340 year-old Letter to a Harvard Fresher (Adapted to
Great Ife)
Thomas
Shepard was a minister Cambrigde, Massachusetts, in 1672, when his
sixteen-year-old son was accepted into Harvard-University. In this letter
Shepard advises his son…
Advice on Attending
Obafemi Awolowo University,
By Thomas Shepard
1672
Dear Son,
I think meet (partly from the advice of your renowned
Grandfather to myself at my admission into the college and partly from some
other observations. I have had respecting studies in that society) to leave the
remembrance ad advice following you…that so they….may abide upon your heart
when I shall be(and that am be sooner than you are aware) taken form thee, and
speak no more: requiring you frequently to read over, and seriously to ponder,
and digest, as also conscientiously to put in practice the same through the
Lord’s Assistance:
I.
Remember the end of your life, which is coming back
again to God, and Fellowship with God; for as your great misery is your
separation and estrangement from him, so your happiness or last end, is your
return again to him
II.
Remember, the end of this turn of your life, viszt,
your coming into college, it is fit you for the most glorious at work, which
God can call you to, viszt…for this your father has set you apart with many
tears, and hath given you unto God, that he may accept of you; and that he
would delight in you.
III.
Remember therefore that God looked for ad calls for
much holiness form you; I’d rather see you Buried u your grave, than grow
light, loose, wanton or profane. God’s Secrets in the holy scriptures, which
are left to instruct Ministers, are never made known to common and profane
spirits; and therefore be sure you begin, and end everyday wherein you study
with scriptures daily’ and setting apart some time every day(tho’ but one
quarter(of a hour) for meditation of the things of God.
IV.
Remember therefore, that tho’ you have spent your time
in the vanity of Childhood; sports and mirth, little minding better things, yet
that now, when come to this ripeness of admission to the college, that now God
and Man expects you should put away childish things; now is the time come,
wherein you are to be serious, ad learn sobriety, and wisdom in all your ways
which concern God and Man.
V.
Remember that these times and days of much Light and
Knowledge and that therefore you had as good be no scholar as not excel in
Knowledge and learning. Abhor therefore one hour of idleness as you would be
ashamed of one hour of drunkenness: Look that you loose not your precocious
time by falling in with idle companions, or by growing weary of your studies or
by love of any filthy lust; or by discouragement of heart that you shall never
attain to any Excellency of Knowledge, or by thinking too well of your self, that you have got as much as is needful
for you, when you have got as much as your equals in the same year…
VI.
Remember that in ordering your studies you make them
pleasant as may be, and as fruitful as possibly you are able, that so you may
not be weary in the work sets you about: and for this End remember these rules,
viszt
a) Single out
two or three scholars most Godly, Learned and studious, ad whom you can most
love and who love you best, to be helps to you in your studies: Get therefore
into the acquaintance of some of your equals, to spend some time with them
often in discoursing and disputing about the things you hear and read and
learn; Also grow acquainted with some that are your Superiors, of whom you may
often ask questions and from whom you may learn more than your equals only
b) Mark every
mans disputation and conferences and study to get some Good by everything: and
if your memory be not very strong, commit every notion this way gained unto
paper as soon as you get into your study.
c) Let your
studies be so ordered as to have variety of studies before you, that when you
are weary of one book, you may take pleasure(through this variety) in another;
and for this End read some Histories often, which(they say) make men wise, as
Poets make witty; both which are pleasant things in the midst of more difficult
studies.
d) Let not
your studies be prosecuted in an immethodical or disorderly way; but (for the
generality) keep a fixed order of
studies suited to your own Genius, and circumstances of things, which in each
year, at least, notwithstanding there will be occasion of some-variation of
:Fix course, and the season for each kind of study, and suffer no other
matters, or persons needlessly to interrupt you, or take off there from.
e) Let
difficult studies have the strength and flower of your time and thoughts; and
therein suffer no difficulty to pass unresolved, but either by your own labor,
or by enquiry of others, or both, master it before you pass from it.
f) Come to
your studies with an appetite, and weary not your body, mind, or eyes with long
poring on your book, but break off & meditate on what you have read, and
even then to it again…
g) Such books,
as it is proper to read over, if there are very choice and not overlarge, read
them over softener than once; if it be not your own and that you are ot like to
procure it, then collect out of such book that which is worthy to be noted therein: in which
collections take these directions (i) write not in loose papers, but in a fair Paper-book paged thro’out (2) Write
Faithfully the words of your Author (3) Set down in your paper-book the name of
your Author, with the title of his book, and the page, where you find your
collection….Read over your paper books, wherein you have written your
collections at large, the frequent perusal thereof will many ways be useful to
you as your experience will in time witness.
h) Choose
rather to confess your ignorance in any matter of learning, that you may [be]
instructed by your tutor,…than to pass from it, and so continue in your
ignorance thereof….
i)
Suffer not too much to be spent…visiting…let them be
such as may be a whet to you in your studies, and for your profit in learning…
j)
Be sparing in your diet as to meat and drink, that so
after any repast your body maybe a servant to your mind, and not a clog and
burden.
k) ….Mind that
reading without meditation will be in a great measure unprofitable, and rawness
and forgetfulness will be the event: but mediation without reading will be
barren soon, therefore read much that so you may have plenty of matter for
mediation to work upon….
VII.
Remember that not only heavenly and spiritual and
supernatural knowledge descends from God, but also all natural, and humane
learning, and abilities; and therefore pray much, not only for one but also for
other from the Father of lights, and mercies; and remember that prayer…for all
learning you want, shall fetch you in more in an hour, that possibly you may
get by al books, and helps you have otherwise in many years
VIII.
Remember to be brave (not childish) and amiable and
loving toward all the scholars, that you may win their hearts and honour.
IX.
Remember not to be watchful against the two great sins
of many scholars; the first is youthful lusts, Speculative wantonness, and
secret filthiness, which God sees in the dark, and for which God hardens and
blinds young men’s hearts, his holy spirit departing from such, unclean styles.
The Second is Malignancy and secret distaste of Holiness and the Power of
Godliness, and the Professors of it, both these sins you will quickly fall
into, unto you won perdition, if you be not careful of your own company, for
these are and will be such in every scholastic society for most part, as will
teach you how to be filthy and how to jest, and scorn at Godliness, and the
Professors thereof, whose company I charge you to fly from the Devil…
X.
Remember to intreat God with tears before you come to
hear any sermon, that thereby God would powerfully speak to your heart, and
make his truth precious to you: neglect not to write after the Preacher always,
and write not in loose sheets but in handsome paper-books; and be careful to
preserve and peruse the same….
XI.
….If therefore God revealeth any truth to you at any
time, be sure you be humbly and deeply and be humble: the first degree of
wisdom is to know and feel your own folly…Consider what I say and the Lord give
thee understanding of all things…
My
son, if thine hearts be wise, my heart shall rejoice….T. Shepard
Source:
Articles fromm Bibliobase edited by Michael A. Bellesiles. Copyright ©1998
Houghton
Miffin Company. All Rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.
Microsoft
Encarta Encyclopedia 2003. ©1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights
Reserved.
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