Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-09-11
SABBATH

hAA< Z At0s
ofthe American Tract Society. Although
comprised within the brief slaco OF a
dozen pages, 1t presents an interesting,
bic, and inclusive argument in favor o.
the institutions whose cause 1t advocates
Tho annexed extract from il viii SHOW
ITS character and spirit:
THE great aim Of the Sabbath School
system Is 10 provide for the thorough
moral and religious education Of the ri.
sing generation. knowledge is power;'
and the very best kind of power Is Wis.
dom which cometh frcm above. Oae
OF the greatest blessings which can be-
conferred upon man Is intellectual and
religious In>trucllon-the former to pre-.
pare MN Tor reSLecta bIlIty aud u~scfull.
ness on earth-the latter TO guide him
TO regions of endless felicity beyond the
grave.
Such an education affords the s,rong.
est assurance that the individual on
WHOM 1t Is conferred will prove a bIes,
s ng 10 himself and a blessing TO society +:
wIIi be happy on earth, aud happy i in
heaven. Such an education is the hirh.
est boon tina a man can confer upon
ms fellow man.; for, if properly moro.
vel, II Will guide him in safety through
all ms pilgrimage, afford him light In
darkness, consolation IN sorrow, SUP.
port IN trial, victory in conflict, ami
ME eternal in the midst o rdeath.
IL IS another pleasing characteristic
ol the Sabbath School system. that lis
heneh'S are bestowed freely. Hence il
Is that many who would feel ashamed
10 avail themselves Of the school funds
set apart for the education Of the goor.'
and many more who are unable 10 afford
the necessary expense, may, by mean,
OF Sabblth schools. easily sccuTe rnr.
HER children the inesiimable benefits
oil Christian education. The amount
"hIch The system before US freely con
trlOLtes to the instruction of our popula-
ION, may be To some extent estimated bv
NE 'act. that there are i'm our country
not Tar from IOO,OOJ Sabbath schy1l
teachers, aud that their CONDENSATION.
al 50 cents per Sabbath, the rate for
mcrlY Paid.) would every year amount
10 So $4,000, a Sum greater bv far
tina is annually distributed by all the
school iunis of our Iandl TIE place Of
assembling usually cost nothing, he
'edcHih9' as we have seen, is graluitouS.
ant The text books are gIatui;ouslv fur.
hISned TO all who are unable To furnish
them. Truly the Sabbath school like
The Gospel, bestows is b e~ssings with
ont money, and without price!"
There is a single o her feature Of he
sabbath school system too important i'm
lis bearings on civil society, to pass
without notice, and that is the influence
winch 1t eXerts IL The pycUeaGOH oCcrime
Nv holeSome laws and severe punish
ment,' says an old writer. ARE but Slow
and lac ways of reforming the world.
the timely and most compcndious meth
Cd oi d"ing This simple principle is n.
b~undantly sustained by all sound max
ANS OF civil government, for the grand
OBJECT oil all wise Legislation is not so
'nuch 10 punish crime as to prevent its
occurrence. Hence the means best a.
uapted 10 prevent the commission Of
crimes, most etiectually 10 promote The
great ends Of civil Government. Now
as a matter of fact, 5y far the greater
portion, probably ninery-ninth.bun
dredths OF all crimes committed. have
49, N''S'H III lhpSC three great iOuu-
cations oil wIckejHess, ignorance, Sab
oath breaking and intem GRANGE. But
who are less likely to grew Up in innu
n than Sabbath school schoIars?-
And how many Of the five hundred thou
sand ~dIunkards Of our land have been
trained up to intemperauce in Sabbath
schools? And who are so unlikely 10
violate the saPctity oc the Sabbath as
those who are carly and Systematically
taught to reverence and halrow this no
~ day? OfaIl the pupils Of the cele
brated Robert Rakies, not one was ever
convicted Of fragrant crime.
Vi 800 convicls in one Of our State
prisons recently examined, but thee
had ever been Sabbath school scholars
And IL all the prisoners Of cur land were
thoroughly examined, how MANY Sab
bath school pupils is it supposed would
be ieund among their eleven thousand
"Tetched and guilty inmates? The
number would be very small, and We
conidentially believe, that ir the invcs
legation were made, ITS results would
show that Sabbath Schools, by their
Prsde"tjoe inf ucHee, are doing more for
jl'e social and civil order Of our cuur.
Try than al. the slatute books, aud dun
gcons, aid glbbcts Of the land