I. THE CULTURE OF BEING-ITS AIM.

(I. Soul

1. Knowledge of the Scriptures.
2. Prayer and self-purification.
3. Theology.

4. Health and its laws.

Perfection of II. Body5.

Physical training.

6. Good habits.

7. Mental discipline.

III. Mind 8. Knowledge of facts.
9. Principles.

It is a good, a sterling thing, to have an aim, a purpose, real and tangible, amid the battle of existence, with its thousand cares, disappointments, and possibilities of failure. In real truth, without a steady aim life is merely vegetative. It were to be wished that all young men started in life with an aim-a pure, a high, a holy purpose!

In marking out one's course of existence, three things, three phases, present themselves. Man's life is threefold-spiritual, physical, and moral. According as judgment dictates does either of the three predominate in importance to each of us. But oh! why does man so often and so perversely place his intellectual or his physical before his spiritual perfection? Alas that it should be so! contrary to the dictates of conscience, reason, and the commands of an all-guiding Creator. What is man? what does he live for? what is his first duty? Man is made by the Most High, his Creator, that he might learn to know, to love, and obey Him; and his first duty is to acquire that knowledge, foster that love, and fulfil that obedience. Physical care naturally follows, for are we not formed in the image of our God? Is it seemly, is it wise, is it good, that we should neglect the work-the wonderful, the fearful creation-of the Almighty? Should we not rather so tend, purify, and strengthen the dwelling-place of our immortal soul, that it may ably form an uncontaminated though temporary home, and keep itself "the unpolluted temple of the mind "? The intellect remains. All err who make it the first of man's aspirations. It is the handmaiden of soul and body, no more. It is of the earth and earthy, wholly and solely. It is man's, not God's care. So muchof reason, feeling, and will, as guides him unerringly to his Creator, God demands of man,-no more. Not that He despises the excellence of intellect, which proclaims His own beneficence. No. But search the Scriptures. Find you there any distinction placed between the cultivated and the uncultivated? None. The reverse. There shall be no towering of intellect when the last trumpet sounds. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." * We do not utter any word of contempt for intellect. No; but think of the great, the immutable responsibility involved with the soul-the care, the sympathy

* Matt. xviii 3.

necessary to the body,-and is it possible to put our trust, as too many do, in intellect-in mere intellect,-cold, clear, and brilliant though it be? When such a trust is given, is it not rather that we forget or ignore the prior claims of soul and body, than that we reason upon the relative importance of each, and choose the best? Is it not rather that, in a world of sin, we suffer ourselves to be carried with the stream that flows to temporary vanity, than that we earnestly, truthfully aim at the perfection of our capacities in the order which God, nature, and man himself dictate as the only good, true, and rigth sequence?

II. THE CULTure of Being-ITS METHOD.

1. By self-study.

2. Through commentaries.

3. In the original languages.
4. Earnest, constant prayer.
5. Study of pious examples.

6. Modelling and reviewing conduct.
7. Principles.

8. Systems and theories.

9. Controversies.

10. By study of the body and its functions.

11. By securing all healthful requisites in food, &c. 12. By preserving the body from hurtful physical

influences.

13. Nourishment and purification of the body.

5. Physical training 14. Pure and invigorating atmosphere.

6. Good habits

7. Facts

8. Principles..

15. Gymnastic exercises, outdoor games, &c.
16. Punctual and just division of meals, &c.
17. Temperance.

18. Early rising, &c.

19. History-natural, civil, and literary.

20. The exact sciences.

21. Arts, manufactures, &c.

22. The philosophy of things, politics, &c.
23. Method.

24. Metaphysics.

25. Logic.

9. Mental discipline 26. Mathematics.

27. Languages.

1. Let not the too frequent reproach that the Bible is as a sealed book to men fall upon you, O earnest, thoughtful reader. Resolve that you shall have the sacred book altogether imprinted on your memory, for such is the duty of all. We should all so study the Bible that its every page, its every line, is with us always,-so study it that its every precept guides us in our daily life. Let every day, every hour, be linked with God and His holy word. Every day learn by heart a set portion, until at length your memory, your being, is saturated with the best of all narrative, poetry, teaching, and reasoning. Let the awful reflection that so

