to Mr. James's eloquent account of his own system of religious
instruction, and its effects upon his family; "I do not doubt that this
system does very well for yourself and family; but there are other
things to be taken into consideration besides personal and family
improvement. Do you not know, Mr. James, that the most worthless and
careless part of my congregation quote your example as a respectable
precedent for allowing their families to violate the order of the
Sabbath? You and your children sail about on the lake, with minds and
hearts, I doubt not, elevated and tranquillized by its quiet repose; but
Ben Dakes, and his idle, profane army of children, consider themselves
as doing very much the same thing when they lie lolling about, sunning
themselves on its shore, or skipping stones over its surface the whole
of a Sunday afternoon."
"Let every one answer to his own conscience," replied Mr. James. "If I
keep the Sabbath conscientiously, I am approved of God; if another
transgresses his conscience, 'to his own master he standeth or falleth.'
I am not responsible for all the abuses that idle or evil-disposed
persons may fall into, in consequence of my doing what is right."
"Let me quote an answer from the same chapter," said Mr. Richards. "'Let
no man put a stumbling block, or an occasion to fall, in his brother's
way; let not your good be evil spoken of. It is good neither to eat
flesh nor drink wine, _nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or
is offended, or made weak_.' Now, my good friend, you happen to be
endowed with a certain tone of mind which enables you to carry through
your mode of keeping the Sabbath with little comparative evil, and much
good, so far as your family is concerned; but how many persons in this
neighborhood, do you suppose, would succeed equally well if they were to
attempt it? If it were the common custom for families to absent
themselves from public worship in the afternoon, and to stroll about the
fields, or ride, or sail, how many parents, do you suppose, would have
the dexterity and talent to check all that was inconsistent with the
duties of the day? Is it not your ready command of language, your
uncommon tact in simplifying and illustrating, your knowledge of natural
history and of biblical literature, that enable you to accomplish the
results that you do? And is there one parent in a hundred that could do
the same? Now, just imagine our neighbor, 'Squire Hart, with his ten
boys and girls, turned out into the fields on a Sunday afternoon to
profit withal: you know he can never finish a sentence without stopping
to begin it again half a dozen times. What progress would he make in
instructing them? And so of a dozen others I could name along this very
street here. Now, you men of cultivated minds must give your countenance
to courses which would be best for society at large, or, as the
sentiment was expressed by St. Paul, 'We that are strong ought to bear
the infirmities of the weak, _and not to please ourselves_, for even
Christ _pleased not himself_.' Think, my dear sir, if our Savior had
gone only on the principle of avoiding what might be injurious to his
own improvement, how unsafe his example might have proved to less
elevated minds. Doubtless he might have made a Sabbath day fishing
excursion an occasion of much elevated and impressive instruction; but,
although he declared himself 'Lord of the Sabbath day,' and at liberty
to suspend its obligation at his own discretion, yet he never violated
the received method of observing it, except in cases where superstitious
tradition trenched directly on those interests which the Sabbath was
given to promote. He asserted the right to relieve pressing bodily
wants, and to administer to the necessities of others on the Sabbath,
but beyond that he allowed himself in no deviation from established
custom."
Mr. James looked thoughtful. "I have not reflected on the subject in
this view," he replied. "But, my dear sir, considering how little of the
public services of the Sabbath is on a level with the capacity of
younger children, it seems to me almost a pity to take them to church
the whole of the day."
"I have thought of that myself," replied Mr. Richards, "and have
sometimes thought that, could persons be found to conduct such a thing,
it would be desirable to institute a separate service for children, in
which the exercises should be particularly adapted to them."
"I should like to be minister to a congregation of children," said Mr.
James, warmly.
"Well," replied Mr. Richards, "give our good people time to get
acquainted with you, and do away the prejudices which your extraordinary
mode of proceeding has induced, and I think I could easily assemble such
a company for you every Sabbath."
After this, much to the surprise of the village, Mr. James and his
family were regular attendants at both the services of the Sabbath. Mr.
Richards explained to the good people of his congregation the motives
which had led their neighbor to the adoption of what, to them, seemed so
unchristian a course; and, upon reflection, they came to the perception
of the truth, that a man may depart very widely from the received
standard of right for other reasons than being an infidel or an opposer
of religion. A ready return of cordial feeling was the result; and as
Mr. James found himself treated with respect and confidence, he began to
feel, notwithstanding his fastidiousness, that there were strong points
of congeniality between all real and warm-hearted Christians, however
different might be their intellectual culture, and in all simplicity
united himself with the little church of Camden. A year from the time of
his first residence there, every Sabbath afternoon saw him surrounded by
a congregation of young children, for whose benefit he had, at his own
expense, provided a room, fitted up with maps, scriptural pictures, and
every convenience for the illustration of biblical knowledge; and the
parents or guardians who from time to time attended their children
during these exercises, often confessed themselves as much interested
and benefited as any of their youthful companions.
