The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-08-28

sFIRST-DAY SCHOOLS.
Ws)essn that : frstrdsy school ios The
children Of Friends hasbeen Instituted q
Ohio, under the superintend-
ance ofa committee Of the nsppthly meet
ing. The exercises consist in reading
the Holy Scriptures, and other religious
books, and in recitstivns from the sacred
volume. The teachers are yaung per-
sons Of both sexes, voluntarily associated
for that purpose.
In Salem, (Mass.) 6rst-day school
has been for some time in operation. -
The children OF Friends, generally, IT.
tend and are instructed in repdiag, and IN
the great truths Of the CtsiG(I1n lsith, by
members Of our religious, Society.
/ A similar school hss been commenced
at Lynn, (Aiass. and accounts recently
received, represent the result of these sx-
periments to be eminently satisfactory and
encouraging. n
We think il proper to call the attention
Of Friends to these institutions, from
conviction that the example might be fol-
lowed with great advantage, as we'll IN
our populous cities a. in the country,
where large portion of the first day OF
the week is too often grossly misspent.
The Friend.
Mr. Editor,
Sir-The above II plan ofa Sunday
School adopted by the Quakers,--a plan,
against which, there can be no reasonable
objection (; ifw are to have Sunday
school, let that, which is to be taught in
it be the Holy Scriptures,-and the holy
scriptures in'its common version, not twist
ed and warped to suit the particular ten
cts, sentiments and doctrines ofparticular
denominations, into the shape Of script
ure questions" and a great variety of
other " catechetical exercises" but that
which is learnt 'should be all plain truth
from the Bible itself 1t no doubt was
foreign from the founder of Sabbath
that that institution, which hs
was the means of establishing, was 30 soon
to be converted into nursery of sectari-
anism. / believe it has arrived to such a
point, that each religious denomination
feels bound to establish one ofthese insti-
tutions, (iffor no other reason) for self
defence. But why not have the Bible
moro extensively circulated amoaS those
who are not in possession Of it I And
why not have it more attentively read, and
more seriously studied, by those who pos
sess It : Truly, il does seem surprising,
that 70 great exsrtions are making in fa-
vor Of Sunday schools, and nothing more
10 done for the distribution of the Holy
Scriptures. In the same ratio that we
would spread the gospel of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, in the same degree
hat we would disseminate the immutabls
truths taught by him while upon earth, We
should spread, and that ,o;dely, throughout
every family, nation and tongue, the plain
simple word Of truth. Sunday schools are
for children and not for adults.
How many families are there in tl1Is eoun
Try, yea in this our enlightened State, who
now have not such a book in their keep
ing a. the bible. So many are there, that
their number once named, would cause ~
to blush s0;th shame and yet why Do they
not possess it Perhaps, simply bsesuas
they have not the wherewith to purchase
. copy ofthat sacred volume. Thus are
many families deprived the perusal Of this
book. Are not the souls Of INDECENT ps-
rents Of as much consequence, and the o
ternal welfare oftheir immortal spirits Of
as much moment, a. that Of ftheir children,
who have Sabbath school education and
that too from catechism and nothing but
4 catechism, while. their parents are thss
cody neglected. Why il il that they arc
thus unnoticsd ! Why il the "balm Of
Gilead" % unfeelingly withheld from
them J Because il is not within their
limited means to obtain the bibls-whose
chileren return homo from the Sunday
School, and hsvs no bible there to see,
and see the whole.