regarded as a means of religious excitation and education. 3. By what means and in what manner does man originally and necessarily express the religious perceptions and feelings excited in him? And to what does all this lead man? We find here principally the expression of the religious disposition as a gesture; the expression of the religious notion as a word; the expression of the religious contemplation as an image. The first develops itself as ceremony, the second as instruction and doctrine, the last as symbol and image-worship. With the course of this development is connected the development of what utters itself unchangeably in human nature as veritable and eternal religion, every where operative, and of what, as sensual degeneracy, errors of the passions, and personal depravity, leads to superstition and infidelity, to idolatry and image-worship, to hypocritical self-delusion and deception of others, and lastly, to the contemptuous rejection of all that is divine and sacred. The pupil finds the key to the clear comprehension of this in the intuitive consciousness of the awaking and course of his own feelings, in the impressions which things make on his own mind, and in the religious arrangements by which he is surrounded. As matter of fact, the whole is exemplified in the history of the religious culture of mankind. The indication thereof, or the thread to which the explanation must be attached, in giving the instruction, exists in the language of every nation. The most important results to be accomplished by the instruction are: That the pupil shall lay hold of the true and the eternal in their origin; that he shall look upon the human race as essentially religious, and as an organic whole, developing itself according to necessary and divine laws; that, understanding also in its origin and in its consequences the fall from God and the god-like, he shall all the more earnestly and faithfully follow the way of return to God and to the life in Him, so that, being thus prepared, he may comprehend the worship of God in spirit and in truth, the significance of the eternal Gospel; so that he may attain to an inward godly existence, as he lives outwardly in an intelligent existence."

I have quoted the whole of this passage, because it shows how far the religious instruction was removed from all believing fervor and childlike simplicity, from christian simplicity, as we meet with it in Luther's small catechism. But this passage characterizes only the religious instruction in the institution, and by no means Pestalozzi's religious views and practice.

Still it is clear that at Yverdun he also had in view much less moral education than intellectual. He wished, by means of the latter, to lay before the world striking results of the method; but how shall he show passing strangers the results of moral education, a humble mind and a loving heart, or shall he even expose them rudely to public gaze by an examination? To which was added, that in the multitude of boys he despaired of being able to take each one individually to his heart as a father would do, who never loves his children only en

masse.

I now return to Pestalozzi's writings, and come to those which he wrote in his old age.

In several of his addresses to the inmates of his house, there are passages which bear witness that even during the years which he passed at Yverdun, christianity still lived in his inmost soul; peaceful Sabbath and festival tones soar above the restless and noisy week-day work. So in his Christmas address of 1810.

"I have been told by old people, (he said,) and I have partly seen myself,

Pestalozzi complain that nobody read it, and say that in his youth things had been better in this respect; at the domestic worship on Sundays, and during my confirmation instruction, I also frequently heard individual texts read and arbitrarily explained; but neither I nor any other of the young men obtained any idea of the sacredness and connection of God's word. Just as Pestalozzi, by the force of his personal character, attached most of his assistants to himself for years, so that they forgot themselves as he forgot himself, when good was to be done, so also, and much more, might he have inspired them for the Gospel, and the blessing of God would then have rested on him and them, and the institution would have become a christian seminary. It would not have been necessary on this account to hang out a sign-board with the words "Christian Educational Institution," displayed upon it; on the contrary, the more quietly and modestly Pestalozzi and his assistants had conducted themselves, the more effectively would they have worked, and even the most noisy blusterer would soon have come to perceive how very little he could be and do of himself, and thus would have become capable of learning something from strangers. Perhaps some person or other may be disposed to reproach me with one-sidedness, injustice, or even ingratitude, toward Pestalozzi, and to oppose to my testimony the fact that at Yverdun Pestalozzi employed every Friday morning principally in representing Jesus to us as the great exemplar of love and self sacrifice; or I may be asked whether I have quite forgotten the zeal with which Niederer often gave the confirmation instruction. But, in reply to this, I can only refer to the facts which I have just detailed."

I could add but little to this statement of Ramsauer. When I was in the institution, the religious instruction was given by Niederer, but no stranger was allowed to be present at it. We may form a tolerably correct notion, however, of the manner in which he gave it, from what is said on the subject in the "Report to the Parents."*