SKETCH THIRD.
It was near the close of a pleasant Saturday afternoon that I drew up my
weary horse in front of a neat little dwelling in the village of N.
This, as near as I could gather from description, was the house of my
cousin, William Fletcher, the identical rogue of a Bill Fletcher of whom
we have aforetime spoken. Bill had always been a thriving, push-ahead
sort of a character, and during the course of my rambling life I had
improved every occasional opportunity of keeping up our early
acquaintance. The last time that I returned to my native country, after
some years of absence, I heard of him as married and settled in the
village of N., where he was conducting a very prosperous course of
business, and shortly after received a pressing invitation to visit him
at his own home. Now, as I had gathered from experience the fact that it
is of very little use to rap one's knuckles off on the front door of a
country house without any knocker, I therefore made the best of my way
along a little path, bordered with marigolds and balsams, that led to
the back part of the dwelling. The sound of a number of childish voices
made me stop, and, looking through the bushes, I saw the very image of
my cousin Bill Fletcher, as he used to be twenty years ago; the same
bold forehead, the same dark eyes, the same smart, saucy mouth, and the
same "who-cares-for-that" toss to his head. "There, now," exclaimed the
boy, setting down a pair of shoes that he had been blacking, and
arranging them at the head of a long row of all sizes and sorts, from
those which might have fitted a two year old foot upward, "there, I've
blacked every single one of them, and made them shine too, and done it
all in twenty minutes; if any body thinks they can do it quicker than
that, I'd just like to have them try; that's all."
"I know they couldn't, though," said a fair-haired little girl, who
stood admiring the sight, evidently impressed with the utmost reverence
for her brother's ability; "and, Bill, I've been putting up all the
playthings in the big chest, and I want you to come and turn the
lock--the key hurts my fingers."
"Poh! I can turn it easier than that," said the boy, snapping his
fingers; "have you got them all in?"
"Yes, all; only I left out the soft bales, and the string of red beads,
and the great rag baby for Fanny to play with--you know mother says
babies must have their playthings Sunday."
"O, to be sure," said the brother, very considerately; "babies can't
read, you know, as we can, nor hear Bible stories, nor look at
pictures." At this moment I stepped forward, for the spell of former
times was so powerfully on me, that I was on the very point of springing
forward with a "Halloo, there, Bill!" as I used to meet the father in
old times; but the look of surprise that greeted my appearance brought
me to myself.
"Is your father at home?" said I.
"Father and mother are both gone out; but I guess, sir, they will be
home in a few moments: won't you walk in?"
I accepted the invitation, and the little girl showed me into a small
and very prettily furnished parlor. There was a piano with music books
on one side of the room, some fine pictures hung about the walls, and a
little, neat centre table was plentifully strewn with books. Besides
this, the two recesses on each side of the fireplace contained each a
bookcase with a glass locked door.
The little girl offered me a chair, and then lingered a moment, as if
she felt some disposition to entertain me if she could only think of
something to say; and at last, looking up in my face, she said, in a
confidential tone, "Mother says she left Willie and me to keep house
this afternoon while she was gone, and we are putting up all the things
for Sunday, so as to get every thing done before she comes home. Willie
has gone to put away the playthings, and I'm going to put up the books."
So saying, she opened the doors of one of the bookcases, and began
busily carrying the books from the centre table to deposit them on the
shelves, in which employment she was soon assisted by Willie, who took
the matter in hand in a very masterly manner, showing his sister what
were and what were not "Sunday books" with the air of a person entirely
at home in the business. Robinson Crusoe and the many-volumed Peter
Parley were put by without hesitation; there was, however, a short
demurring over a North American Review, because Willie said he was sure
his father read something one Sunday out of one of them, while Susan
averred that he did not commonly read in it, and only read in it then
because the piece was something about the Bible; but as nothing could be
settled definitively on the point, the review was "laid on the table,"
like knotty questions in Congress. Then followed a long discussion over
an extract book, which, as usual, contained all sorts, both sacred,
serious, comic, and profane; and at last Willie, with much gravity,
decided to lock it up, on the principle that it was best to be on the
_safe side_, in support of which he appealed to me. I was saved from
deciding the question by the entrance of the father and mother. My old
friend knew me at once, and presented his pretty wife to me with the
same look of exultation with which he used to hold up a string of trout
or an uncommonly fine perch of his own catching for my admiration, and
then looking round on his fine family of children, two more of which he
had brought home with him, seemed to say to me, "There! what do you
think of that, now?"
