Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-13
SABBATH SCHOOLS.
ARTICIE Y

I The Sabbath School is the agent to lSJ
broad and deep the basis of vita
Christianity.
Sd. Because of its PosITIyE AND Elk
elusive RELIGIOUS EDUcATIoE.
! This part of our subject is most com
prehensive, and the difficulty is not to
find something to say but to determine
what to say. However, to commence at
the beginning; let US consider how much
is summed up in the one word, education
Individually, it is the culture Of Our
physical, mental and spiritual energies
to the highest degree of perfection. From
an exclusively religious standpoint it is
| the training of the spiritual elements o.
| human nature to godly purpose, walk
| and conduct. Then viewed in this light,
how comprehensive must be the benefits,
how numberless the blessings and results
of education. 1t becomes at once, friend
which nothing can disPirit, estrange, or
enthrall a ready helper at home or In
the world, in solitude or in society; and
whether to alleviate sufferings or bride
excess, arouse fron inertia or fire to the
grandest effort, ch&sten vice or inspire
virtue, restrain from sin or illustrate
christian heroism, it is within itself, the
cementing link, and crowning jewel Of
physical, intellectual, or spiritual excel
ience. Without it we would be reason
ing but degraded slaves, with life an &C
cident, the hereafter a blank. With it
we rise to just conception OF our desti-
nv, to true comprehension OF our rela-
ton to God and humanity, while its pre-.
cepts, like the symbol that blazed
along the sky to dsubting Constantine,
will lead us to earthly triumphs, and
open the very gates of Omnlpotenee for
our admission" This is education sum-
marily viewed in collective sense, yet
its due proportions have never been OBJ
served by any individual or race OF peos
pie. For instance, one developes his
physical powers, and seeks only that
which satisfies the cravings OF taste, ap-
petite, or desire. Another strives for in
tellectual pree-minence and lives Tor
that alone. Still another educates his
moral and religious nature, and subordlS
mates everything to acquire christian
perfection, and do good to his race. In
like manner, every notion has some cen
trail idea, with which its destiny is INSOFAR
ably linked, and which it's history Illus
trates. Bat education in its comprehen-
sive sense as above defined, has not as
vet been attained by either nations or
individuals. This brings us at once to
| INQUIRE what individual and national idea
characterizes the present. At once we
answer knowledge, with education as its
| instrument. Our day is prominently
one of educational progress. Through
the agency of schools, colleges and
books, knowledge now permeatesa all
classes, and the rudiments of at least
an English education are accessible to
the great majority Of our population.
| But although the benefits thus
conferred by the formative power OF
our schools and colleges are incalculable,
| still their instruction is one-sided and
mutilated, because they lack the religious
element. In other words, they aim at
intellectual culture and attsinments, but
neglect the direct culture Of morals aud
religion. True, they indirectly teach
pure system Of ethics, but do not and can
not make an objective point to develop
| the character in all the living and real
dignity of christian manhood and woman
hood. They are the glory of the State,
| and merit the admiration of all; still they
| are not instituted TO teach the Bible
nor can it be perforce the para
mount object of investigation. We dc
not argue that this should or should moi
be otherwise. We simply present it q
a necessary fact, in connection with oul
subject. Then it is apparent, that th'
means of religious instruction and educa
ton have not kept pace with the advan-
cling tide. The zeal for material pros
perity and mental culture has not beer
ACCOMPANIED withan eq ual zeal forreligiou
truth. Labor has begotten riches AM
knowledge; riches and knowledge hay
engendered pride and skeptlca
disbelief; these have weakened tn
principle of holiness, and cause'
many, very many children of christian
homes to say nothing ofthOse who haV
no such inhuence-to grow up stranger
to religion and the church. -Irreliglou
ignorance stares US in the face, in all II
alarming potency for evil, with nothln
| to counteract it in our educational systeI
of schools and colleges.
= Then, seeing that the necessity IS III
gent, the peril at our doorr-esllzingtni
an earnest and general religious orusad
should be entered upon and prosecute
in order to educate reiigiously the .chllc
rem of the rich and poor, wheth.
in city, town, or country, Il
children who have no parents, or Irr
= ligious parents; the children who ha'
;, no church and care for none-every trr
1 Christian at once asks, how shall this !
accomplished ? Clearly by the pOStttU
exclusive religious education OF u
e sabbath School.
: The religious education Of the Saba
n School is positive, because its only cha
is the Bible; exclusive, because 1t IS
g only school in the world where the BIB
, is the great and universal text boo
a a Other things are taught in the school, .
:, only properly so by way of EXPLAIN
- and illustrating Bible truths. This slmI
~ fact proves a portion of our propositi'
te without argument, clearly showing tt
,e if the Sabbath School has any negati
in side, it arises from inefficiency IN
Of workings and not from any want
he legitimate sphere, or dearth OF means "
which to instruct. The sure basis
10 Christianity is to have the Bible u
OF yersally read. The Sabbath School is
e, invincible ally to accomplish this, becal
u all its teaching converges to one POI
namely TO make plain, illustrate and
az ply the great lessons contained IN
- t'Book of Books" Just as we extend
he influence, with its great Textbook
e.. christian education, so in proportion
we make Christianity genuine and ope
tive, strip it of the Journalism in WI
to some would circumscribe it, and seoul
Ter ize its spirit and truths, so that they
by become realities in all the relations
all life VERITA'
NE ;s THE newspapers are publishing '
om generally throughout the country lie
ma written by lady to the PhiladelE
w Epenino Bulletin, entitled "a WoI
In. in the Sewers of Paris" as though
) of were a novelty The factis, the sewers
one of the sights of Paris, and as E
..1l 6o,t "a Traouantlv "a