Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-12-13
Fran the s. &. Herald.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

IT0m fHe y. {. lferGtd.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
To my minis,ering brethren of South Caro-.
! lima and Georgia, and the Christian pnb-
lie in these States, the mdersi igned pre-.
scn:s salu:ation in the Lord:
DEAR BRETHREN
You all believe the sentiment of lord Ba-
con, thai haowledge is porcr,' and hence,
must rejoice with me in the efforts now
making to cultivate the intellect and moral
feelings Of four millions of children in our
beloved America. But the more intellect
a man has. if void OF moral principle, the
moro injury will he do. Satan has glgan-
tic intellect, but he is the Devil still.
A community must not only be intellI-
gent, but it must be governed By the prin.
ciplcs Of the Gospel, if it would be happy
and free. The existence of our Republic
depends upon the enlightened moral senti-
mems Of the people, and hence every friend
of liberiy-evcry enemy of the " Man Of
Sin," must deeply regret that 50 many ofthc
dear Youth of our country are growing up,
without the means of even common school
education, or being taught while young The
first principles Of the oracles Of God"
Even many parents who profess to " fear
God and keep his commandments" permit
their children to Stroll on the Sabbath. like
the wild ASS colt upon The mountains, !"
without any moral restraint. Only a few
wears past, and the friends OF Jesus, and the
friends of Youth, who mourncd over these
dcso!aticns of society, knew not how 10 re-
licvc the case, until Robert Raikcs resolved
to t-r-v--.o collect the children together
from the lanes and alleys of the city, and
the " highways and hedges Of the country,
mo Sabbath Schools, and teach them to
read and understand the Bible.
He touched a chord Of human naturc.--
Of common sense us well Us of religion,
whic;, vbra:cd across the Atlantic, and wa
kcd up the sleeping energies of our Amer.
can Zion. Ever true to the principle of or
national compact, that Union is strength
the friends OF the risi G generation formed
in Philadelphia, in May, 1924, the "AME-
RIcAN SUNDAY ScHooL UNION" whose sole
object is to organize Sunday School in
every destitute place in these States, whcr-
ever sufficient number Of children can be
found, and to furnish those Schools, when
formed, with suitable books. These books
arc all published under the control Of
committee Of eight men. Two ofthem are
Methodist, two of them Baptist, two Of them
Prcsbyierians, and two Of them Episcopal
ians, and no book, nor sentence of book,
can be published, without the unanimous
consent of the whole.
As a Society, however, it has no conncc-
ton whatever with any denomination, nor
has any denomination, as suck, ever had
any connection whatever with il. 1t is an
association Of individuals from every Chris
tan denomination, who love our Lord Jesus
Christ, and are willing TO waive minor con-
siderations and unite their counscls, their
energies. and their means in the benevolent
work of" training up an entire generation
SIN the acay they should CO." The 4th ar
ticlc of the constitution says, "The officers
and managers shall be laymen, and shall
be elected by ballot" | know these men,
and Gun +reaa my Aaart commend their dis.
interested labours to the confidence and
prayers, and liberal support of my Christian
brethren.
TO avoid every interference with demo-
minational opinions and local preiudces,
every School which may be formed is left
to its own choice, as to the mode of its or
ganization; as to the connection of itself
with any Society or Union; and, if any, with
what Union; and as to the mode Of ins;ruc-
ton which shall be pursued. Only let 4
Sunday School he formed, and the children
of any ncghborhood be collected together
on the Lords day, and instructed by any
evangelical denomination, and our work is
done--wc ask no more; and hence We bid
"God speed" and wish abundant success
to every Sunday School Society or Union
in our land. There is no need Of contest
" between their hcrdsmcn and our herds
men," for the land is large, and there is
work enough fer us all to do, without leav-
inc us any time or strength TO spend i'll need
less opposition to each other.
OF the auxiliaries Of the American S. S.
Union, only about onc.cighth reported the
last vcar. These contained 100000 pu-
pills: and if the other seren-cigHhs be equally
numerous and successful, the 2ocicty has
100000 auxiliary scholars, and $4,000
teachers. In the Schools which reported,
?n-3 ,~nf,escA conversion e. Enb, ;ad