1. That it is unphrenological, as well as unsafe and presumptuous, to allow children to grow up without early, constant, and judicious religious instruction and example. Where these are neglected, a sudden change may come over the person late in life; but this is hardly to be expected. How much better to commence and continue in the right course, than to go on wrong for years, trusting to a miracle to set us right. When to do so, we must turn quite round, and, as it were, to go back and begin anew!
2. That religion does not consist in belief merely, and that the work of grace requires long training of the faculties to give them strength, stability, habit, and harmonious action, so that the person will be constantly in the easy, delightful exercise of the Christian graces. One of this cast and training, where organisation favours its strong and healthy development, will show by his life and conversation that his religion not only sets well upon him, but is a part of him and pervades him throughout. It will beam forth upon his countenance, his gestures, his gait, his subdued, simple, and kind manners. His habitual obedience as a dutiful child of his heavenly Father, will show itself in his appointments, promises, and engagements. “With the blessing of God,” “With divine permission,” &c. will habitually be his language. It will show itself in his crosses, his self-denials, his labours of love, and by the ejaculation, “Thy will be done,” &c.; his moderation in relation to the objects of this world; his longing after immortality; his devotional habits, &c.
When we commenced our article, we had intended to have cited Scripture to show the harmony of all the above views with it; but we feel confident that our views will so readily call to mind all those passages of Scripture which harmonise with them, that it would be in a measure unnecessary. Besides, we did not promise to attempt a full view of the subject, but rather to embolden others to do so. We should delight to see a small work, written on the subject. It would be the vade mecum of all those who exert themselves in the cause of religious education, and the dissemination of Christian truth.
S. J.
ARTICLE III.
ON DUELLING.
To the Editor of the American Phrenological Journal.
Having examined the heads of several gentlemen, since I have been in the southern states, who have fought duels, I have been struck with the fact, that most of them have Combativeness moderately developed, Cautiousness large, and Approbativeness very large. This has led me to reflect upon the principles in our nature which instigate and keep up the practice of duelling.
Duelling is a pretended display of courage, personal prowess, or bravery, in defence of one’s character and honour. But it strikes me that, on phrenological principles, with such an organisation as I have alluded to, a man can be neither truly brave nor courageous, natural fear or actual cowardice being the more legitimate result of such a conformation. Hence it would follow, if we are permitted to take the cases alluded to as proper data from which to reason, that the fighting of duels is no test of courage at all; but rather the result of fear, or (as I shall hereafter show) they generally evince a want of moral courage in those who engage in them; and this view, if I mistake not, exactly corresponds with the popular notion upon this subject. But suppose they did display courage; what then? What is this boasted courage, of which we hear so much?
Courage may be divided into two kinds—physical and moral. The former, when analysed, will be found to consist mainly in the exercise of Combativeness; and this is one of the lower propensities, common to man and brute. Of course, then, physical courage is a low passion; and one that is often displayed in the bull-dog or game-cock far more powerfully than in the most gallant knight that ever shivered a lance, or the most renowned hero that ever waded to the temple of fame through fields of carnage and blood. But moral courage, which is made up of Combativeness, Firmness, Self-esteem, and the higher sentiments, and which enables us to go boldly forward in our own integrity and strength, and on all occasions support the right, and do whatever Conscientiousness, Benevolence, affection, and the reasoning faculties dictate, is an exalted feeling—a noble sentiment—and none can show too much of it; for, since it cannot be exercised but in a worthy cause, it is incapable of being perverted or abused.