is--_adaptation_. It should be adapted not only to the little
children, but also to the older ones, and especially to the young men
and women, as well as parents and friends, who may be present. If it
is held on the Sabbath, the great idea of worshipping God should never
be lost sight of for a single moment. The reply may be--"To do this,
and at the same time to adapt all the services to all the various ages
and classes, is a very difficult matter." Of course it is difficult,
but not impossible. The speaker to children, when in the presence of
adults, should always choose a train of thought and illustration which
will reach the children not only, but interest, instruct, and impress
the older ones. A little special preparation and saving of materials
just adapted to such occasions will accomplish it. The hymns and music
should be appropriate and devotional, and only such as the children
are familiar with and love to sing. The prayers should be short and
simple, in order that all the children can join in them. A few verses
only of Scripture should be read, but let them be made plain and
interesting to all.
In some schools the Sabbath lesson is reviewed by the superintendent
and illustrated, followed by five-minute remarks on the lesson by the
teachers or friends present. In other places the children will bring
scriptural texts to prove "what God says about obeying parents," about
the holy Sabbath, about intemperance, or gambling, or lying, etc.,
interspersed with remarks. At other times a verse of Scripture, with
the word "love" or "faith" or "heaven," etc., may be given by the
scholars, improved, with instructive comments upon the passages, by
the superintendent or pastor. At one concert we heard the children
recite, by classes, the Scripture lessons of the last quarter, and the
teachers recited the pastor's texts which he had preached from during
the past three months. This was followed by an appropriate address,
and all produced a most solemn effect. The history of a Scripture
event, or character, or epoch will always furnish an abundance to
interest. We do not favor elaborate or strained efforts. "Simple and
Scriptural" would be our motto, and full of life, and the children and
all will enjoy it exceedingly. Sometimes a report of the school
incidentally, or the reading of a Christian letter or the words of a
Christian visitor, may be timely. Let everything be prepared
beforehand, and have no delay or hesitation.
XXVI.
AUXILIARY ASSOCIATIONS.
_Youths' Temperance Societies._
The terrible scourge of intemperance is making sad progress in our
land. Whole families, men, women, and children, are desolated by it.
Beer, domestic wines, cordials, and even medical prescriptions, are
all made to contribute to, and swell this river of death. The only
safe and sovereign remedy is--_total abstinence_. This conservative
principle, in order to be the most effective, should be fully
inculcated in early childhood; for our young men, after stimulating
their appetites, often lose all power to stop. Therefore the children
in our families and Sunday-schools ought to be early trained in
abhorrence of all that leads to this dangerous and vicious course.
Drinking leads to falsehood and deception, hypocrisy and dishonesty,
impurity, and sometimes to murder. No love of parents or children,
husband or wife, reputation, influence, character or wealth is
sufficient to restrain.
It is therefore fitting that our youth be early instructed and guarded
against the steps toward this great evil. Particularly ought the
children in our Sabbath-schools to be made familiar with what God has
said on this subject in the Bible. These texts should be often
repeated by the scholars and explained and enforced by their teachers.
Many fathers will say: "Rather let my son be an abject slave for life
than to fall a victim to this degrading, destructive habit of
intemperance." The question arises, When and how this can best be
taught? We are always careful to protect Sabbath-schools from any
diversion from the regular Scripture lesson of the day. The Bible and
Bible-teaching is the glory of Sabbath-schools. Therefore we would
never allow temperance or missionary work, or singing, or addresses to
interrupt it. It is preferable in communities, we think, to take
Saturday afternoons for a month or two for this purpose. Say, meet in
the largest church at three to four and a half o'clock or three and a
half to five o'clock P.M. Organize a Youths' Temperance Society.
