Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-07-21

Sunday School Union, has recently been publish
ed in Philadelphia, in a neat pamphlet. ltg'Ves
a detailed account Of the progress OF the Union
in its labors Of philanthropy, and exhibits a fiat
tering picture Of the success of the parent instl'
tuition and its numerous auxiliaries. We give a
few passages from the Report, from the perusal
Of which the projects, character, and objects OF
the Sunday School Union may, in a measure, Ie
gathered:
"The design of our annual report is to show
the progress of the institution; to declare the
principles which govern US, aud the evidence
which an additional year Of our history furnish
es, that those principles are sound and defenslble
to illustrate the Importance and disclose the
facilities of Christian education, more particular
" BY means of SUNDAY Schools; and, generally,
to suggest such considerations as may secure the
| full. cooperation of our fellow-citiZens IN the
employment Of those means.
"a very large number Of our auxillaries have
made no report; and others which have reported,
are known to embrace many more schools than
they claim. Notwithstanding the painful indif-
ference on this subject, enough is known to show,
that, during the last wear. our schools have in
creased from 1864 to 7,s44-our teachers to
Ga, 2l5-and our pupils from All, o09 to45l,O76;
showing an increase, during the year, OF $50
| schools, s,843 teachers, and 40,0 66 scholars
The number in the United States who are enroll
ed as members Of a Sunday School, may be safe
ly estimated at upwards OF 600 600. In Great
Britain, the number Is 1,Ol9,69S
We have time only to glance at one or two
facts, which may serve to stimulate the friends
of this measure to continued exertion.
|. In the State of Illinois 1t has been reported
that not more than one child in fourteen, between
fur and sixteen, is at school; that three-fourths
of the population have not sufficient knowledge
of the language to read the Bible intelligibly to
themselves OF others; and that not less than TWEEN
ty.nine thirtieths Of the children are unable to
read. Though this statement may be much ex-
aggerated, it will not surprise those who know
how few children in the most favored States are
able to read a single paragraph with correctness.
or intelligence. And it will be recOllected that
the statement is of general and not of local APP
p~lication, and might remain true, though in many
parts of the State the people should prove to be
educated as thoroughly as in any other sections OF
the country.
TO change this aspect of things, there were
in Illinois. a few months since. but five hun
dred and fifty four daily schools, three hfths
of which were in ten countless; and there were
6fty.one Sunday Schools, or one School to every
thousand children between fourteen and sixteen.
Ii is obvious that these means Of instruction are
wholly inadequate, and the citizens themselves
express the persuasion that their last, best hope
is in Sunday Schools.
In Kentucky, about one child in four. between
FIVE and fifteen. is supposed to be IN a course OF
education. OF Que hundred and forty-eight
thousand, who should attend school, only thirty
two thousand actually attend, and these at all ex-
pense of two hundred and sixty eight thousand
dollars per annum, or eight dollars and thirty
cents per head; and IN ~forty-six counties, there
is not a single female teacher. In this State also
it seems to have become a settled conviction, that
no means Of education will meet their wants but
such as your resolution proposes to supply.
"The prospect before US, in respect to our
western project, is truly anima'lng. Our fellow
citizens there, have been developing, in earlier
years, a wonderful physical capacity. Farms,
| dwellings, manufactures, steamboats,. public edl-
fees, hourishing towns, and stupendOus schemes
Of internal Improvement have passed before the
eye of the western traveller, like a scene of en-
c%hantment. From this most prosperous and vi
gorous physical existence, they have more re-
Gently seemed TO be passing Into a permanent mo-
raj and social existence, the character of which
is, in a measure, uniformed, and it is on this that
your influence may be most benign.
| Colleges anu academies, anu SCHOOLS, OF law,
medicine and divinity, are planted with great ra-
pidity. A northern and eastern education for a
son or daughter of a western citizen. is becom-
ing almost as rare as a western education was
twenty or thirty years ago. They can, and should,
and will provide for themselves the means of edu-
cation which are suited to their wants; but still
the moral cultivator is invited INTO the field, and
he can take no implement that combines the adj
vantages of a Sunday School. At no former Pc
rod has this implement held so high a place, in
this or any other country, in the estimation of
the wise aud good, as at the present moment
The explicit. repeated, and unqualified express
sions of confidence N our system itself, and in
the proceedings of your Board to extend and I'M
prove it, cannot be misunderstood.
We are willing to avow that our grand object
is, with Gods blessing, to make every child
while he is a chiid-a believer in the Bible, the
whole Bible and $50 far as religion is concerned)
nothing bit the Bible. Knowing that snares are
spread all around his feet, aud that he is to wres-
tie not only '~'asainst flesh aud blood, but against
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES powers,-against the ru-
l.. 6 Al, losloose oE th;. ,uo.ll oo,;,st en,