a new view of society-第20节

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ey　must　be　deficient　in　the　practical　knowledge　necessary　to　enable　them　successfully　to　direct　the　instruction　of　others；　and　had　an　attempt　been　made　to　carry　Mr　Whitbread's　plan　into　execution；　it　would　have　created　a　scene　of　confusion　over　the　whole　kingdom。　　　　　Attention　to　the　subject　will　make　it　evident　that　it　never　was；　and　that　it　never　can　be；　the　interest　of　any　sect　claiming　exclusive　privileges　on　account　of　professing　high　and　mysterious　doctrines；　about　which　the　best　and　most　conscientious　men　may　differ　in　opinion；　that　the　mass　of　the　people　should　be　otherwise　instructed　than　in　those　doctrines　which　were　and　are　in　unison　with　its　peculiar　tenets；　and　that　at　this　hour　a　national　system　of　education　for　the　lower　orders；　on　sound　political　principles；　is　really　dreaded；　even　by　some　of　the　most　learned　and　intelligent　members　of　the　Church　of　England。　Such　feelings　in　the　members　of　the　national　church　are　those　only　which　ought　to　be　expected；　for　most　men　so　trained　and　circumstanced　must　of　necessity　acquire　these　feelings。　Why；　therefore；　should　any　class　of　men　endeavour　to　rouse　the　indignation　of　the　public　against　them？　Their　conduct　and　their　motives　are　equally　correct；　and　therefore；　equally　good；　with　those　who　raise　the　cry　against　and　oppose　the　errors　of　the　church。　And　let　it　ever　be　remembered；　that　an　establishment　which　possesses　the　power　of　propagating　principles；　may　be　rendered　truly　valuable　when　directed　to　inculcate　a　system　of　self…evident　truth；　unobstructed　by　inconsistencies　and　counteractions。　　　　　The　dignitaries　of　the　church；　and　their　adherents；　foresaw　that　a　national　system　for　the　education　of　the　poor；　unless　it　were　placed　under　the　immediate　influence　and　management　of　individuals　belonging　to　the　church；　would　effectually　and　rapidly　undermine　the　errors；　not　only　of　their　own；　but　of　every　other　ecclesiastical　establishment。　In　this　foresight　they　evinced　the　superiority　of　their　penetration　over　the　sectaries　by　whom　the　unexclusive　system　is　supported。　The　heads　of　the　church　have　wisely　discovered　that　reason　and　inconsistency　cannot　long　exist　together；　that　the　one　must　inevitably　destroy　the　other；　and　reign　paramount。　They　have　witnessed　the　regular；　and　latterly　the　rapid　progress　which　reason　has　made；　they　know　that　its　accumulating　strength　cannot　be　much　longer　resisted；　and；　as　they　now　see　the　contest　is　hopeless；　the　unsuccessful　attempt　to　destroy　the　Lancastrian　system　of　education　is　the　last　effort　they　will　ever　make　to　counteract　the　dissemination　of　knowledge　which　is　now　widely　extending　itself　in　every　direction。　　　　　The　establishment　of　the　Rev。　Dr　Bell's　system　of　initiating　the　children　of　the　poor　in　all　the　tenets　of　the　Church　of　England；　is　an　attempt　to　ward　off　a　little　longer　the　yet　dreaded　period　of　a　change　from　ignorance　to　reason；　from　misery　to　happiness。　　　　　Let　us；　however；　not　attempt　impossibilities；　the　task　is　vain　and　hopeless；　the　Church；　while　it　adheres　to　the　defective　and　injurious　parts　of　its　system；　cannot　be　induced　to　act　cordially　in　opposition　to　its　apparent　interests。　　　　　The　principles　here　advocated　will　not　admit　the　application　of　any　deception　to　any　class　of　men；　they　countenance　no　proceedings　in　practice；　but　of　unlimited　sincerity　and　candour。　They　give　rise　to　no　one　sentiment　which　is　not　in　unison　with　the　happiness　of　the　human　race；　and　they　impart　knowledge；　which　renders　it　evident　that　such　happiness　can　never　be　acquired　until　every　particle　of　falsehood　and　deception　shall　be　eradicated　from　the　instructions　which　the　old　force　upon　the　young。　　　　　Let　us　then　in　this　spirit　openly　declare　to　the　Church；　that　a　national　unexclusive　plan　of　education　for　the　poor　will；　without　the　shadow　of　doubt；　destroy　all　the　errors　which　are　attached　to　the　various　systems；　and　that；　when　this　plan　shall　be　fully　established；　not　one　of　the　tenets　which　is　in　opposition　to　facts　can　long　be　upheld。　　　　　This　unexclusive　system　for　the　education　of　the　poor　has　gone　forth；　and；　having　found　a　resting　place　in　the　minds　of　its　supporters；　it　will　never　more　return　even　to　the　control　of　its　projectors；　but　it　will　be　speedily　so　improved；　that　by　rapidly　increasing　strides　it　will　firmly　establish　the　reign　of　reason　and　happiness。　　　　　Seeing　and　knowing　this；　let　us　also　make　it　equally　evident　to　the　Church　warn　it　of　its　actual　state　…　cordially　and　sincerely　assist　its　members　quietly　to　withdraw　those　inconsistencies　from　the　system；　which　now　create　its　weakness　and　its　danger；　that　it　may　retain　those　rational　principles　alone　which　can　be　successfully　defended　against　attack；　or　which　rather　will　prevent　any　attack　from　being　attempted；　or　even　meditated。　　　　　