant much more than the girls have mentioned, sir. Mr. Smith said, at the Lyceum Lecture, that the great mass of the people received their education at the common schools; and the girls have named nearly all that we learn at the common schools."

"Does not education mean," asked Maria Jarvis," the learning young men obtain at colleges? I often hear people say of a man, that he has had an education,' when they mean merely that he has been through college."

“You are right, Maria, in believing this to be a commonly received meaning of the term 'education :’but it means more, and as it is important to you to have right and fixed ideas on this subject, I earnestly beg you

to give me your attention, while I attempt to explain to you its full meaning.

"A great man, Mr. Locke, said, that the difference to be found in the manners and abilities of men, is owing more to their education than any thing else. Now, as you are acquainted with men who have never seen the inside of a college, and yet who are superior in ' manners and abilities' to some others who have passed four of the best years of their lives there, you must conclude that education is not confined to college walls.

Whatever tends

"You are born with certain faculties. to develop and improve these, is education. Whatever trains your mental powers, your affections, manners, and habits, is education. Your education is not limited to any period of your life, but is going on as long as you live. Whatever prepares you to be a profitable servant of God, and a faithful disciple of Christ—whatever increases your reverence and love of your Maker-all that in the Scriptures is called 'nurture and admonition of the Lord,' is a part of your religious education.

"Whatever you do to promote your health, to develop and improve the strength and powers of your body, is a part of your physical education."

"What, sir?" interrupted Mary Lewis, "do you mean running, and jumping rope, and trundling hoops, and clambering over rocks; is that a part of education ?”

"I certainly do-but why do you laugh, my dear child ?"

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'Because, sir, I never knew that education meant anything so pleasant as that. I wish my mother could hear you, sir; she would let me play more, instead of studying all the time, if she only knew that driving hoop was called education."

The teacher smiled and proceeded-" Whatever calls

forth your affections and strengthens them, whatever directs and subdues your passions, whatever cultivates your virtues, and whatever improves your manners, is a part of your moral education."

"Then," said the same lively little girl, "that is what my mother means when she says there is a lesson for you, Anne! every time any one of the family does any good› thing. It seems to me I am educating all the time."

"You are, Anne-the world is your school, and good examples are your very best lessons. Whatever unfolds the faculties of your mind, improves your talents and augments your stores of knowledge, is a part of your intellec-. tual education.

"Whatever improves your capacity for domestic affairs or for business of any sort, is a part of your economical education." Now you will perceive from what I have said, that education is not confined to schools and colleges, but that, as Anne has very well remarked, we are educating all the time.' Nor is the conduct of education confined to professed teachers; we are educating one, another.

"While I am teaching you geography and arithmetic, you are perhaps trying my patience, or by your own patience calling forth my gratitude. If I make progress in these virtues you are helping on my moral education.

"The knowledge you impart to one another, the kindness you receive, the love you exchange, are all a part of your education. When you learn to sweep a room, to make a bed, or a cup of tea, a shirt, or a loaf of bread, you are getting on in your education.

Every thing around us, my children, may help forward this great work. The sun, the moon, and the stars, teach their sublime lessons. 'Day unto day uttereth

speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.' The seasons make their revelations. The rain and snow, dews and frost, the trees and rocks, fruits and flowers, plants, herbs, the very stones and grass we tread upon, are full of instructions to those who study them.

"All the events and circumstances of your lives are contributing to your education. Your class-mate, Lucy Davis, has been absent from school the last two months. Reflect on what I have been saying to you, and then tell me, whether Lucy, during this time, though she has not looked into a school-book, has made any progress in her education."

The girls were silent and thoughtful for a few moments. Maria Jarvis spoke first.

'Lucy's economical education, as you call it, sir,” she said, "has been going on, for she has had the care of the family, and every thing to do, all through her mother's illness.

· “And I guess she has been going on in her ‘moral education,' interposed little Mary Lewis ; "for I never saw anybody so patient as she was with her mother's cross baby.

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"And she has not lost this opportunity for improving in her religious education," resumed the teacher. "You all saw her yesterday at her mother's funeral, subduing the grief of her little sisters by her quiet resignation and affectionate devotion to them. Ah, she has been taking lessons in more important branches of education than are taught in schools.

"So you see, my dear children, that life is a schoola primary school; and that we are all scholars, and are all preparing for a day of examination, when the infallible Judge will decide how we have profited by our means of education."