Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-08-24
SCHOOLS.

body of intelligent teachers explaining
the Scriptures, teaching hymns, lending
out books TO be read and returned, and
acting as spiritual parents and pastors
to the children, he Immediately took
the statesman-like view Of it, and ex-
claimed, at must produce animmense
impression on the national character"
It is this view Of the Sunday school
which we now wish to take.
1t is one of the cheapest systems Of
religious instruction ever conceived.
All that it need cost is books, the solid
sort of property which can be read one
after another, without diminishing
their value for those who read after
wards. There are no salaries, but each
teacher works from love. Wherever
there il = congregation, and often where
there is mono other that can be assem-
bled, this work "a and does 60 on. All
the circulation of air and water that
keeps each Of these from ~stagnating,
operates upon the principle that heat
constantly tends to diffase itself,
and those bodies which have more,
to supply those which have less.
So, in every community, some individu-
ais possess more pity, intelligence and
knowledge, while others have less.
Some have age and experimentation
are young and need instruction. The
Sunday school rests simply on this ba-
sis, that it is the duty of those who know
more, freely to impsrt to those who
know less. One man may not feel com.
petent to take charge Of class Of grown
persons; he at least can teach children
some religious truths they did not know
before. If really unable to do this, be
can join a Bible class and learn.
But the fact is, that the very effort to
teach and improve others is the most
certain way of improving oneself. The
preparation, the study of the Bible, and
of all that improves his W mind fol
this work, will make him q better, hap
pier and more worthy man. DR.. Way
land says, that ga parent who assidu'
ously follows his children throughout
the various steps Of their education
will End his own knowledge increased
and his own education carried forward
vastly beyond what he would at frs
have conceived. There are very few
things which a child ought to learr
from the study Of which an adult will
not derive great advantage, especially
If he so through the process of sim
~plifcstion and analysis, which are
necessary to communicate knowledge tc
the young. A parents intellectual su'
periority cannot be retained if as soor
as he enters upon active business h'
desist from all effort after intellectua
cultivation, and thus renders menta
intercourse between himself and hi!
children impossible" This intellectual
and moral intercourse between old ant
young, kept up as it is in the Sunday
school, is one of the highest advantages
both individually and socially, to al
concerned. 1t keeps the whole commu
nifty moving forward together, and IL
for their moral advancement what per
petual motion would be for physica
science. 1t can adapt itself to any STATE
of society; it begins BY teaching little
children to read, and has been carried
forward among theological students anc
professors in the original texts of'Scrip
ture. 1t is a system Of lay instruction
Put all our ministers together, and VI
have not half enough, educated and uu
educated, to supply the spiritual wants
Of any denomination, and even these arr
not half paid. But this sort of assist
ancs makes the work of a single minis
ter 90 much further and produce fsi
more effect than it otherwise would
Everything he teaches the most intelli'
gent and pious Of his hearers, they il
turn impress on the minds of the
youngest.
Many think the Sunday-school system
q modern innovation, but it is, eIcepI
in name, one Of the most ancient and
successful parts of the Christian system
of teaching revived. Catechumeus were
at first largely composed Of adults but
by degrees, when the natives Of a coun
try had forsakeu idolatry, this ordel
was chiefly composed of the young ant
rising generation, who here received tbt
elements Of their religious knowledge
Bingham remarks, in regard to these
schools, that ait is certain children
were admitted to them as soon as they
were capable Of learning" Seven year
is mentioned as a proper age for theiI
admission.
Its perfect voluntariness and pleasure
both on the part of teachers and taught
is, and always has been, one of tn,
most complete proofs of its success. l
is q sort Of society which elevates tn
whole community more rapidly than car
well be expressed. Its effects and re
wards are perhaps most Immediate!
visible in improving the intelligence
morality and social organisation Of tn
poor; but among all classes, and on
scale Of more than fifteen hundred years
it can be shown that such efforts hsv,
produced wonderful effects.
--
TIE Masonic ApRos.-The Masoni,
Apron is the symbol of labor and purit.
of life, and rectitude Of conduct. /
should be Of pure white lambskin, with
out any device whatever, aud should b.
square with a triangular flap. The yes
- -saA .-.A-