m, which
would tear out by the roots all the evil growth of life, and also a
_bad_, which would uproot all that is good. The first strives to unite,
the second to divide. Experience teaches that neither the one, nor the
other, is continually prosperous. Why? Because new tares and wheat
spring up anew; and again why? Christ has given us the reason: Because
the Lord of the harvest has put off the time of separation. Should
this make us indifferent, and negligent in the cultivation of the
garden?--We would soon feel the merited results in its dreary
desolation. No, it ought to teach us that to every individual his daily
labor is appointed, and to every generation of men its conflict; that
none can so finish its task, or will so finish it, that the succeeding
durst sit down at ease; but that one is the most fortunate which has
foresight enough to separate the good and the worthless plants in their
earliest stages, the better to cherish the former and as much as
possible to keep down the latter. What then is the great, the most
important want of political and social life? It is--education. But mere
instruction is not education. For in that case the best men would come
from the institutions, which are most richly endowed, and yet
experience so often teaches us directly the contrary. Indeed, the most
important part of education, more influential yet than instruction,
without which the latter would be eternally defective, is example. And
here again we are referred to the Word of Christ, which summons us to
look for fruit. This is the doctrine of religion; to call fruit into
life, is the task of the church. Let her see to providing example, and
the school instruction, and let both strive honestly to unite knowledge
with example. Then only can, then only will their influence be
harmonious.

He who pens these remarks is not concerned about the objection, which
may be made: What will example, what will all our endeavor to call into
existence nobler examples avail, if a one-sided training of the
understanding to mock at example and laugh to scorn everything noble in
life, teaches that the highest good is to be sought in base, private
advantage? if all our means of correction, all authority to interfere
be given up? The element of the church is faith--faith in the inward
power of truth and goodness, which does not suffer itself to be
disheartened by results that appear insignificant, or even by the
momentary preponderance of evil. H