THE attention which has recently been called to the subject of National Education renders the narratives of those who have been distinguished for their exertions in similar fields highly interesting. Among these an account of Bernard Overberg, which has just appeared, is every way deserving of notice; his early history especially shews how natural talent often breaks through the difficulties and obstacles with which it is surrounded. In this respect the narrative of Overberg will be found peculiarly valuable to young persons in the ower walks of life.

• The father of Overberg was a pedlar in the village of Hoeckel, near Voltlage in Osnabruck, and a man of habitual prayer and piety he carried on his religious meditations while travelling around the neighbourhood with his wares on his back; and prayer was his comfort by night, when a permanent disease of his foot subsequently put an end to his travelling. His life was of the same character; and hence godliness, contentment, and peace, pervaded their poor dwelling.

'Bernard was born the 1st, of May, 1754. He was both bodily and mentally of such a weak and

NOVEMBER 1838.

delicate constitution, that he could not walk before his fifth year, and when sent to school, learning was so disagreeable to him, that he wore out eight A B C books, before he learnt to read. "What hast thou, that thou hast not received," seemed to be taught him from his infancy.

'It happened that when he was nine years old, the clergyman at Voltlage died, and the parents were speaking of him in the boy's presence, what a good and zealous pastor he had been, and how difficult it would be to replace him; the conclusion of the child was, a clergyman must be a very influential person, and I should like to be one;' subsequently when in the field, he heard the funeral bells for the deceased, he expressed his feelings by Lord God, if thou enablest me to learn, then I will be a clergyman.'

'He now got on with his learning more rapidly, and in a short time he not only could read fluently, but assist the teacher of the lower classes; and his progress in religious knowledge was striking as he grew older, so that when he for the first time came to the

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* The German word is expressive, being Seelsorger, one who takes care of souls.

*

Lord's table, he silently renewed his intention of dedicating himself as a pastor to God's service. But how was he to gain the consent of his parents, who had already spoken of his going with his father on his journey, and from henceforth taking part in the trade? How could he get these poor people to think of maintaining him at the Gymnasium, and remaining a student.

'One day as he was driving his cows to the meadow, this desire of his heart to be a pastor became very strong. I am now, (said he to himself) fifteen years old, the very time to begin the studies, and yet I cannot bring myself to speak to my parents.' On this very evening, however, his wish was fulfilled, by his parent's asking him if he would prefer studying, to travelling in the trade. His happiness was complete, and on the following day he was sent to a clergyman in Voltlage, to be Voltlage, to be taught the rudiments of Latin; cheerful and indefatigable, regardless of weather or road, he now daily took an hour's walk to Voltlage, and back in the eve for his lessons, although these were meagre enough, and the chief result depended on his own assiduity and reflection. He generally was occupied with this as he went along, so that he scarcely observed when any one spoke to him, and hence the countrymen took him for a stupid lad, who could not count five.' He was equally zealous in his studies at home, and when his mother in winter, instead of the lamp, lit a dry pine root, which did not give light enough for reading, he would lay himself down under the bench by the fire, and so obtained light and heat together.

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* Receiving the sacrament is almost obligatory, and the first occasion is looked upon as a much more solemn event by most Catholics and Protestants in Germany than in England; this is continually implied in this Memoir,

'When rather more than sixteen, he was sent to the Gymnasium at Rheine; and on being told that the cane was not spared there, and that the scholars were otherwise hardly used, he said he should be well satisfied with this, if he could but learn any thing really useful.'

'At the first monthly examination he was put in the last place but one of his class; without being discontented with this, he thought it was only kind forbearance which had kept him from the last place, whilst it made him more zealous in study than ever. He had an alarum clock by his bed, and a string from it hung into the street, in order that a labourer might pull it when going past at five every morning. No tricks of his schoolfellows, who often woke him at midnight, could make him give up this plan, and none of their ridicule could make him give up his habit of having some book in his pocket, and referring to it when walking. By this industry, he was at the end of the first year (1771) far before all his companions in religious knowledge, writing, and Latin, and equal to the best in the other studies.

His progress during all his stay was similarly striking, and when his course was finished, the teachers of the Gymnasium would gladly have retained him in the institution, and so probably have fixed him as a teacher; but his own tendency was rather towards the active duties of a pastor, and his mother declared she would gladly earn the money for his further studies; this maternal sacrifice was however not required, for soon after the beginning of his philosophical and theological course in Munster, his character gained him the situation of Tutor in a Gentleman's family, which was consistent with his own studies. Fear of God, and high moral earnestness guided him in all his ways; his humility and friendliness got the

better of the jealousy which was so natural to his companions, particularly when he took the lead in the examination for honours and public disputations at the end of the year.

