The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-11-28

brilliant success. These turned
out en- masse. With one single and
notable exception, the country
schools did not respond ard would
not unto with US. The single
school alluded to was the well or.
dered, well-disciplined and well.
oflicored Sunday School of /" Gross
Roads in Pleasant township. AS
it moved in our professional ranks
full and complete, it rivoted the
gaze and elected the admiration Of
all who behcld it; and itadded in
crease to our regrets that none ol
our sister schools in the country
would sympathiSe in the move,
ment.
AS your presiding executive Off.
Ger, l feel it to be in the strict line
of my duty to protest against the
narrow minded feeling Of exclu.
siveness which has caused this
apathy and underlies tho whole
matter. Local sectionalsm, neigh.
borhood jcalousies, petty rivalries
and selfish prejudices are unwhole.
some any,chere /; but they are dead.
ly fatal in the Sunday School.
Ifthese are made the motive Of
its actions, and are to be the meas.
ure of its vitality, they will mutil.
ate and murderit. l need not tell
you that they are antipodistical to
all the genuine movements of the
age, and that they constitute a
standing affront upon tho catho-
licity OF the 10Th century. That
person is surety blind who fails 10
perceive in the mighty movements
OF our times the direct intcrposi-
ton of God. The fact is, the AL.
mighty has at last taken into his
own hands and under his own con
trolling care the long suffering
and down. .troddcn interests of hu.
manity, and He will substantiate
in its elimination Of consequences,
the august fact that in His sight
and before his throne every man
of.our race is the created fellow
and equal of every other man.
Universal Human Brotherhood is
a divine appointment. It's life is
the logical, inevitable oatgrowth of
tbs mundane life Of Christ. and 1t
is destined, in all its amplitude of
meaning to ultimately indoctrinate
tho Judgment and possess the un-
divided heart of the world.
When that time comes the sym.
bolism of tho grand old prophet
shall be realized THE lion shall
eat straw like the or; the wolf
shall dwell with the lamb; the
leopard shall lie down with the kid,
and u little child shall lead them"
The fcrocious traits of human
nature will be so toned down as to
Loyalty subserve the gentle graccs
of character, under the inspiration
and guidance of a spotless inno-
ccnce, so swcetly typificd in lit
tlo child. In other words, the
mean, rapacious and devilish self
love in us will bo subordinated to
the higher and holior love of the
ncighbor, and both of these taken
up ard absorbed in tho supreme,
spontaneous, overriding and ever
actuating love of God. This is the
law and the gospel.
Let the selfish, contracted, envi.
GUS and uncharitable man take
warning then, for his own sake
If he stand in opposition to the
evolvements of this majestic Bible
truth, he will be broken, but should
itrecoil upon him, "it will grind
him to powder"
l regret very much thatl can
not lay before you any comprehen.
sive detail Of official performances.
Among other requirements, the
Constitution makes it the duty of
the President, either in person or
by proxy, to visit each associated
school as least once in each year,
10 advise with, to counsel and to
address them. AS this is q very
impor tant duty, it should be al
ways regarded as a very agreea-
BILE one, and always ought to be
punctiliously performed. Not be-
ing able in person to make this
visitation, l availcd myself of tho
kind services Of my friends, the Roy.
DR.. Brooks and Mr.. e. W. Schwc.
fel, who visited the schools in a
majority OF the townships undcr tho
authority Of my letters of proxy.
| anu panied to inform you that
more has not been done. In con.
ncction with this subject and in
conclusion, permit mo to add a few
words personal TO myself.
l considered it a distinguished
mark of confidence, when tho Con-
vention, one year ago, did mo the
honor to choose mo as the first
President of this County Sab
bath School Association. l ac-
cepted the Office at their hands
with feelings Of grateful sensibil.
ity, but at the same time with feel
ings Of embarrassment and distrust.
l was afraid that bodily infirmitics
might not permit me TO make the
position as active, and therefore as
constantly useful as tho Constitu.
tion requires it to be.
The experience of tho past year
has fully demonstrated to my mind
that you should place in this office
q man of physical as well as men.
tai ability;-an earnest, devoted,
and faithful friend of the Sabbath
School, who will allow no tempo
rary or secular engagements to dom
mate the higher duties he owes to
you and the Constitution; in short
A A =