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Mr. WOODRUFF thought the paper interesting and valuable, and argued the great importance of attention to the early moral state of the deaf and dumb.

Mr. OFFICER rose to express his high gratification at the paper just read, as expressing more fully his own convictions regarding the condition of the uneducated deaf and dumb. He proceeded to demonstrate that the ideas of a God with persons in this state, are dark and rude, and widely at variance, no less with truth, than with each other.

Mr. BROWN said it had been a question of interest with him, whether the deaf-mute (uneducated,) was capable of originating the idea of a God. He did not believe that any mute could originate what, to a christain, is known as an idea of God. Hence he also would urge the necessity of early moral and religious culture.

A paper was then read by Prof. VAN NOSTRAND, of New-York, on the "Necessity of a more elevated standard of education for the deaf and dumb."

NECESSITY OF A HIGHER STANDARD

OF EDUCATION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB.

BY JACOB VAN NOSTRAND.

NECESSITY OF A HIGHER STANDARD OF EDUCATION

FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB.

We may safely venture upon an adaptation of the words of Shakspeare, and say, "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in our philosophy." Progress is the watchword and battle-cry of the present age, the most striking characteristic of the times in which we live. In every department of human knowledge and human industry, in philosophy, in science and in the arts, we find the same onward tendency, the same spirit of progressive improvement. Nature is put to the torture and compelled to give up her secrets, and no sooner are they discovered to the earnest search of the scholar than they are seized upon and applied to some practical purpose to increase the sum of human power, wealth and happiness.

And we acknowledge fealty and allegiance to this idea of progress. Not that progress which finds so many advocates among the shallow thinkers of the present day, which sneers at the experiences of the past, which would remove the old land-marks and throw into chaos and confusion all things human and divine, under the pretence of evolving a new order of things better adapted to human necessities, and more fitting the dignity of human nature. No, the progress to which we hold, gathers up the teachings of the former ages, cherishes the truths that have stood the test of time, and seeks to build upon the foundations that have been laid deep and strong, new forms of beauty and utility, and to discover new adaptations of the principles of philosophy and the laws of nature. Such is our idea of true progress.

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