Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-05-20

| Saul, and of David; of Mathew, of Mark, and of
John and none have keener sensibility of the
sublime cundescension Of the Rcdeemer, for the
salvation of ungrateful and unworthy man, than
the young Sabbath School Student
One of the most enticing characteristics of the
Sunday School is its music. The ancients we'll
understood the power Of music, when they repre-
sented the effect produced by the strains of Or
pheus' lute Trees danced to its melodious iuspi-
ration, the wild beasts became tame, the wheel of
Ixion stood STILL and Tantalus forgot hi, thirst
And when the children in the temple broak the
silence, and with rapturous voices of angels, sing
anthems OF praise to Him who over rules the des-
TIMES of men, who that can listen unmoved to
their youthful Hosnnnas and not catch the inspi-
ration from the lips of the infant throng?
If ever there was time when the highest duty
of people was the mental and moral culture of
the young, that time with us is the present Largo
numbers Of our race will be too poor to pay for
the advantages of the commonest education. The
tendency of poverty and ignorance is to 20 hand
in hand with wretchedness and vice. They must
choose on the ono hand this ptiful career or they
must accept the other that worse alternative of
social equality in the common school system about
to be inaugurated in our State. The contact of
two races, SO widely different in moral culture,
cannot fail to be injurious and seriously detrimen-
tai to the one-the most refined. The lower order
will bring down the higher order to the level of
the preponderating mass, and thus our individu-
ality as race will be gone. This is amost start
ling and appalling consideration, and the evil can
only be averted by vigorous and persistent effort
Let the lamp of the Sabbath School bo carried
into every village, and every hamlet, and into
every Church and every school house in the land.
Tell me not that you do not owe it to yourselves,
to hunt up these little. paupers and rescue them
from ignorance and vice on the one hand, and the
loathesome doom of miscegenation on tho other,
and preserve, by the magic influence of Sabbath
School instruction, the purity of your race and
the dignity of the Anglo-Saxon blood. We can
not afford to lose them from our ranks We cannot
afford to see them affiliate with the destroyers of
our peace. We have lost our liberties, we have
lost our property, we have lost the preatige that
the once proud name of Carolinian bore. These
are the jewels that left u.s. and We must polish
them, and brighten them, and preserve ths1Apn-
tarnished from the cankering influences tha pay
surround them. IF we be true to oursclvesS true
to the memories of the past true to the youthsand
maidens of our land, this threatened doom will be
dspollcd like q mist of the morning, and the
dawn of brighter day will soon beam upon, u.s.
Our noble women have ever been the first and
the foremost to step forward in the time of great
public emergencies, and with tho general influence
of high moral sen ntiment and the tender minis-
trations of their good Samaritan laborS, hav@eeA-
tributed in no ordinary degree to the present NC
cess of Sabbath School training. Where the in.
auenco like that of the Mother when she bidGbe
bravo little boy and tho tender little daughter to
hasten to the school! What more potent than
the affection of Sister to win the erring brother
from his wayNardnesa, and inspire him with q
love for the duties of his class.
am told by those who are acquainted With the
early history of village, that it is to the nde-
fatigable exerlions of one of these ministers of
mercy, that the Sabbath School Of this Church
owes its first organization. When you are wan
deriug through tho Village Church yard, and re-
aectiug upon the csrecr of those who have gone
before us, stop when you come to the name OF
ELIZA JoHssoS DRIsDALE, and recognise the tomb
of the founder of your School. She it was who
first gathered tho little band together; she it was
who led it triumphantly through tho period of its
probation shc it was who, in tho time of its
greatest necessity, worked for the School with
zeal and devotion worthy of the noble cause.
Let her memory not be forgotten, and upon each
recurring anniversary day, lot her tomb be decgS'
rated with your most beautiful garlands, and en-
b.lmed with your choicest flowers.
Years have now passed, since the School has
been in operation, and those who were pupils then,
arc now numbered among our oldest citizens,
scarcely enough of whom are left to preserve the
traditions Of It's early days. Many who have been
members have passed away to their final account,
and many have carried the useful lessons here
tanght them into othcr spheres of life.
Our Schools are now in most fourishng con-
dition, and under the efficient management oil
their present organizations, promise to DO good
work in inculcating tho wholesome truths OF tho
Bible upon the rising generation, and bringing
up our youth so that they may become useful and
honorable men and women. The impressions here
made help to rear up sound and healthy cOnsci-
ence, furnish ready themes for sermons and
profitable rclec ion and amidst the nose OF youth
full sins and follics, keep alive in the bosom
monitor that is ever ready with tho fager Of re-
monstrance and reproof.
And now, my Young Friends, have just one
word for you. These are the golden moments OF
your life, and the privileges and opportunities
which they confer upon you, will soon have
winged their fight into the deep gulf OF the past
As you value your lives, IS yon value the high
homes of the future, suffer them not to slip by
you uuimproved. Like the little busy bee, You
should improve "cach shining hour, with
tho same care that she stores away the sweet food
that she makes, you should treasure up the truthp
tha. you learn in the Sabbath School class Strive
TO be always prepared and perfectly familiar with
tho lesson that is assigned you. Learn to regard
your teacher us your friend, and do not get angry
when he admonishes you to your duty. No one
appreciates so well as the teacher the quick per-
cep;ion and the ready will of his pupil. Do not
cause him to be discouraged by your negligence
or YOUR indifference Remember that his self
;mnosed task is labor of love. Put on smiling
faces. perform we'll and checrfully the duties Of
the class. and lot each song be sweetcr than the
one that preceded it. If you oct well your part
the Sabbath School cause will mover fail to -four
i.h its numbers will constantly increase, and
the return of each anniversary day viii find the
tide of your prosperity flowing onward still on
ward. 1t will contribute grestly to your tompo-
raj Measures and may be the means of SECURING