The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-06-07 00:00:00

SCHOOLS.

manor RTAN ON TEACHING.

Sunday last was the 91st anniversary of the St
James's Sunday Schools, and the Mayor and Co eperat inn
attended Divine Service at St. James's in state. Pre-
vious to that, the Mayor had, with his usual liberality,
entertained the magistrates, the conneillora, and borough
officials at an elegant breakfast, served by Mr. urti,, of
the Antelope Hotel, in the lluildbalL Lord Wimbornn
and Bishop Ryan. who bad been announced to preadi
in the morning, were also present. At its eonchision,
at the request of the Mayor, • portion of Scripture was
read and prayer offered.
Lord W/10301INII then expressed his thanks to the
Mayor for so kindly inviting those present to meet him
that morning. He was sure they an had great pleasure
in meeting his worship, and enjoying the excellent
breakfast that had been provided. He also thanked the
Mayor for taking this stop for the benefit of Sunday
Schools. All who were interested in them felt muck
obliged to him, and they tendered to him their thanks
for hie hospitality that morning.
The Maxon said lie need not tell those who knew
him that he had always taken the deepest interest in
the Sunday Schools of the town. They were the
nurseries of the Church and it had ever been the object
of congregations who wished to get the right men for
public matters and for private business, to encourage
Sunday Schools. lie himself felt he owed a greet deal
to Sunday Schools. Ho had not the opportunity of
acquiring very much education, but he received con-
siderable help at the Sunday school, and it was there
that he received his spiritual education. He should,
therefore, always feel deeply indebted to those who
established Sunday Schools. He trusted the institution,
the intermits of which they had met to promote wonli
continue to be of great advantage to the town, and
would be the means of bringing forward the right men
to conduct its affair.
The Corporation then formed in procession and
walked to the church, where the service was read by the
reetor, the scholars and choir singing appropriate
hymns, in • manner that showed Mr. Smith, the organist,
had expended considerable time and labour upon their
training.
The Bishop took for his text, Joel c. 1., 2nd and
3rd verses— 'Hear this, ye old men, and give ear all
ye inhabitants of the land, Math this been in your
days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell ye
your children of it, and let your children tell their
' children and their children another generatlon."
Upon this, be founded a wen, able discourse, as to the
duty which devolved upon all of telling those who wens
to come after them and fill there places, whet they
knew of God. The Christian parent was never more
directly walking in the path of duty befere God, than
when endeavouring to instil into his children, • know.
ledge of the Most High. He had given parents an
especial assistance for the work. A parent had a
natural hold upon • child's attention, which others
had to esquire. Every opportunity therefonCshould
be taken to instil in their passage through life, a
knowledge of God and his works; to show them, by
the illustrations of Scriptures, the severity of God
against those who committed sin, but above all on the
other hand, the boundless extent of his mercy. While
the Scriptures clearly pointed out, that this duty
devolved upon the parent, in the first place the trans.
fee of the obligation from parents who might, from
numberless difficulies be unable adequately to per.
form their duty to the Church, was easily seen in them.
In all questions of that kind, it was important they
should consider the materials upon which they had to
work, and the instruments with which they had to do
that work. When contemplating children as the
centres of education, they must above all feel that
they had minds to be instructed, hearts to be softened
and souls to be saved. In the instruction of their
minds they must endeavour to eradicate all impure
thoughts, and to impart such that they might lay up
in the storehouse of their minds proper food for re.
fiection. This required skill, judgement, patience, and
above all. condescension—sympathising with them.
What pains did not Christ take first to ezcite
attention, and then to satisfy it! They had hearts to
to be softened—emotions to be controlled, feelings t.
be put down or to be encoursed. How often were we
contented to rest satisfied with the intellectual sin.
cation of a child. There was no education worthy of
the name which did not lead to the heart
through the mind. All who had had any
experience of life knew how much depended upon the
dispo-ition. The very same sorrow which for one man
would drag out the angry sound of rebellion from
another, would elicit the sweet sentiments of resigna-
tion. As the judicious Hooker had said " they that
grieve and joy as they ought can't otherwise than live
as they should." Feelings and passions were either
waters ,f life or wells of bitterness. Let Sunday
schced teachers and these upon whom the trainin* 4
the young devolved pray and strive that they might
be able to check bad and evil inclined d spositions,
and to cherish the good • that they might think much
more of an act of self-denial then • mere trial of mental
skill; more of others good than a desire for others
praise. Let them also remember that teaching ie
which there WU no severity to be found did not prrOore
for the trials and the tribulations of life, while se the
other hand where there was • preponderance of it 1
was likely to discourage and depress. They hid •-',ll*
to be saved. The whole teaching of our Ird solemnly
enforced upon them the conclusion that the e51,g1".
of souls must be the final object and end ~f all educa-
tion. The soul of every child was infinitely more
precious than all the admiration of the world
who
had by the education of the intel'ect. He wo",
had achieved the salvation of • soul had accoollishi"
the highest aim of all teaching, the noblest work which
one human being could do to another. In conclusion
the fish .ji earn.stly asked for the sympathy the
prayers and the efforts of those present in behalf ~1
the work.