And, in truth, a very pretty sight it was--enough to make any one's old
bachelor coat sit very uneasily on him. Indeed, there is nothing that
gives one such a startling idea of the tricks that old Father Time has
been playing on us, as to meet some boyish or girlish companions with
half a dozen or so of thriving children about them. My old friend, I
found, was in essence just what the boy had been. There was the same
upright bearing, the same confident, cheerful tone to his voice, and the
same fire in his eye; only that the hand of manhood had slightly touched
some of the lines of his face, giving them a staidness of expression
becoming the man and the father.
"Very well, my children," said Mrs. Fletcher, as, after tea, William and
Susan finished recounting to her the various matters that they had set
in order that afternoon; "I believe now we can say that our week's work
is finished, and that we have nothing to do but rest and enjoy
ourselves."
"O, and papa will show us the pictures in those great books that he
brought home for us last Monday, will he not?" said little Robert.
"And, mother, you will tell us some more about Solomon's temple and his
palaces, won't you?" said Susan.
"And I should like to know if father has found out the answer to that
hard question I gave him last Sunday?" said Willie.
"All will come in good time," said Mrs. Fletcher. "But tell me, my dear
children, are you sure that you are quite ready for the Sabbath? You say
you have put away the books and the playthings; have you put away, too,
all wrong and unkind feelings? Do you feel kindly and pleasantly towards
every body?"
"Yes, mother," said Willie, who appeared to have taken a great part of
this speech to himself; "I went over to Tom Walter's this very morning
to ask him about that chicken of mine, and he said that he did not mean
to hit it, and did not know he had till I told him of it; and so we made
all up again, and I am glad I went."
"I am inclined to think, Willie," said his father, "that if every body
would make it a rule to settle up all their differences _before Sunday_,
there would be very few long quarrels and lawsuits. In about half the
cases, a quarrel is founded on some misunderstanding that would be got
over in five minutes if one would go directly to the person for
explanation."
"I suppose I need not ask you," said Mrs. Fletcher, "whether you have
fully learned your Sunday school lessons."
"O, to be sure," said William. "You know, mother, that Susan and I were
busy about them through Monday and Tuesday, and then this afternoon we
looked them over again, and wrote down some questions."
"And I heard Robert say his all through, and showed him all the places
on the Bible Atlas," said Susan.
"Well, then," said my friend, "if every thing is done, let us begin
Sunday with some music."
Thanks to the recent improvements in the musical instruction of the
young, every family can now form a domestic concert, with words and
tunes adapted to the capacity and the voices of children; and while
these little ones, full of animation, pressed round their mother as she
sat at the piano, and accompanied her music with the words of some
beautiful hymns, I thought that, though I might have heard finer music,
I had never listened to any that answered the purpose of music so well.
It was a custom at my friend's to retire at an early hour on Saturday
evening, in order that there might be abundant time for rest, and no
excuse for late rising on the Sabbath; and, accordingly, when the
children had done singing, after a short season of family devotion, we
all betook ourselves to our chambers, and I, for one, fell asleep with
the impression of having finished the week most agreeably, and with
anticipations of very great pleasure on the morrow.
Early in the morning I was roused from my sleep by the sound of little
voices singing with great animation in the room next to mine, and,
listening, I caught the following words:--
"Awake! awake! your bed forsake,
To God your praises pay;
The morning sun is clear and bright;
With joy we hail his cheerful light.
In songs of love
Praise God above--
It is the Sabbath day!"
The last words were repeated and prolonged most vehemently by a voice
that I knew for Master William's.
"Now, Willie, I like the other one best," said the soft voice of little
Susan; and immediately she began,--
"How sweet is the day,
When, leaving our play,
The Saviour we seek!
The fair morning glows
When Jesus arose--
The best in the week."
Master William helped along with great spirit in the singing of this
tune, though I heard him observing, at the end of the first verse, that
he liked the other one better, because "it seemed to step off so kind o'
lively;" and his accommodating sister followed him as he began singing
it again with redoubled animation.
It was a beautiful summer morning, and the voices of the children within
accorded well with the notes of birds and bleating flocks without--a
cheerful, yet Sabbath-like and quieting sound.
"Blessed be children's music!" said I to myself; "how much better this
is than the solitary tick, tick, of old Uncle Fletcher's tall mahogany
clock!"
The family bell summoned us to the breakfast room just as the children
had finished their hymn. The little breakfast parlor had been swept and
garnished expressly for the day, and a vase of beautiful flowers, which
the children had the day before collected from their gardens, adorned
the centre table. The door of one of the bookcases by the fireplace was
thrown open, presenting to view a collection of prettily bound books,
over the top of which appeared in gilt letters the inscription, "Sabbath
Library." The windows were thrown open to let in the invigorating breath
of the early morning, and the birds that flitted among the rosebushes
without seemed scarcely lighter and more buoyant than did the children
as they entered the room. It was legibly written on every face in the
house, that the happiest day in the week had arrived, and each one
seemed to enter into its duties with a whole soul. It was still early
when the breakfast and the season of family devotion were over, and the
children eagerly gathered round the table to get a sight of the pictures
in the new books which their father had purchased in New York the week
before, and which had been reserved as a Sunday's treat. They were a
beautiful edition of Calmet's Dictionary, in several large volumes, with
very superior engravings.