"All the elder pupils, (says the report,) receive positive religious instruction twice a week. The guiding thread that is used for this purpose is the course of the religious development of the human race, as described in the Holy Scriptures, from the Mosaic records downward, and, based on this, the pure doctrines of Jesus Christ, as he announced them in his Gospel. We base the teaching of moral duties chiefly on Christ's sermon on the mount, and the teaching of doctrines chiefly on St. John's Gospel. The latter is read connectedly and explained from itself and from Christ's eternal fundamental view of God and of himself, as the visible image and representative of the god-head and the godlike, of the relation of mankind to God, and of the life in God. We seek, by the example of Christ, and by the manner in which he viewed and treated men and things and their relations, to awaken in the children an intuitive leaning toward the life and conduct, the belief and hope, which are founded in the unchangeable nature of religion, and to render these things habitual to them, and by the development of those graces through which the Father shone in Him, to raise them to such a mind and mode of life, that God may shine in them also. We do not combat religious error, but endeavor to impart only religious truth. We seek the ground of all dogmas and the source of all religious views in the nature of religion, in the nature of man, and in his propensities, powers, wants, and relations, in order that the child may learn to distinguish the truth in every garb and the substance in every form. The course pursued for the attainment of the last-named object, or the elementary religious instruction, preparatory to the positive doctrines of revelation, is based specially on the solution of the following questions: 1. What is the original religious capability in human nature, or what are the elements of all religious development and education, in so far as they exist in man himself, and proceed from him as something implanted in him by God? These elements are perceptions and feelings. 2. By what means and in what manner must these primitive religious perceptions and feelings necessarily be excited and brought to consciousness in him? Here it is especially the relation to father and mother, to nature, and to society, that is *There is no doubt that this passage is from Niederer's pen.

regarded as a means of religious excitation and education. 3. By what means and in what manner does man originally and necessarily express the religious perceptions and feelings excited in him? And to what does all this lead man? We find here principally the expression of the religious disposition as a gesture; the expression of the religious notion as a word; the expression of the religious contemplation as an image. The first develops itself as ceremony, the second as instruction and doctrine, the last as symbol and image-worship. With the course of this development is connected the development of what utters itself unchangeably in human nature as veritable and eternal religion, every where operative, and of what, as sensual degeneracy, errors of the passions, and personal depravity, leads to superstition and infidelity, to idolatry and image-worship, to hypocritical self-delusion and deception of others, and lastly, to the contemptuous rejection of all that is divine and sacred. The pupil finds the key to the clear comprehension of this in the intuitive consciousness of the awaking and course of his own feelings, in the impressions which things make on his own mind, and in the religious arrangements by which he is surrounded. As matter of fact, the whole is exemplified in the history of the religious culture of mankind. The indication thereof, or the thread to which the explanation must be attached, in giving the instruction, exists in the language of every nation. The most important results to be accomplished by the instruction are: That the pupil shall lay hold of the true and the eternal in their origin; that he shall look upon the human race as essentially religious, and as an organic whole, developing itself according to necessary and divine laws; that, understanding also in its origin and in its consequences the fall from God and the god-like, he shall all the more earnestly and faithfully follow the way of return to God and to the life in Him, so that, being thus prepared, he may comprehend the worship of God in spirit and in truth, the significance of the eternal Gospel; so that he may attain to an inward godly existence, as he lives outwardly in an intelligent existence."

I have quoted the whole of this passage, because it shows how far the religious instruction was removed from all believing fervor and childlike simplicity, from christian simplicity, as we meet with it in. Luther's small catechism. But this passage characterizes only the religious instruction in the institution, and by no means Pestalozzi's religious views and practice.

Still it is clear that at Yverdun he also had in view much less moral education than intellectual. He wished, by means of the latter, to lay before the world striking results of the method; but how shall he show passing strangers the results of moral education, a humble mind and a loving heart, or shall he even expose them rudely to public gaze by an examination? To which was added, that in the multitude of boys he despaired of being able to take each one individually to his heart as a father would do, who never loves his children only en

masse.

I now return to Pestalozzi's writings, and come to those which he wrote in his old age.

In several of his addresses to the inmates of his house, there are passages which bear witness that even during the years which he passed at Yverdun, christianity still lived in his inmost soul; peaceful Sabbath and festival tones soar above the restless and noisy week-day work. So in his Christmas address of 1810.