many souls are called to God with few-how few!-of His words familiar to them, nerve and sustain you in this good purpose. 2. Let the joyful labours of those who have faithfully unfolded the labyrinths of Scripture assist you. 3. And, if possible, study the Scriptures in the original tongues, to possess yourselves of the shades of meaning that appear between the original and the translation. 4. Every day earnestly and humbly pray to God for guidance, help, and for the things which you may truthfully ask of Him. 5. Study the lives of good men, and aim at an imitation of their virtues, while you avoid their weaknesses. 6. Model your conduct daily and hourly upon principles of virtue. Constantly review and amend your conduct. Study especially in this section the character of Jesus, His humility and affection. 7. Acquire the principles of theology on their soundest basis as a sequel to Bible study. 8. Study the best systems and theories; prove all, and keep what is good. 9. Shrink not from controversies, but let your strength go forth in defending and spreading the gospel, to the conversion of its adversaries and the encouragement of its disciples. 10. Study how you are made, and let the knowledge guide you to the best care of the body. 11. Choose pure, sound, plain, and wholesome food. Eat little, and slowly. Be thoroughly clean. Take plenty of sleep. 12. Avoid late hours, extremes of heat and cold, tight garments, uneasy postures; vary studies and labours. 13. Be regular in meals. Avoid long fasts or rapid meals. Take little liquid food. 14. Neither touch nor taste intoxicating liquors. Eat little rather than enough. Avoid highly spiced or seasoned food. 15. Rise early, that you may cultivate your soul, and prepare it fittingly for the day's labours. 16. Watch the fluctuations of the body, and keep it well supplied with plain nourishment when needed. Keep the blood pure, and purify the system generally at set intervals. 17. Daily seek exercise in a pure atmosphere away from the town, for the benefit of the lungs and general invigoration of the system. 18. Train the body systematically in gymnastic exercises, to give it a full complement of strength, firmness, and activity. Vary gymnastics by outdoor games in fine weather. 19. Make yourself thoroughly familiar with logic, that the mind may be strengthened and quickened, and that truth may always be separated from error. 20. Let mathematics invigorate and steady your mind for studies of higher purpose. 21. Let languages teach you the subtle distinctions that lie in words, polish and refine your mind, and make you familiar with other peoples and other literatures than your own. 22. Seek the philosophy of all things, that searching examination which reduces wide fields of knowledge to a focus whence new sciences, new fields of inquiry arise. 23. Study method, that things may be preserved in their relation and unity and the judgment be guided in its purposes. 24. Metaphysics study with care, that the science of being may accompany and underlie your daily life. 25. Study history, that man and his works, and the world and its changes, may yield general maxims and truths for reflection. 26.

Study the exact sciences for their importance in daily life, and the wonderful evidence they evolve of a wise Creator. 27. Study arts and manufactures according to the sphere of usefulness to which you are called to apply your energy.

III. THE CULTURE OF BEING ITS MEANS.

In such an extensive subject as the present, our limited space prevents the much more minute details we had purposed presenting. In this the last section we can do nothing but name those authors whose works will give the reader the particulars of the culture we have eliminated in the preceding tables. In study, the principles are (1) a good text-book, (2) assiduity, and (3) thoroughness. We will direct the student to the first; let him supply the rest, and we doubt not of his success.

2. Isaac Taylor.

3. Whewell.

10. By study of the body George Combe and Andrew Combe.

and its functions.

11. By securing all health-
ful requisites in food,

&c.
12. By preserving the body
from hurtful physi-
cal influences.

Lewes, G. H.

Dr. Carpenter.

(J. S. Beale.
Southwood Smith.

Hufeland and Wilson.
Haviland.
Dr. John Brown.

Dr. Coleman.

Davis.

W. Chambers.
Beale.

There is very much still to remark upon our subject which space will not permit us to touch, but we may return to the subject and bring many other very important matters under the system we have outlined. SIDNEY WENTWORTH YOUNG.