Appoint a discreet youth of fourteen or sixteen years President, with
other officers, with a committee to arrange for each meeting. Secure
good, fresh, appropriate speakers, and never allow a dull, heavy
orator to occupy the children's attention. Instruction, life-like and
adapted must constantly prevail. Some of the older boys, twelve to
eighteen years old, may prepare and recite a ten-minute speech or
appeal to their associates. The young ladies may write brief essays,
giving their views upon the subject, which may be read. Secure as
speakers the ministers, lawyers, etc., of the place, who can sustain
attention, and who are known to be temperance men. Select and appoint
twelve boys and the same number of girls, who shall circulate the
pledge and obtain signatures. Continue the meetings only so many weeks
as shall be needed and the interest shall be fully sustained, and then
discontinue them for a few months. It will be necessary, however, to
have some such temperance revival once in six to twelve months, in
every place, to keep the cause in the ascendant and save the children,
and the meeting and the result will be delightful to all. We have
known a thousand pledges taken in this way, within a few weeks, in a
country village of twenty-five hundred population.
In some schools the children recite in the monthly concert, texts
which tell us what the word of God says about intemperance, and brief
addresses are added. Another plan, which succeeds admirably in many
Sabbath-schools, is to organize "Bands of Hope," on the plan which
originated in Scotland in 1847, and in America in 1855. The pledges
exclude not only other intoxicating liquors, but beer, cider, and also
tobacco and profanity. They have a regular constitution, and forms of
conducting them, with catechisms, hymns, dialogues, etc., all of which
may be obtained at a trifling expense.
Their mode of admitting members is very impressive. The Temperance
Catechism brings out a mass of facts on "The Origin and History of
Temperance Societies," "Nature of Intoxicating Drinks," "Fermentation
and Distillation Process," "Brewing," "Alcohol and Mixtures," "Wines
of Scripture," "Bible Abstinence," "Tobacco," "Profanity," etc.
Under the head of wine at the Lord's Supper, it holds that the Bible
does not say what kind of wine was used, but we think it was
unfermented, because at the time of the feast of the Passover the Jews
were commanded to put away all leaven, and the word wine does not
occur in any of the Evangelists when giving an account of the Lord's
Supper. It was the fruit of the vine. Pliny, the Roman historian, has
left an account of the various wines used at that time, in which he
states that out of three hundred kinds of wine then in common use,
only one would burn--that was called Falernian wine; that proves that
two hundred and ninety-nine kinds of wine did not contain alcohol, and
the chances, so to speak, are two hundred and ninety-nine to one in
favor of Timothy's wine being unintoxicating. These extracts will
suffice as specimens of what may be found in these little catechisms
and tracts. They contain much valuable and needed information,
whatever form of temperance effort is made on behalf of the children.
Juvenile Temperance Meetings are conducted, like any other good
children's meetings, with much appropriate singing by the children,
and prayer and reading of a few Scripture verses, and short, stirring,
instructive addresses, so adapted that the interest must never for a
moment flag. Sermons by the pastors are also amongst the most valuable
ways of promoting sound temperance principles and practice.
_Youths' Missionary Associations._
These are usually formed for a definite object--generally to support
missionaries; to plant Sabbath-schools in destitute sections; or to
aid in supplying poor schools with libraries. Every month they receive
letters telling what has been done. They are organized by the
appointment of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and sometimes
Collectors. A monthly missionary meeting is held and a yearly
anniversary. At these meetings, besides reading the Scriptures,
prayer, and singing by the children, reports are given of the doings
and results, and letters are read giving details of the good
accomplished. Addresses, brief and to the point, are then made by the
pastor, superintendent, or one of the teachers, or by some invited
friend of the cause. These missionary meetings should always be
attended, not only by the pastor, teachers, and scholars, but also by
the parents and members of the church and congregation, and should be
made very interesting.
It has become quite popular now, in many schools, to organize each
class into a distinct missionary circle, with a name and motto, as:
"Earnest Workers," "The Harriet Newell Circle," "The Lambs of Jesus,"
"The Buds of Promise," "Dew Drops," "Little Travellers," "Willing
Hearts," "Modest Workers," "Cheerful Givers," "Young Timothies," "The
Sowers," "The Guiding Stars," "Youthful Disciples," "Rose of Sharon,"
"Little Samuels," "The Reapers," "Olive Plants;" etc. Each circle or
class reports through a committee every month to the school. Sometimes
each class has a small cheap banner, with its name printed on it.
