BAKER ON GREATER ATTENTION TO THE SCIENCES. 123 



as in the quarterlies and other literature used in the congregational 

 and other Sunday schools? 



THE SCHOOLS^— WHAT EDUCATION IS OF MOST WORTH— TO HUMANITY. 



In his work on "Education,"' Herbert Spencer, if I remember correctly, 

 answered his own question "What knowledge is of most worth? 1 ', with 

 reference to the individual man. I propose to deal with this question, 

 having in mind mainly the welfare of the entire human race; also, not 

 simply extending the application of Mr. Spencer's conclusions, but at- 

 tempting to evolve a principle, — that, as the Creator is infinitely greater 

 and wiser than man. His laws and works are infinitely more profitably 

 studied and mastered than are man's laws and works. 



Before this audience it is not necessary to present arguments for the 

 value of ordinary education, which prepares the young for their life 

 work by supplying them with the means for accurate communication 

 with their fellows, and for understanding the works of others; it is not 

 necessary to present arguments for the value of strictly literary educa- 

 tion, we all admit the immense value and utility of education along 

 literary lines. I believe we do not all rightly appreciate education along 

 scientific lines, other than in mathematics and in the scientific construc- 

 tion of language. Beading, writing, and arithmetic are indispensable 

 as preparation for actual work, and a mastery of any branch of the world's 

 literature is a source of power in certain fields of effort, such as teaching 

 and lecturing; but a life work that is to add greatly to the progressive 

 welfare of mankind must add to man's control over the conditions which 

 surround us; and for such a life work, something more than the highest 

 work and laws of man are essential; nothing short of the unchanging 

 laws of the Creator are required for the highest progressive work of 

 man. And those natural laws, laboriously worked out, constitute the 

 fundamental principles of the sciences. 



It took centuries to build up the science of astronomy, accurate meas- 

 urements of time, the use of the compass, and accurate knowledge of 

 the winds and waves, so as to enable man to cross the trackless oceans 

 as he now does, to our great benefit and pleasure. One function of 

 literature has been to hold fast what has been gained by science; but 

 literature alone could never have built up the commerce of the world, 

 nor have enabled man to span continents with railroads, harnessing 

 the power of steam to carry immense loads across mountain ranges ; liter- 

 ature alone could not enable man even to invent a steam engine. 



The best uses of literature are — to rightly stimulate the emotions, and 

 to disseminate, and preserve for future generations, scientific and other 

 progress; but an equal or more important service to mankind is the 

 revelation of knowledge new to man, to be disseminated and preserved. 

 This is the work of science, in every possible direction, to search out 

 and reveal the laws which an infinite Creator has ordained, and to which 

 laws man must conform or suffer a miserable existence and'fi dreadful 

 end. 



A literary gem or an elegant oration fills the mind and soul with 

 satisfaction and enthusiasm; but, may not the work of a plodding ento- 

 mologist, who laboriously works out the life history of a parasite on a 

 potato bug, yield results of more permanent utility to mankind? 