"I have been told by old people, (he said,) and I have partly seen myself,

that Christmas Eve used to be a night like no other. The day of the highest earthly joy was not its shadow. The anniversary of the deliverance of the country from slavery, the anniversary of freedom, was not to be compared to it. It was quite a heavenly night, a night of heavenly joy. In its still service dedicated to God, resounded the words: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' When the angels still assembled, as it were, over the heads of men, at this hour, and praised God that the Saviour of the world was born,-what a night was Christmas Eve! Who can describe its joy? Who can tell its bliss? The earth was, on that night, transformed into a heaven. On that night, God was celebrated on high, peace was on earth, and men showed a cheerful good will. Brothers, friends, children, could I but carry you back into the old christian world, and show you the celebration of this hour in the days of innocence and faith, when half the world still accounted it a small thing to die for the faith in Christ Jesus! Could I but show you the joy of Christmas Eve in the picture of those days! The heart full of the Holy Ghost, and the hand full of human gifts—thus stood the christian at this hour in the circle of his brethren. Thus stood the mother in the circle of her children. Thus stood the master in the circle of his workmen-the gentleman in the circle of his own people. Thus stood the commune before their pastorthus went the rich man into the chamber of the poor. At this hour, enemy held out to enemy the hand of reconciliation. The sinner knelt down and wept over his transgressions, and rejoiced in the Saviour, who forgave him his sins. The hour of heavenly joy was the hour of heavenly sanctification. The earth was a heavenly earth, and the abode of mortal men emitted odors of immortal life. May the joys of this hour, may the joy at the birth of our Redeemer, so elevate us, that Jesus Christ may now appear to us as the visible divine love, as he sacrificed himself and gave himself up to death for us. May we rejoice in the hour in which he became man, because he brought into the world for us the great gift of his life, and laid it upon the altar of divine love. From this hour, he was the priest of the Lord, sacrificed for us. Friends, brothers, sisters, let us pray; O God, give us them again, those fair days of the world, in which the human race truly rejoiced in the birth of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. Give us again the times in which the hearts of men were at this hour, full of the Holy Ghost, and their hands full of human gifts for their brethren. Father in heaven, thou wilt give us them again, if we but truly desire them."

In the address already mentioned, which Pestalozzi delivered in 1818, when he was seventy-two years old, occur passages which make a profound impression on the mind. He there declares that happiness is to be expected from christianity alone.

"The artificial spirit of our times, (he says,) has also annihilated the influence which the religious feeling of our fathers exercised upon this centre of human happiness. This religious spirit which caused the happiness of the quiet and circumscribed domestic relations, has sunk down amongst us into an insolent spirit of reasoning upon all that is sacred and divine; still we must also acknowledge that the prime source of the real poison of our artificiality, namely, the irreligious feeling of the present age, seems to be shaken in the very depths of its destructive powers; the blessed spirit of the true christian doctrine appears to strike deeper root again in the midst of the corruption of our race, and to preserve inward purity of life in thousands and thousands of men, and, indeed, with regard to popular education, it is from this quarter alone that we can derive the expectation, that we shall ever attain to measures really calculated to reach with sufficient efficacy the views, dispositions, appetites, and habits of our present mode of life, which we must look upon as the original source of our popular depravity and the misfortunes of our times."

The conclusion of the address is particularly important :— Friends, brothers, become renovators of my house, restorers of its old spirit, and witnesses that the spirit of my youth, which is seen blossoming in 'Leonard and Gertrude,' and nearer maturity in 'How Gertrude teaches her children,' still lives in me. In that spirit, become joint founders of the present result of

us.

the old original, philanthropic and beneficent purpose of my institution. In that spirit, and in no other, I call you all, who are members of my institution, to a sacred union in and through love. Love one another, as Jesus Christ loved 'Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.' Friends, brothers, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you. Heap coals of fire on the heads of your enemies. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. If thou bring thy gift to the altar, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. All unrelenting severity, even toward those who do us wrong, be far from our house. Let all human severity be lost in the gentleness of our faith. Let no one among you attempt to excuse his severity toward those who are in the wrong. Let no one say that Jesus Christ did not love those who did wrong. He did love them. He loved them with divine love. He died for them. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. He did not find sinners faithful, but made them faithful. He did not find them humble, but made them humble, by his own humility. Verily, verily, it was with the high and holy service of his humility that he conquered the pride of sinners, and chained them by faith to the heart of his divine love. Friends, brothers, if we do this, if we love one another, as Jesus Christ loved us, we shall overcome all the obstacles which stand in the way of our life's purpose, and be able to ground the welfare of our institution upon the everlasting rock, on which God himself has built the welfare of the human race, through Jesus Christ. Amen."

At the grave, I have asked after Pestalozzi's confession of faith; I have sought it in his writings, as well as in his life, and communicated to the reader what he himself confessed in 1793 about his christianity at that period of his life, when, perhaps, he had separated himself furthest from Christ, and lived only in a speculative and political element. "Wavering, (so went the confession,) between feelings which drew me toward religion, and opinions which led me away from it, I went the dead way of my time." This confession we have found confirmed in his writings, as in his life; but in his earliest, and again in his latest writings, religious feeling has been seen soaring above a sceptical intellect. And throughout his long life how high soars a love which would not despair under any suffering, any ingratitude; how high it soars above all doubts, in the pure air of heaven! Men are seduced into infidelity by superficial reflection, which, misapprehending and over-estimating the measure of insight possible to man, fails to judge aright where a clear self-knowledge believes with intelligent resignation. But Christ, who takes the strong for his spoil, reigns ever in the inmost heart of christians as episcopus in partibus infidelium; even in times, when their faith wavers, he remains faithful to them. This we see in Pestalozzi, both in his words and in his works.

Who shall dare cast a stone at him, who shall dare condemn him? To him shall much be forgiven, for he loved much. Aye, the whole of his toilsome life is pervaded by love-by a yearning desire to alleviate the condition of the poor suffering people. That love was the