About this time he was by circumstances led to that path of teaching which he subsequently followed so successfully. His father was dead, and he was passing the vacation with his mother, when he was requested by some of his neighbours to instruct those children, who though beyond the proper age, had, from want of the required knowledge been refused admittance to the Easter communion, whilst they would, if instructed, be admitted next year. He began his teaching in the common way-giving his scholars a series of questions and answers out of the catechism, to be learnt by heart, and then questioning them on the following day. But he made no progress by this method; the children did not learn the answers, and even when he had made them repeat them frequently after him, and had insisted on their reading them at home, &c. he found next day that they had generally either forgotten or misunderstood them. So at last he saw clearly that both questions and answers were beyond their powers; he had already begun to think of giving up this employment and Occupying his leisure time more usefully, when it struck him he might make the attempt in another way; and the next time the children came he told them some Scripture stories. On this their countenances brightened up, they listened with attention, and caught the instruction which he connected with them. Questions from these stories they answered readily, and thus giving them the necessary knowledge chiefly by narratives, the result was so very favourable that the children were prepared for the sacrament in the autumn.

'He was now, however, to obtain what had so long been the object of his desires and prayers, in being ordained to the ministry, and he was at this very time reminded that it is God who preserves us both in our going out and coming in by his providence and mercy. The ordination was to be at Rheine; and Overberg, being in his old lodgings, went before day light to the church, in order to begin this most important day by solemn prayer. But a new cellar had just been made, and the door being open, he fell in and was taken up from the stones to bed senseless; but soon recovering, he went to the church for ordination.

'A relative in Rheine urged him to officiate at Voltlage immediately, and they arrived there so late, that Overberg could not go to his mother at Hoeckel; the relation, however, sent a message requesting the mother and some intimate friends to come to the church at a certain hour, without mentioning the reason. The old woman came, but when her son appeared in his surplice at the altar and began the service, surprise and emotion had almost overpowered her.

In 1780, he became officiating vicar of Everswinkle, and many even yet can remember his powers as a spiritual guide and teacher, and the blessings which attended him. His chief anxiety was for the religious education of the children of the parish, and this at his request was wholly given up to him by the rector. In three years his manner of teaching became so perfect, that the minister Prince Furstenberg was induced to think of appointing him to the Normal school at Munster. But first he determined to hear the teaching himself, and getting into his carriage one Sunday when he knew Overberg would catechise, he told the post-boys to bring him to Everswinkel exactly at two o'clock. He thus got into the church unob

served, and listening unseen, found his expectations exceeded, and therefore offered the situation immediately. Overberg's disposition and humility inclined him to remain amongst the countrymen who were attached to him, but the offer was really a command from his vicargeneral (which Furstenberg then was) and he had only to comply. On being desired to name his own salary, he modesty asked only for 200 thalers, (about £31) with board and lodging in the episcopal seminary at Munster. He entered this, March, 1783, and here he died as principal, in 1826.

'His leading principles of teaching were explained in his writings, particularly in his Instructions for intelligent Teaching,'-his Catechism, his Bible Histories, and his Hand-book of religion. The value of these works was acknowledged by all judges both Catholic and Protestant at the time; they have gone through numerous editions, and the Bible Histories are used in many Protestant schools at present.

"The leading object of his intercourse with all, both old and young, with whom he came in contact, was to implant and cultivate a spiritual principle; a principle coming from God's Spirit and continually nourished by it alone, whilst he believed the means for obtaining this to be clear and impressive views of the truth and power of the Christian religion laid deeply in the character during childhood. The relation and intercourse between God and man either by natural or revealed means was the great object of his instruction, and being so pervaded by this godliness himself, his pupils became in some degree warmed by it

Only that which comes from the heart can reach the heart,' was a favourite saying of his ; and all who have heard him agree in stating that a tone of cheerful piety seemed

common reading, writing, arithmetic, mensuration, &c. whilst the intellectual faculties thus developed were more easily brought under the power of the will, when the moral faculties were in healthy exercise. Catechetical as his instruction generally was, he avoided the extreme in which it is now used and its attendant error of cultivating the memory of children at the expense of their reflecting, and still more, their moral powers. He never began with abstract truths of religion, &c. but with the imagination and actual experience of the children; so that the answer was not mere words or notions of the memory, but the enlargement of existing ideas. His object was not so much to give information, as to give such information and such views of things, as would draw out all the good and amiable points of the character, and repress the contrary. Of course he guarded against that common system of emulation which seems formed to fit a child for the selfish struggles of after life, rather than train him to Christian habits of kindness and self-denial.

'The office of schoolmaster in the district of Munster was at that time performed in the more populous parishes by men who, intending to be clergymen, had gone through a part of the studies at the Gymnasium, and then stopped for want of money, talents, or other causes; but in the smaller parishes and scattered country places, it was performed by labourers, who, teaching in winter, returned to their work in summer. By far the greatest number of them were, of course, very ignorant and unfit for any intelligent teaching; but their pay was poor in proportion, and many, having no room, made use of some bakehouse, or even an old chapel without a stove, in the cold nights of winter. To tempt them to an internal improvement, Furstenberg began with an external one; and