Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-06-06
The Sabbath School.

The importance and utility of Sabbath
will not be called in question at this Z
ate day, by any intelligent, sober, thought :
mind. Objections may be urged, based :
upon their management, both as regards the :
character oftheir discipline, text books, modes
of instruction, qualifications and scarcity OF
teachers, or want of interest upon the part OF
parents and scholars, but as to the propriety
and necessity of the institution, nc one can
doubt, who has a proper regard for the sane
THY of the Sabbath and the sound morals OF
the rising generation. Men may suggest
better methods in various respects, and IN a
few instances may with truth plead the supe-
rior instruction and greater moral influence,
in those children who are kept at home on
Sabbath mornings, and who are diligently
and conscientiously taught by their parents;
yet these instances Of proper parental effort,
are so rare in any community, that they only
argue the greater necessity for the institu-
ton. Were all parents capable, willing and
prompt enough to attend to the moral
and religious instruction of their children,
then the necessity of Sabbath Schools, could
not be so well pleaded; but taking things as
for many generations yet to come, no solid
argument can be urged for their abandon
ment; but every day, the necessity for their
continuance and Improvement, becomes more
and more demonstrable.
We rejoice at the success which is attend
ing the efforts of Mr.. Hunter, known as the
'Children's Friend in this State, and hope
the day may come, when every class of COM
munity will esmore deeply interested in this
great and vitality important nterprise. AS
a handmade in the preparatory training o
children for the Christian Churches of thi
land, the institution is invaluable. Indeed
the experience of the churches show, that il
order to secure intelligence, practical piet.
and stability of character in the Membership
the instructions of the Sabbath School
early life are almost indispensable, and
has been made apparent, that wherever tn
Sabbath School instruction has been mo:
efficient and thorough, there is the best $
curity for a proportionable amount of int
~ligence, activity and stability.
But it is not as a handmade to the Churc
es alone, that the Sabbath School is so imp
riously necessary. 1t .commends itself wi
; equal force to the philanthropist, the man
; business, the statesman and the promoter
, civilization. The records of the Saba
: School instruction clearly show, that whel
ever it is efficiently prosecuted, it becom
one of the most powerful promoters of civi
cation, next to the Gospel, which has ey
:, been devised. Sabbath School students eve
: where, if properly trained, are the most m
;. al, law-abiding, active and enterprising G
! zens of the country. 1t is seldom that a S;
= bath School student becomes a vagrant
j. the perpetrator of high crime. His rev
: ence for the Sabbath, his reliance upon
e teachings of the Holy Scriptures, his
spect for his superiors, his steady obs
n vance of wholesome restraint, his love of tru
chastity and virtue, fixes upon his VIII
. cr1a1uUter n manners d snIetu or prot
ton, which the temptations to intempera
=; and vice seldom penetrate. Our obser
~ ton so fully ~sustains this position, that W
~ we called on to select a clerk, or ali incl
nd bent for any Office of trust, where the tel
90 tations to lust, love of money or corrupt
of any kind were strong, we should in ev
case, in a choice between two or a dol
all things else being equal, choose a per
IA who had been well trained in a Sabb
an, School. AS occasion may offer we 1
gh again recur to this subject. 1t is one
re- paramount interest.