The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-05-23
RoR THE MASSACHUSETTS spy.
SABBATH SCHOOLS

/ am grieved, MIR. Editor, that anv man SO
wise as to wait and see their operation be-
fore ne expressed his opinion" should have a
doubt lett on his mind of the value of sabbath
schools il am grieved that schools so pure,
SO lovely, SO entirely devoted to the study OF
Gods word, and to instilling the precepts of
the gospel into the hearts of the rising genera
ton, should be held up a moment to public
doubt by one who would have us believe he
understands them.
1t is unaccountable to me how any careful
Inspector of sabbath school Gun have a Doubt
of their great utility. Seriously | would in
quire of Omega whether he ever spent three
days or three hours in a personal examination
OF the details of sabbath school? Have
you spent two hours? Have you spent one !?
Mr. Editor, |, too, have observed sabbath
schools-have been much in them in various
parts OF the land, during the years that / have
had opportunity and my views Of their value
nave changed-from indifference to love-
This change has been effected by no violence,
but by uniformly increasing conviction of
their utility, until have long regarded them
as the most blessed among the means of bene-
htlng our country, invented in modern times
as among the cheapest, least offensive, and
most invaluable charities of the present day.
Omega takes it for granted, with apparent
regret, that sabbath schools have displaced the
catechsing was forsakeu in four-iifths of the
families ofthe towns where sabbath schools are
established, before the schools were generally
known among US and, in the many towns in
which these schools yet to be established
greatly fear that preachers annually, teachers
quarterly, and parents weekly, do not not pay
so much attention to the religious education of
their children, as those same persons pay, in
dependently OF the schools in the towns where
sabbath schools are in delightful operation. So
that Omega has the fact wrong sabbath
schools have not displaced, have not discourage
ed family piety, but they greatly promote it.
The latter part of Omega's communication
have read with more regret than the former
for it seems equally to discover weakness and
hostility. He makes a statement by no means
tue--that sabbath schools, when first estab-
llshed among us, were attended two hours in
the day that from this they fell to one hour
and that " the time is now shortened to thirty
minutes. is it possible Omega ever spent an
hour in sabbath SCHOOL, He is surely very
ignorant OF their almost universal habits in our
country
Condemning the state of things when two
hours of the sabbath were spent in school, he
says - In tho morning, children went to the
house OF God In company, but not as directed
by their Maker What does that mean 7 Be-
ing without regulator, they INDUCED in hi
larity, profanity, and many things deserving of
disapprobation. The birds that were praisinr
their Maker in melodious songs, often were
disturbed, and sometimes killed by voEey of
stones from the unfeeling and wicked boys
The beasts, likewise, were not secure. They
in their turn, without provocation, were un-
mercifully pelted."
Was ever a man so condemned out of his
own mouth Omega sympathzes with the
peited beasts, and the birds murderously dis
turbed while praisng their Maker in melodi-
Gus songs;" but the wicked boys, Z" the unfecl-
ing and wicked boys" who profane the name
OF their Maker, excite no part of his compass
sion he would even arrest them on their
voluntary way to school whose sole object is
to correct iniquity, and inculcate holiness =
he would throw them back from the sabbath
school, upon parents, whose neglect to instruct
them plousy, is most manifest in the cruelty,
profanity and wickedness, so freely charged
upon the children! We read of some whose
tender mercles arc cruelty; and that compass
sion is nearly allied to cruelty, which sorrows
for beasts and birds, and neglects immortal
youths
Very wrong in his statement of facts-very
wrong in the direction of his sympathes-
Omega has much TO learn in relation to sab
ootn schools ana, having Undertaken 10 wIitv1
upon the subject, it is to be hoped he will next
investigate it. Any kind aid in that way will
be chearfully afforded by his brother
OMICRON.