Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-08-25
Sunday Schools.

mated the Sabbath school system, by gath
ering from the streets the outcast and wick
ed children who were desecrating Gods
holy day, could be permitted to look over
the battlements of Heaven and witness the
result of that Heaven inspired thought, and
see the millions who are now being trained
in the way that they should 90, it would
doubtless add to his cup ofioy, even around
the throne Of God, and cause him to strike
a louder string and tune his harp to nober
praises for that which God had wrought.
And is there heart on earth that can wit
ness, unmoved, the scene now passing be-
fore us; that can look on without an in
creased pulsation, when they remember
that these, are being trained for happiness
and heaven? When the Saviour was on
earth, while the Scribes and Pharisees re-
jected him with scorn, the children in the
temple cried hosanna to the Son of David.
While the wise~and great and mighty of
earth are contemning the Redeemer of man
kind, the youthful hosannas which are now
ascending from this assembly, and the in
creasing anthems Of infant tongues tuned
TO the praise of the Redeemer, illustrate
most beautifully the declaration that out ot
the mouths Of babes and sucklings thou
has perfected praise.
It is a fact, established by reason, Scrip
ture and experience, that very large pro
portion of those conversions which gladder
earth and Heaven, are amongst the youth
full portion of the human family and still
larger proportion, those who have been in
structed in Sabbath schools; and were the
prayers, affections and energies of the en-
tire church, concentrated upon the children
and youth of our world, we might expec
ere long that the wilderness and solitary
places would be glad, for then the deser
would blossom as the rose and the earti
would soon keep jubilee thousand years
1t is but natural to expect the blessing
of Heaven upon Sabbath school instruction
for it is but carrying out those principle
which God inculcated even in the early
ages of the world. "Hear, o Israel, tht
Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shall
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart
and with all thy soul, and with all thy
might; and these words which l comman
ded thee this day shall be in thy heart, an,
thou shalt teach them diligently to til,
children, and shalt talk of them when tho
sittest in thy house and when thou wakes
by the way, and when thou iest down, an
when thou risest up" When these divin
Jprecepts, these holy doctrines Of the Bible
are sown upon the tender soil Of the youth
ful hearts, the rich and golden harvest
often gathered at an earl y age.
Who ever heard of Sabbath schoc
scholar or teacher on the gallows, in th
penitentiary, inmates of our jails, or eve
hanging around grog shops? You ma
look in vain amongst the annals of Grim
for such as these They are almost inv;
riably the promoters of peace, order, m(
rality and brotherly love. What beal
tiful system is the Sabbath school so n
publican! so Democratic /! Like our hol
religion, there is no distinction, no aristo
racy here. The sons of the poor, and tho:
Of the rich, the high and low, the learne
and unlearned, all meet together upon
common level, and the same principles a
instilled into each-love to God and lo1
to men. But upon this interesting occ
: sion, when our great nation is celebratir
its glorious independence-when her mig
ty heart is beating with patriotic emoti'
when from the lakes to the gulf, al
, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all heal
. are swelling with gratitude to God, for
. unspeakable mercies, it may not be ina
propriate to add that these great blessin
! which we now enjoy, can only be perpet
. ated by the inculcation of those princip
which our Sabbath schools indoctrin;
e upon the youthful heart. If anything c
n save our country from destruction, fir
d anarchy and misrule, it must be by th.
d holy principles of kindness and sympatI
, truth and benevolence, morality and Writ
f which are the glory of this Heaven b.
is institution. A sound national morality
,e the great want of our country. Here
I the laboratory whence it can be furnish
We want our future statesmen, instead
being 'bullies" and blackguards, rowe
and blacklegs as many of them are, v
.r now disgrace the halls of our National L
islaturc, to be imbued with those princiE
. Of truth, gentleness and meekness, of p
~ morality and sound virtue, Of peace
u u earth and good will to men, which are
u culcated by our peculiar institutions.
y Then, if the destiny of our common &C
ssyt try is influenced, if not interwoven '
iui Sabbath schools, broadcast them over
land, in city and village, in valley