"It seems to me that this work must be very expensive," I remarked to my
friend, as we were turning the leaves.
"Indeed it is so," he replied; "but here is one place where I am less
withheld by considerations of expense than in any other. In all that
concerns making a show in the world, I am perfectly ready to economize.
I can do very well without expensive clothing or fashionable furniture,
and am willing that we should be looked on as very plain sort of people
in all such matters; but in all that relates to the cultivation of the
mind, and the improvement of the hearts of my children, I am willing to
go to the extent of my ability. Whatever will give my children a better
knowledge of, or deeper interest in, the Bible, or enable them to spend
a Sabbath profitably and without weariness, stands first on my list
among things to be purchased. I have spent in this way one third as much
as the furnishing of my house costs me." On looking over the shelves of
the Sabbath library, I perceived that my friend had been at no small
pains in the selection. It comprised all the popular standard works for
the illustration of the Bible, together with the best of the modern
religious publications adapted to the capacity of young children. Two
large drawers below were filled with maps and scriptural engravings,
some of them of a very superior character.
"We have been collecting these things gradually ever since we have been
at housekeeping," said my friend; "the children take an interest in this
library, as something more particularly belonging to them, and some of
the books are donations from their little earnings."
"Yes," said Willie, "I bought Helen's Pilgrimage with my egg money, and
Susan bought the Life of David, and little Robert is going to buy one,
too, next new year."
"But," said I, "would not the Sunday school library answer all the
purpose of this?"
"The Sabbath school library is an admirable thing," said my friend; "but
this does more fully and perfectly what that was intended to do. It
makes a sort of central attraction at home on the Sabbath, and makes the
acquisition of religious knowledge and the proper observance of the
Sabbath a sort of family enterprise. You know," he added, smiling, "that
people always feel interested for an object in which they have invested
money."
The sound of the first Sabbath school bell put an end to this
conversation. The children promptly made themselves ready, and as their
father was the superintendent of the school, and their mother one of the
teachers, it was quite a family party.
One part of every Sabbath at my friend's was spent by one or both
parents with the children, in a sort of review of the week. The
attention of the little ones was directed to their own characters, the
various defects or improvements of the past week were pointed out, and
they were stimulated to be on their guard in the time to come, and the
whole was closed by earnest prayer for such heavenly aid as the
temptations and faults of each particular one might need. After church
in the evening, while the children were thus withdrawn to their mother's
apartment, I could not forbear reminding my friend of old times, and of
the rather anti-sabbatical turn of his mind in our boyish days.
"Now, William," said I, "do you know that you were the last boy of whom
such an enterprise in Sabbath keeping as this was to have been expected?
I suppose you remember Sunday at 'the old place'?"
"Nay, now, I think I was the very one," said he, smiling, "for I had
sense enough to see, as I grew up, that the day must be kept
_thoroughly_ or not at all, and I had enough blood and motion in my
composition to see that something must be done to enliven and make it
interesting; so I set myself about it. It was one of the first of our
housekeeping resolutions, that the Sabbath should be made a pleasant
day, and yet be as inviolably kept as in the strictest times of our good
father; and we have brought things to run in that channel so long, that
it seems to be the natural order."
"I have always supposed," said I, "that it required a peculiar talent,
and more than common information in a parent, to accomplish this to any
extent."
"It requires nothing," replied my friend, "but common sense, and a
strong _determination to do it_. Parents who make a definite object of
the religious instruction of their children, if they have common sense,
can very soon see what is necessary in order to interest them; and, if
they find themselves wanting in the requisite information, they can, in
these days, very readily acquire it. The sources of religious knowledge
are so numerous, and so popular in their form, that all can avail
themselves of them. The only difficulty, after all, is, that the keeping
of the Sabbath and the imparting of religious instruction are not made
enough of a _home_ object. Parents pass off the responsibility on to the
Sunday school teacher, and suppose, of course, if they send their
children to Sunday school, they do the best they can for them. Now, I am
satisfied, from my experience as a Sabbath school teacher, that the best
religious instruction imparted abroad still stands in need of the
cooeperation of a systematic plan of religious discipline and instruction
at home; for, after all, God gives a power to the efforts of a _parent_
that can never be transferred to other hands."
"But do you suppose," said I, "that the _common_ class of minds, with
ordinary advantages, can do what you have done?"
"I think in most cases they could, _if they begin_ right. But when both
parents and children have formed _habits_, it is more difficult to
change than to begin right at first. However, I think _all_ might
accomplish a great deal if they would give time, money, and effort
towards it. It is because the object is regarded of so little value,
compared with other things of a worldly nature, that so little is done."