XXVII.
SABBATH-SCHOOL MUSIC.
This is a very important and attractive part of the exercises of a
good Sunday-school, if rightly conducted. Good, pure, simple music,
such as children love to sing, and words embodying the best Christian
sentiments and feelings, should always be chosen. There is such an
abundance of music at the present time, of an elevating, excellent
character, that there is no excuse for adopting that which is
doubtful. Some of the holiest Christian influences are carried weekly
into little hearts and numerous families by these sweet songs of the
children. It is well worth while for every Sunday-school to obtain a
good supply of the best music, such as the children like; and they
often love to meet on some afternoon or evening for the purpose of
practising their music with their kind-hearted leader. It is the
remark of a wise man: "Let me make the ballads of a nation, and I care
not who makes its laws." How vastly important, then, it is to the
future well-being of our youth that they be well supplied with the
choicest words and music to praise God in these little assemblies!
A few words of caution may be appropriate: Sing no more than that
which will be truly worship and devotional on the Lord's day.
Introduce all new hymns with great care to make the children
_understand_ the true sentiment before they sing it. Consequently, not
more than one new hymn should be presented to the school on any one
Sabbath. Let the practice in them take place on a week-day, or so as
not to interrupt the worship of the Sabbath-school. Never should
singing be introduced as an entertainment or diversion in the
Sabbath-school, or made a hobby. Sacred music has a higher, holier
mission. The hymns should be appropriate to the circumstances and
occasion, and adapted in conformity to the Bible lesson of the day.
There is a great amount of music and hymns introduced into our schools
of a very improper character. The hymns are nothing but a jingle of
nonsense, and the music sometimes has very doubtful associations. All
this should be avoided most carefully. Several of our Sunday-school
music-book makers, it is said, have made a large profit out of the
schools on the sale of a single book. We think this is not right. We
are opposed to paying thirty-five cents for hymns and music in a book
for children, when the music notes are of no use to the children, and
the hymns can be sold for one-half of the price. Let the
superintendent and music choristers have the books with the notes, of
course. Besides, some of our best Sabbath-school superintendents are
largely using Watts's and Wesley's and Cowper's hymns from our church
hymn-books in their schools with great success, and they even sing
church-music. If the hymns are adapted to the lesson, and are
carefully explained to the children, so that they get a clear idea of
their meaning, they sing them with great spirit and gladness of
heart--such hymns as "When all thy mercies, O my God;" "On the cross
uplifted high;" "Jesus, and shall it ever be;" "Hail my ever-blessed
Jesus;" "My Saviour, my almighty Friend;" "There is a fountain filled
with blood;" "Jesus, I my cross have taken," etc., etc. These, and
many more like them, are used in preference to Sunday-school hymns,
and the children greatly enjoy them. By the aid of stencil plates
these hymns as needed, one for each Sabbath, are placed in large plain
letters on sheets of white muslin, and suspended so as to be easily
read by the whole school. Thus, every head is kept erect, and there is
no diversion in looking over the hymn-book, and as a result the order
is better, and the singing is better in every way.
XXVIII.
MEANS AND MEASURES.
_Anniversaries._
Anniversaries have been quite common of late years; they seem to be
very appropriate, and when well conducted, are productive of good. The
summing up of the labors of the year in the annual report is often of
more than local interest. The presence, orderly deportment, and
singing of the children are all calculated to leave a happy, salutary
impression. They are conducted with alternate hymns, prayers,
addresses with the report, and are usually on the afternoon or evening
of the Sabbath, with crowded audiences.
Here are brought out for prayer and review all the plans and work of
the school for a twelve-month. The addresses should always be
appropriate, instructive, and interesting to all, tending always to an
increased spirituality and higher religious tone to the school. They
should always reach the parents and friends present, as well as the
children.