The　wise　and　prudent；　then；　of　all　parties；　instead　of　wishing　to　destroy　national　establishments；　will　use　their　utmost　exertions　to　render　them　so　consistent　and　reasonable　in　all　their　parts；　that　every　well…disposed　mind　may　be　induced　to　give　them　their　hearty　and　willing　support。　　　　　For　the　first　grand　step　towards　effecting　any　substantial　improvement　in　these　realms；　without　injury　to　any　part　of　the　community；　is　to　make　it　the　clear　and　decided　interest　of　the　Church　to　co…operate　cordially　in　all　the　projected　ameliorations。　Once　found　a　national　church　on　the　true；　unlimited；　and　genuine　principles　of　mental　charity；　and　all　the　members　of　the　state　will　soon　improve　in　every　truly　valuable　quality。　If　the　temperate　and　discerning　of　all　parties　will　not　now　lend　their　aid　to　effect　this　change　by　peaceable　means　（which　may　with　the　greatest　ease　and　with　unerring　certainty　be　done）；　it　is　evident　to　every　calm　observer；　that　the　struggle　by　those　who　now　exist　in　unnecessary　misery；　to　attain　that　degree　of　happiness　which　they　may　attain　in　practice；　cannot　long　be　deferred。　It　will　therefore　prove　true　political　wisdom　to　anticipate　and　guide　these　feelings。　　　　　To　those　who　can　reflect　and　will　attend　to　the　passing　scenes　before　them；　the　times　are　indeed　awfully　interesting；　some　change　of　high　import；　scarcely　yet　perhaps　to　be　scanned　by　the　present　ill…taught　race　of　men；　is　evidently　in　progress：　in　consequence；　well…founded；　prompt；　and　decisive　measures　are　now　required　in　the　British　councils；　to　direct　this　change；　and　to　relieve　the　nation　from　the　errors　of　its　present　systems。　　　　　It　must　surely　then　be　the　desire　of　every　rational　man；　of　every　true　friend　to　humanity；　that　a　cordial　co…operation　and　unity　of　action　should　be　effected　between　the　British　Executive；　the　Parliament；　the　Church；　and　the　People；　to　lay　a　broad　and　firm　foundation　for　the　future　happiness　of　themselves　and　the　world。　　　　　Say　not；　my　countrymen；　that　such　an　event　is　impracticable；　for；　by　adopting　the　evident　means　to　form　a　rational　character　in　man；　there　is　a　plain　and　direct　road　opened；　which；　if　pursued；　will　render　its　accomplishment　not　only　possible　but　certain。　That　road；　too；　will　be　found　the　most　safe　and　pleasant　that　human　beings　have　ever　yet　travelled。　It　leads　direct　to　intelligence　and　true　knowledge；　and　will　show　the　boasted　acquirements　of　Greece；　of　Rome；　and　of　all　antiquity；　to　be　the　mere　weakness　of　mental　infancy。　Those　who　travel　this　road　will　find　it　so　straight　and　well　defined；　that　no　one　will　be　in　danger　of　wandering　from　the　right　course。　Nor　is　it　yet　a　narrow　or　exclusive　path；　it　admits　of　no　exclusion：　every　colour　of　body　and　diversity　of　mind　are　freely　and　alike　admitted。　It　is　open　to　the　human　race；　and　it　is　broad　and　spacious　enough　to　receive　the　whole；　were　they　increased　a　thousandfold。　　　　　We　well　know　that　a　declaration　like　the　one　now　made　must　sound　chimerical　in　the　ears　of　those　who　have　hitherto　wandered　in　the　dark　mazes　of　ignorance；　error；　and　exclusion；　and　who　have　been　taught　folly　and　inconsistencies　only　from　their　cradle。　　　　　But　if　every　known　fact　connected　with　the　subject　proves　that；　from　the　day　in　which　man　first　saw　light　to　that　in　which　the　sun　now　shines；　the　old　collectively　have　taught　the　young　collectively　the　sentiments　and　habits　which　the　young　have　acquired；　and　that　the　present　generation　and　every　following　generation　must　in　like　manner　instruct　their　successors；　then　do　we　say；　with　a　confidence　founded　on　certainty　itself；　that　even　much　more　shall　come　to　pass　than　has　yet　been　foretold　or　promised。　When　these　principles；　derived　from　the　unchangeable　laws　of　nature；　and　equally　revealed　to　all　men；　shall；　as　soon　as　they　will；　be　publicly　established　in　the　world；　no　conceivable　obstacle　can　remain　to　prevent　a　sincere　and　cordial　union　and　co…operation　for　every　wise　and　good　purpose；　not　only　among　all　the　members　of　the　same　state；　but　also　among　the　rulers　of　those　kingdoms　and　empires　whose　enmity　and　rancour　against　each　other　have　been　carried　to　the　utmost　stretch　of　melancholy　folly；　and　even　occasionally　to　a　high　degree　of　madness。　　　　　Such；　my　fellow　men；　are　some；　and　yet　but　a　few；　of　the　mighty　consequences　which　must　result　from　the　public　acknowledgement　of　these　plain；　simple；　and　irresistible　truths。　They　will　not　prove　a　delusive　promise　of　mockery；　but　will　in　reality　speedily　and　effectively　establish　peace；　goodwill；　and　an　ev