The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-01-29 00:00:00

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

Meetings of the taacbssiamociated in union, aid coming
from Gloucesterstrep4Hcs, Bank-buildinga. and the
Free Methodist dm Weymouth, mid some of the
schools at Portland, prey, tc., were held on Wednesday,
the Gioncester-ittrast chapel being the scene of a conference
commencing at 11 o'clook in the morning, under the presi•
dewy of Mr. R. Damon, and attended by the Rev. E.
Bolton, Rev. W. Lewis, Rev. J. S. Butober, -Rev. T. Nesse
ter), and some male and female teachers. making
(Dorchester),
Mr. R. TOWEIS, of Lcüdon, read a paper ou "Thought-
ful and Thorough Teaching.-laying down the necessity of
the teachers adoEtlng and carrying out the motto—" This
ens thing I do, reading all the books that may assist,
studying earnestly, keeping to the lessons, and full
believing In, and expecting. present success, being
that when God is sought, be will assuredly in found of us,
to de it for us.

Mr. R. DAMON acknowledged the great value of the
paper, in which there wee little to controvert He had
always observed in • really good man, not that he was si
much an Episcopalian or Nonconformist, as that he was
a thoughtful man.
The Rev. T. Nun was called on to speak, adding that
if Mr. Towers had put the ideal of • teacher low, that
would have been still more discouraging than Patting it
too low. He did net know where to find such • man as
Mr. Towers required for • superintendent, and also thought
that people in the country towns who are willing to be
teachers labour under very great dilllcultiee in the way of
their being so efficient ei kfr. Tower. specified. They must
make allowances for teachers, and instead of requiring so
much time for teaching, more special attention Mould be
paid to the moral law of Christ. It. was quite convinced
they should not lower the ideal; but was much impressed
by the difficulty of getting teachers.
Mr. J. L Roues pointed out that the ideal was put
before them, that they might aim at it
The Revs. E Rouse and J. S. Beldnin also spoke on
the subject
The Rev. J. Hamm:ling, while agreeing with the
Ideal, doubted if it was well to put it before them in the
way that Mr. Towers bad, lest it should discourage the
teachers. They must embrace the trams, encourage
them, and try to lift them up.
! Mr. Towing replied, pointing out that teachers should
,do their best, at all events. What be found fault with
was that teachers do not do their best He wanted the
, half-and•half teacher. sifted out of our schools
The Rev. W. Lewis embittered Mr. Towers's explana-
tion very neceentry, and it should have been • pert of his
! paper. The dilSculty in the matter is evidently to obtain
I sufficient teachers who are willing to devote themselves
I so earnestly and absorbingly to the work as is desirable,
, and this must be met by increseed views of the import-
! ance of the work, producing Increased hive.
! The teachers met again in the afternoon, under the
pregidency of the Rev. T. Neff% when the Rev. J.
Hoyle, of Yeovil. read • paper on the qnsetion—" Ought
, the use of catechisms to be discontinued in our schools r
He contended idrmely for catechisms me clearly teaching,
and showed that religious doctrine should be plathilt
clearly apprehended. Children loosely taught without
mitechium show the most ridiculous and deplorable
I ignorance.
I The CH•numi was afraid that there is very little use of
catechisms in our Sabbath schools. It was an immense
advantage to have definite truth stated in • brief form.
But he warn afraid the very extensive use or catechisms
In Scotland had done very much to diminish the (ulnas
of Evangelical life.
The Rev. W. M. FLU. of Preload, ascribed that to
whiskey rather than to catechism.; but although Sun-
day was the blackest day of the week on account of the
affliction of catechisms, yet be owed much to the
affliction, which afterwards brought forth good fruit
Teachers are rather too fluent in their classes very often;
but instead of having catechisms cut and dried, the
teacher should make a catechism himself, and by it draw
out the minds of the scholars.
Mr. TOWIOII, as far as Scotland is coacerned, thought
the argument Is very strong in favour of cstschimitt. Hs
feared that Machin would make a lary me of systems,
and so catechisms would become merely dry bones. The
Sntt
School Union had published a Handbook of Bible
truth Question and Answer, which he mproved; but
some of his friends did not. The catechism must not
take the place of Sunday school teaching still leas of the
Bible; but let it be put into the kande of the towbar
first _ _ .