_Excursions and Exhibitions._
Pic-nics, exhibitions, and the like, are all rather dangerous things
in connection with Sunday-schools. In very sound, discreet, judicious
Christian hands, they are often productive of good to all concerned;
while under young, giddy, thoughtless management, they sometimes
result in evil. Great caution should, therefore, be used. It will
require much more grace and wisdom to conduct a Sunday-school
exhibition than it will an ordinary service of the school. Says one
writer: "Show-children are sometimes gotten up and exhibited, as if
they were insensible to flattery as prize poultry." "A word to the
wise is sufficient."
_Premiums and Rewards._
We would carefully avoid entailing upon any Sunday-school a _system_
of premiums and rewards, for several reasons. 1. It is needlessly
expensive; 2. It is almost impossible to find a corps of teachers who
are so good accountants as to be enabled to administer the system
impartially; and thus jealousies and dissatisfactions arise both on
the part of teacher and pupils; 3. Some of the very _kindest_ teachers
are often induced to reward those not _strictly_ entitled to them, and
as a consequence, loose and dishonest habits of business are taught
the scholars; 4. After the novelty is worn off, the children learn to
depend upon and claim their reward as a matter of right which they are
justly entitled to, having earned it--thus an improper habit and
motive of action is entailed.
The pupils are debtors to the teachers, not the teachers to the
pupils. We would not discourage the occasional judicious awarding of
premiums to deserving scholars by the school, the teacher, or by
benevolent individuals only let them be given for a specific extra
service--such as gathering new scholars, extraordinary punctuality,
recitations, or sober attention for a long period of time; and let
them be awarded so seldom as to be valued and influential.
_Benevolent Contributions._
Benevolent contributions in our Sunday-schools are assuming an
attitude of much importance, and it is, therefore, a point that needs
to be well guarded from danger. It is very important that our children
be early taught the principles and practice of benevolence; of caring
for the ignorant and destitute, and doing them good according to their
several abilities. They should especially be taught to _earn_ and
_save_ money, instead of asking parents for it. Let it all be real and
sincere. Great care should also be taken with the children to give for
definite objects, and thus secure for them careful reports of what is
done with their money. We should, however, most strictly conform to
these legitimate objects, and on no account permit them to interfere
in any way with the great work of teaching the Bible; and guard them
especially against being so conducted as to foster pride, envy, and
vain-glory. This can and should be done. The small penny rivulets of
the millions of Sunday-school children, uniting, have swelled to a
mighty stream, enlivening and refreshing many a dark, moral waste in
our own and other lands, carrying untold blessings to myriads, and
therefore, we are the more solicitous to keep the fountain pure and
free.
_Catechisms._
Most church and many mission schools adopt and successfully and
regularly teach the great system of religious truths contained in
these excellent compendiums of Christian doctrine. Sometimes one
Sabbath a month, and sometimes a part of one, is allotted to this
service, and not unfrequently the pastor meets with them, and reviews
the lesson. It is preferable, however, to appoint a special service
for the catechism, so as to let nothing interfere with the Scripture
lesson of the day. "To the law and to the testimony."
There is a great want, however, of a sound, good catechism, translated
into the best language of children of the present day, so that they
can the more readily receive the truth into their understandings.
_Two Sessions._
Most of the schools in the city of New York and vicinity, and some
other cities, hold two sessions a day. The reasons they give for this
course are, that teachers have not time faithfully to make the deep,
permanent impression on the hearts of their pupils in one session that
they think is necessary; that they cannot do justice to themselves,
the children, or the lesson; that no thorough system of teaching can
be carried out with one session; that the schools with one session, as
a general rule, have only a struggling, lingering existence, and that
neither pupils nor teachers will consent to return from two, to one
session a day. With two sessions, they say, they have time to go over,
_finish_, and _apply_ the lesson, hear the enforcement or
illustrations of the superintendent, and several times sing their
sweet songs of Zion. Besides, they find their rest in the hearty
service. Change from the Sabbath-school to a sermon is a relief, and
change is rest. So that faithful, earnest teachers very rarely
complain of too much labor or fatigue. Every church and school,
however, determines this question for itself.
