Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-04-09
AN Address.
BIZ r. E. HILLS, before Ire Sabbath
School Association, and Published By their
request.

the rough uncultlVated forest, where II szaa
growing in all its wildness; and if bearing
suy fruit il must have been of bitter and
acrid character, entirely unfit for the ase
nf man, and only gooi for the wild beasts
that roam, and from thence transPlanted ia
to well arranged, cultivated and beautiful
town, orchard or garden.
And now, what would be expected of that
herb, shrub or tree thus transplanteG! Is il
not that it shall bear much more excellent
fruit, more beautiful flowers foIiagel-
And thus fiji its place and thereby keep up
the symetry intended by Him who placed il
there!
l suppose it was by'deduction from such
principle. that your Committee OF Arrange
ments having found the occupying the posi-
ton that do, have seen fit to apYoin. me to
| address you this evening.
Being thus pressed into the service buckle
the armor on, and to the battle come, well
knowing that the final Issue does not depend
upon The result of TIE stone thrown from
my sling; bu, should even fail to make a
successful blow. the great army will still
press on until the victory will be won.
We all have special responsibility in re-
gard TO the Christian training OF the exis-
ding race Of children.
How shall that duty be fulfilled!
| The duty is that OF educating the youth in
christianity.
| Ant first, 1t lies obviously or 3areuts.-
No Sunday School arrangements ever should.
or ever did, keep any we'll disposed christian
parent. from training his own children in the
ways OF religion. But with the simple
statement of this fact, leave the duty Of
! Parents for others to urge.
! But The duty lies also on the lay members
Of Goth sexes of every church and congre-
CATION In the Sabbath School there is af-
forded opportunity for every variety of tai
ent and for exercising the gifts Of every one,
male or female, who is instructed, and is
willing to instruct others.
And while il is true, that no instruction
can be compared with the instruction of a
parent, and especially Of pious mother -
Yet it is true that God has seen fit to bless
the faithful Iabors Of the Sabbath School
Teachers.
But oh. how many there are in every
town and neighborhood, who are totally neg
ligent, and Indifferent to the spiritual good
OF their children. To all SUCH the instruc-
tions of the Sabbath School are invalua-
BILE.
Instruction is channel Of conversion.-
Truth must be in the mind before reflection.
Though God does sometimes convert a soul
in extraordinary ways, but not often.
OF Abraham, God said: II know him,
that he will command his children and house
hold after him, ami they shall keep the way
of the Lord
And Gods commandment TO Moses was,
Sand these words which | command thee
this day shall be in thine heart, and thou
shalt teach them diligently to thy children,
and shall talk of them when thou sittest in
thy house, and when thou wulkest by the
way
! In this God has most positively eHjoiued
! it on parents and others 10 instruct the
youth TO the end thst hey MY know and keef
: the way of the Lord. And without this in
struction, we cannot reasonably expect theil
Conversion.
And where are the majority of our youth
to get such instruction if not in the Sabbath
School!
/ The moon moves in noiseless majesty thro
the starry heavens. yet her Influence is felt,
and her power manifested in controlling the
mighty Oceans waters.
/ So it is with the 'sien, influence of the
unpreIend ing Sabbath School, wherever es
tablished its influence is felt, not only il
forming individual character; but it give:
thought, and tone to the whole neighbor
hood or village in which it is established -
And very often is the destiny OF the indiVd
ual determined by the first teaching Of lh'
Sabbath School.
The importance of making children sea
the ground of moral obligation and persona
responsibility while they are children, i;
founded in the fact Of the indelib leness o
early moral impressions.
L. is often said, and may it not be true
that the future character of man woman i
generally fixed Gn kind, if not in degree,
before the first ten years OF their HE ha
passed away.
Not that the grace Of God may not conver
a very bad man into good man, bu' tn
heart thus regenerated will still be suffice
|, to the craving appetite, the lingering iusts
and groveIing desires Of his weak moral ma
, ture.
And as there are very many who receiv'
no such instruction at home in their child
, hood, yet through the kindness and intiuenc
ot friends, tind their way into the Sabbat
School, there alone do they receive thos
early impressions that may eventually lea
; them to Christ.
. Sentiments as with a diamond point al
here craven The soul which neither tim
t nor eternity can ever obliterate.
For proof of this fact recall your own ca
. ly impressions. Are they obiifetated! ratl
e er do they not grow stronger and strongt
: with the growth of your manhood!
n How very important then, that we shou
exert all our energies, to store the youthl
5 III ind with the rich jewels gathered fro
: that fountain of all knowledge, the Ho
d Scriptures.
Let the christian be slumbering at h
S post, not cuItvating the field that is befo
him; will it not grow up with weeds!
i Have no place where the youth of o
d towa may btan knowledge of the "Pea
IS of Great Pr ce,'' and their minds bu,
= with the My true wisdom, will not the e.
J. one be at work storing their minds with
e that is false and destructive to their souls !!
,r The Bible never has been, nor can it "
l. be too attentively studied, and the obligatio
of the world to il, are beyond the power
pen or pencil OF man or angels to describ
And there is reason TO reluice in every
fort that is made to urge lis study upon t
le youth of our land and upon the world
III And is there no encouragement in Il
c work for the faithful Sabbath School TeaC
- er. One there certainly is, and which p
'e haps is the greatest, knowledge OF
H. fact that they are using Gods appoint
N means to accomplish Gods revealed purI
u ses.
ne A workman may be employed, on so
10 part of an intricate machine, it may b
at ,..L.,.,I - =. .-;...- %. Ill. N lot IL, {