Evolution in Education [pp. 233-248]

THE PRINCE TON RE VIE W.
from the earth, for even the conveniences which we may obtain
from its practical results would be too dearly purchased with the
loss of all that development of man's higher nature which makes
them really valuable.
The true teachers of science need not fear such results. Nature itself bears too strong testimony to its Maker, and is too
well attuned to harmony with what is best in man, to permit science to fall so low. But the teacher must be the humble pupil
of nature, the accurate and true expounder of natural facts and
laws, or rather, perhaps, he must allow these facts and laws to
teach themselves, and must seek to have his heart in sympathy
with nature, with man, and with God. Thus will he be able to
teach truly and intelligibly and attractively, and to set the highest example to all other educational workers. However scienceteaching may now seem to fall short of this ideal, it should keep
in view the orderly, symmetrical evolution of all the higher
powers and tendencies. Thus it will earn a commanding place
in education, and vindicate its claim to do all that nature can do
for the elevation of humanity; and thus it will find itself, unexpectedly perhaps, in harmony alike with the material interests of
humanity, with the most refined culture of taste, with the high
est morality, and with the religion of Christ, while it will lose
nothing, either in fact, theory, or even speculation, that is truly
and distinctively its own.
J. W. DAWSON.
248