_Constitution and By-Laws._
Sunday-schools usually adopt a few plain rules to govern them; we
therefore give a simple form:
ART. 1. This Sabbath-school is connected with the ---- Church, or
shall be called the ---- Sabbath-school.
ART. 2. It shall consist of a Superintendent, a Secretary, a
Librarian, and as many teachers and scholars as may be duly received
and appointed. The usual duties will be assigned to the different
officers of the school.
ART. 3. This school shall open at ---- o'clock in the morning, and
---- o'clock in the afternoon, and each session shall continue one
hour and ----.
ART. 4. On the first ---- of January, or July ----, the terms for
which all the officers are elected each year shall expire, and the
teachers shall proceed by ballot, at such time, to elect new
officers, or to re-elect the old ones.
ART. 5. Strict order shall be observed, and all the rules conformed
to, by every one connected with the school, and no one shall leave
the room until the close of the school, without permission.
ART. 6. The annual meeting, or anniversary, shall be held in the
month of ----, at which time reports for the year shall be made, and
an address by the pastor, or some other person who may be invited.
Quarterly meetings for business, and weekly meetings for mutual
assistance and counsel, and for the study of the lesson, shall be
held by the teachers and officers.
ART. 7. This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, and
By-Laws may be made or amended at any quarterly meeting, by a
majority of all the teachers.
The By-Laws should define when and where teachers' meetings,
missionary meetings, temperance or boys' meetings, or social
Christian gatherings, may be held; and also what penalty, if any, for
absence from teachers' meetings, etc.; also any other necessary
objects may be included in the specifications of the By-Laws.
XXIX.
SABBATH-SCHOOL GUARDIANS.
_Parents._
Parents are the divinely appointed guardians of their children. There
is no shrinking from their responsibility except by unfaithfulness,
and no evading it without guilt. In a few short, fleeting hours
parents hold a position of honor and responsibility unparalleled in
the duties of any human being.
In the case of Christian parents we believe that God has given them
the power to paralyze the influence of the best Sabbath-school teacher
or pastor in the land. If they give the cold shoulder to the
Sabbath-school, they ought to understand that they will generally
destroy its entire influence for good upon their children. Therefore
they ought actively and heartily to co-operate with the Sabbath-school
teacher and pastor in this work with the young. Parents who are not
Christians cannot present so mighty a barrier; but every parent holds
an important relation to the teachers and the school.
Parents should watch over the school, often visit it, and manifest a
deep interest in it. They should also notice and kindly check any
tendency to error in doctrine or practice. They may counsel and
suggest in every appropriate way whatever will advance its best
interests, and they should personally know and kindly recognize the
teacher as the friend of their children, and welcome and aid him in
his visits to their homes. They should also contribute liberally and
cheerfully to the support of the school, and particularly to the
library. They should see that their children punctually attend school,
commit their lessons to memory, and thus co-operate with the voluntary
unpaid teacher, in giving their children the best and most valuable of
all knowledge, and by God's blessing leading them to Christ for
salvation.
Parents, accept the teachers to supplement and aid your efforts to
save your offspring, but never, in any case, allow anything to
supersede or lessen your obligations or spiritual labors for your own
children.
_Pastors._
We are fully convinced that our Sabbath-schools will never rise to
what they ought to be until our pastors become the well-instructed
leaders in this great work. We laymen are not in all cases
sufficiently reliable nor fitted to be the leaders. We should take the
place assigned to us by the Rev. Dr. Kirk, of Boston, in the State
Sunday-School Convention of Massachusetts, when he said he "loved to
recognize Sabbath-school teachers as lieutenants in the great army in
which Christ Jesus has made him one of the captains."