Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-20

y
teaching the elements Of language and religion
to children and youth, with whom they are no
ways connected bot by those ties the religion OF
jesus produces between the whole family Of
northumberland who will refuse the highest tri-
butte of praise to that beneficeIce which leads
the larger number of thes 0reachers to look with
almost parental care after the children OF their
charge, and to Toll from house to house, among
| the poor, to secure the attendance OF Scholars
whose parents cannot estimate the value OF mo-
raj and religious instruction., and to court these
little ones to receive the advantages this be-.
| nevoIeut institution affords. This whole system
is the fruit Of Christianity, in its broadcast and
most comprehensive character, and Invested en-
tlrey of its sectarian features. The Sunday
School Union knows no sect or party IN Inc
Church Of Christ. 1t incucates 30 principles
but those received by all orthodox and evangeli-
cal denominations; and, whilst 1t leaves each Sc
perate communion free to direct the course OF
study pursued by the Schools under ITS care, It
compels them to look to other sources than the
publications of the American Society for the ma
terials to sustain their peculiar views. So Tar
has this principle been carried, that the last &C.
neral Meeting of the Union resolved, hereafter,
not to publish even the Catechisms of the various
denominations. The broad principles of Chris
tanity, its morals, its promises for the present
and the future, even its enemies have believed
to be essential to the we'll being OF society. How,
then, shall we estimate the value Of these una.
dulterated principles, when they extend their
influence in greater or less degree, through
this Society,", over FIVE hundred and furty two
thousand four hundred and twenty Scholars, and
eighty thousand nine hundred and thirteen Teach
ers IF the formation Of a character on the prin-
cipes Of our holy religion be the best security
the country can have, that the individual who
has felt the Influence of these principles shall be
a blessing to society-ready for every good word
and work-looking, not selfishly on his own in
terests and happiness alone, but upon the inte-
rests and happiness of his fellow-citlzens, indi-
vidually and collectively, -sustaning the insti.
tutions and o5eying the laws OF the land, Tor
conscience sake towards God;-then the Nation
may rejoice, that, under the operations of this
Society, FIVE thousand such char acters have been
formed among the Teachers within the last year,
and that ten thousand Scholars have professed.
to feel and act upon the same ennobing princi
ples:-thus, fifteen thousand individuals con.
nected with these Schools have, within the year
ending last MAY, protested to have experienced
that change of heart which, BY making them real
disciples Of Jesus insures their attention tOall the
relative and social duties Of life.
We will not. however, detain the Meeting by
detailing the operations Of the General Union, or
Of this noble institution in other sections OF the
world-we shall merely add. that the most gra-
tifyins evidences are afforded that religious edu.
cation. by means of Sunday Schools, is rapidly
advancing throughout the world, and afford to
the most calm aud dlspassionale observer of its
progress. the assurance that soon. very soon,
every chilli aiming the Protestant denominations
Of Chrls'endon, and many from among Others,
may. anu possibly will, be brought up in the nur.
,ure and adnoniton of the Lord, We must
leave this extended view of the subject to be-
pressed upon The meeting by the gentlemen who
may address it, and return to the humber scenes
of our own labOrs.
We have SAID, that nearly three thousand chill.
dren are under the Influence of Sunday School
instruction in our city, that one hundred and hir
ty Teachers give each ffy-two days. labor to the
gratuitnus instruction Ut these schools, making,
IN the whole. eight thousand two hundred and
sixty days. Thus an amount Of instruction, on
the most important subjects of morals and reli-
sion, equal (if we deduct the Sabbaths) to that
afforded bv twenty five 'reachers of our common
schools, kept open through the whole year, and
each containing 40 scholars. is secured to the
public. Aud, estimating the salary 1t each teach.
err Of a common school at the very low rate Of
three hundred dollars per annum. the amount
in money in Sunday School instruction is fully
equal to five thousand dollars. And what does
all this instruction cast the pubIicl Why, abso.
lutely nothing but the small sums necessary to
furnish the books used in the classes, and for the
gradual increase of the libraries, and for both
these objects the six schools do not exceed in
their average expenditures, SO dollars, making,
in the whole, the trifling sum Of $500. We beg
that these facts may not be forgotten by our fell
low citizens in the estimate they make of our
humble labors.
fhe Treasurer,s Report, which is annexed.
will show the state of the Depository, and that
the Union, as such, is indebted to the parent So.
ciety SlS5 60, and has on hand books to the
amount Of Sl62 IS. for the sale of which the
debt Is to be liquidated. Could small amount
Of funds be put at the disposal Of the Society.
its usefulness might be increased, and some OF
the difficulties under which it has labored might
be obviated. We leave the expedency of an eff.
fort to raise this sum to the consideration Of the
Board now to be called into existence, and con.