Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-09-28
g8N8AT READING,


THE SABBATH ScHooL.-Irs INFLUENCE.
Next to the pulpit, no institution, perhaps,
of late years, have had a stronger influence
on the morals of the people of England and
the United States, than the simple institu-
ton of the Sabbath School. What Martin
Luther commenced in the adult school of
Christianity, Robert Raikes flashed when
he FIRST assembled his little Sabbath School
in one of the small towns Of England. We
have been led to this remark from the peru
sal of an excellent article on the subject of
Sabbath Schools, in arecent copy ofthe New
York Sun, which assumes the broad ground
that if these schools, as at presentconducted
were closed for one generation, religion would
languish, and but few churches be needed
to hold the worshipers among the next gen
Grafton. The preaching OF the gospel is
hardly more necessary to the extension of
Christianity than is the teaching of young
the simple lessons of Inspired truth.
"Train up a child in the way he should CO.
saws the wise man, and when no is old he
will not depart from it, This, it is true. he
may forfeit for a time, when the sun Of pros
perity shines on him, he may become proud
and 6oastful ofhimse!f; when health imparts
vigor to all his energies of mind and body,
he may not duly reflect upon the uncertain.
ty of life, and his dependence, for all his
m~ereies, upon his creator; and when the
world, withitst emptations and ~vanities beset
him on every side, he may yield and fall into
sin: but not all these can entirely destroy
the principles Of religion and virtue early
planted in his mind. They will, when adj.
versity clouds his path, when sickness hum
bies his thoughts, when the penalties of vice
preys heavily upon him, revive in his sou.
and lead him to seek at the Throne of Mercy
pardon for his offences and consolation in hi
suRerines. The lessons of youth will be
come the comfort of age, and the truths o
religion give reposc and confidence, afte
the perils OF a stormy life. The glow o
life re-kindled in his breast will tighten tn,
burden of declining years and catching, q
he nears thedark portals of death, q glimpS
of that bright promised land beyond tn
grave, he will depart thither leaving hehinC
has testimony to the truth and the power Q
revealing religion.
We have many notable examples of til
revived influence of an early training 10 tn
truths of Christianity. Men who rose t
the lo(tiest SUBMITS Of human fame men
strong passions and consuming ambition, VIII
in the sharp conflicts Of life, seemed to 70
get all but themselves and their earthly pro.
poets, have, in the evening Of their days, r.
freshed their weary spirits by seeking thi
balm Of consolation which religion alone a
fords. 1t is the grand object oftrue religio
to harmonic mankind-to teach them tn,
they are members Of one family, bound
each other by the strongest and hottest tie
and that, as their origin is one, so their dc
tiny is one-if they but live by the lig
which heaven has revealed. The true 9
ganization of Society is based on Christianit
and ia The Sabbath School and the house
Worship, the principles Of this ~organizatiC
can be best illustrated and taught.
We might dwell upon the softening al
refining influence OF SaD0aJn oenoUls Out
character of teachers as we'll as the taugH
Our aim, however, is only to encourage
institution whose benefits to our country ca
not be too highly estimated. As we rega
intelligence and religion as the securities
freedom, so we esteem and venerate the age
cies for their diffusion. So long as we ha
schools 10 which every youth in the land m
obtain an education Of the intellectual pc
ers, and Sabbath Schools, in which the He
lessons of Christian love are inculcated,
have no fears for American liberty and Anne
can prosperity. Detroit Times.