The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-18

hopeless and despairing little fellow
has taken courage from the smiles aud
sympathy and counsel which he re-
ceived in the Sabbath School. TO strive
to assert his manhood, and to become,
II not pious Christian, at least a re-
spectacle citizen2 As the fertilizer
spread over the barren field not only
augments the harvest which was the
\ special and immediate object OF the
| husbandman's toll, but likewise iLn-
proves the soil and stimulates the
growth of verdure and useful pasturage
| besides, so the influences of the Sab
| bath School, apart from Its distinctive
religious results ,implaI. Is and fosters in
| the child manners and morals and sem
timents which must improve and adorn
him, more or less. in all his secular re-
lations 10 society. --..s..
These reflections suggest another,
! even more worthy of our consideration.
1t Is the relation which the Sabbath
School has to the welfare OF the State.
And here, / think, II challenges
the favor of the statesman and patriot,
as well as the homage of the friends of
morality and religion. 1t is an ac-
| knOWledged maxim that popular gov
ernment must rest for its security on u
virtuous public sentiment. The maxim
ought to be enlarged so as to embrace
| Christian, religious public sentiment.
De Tocqueville, In his admirable treat
Use on American institutions, thus ad-
] dresses his own countrymen:
"There are persons in France who
| look upon republican institutions ns Il
temporary means OF power, of wealth
! and distinction; men who are the con-
| dottieTi of liberty, and who fight for
/ their own advantage, whatever be
/ the cOlors they wear; 1t Is not to
these that l address myself. But
there are those who look, however,
to the republican form of government
as a tranquil and lasting state, toward
which modern society is daily tmpelled
/ by the ideas and manners OF the time,
! and who sincerely desire men to be
| free. When these men attack religious
| opinions, they obey the dictates oftheir
| passions to the prtjudice of their inter-
ests. Despotism may govern without
faith, but liberty cannot. Religion Is
much more necessary in the republic
which they set forth in glowing colors,
than in the monarchy which they at
tack; and IL is more needed In demo-
cratic republics than in any other. How
/ is It possible that society should escape
destruction If the moral tie be not
strengthened in proportion as the polit-
| ical tie is relaxed? ? and what can be
done with a people which is Its own
master, IL it be not submissive to the
| Divinity?"
We are, perhaps, hardly aware OF the
conservative influences exerted by
christianity on our civil and political
welfare. In the somewhat celebrated
case of The Comm monwalth, Us. Upde-
graft, the Supreme Court of Pennsyl-
l Yania were constrained to say, that "no
| free government now exists in the
| world, unless where christianity IS &C
know1edged, and is the religion of the
| country;h and that-"it Is the purest
| iary, and the only stable support of hu-
! man laws" Who, then, can measure
| the saIutHry, moral Influences OF Sab
| bath Schools, upon our political tnstltn-
tions, by imbuing the minds and hearts
/ OF the youth OF our land with the prin
ciples of the Bible, and the spirit OF
| our christianity? especially of that
| large portion of the children of the
/ republic whom this, among all the
| benevolent enterprises of the day, alone
reaches and emOracess Let not the
statesman and the publicist, as they are
TOO often disposed to do, turn super
| ciliously away from these unpretendinE
| institutions AS unworthy OF their notice
and support, aud hit only to occupy the
attention of weak minded pietists and
enthusiastic reliRionists. Rather let
/ them see in these simple organizations
one OF the strongest pillars of State, and
one OF the most powerful securities of
| liberty. Let them acknowledge the
| fact, patent everywhere to their own
| observation, that wherever Sabbath
Schools have been most numerous, and
the children have been most generally
| brought under their patronage and in
structon, there, in almost precisely
corresponding proportions, do public
order, obedience TO law, intelligence,
| industry, thrift, wealth, advancement
| in the useful arts and sciences, and
prosperity in every department OF po-
litical economy, prevail. They may be
said to be, IN an eminent degree, part
OF the productive capital oTthe State.
The best modes of conducting the
Sabbath School, are, however, not so
well defined and recognized. The va
riety, il not coutrariety, OF the modes,
adopted in different schools, and in diff
ferent localities, indicates that the best
means haYe not yet been discovered, or
If discovered, not yet universally ap-
proved and accepted. Perhaps the di-
versity of their condition and circum-
stances, renders any uniform rule OF
procedure impracticable. It's, how
ever, generally less difficult to ascertain
the correctness of the principles in
vOlved in an enterprise, than to devise
wise and appropriate means OF execut-
ing 1t. 1t is easier TO know what ought
to be done than to discover how II can
be best done. The utility Of the end TO
be achieved may be ever so obvious;
but the means by which it can be most
efficiently and successfully achieved,
often require more. critical oOnsidera-
tion. do not propose TO enter largely
into the discussion OF the questions
involved in this relation OF the subject,
If were prepared to do so, the time
which Ishould feel myselfauthorized to
occupy, on the present occasion, would
forbid the attempt. But there is one
great prin ciple, applicable alike to all
| schools and conditions, and to all man
ner of means OF conducting them
which / shall venture to suggest. 1t is
| this: That TO ensure success in any un-
dertaking, something more is necessa-
ry that its recognized utility, or than
| the wise adoption of the means pro-
vided for 1t prosecution. The one may
! be ever so proper and ample. and the
other ever no worthy and indisputable,
| yet without zeal and energy on the
part OF the friends and supporters OF
| the undertaking, little will be accom-
| plished. To none ofthe moral or religious
enterprises of the day is this remark
/ more applicable than TO the Sabbath
School. 1t is, indeed, "A labor of love,
| and unless those engaged in 1t are ami
mated by an ardent and active love for
the work, Il will languish in their
| hands.
But where shall we find the true in
| spiratiOn OF such lover Weshall GER
| tainly tind much to prompt il in the con-
sideration OF the social, civil and po-
| litical advantages already adverted to.
| There il no richer joy than the luxury
OF doing good. There is no more hon
orable principle OF human action than
| benevoleuce: and unless the views sug-
| Rested of the beneticent influences of
the Sabbath School are erroneous, II
affords one of the best opportunities of
| comforting benefits on our race and
country. Moreover, If, as some
contend, we are so constituted
| .a 10 ba Incanab bIa nf teaching