—Eiti Rev. .I. HAILIINOTOII we. rather cold towards
catechisms now. He did Dot think catechiams would be
explanatory enough. and it could not contain metaphors
and illustraticas. which would mike it very king
Rev. R. BOLTON was In favour of catechisms, sad
attributed mach of the =sham of Christian life to the
lack in the use of catechisms, and he advocated =nom.
(rational catechisms the questions being the ba= or
groundwork of further naching.
Mr. Roam asked when the catechism is now used in
the achoolt He used to learn catechism and hymns.
but the former never made the imputed= on him that
the hymn had. To make any particular catechism the
basis of teething on Sunday would be, be behoved,
wrong. They might be learnt during the weak.
Mr. Pouter urged that wis should he saddled to do our
work, and sow the seat and God will not disappoint us.
Beinfrga asked what catechism was so objectiou-
able t He had Mr= Watts 's catechism in his youth. and
now need it as a mans of teaching. He should say—by
ell UMW 00000.10 but let them be the right ones.
Mr. T. Bran thought catechism help to eve a cow
...snd knowledge of &datum He had famd • latessit-
able want of knoore on the part of Neetionformids'
children as =moiled with the.. of the Istablished
Chunk.
Yr. WAY (PertMO thought that if the children were
thoroughly Mild there will not be a delirium of
knowledge. He was opposed to cateclinrea
The Rev. W. Luna attributed his having attained
some knowledge of =halts truths from God's Word to
the use of catochtsess. 1 heir school had tried reassatim
on Mr. Greases elsn in the snaffling'. and was rather
favourable to having only one Bible lesson on the Sunday,
leaving the other part free.
A tea meeting was ladd in the al demon and a public
melting
In the evenlag.
Tleollowing Is a brief of the fourth annual
report, which was read by Mr. T. hog. secretary,
at the evi=zfoettag. It testified to continued and
winettei llowing their 'Morn dad= the pad
yea. One of schools, the Primitive Methedktt, has
withdrawn Itself from the union.. fa rehires from ineas
of the schools show a reduced number of teachers and
"chows. while oe• or two of the Mere show only •
alight improvement, sad it was rather surprising that she
school showing the mated improvement in teachers
and scholars is two Or area miles distant,
and its stiff of Mahan is entirely derived from
she town, they having to walk the dietanee every Sunday
dins.... Though the Union le americally *salter, than
lest year, the Divine hash= mem (shave retied ea the
labours of the timbers as in no previous Tier dap the
union was formed. fere have beau aid= to the various
Christi= communities fusee out at the air* some n
„." people. being le more this dgerted lasi year. The
socamittee think this has arise* MN= hum the increased
steentiou devoted by the Molten to the perfecting of the
Wpm by mesas_ of the preparation class or in private. or
both. For this =mimed manifestation of the favour of
God the committee desired to record their Mal&
gratitude to the great sad beneticient Giver of all good.
A local centre for 010100.01100 Of timbers has been
tnengursted, and in March last about IS prepared them.
WM and creditably passed their exml In the
p.m yr= 113 have enrolled themeives as esadidalea
• lood mire bee been instituted for the 41&00000tiOU
or waders and among the various schools in the 00100,
Over 100 scholars have molted themeless for examine.
has. A lively interest is mailed= in the quarterly
media= evai hare been raided, held, and have
stimulated the teacher" to =creamed veal. An abetment
of inured La the nutted prayenmetlage we. however.
lamented. The preparation clem, and= the leadenhip
et Kr. Robe= has been mitaimil with incressed vigour •
but only 11 told out ot7 rest in the town "LW
themselve, of it. The committe age= referred with p•ta
to the continued indlimente of many timbers with
respect to their ampratme aribakis, and believed that I
eabolars drift Mei thesthook who Weld be
aMb moor& Flu*. tb•