Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-01
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.


the McKendree Sunday School for few
minutes, in a very happy and impressive
style, during which be stated that one year
ago there were in the Tennessee Confer
ence about 800 Sunday schools, and about
5000 Sunday school scholars, and now
there are in the same Conference
about 1900 Sunday schools, and about
1900 scholars. This is an increase
Of about one hundred per cent in twelve
months. The church membership in the
Conference numbers about 10000, and the
Bishop hopes there may be at least one
Sunday school scholar for each church
member within the next twelve months.
The regular monthly Sabbath school
meeting of McKendree took place at three
o'clock that evening, at which the Bishop
was the presiding officer in the absence of
DR.. Young, the regular pastor. sE .
/ The Secretary of the Society, Mr., H. c.
Ross, has hit upon a very happy plan in
making up synopsis of each address de-
livered before the meetings, and putting it
on his records, where it is preserved for
future reference. Bishop McTyeire, in
introducing the speaker for the occasion,
made happy allusion to the semi Centen-
NAL sermon preached before the late SEES
sion of the Tennessee Conference, at Shell
byville, by the odd man eloquent" Rev.
Thomas Maddin, D. D., the grand sire Of
our talented and popular fellow-citizen,
Thomas NJ. Stegar, E:q member of the
Nashville bar, whose address was listened
to with marked attention and interest. We
are pleased to present a brief report Of
Mr.. Stegar's speech, and commend it to
our readers: .
The Speaker commenced by expressing
thanks to the large audience for the en-
enlargement which they gave the Sunday
school by their attendance. He then de-
sired that they would indulge him in di-
recting what he said, to the children, as the
occasion was particularly for their benefit.
After some Introductory remarks to the
children he spoke of how incomparably
the present season was the most precious of
their lives, at the entrance upon life they
must decide the most important issue which
would ever be presented to them, and that
it could not be eyaded, or put off. The
| question was what principles would they
establish for their guidance in life? One
course lead TO hoRor, usefulness and happi-
ness, the other defeated all the noble aims
| of life, and lead with certainty to unhap-
piness. The consequences Of their conduct
would not effect themselves alone, but must
be shared by all who were connected with
them or loved them. He spoke of how free
they were at their time of life to choose, and
follow the good or the bad, and of the many
circumstances in their favor to assist them to
a correct choice, that their consciences
were not yet diseased with vice but promptly
responded to the divine impulse of good /;
that they had in their hearts some Of the
purity of heaven; that every one in child
hood had a sort of probation in an Eden OF
innocence and might stay in it, until his
vices shut him out that as the flaming
sword at the gate OF Paradise kept Adam
out, so vicious passion was now the sword
at the gate Of innocenG. They were now
| guarded by the affectlonate care Of their
| friends, and shielded from many of life's
| temptations. Their way was prepared for
them as far as it was possible and every
thing was done for them which could be
done by pointing out the rewards Of virtue
| which they could gain, and the temptations
of vice which they should shun that the
Influence Of the Sunday school upon their
souls was like heav n holy dew, and theviT-
tuous teaching and examples bestowed upon
them was like It's sacred light, giving them
a full view Of the road to honor so that it
was impossible for them to loose it by mis-
take. He would not attempt 10 say how
| criminal it would be for them under the
| circumstances to submit to vicious incina-
| tions, but that by their choice they would
secure their happiness or pronounce their
| doom. If they allowed the purity Of
| their souls to be stained now, "all the
rain in the sweet heavens could never
wash it cut" but it would always be a
source Of repentance, if it did not lead to
crime. He then defined virtue TO be the
voice Of nature. That wisdom which
knows how to prefer what is right to in
| terest, or to pleasure. 4 voluntary obedi-
ence to truth, faith, hope, charity, justice
| and love. The attributes Of God practiced
in the life Of man. The eublime echo of
the soul when called to action. That Cicero,
| after he had finished his studies in Greece,
| was advised by the oracle of AppOlo at
Delphi TO follow nature" He approved
] this advice, upon the grounds that per.
| feet God was the author of nature; that his
! goodness, justice, charity and love were I'M
| pressed upon al his works-that vice was
! a disease upon nature, and all its laws were
hostile to it; that God could not desire
suffering, but that all the disorder and sui
| fering we saw were the consequence Of
vice that we bore the Likeness Of God, and
| were tuned in accord with virtue; that
conscience was unfailing in It's Judgment
between right and wrong, for it was ''di-
| vinity that stirred within Us; and then
spoke Of the shudderings Of nature at
vice, and entreated that no one e the
children would allow his soul 10 become
the foul den of falsehood and
deceit, but to keep it in natures
purity, ard it was a palace where
a God might dwell He said departure
from virtue was always willful, and then
pictured the effects. 1t was certain that
one would injure himself and perhaps
Others, would degrade the dignity Of his
soul, would be conscious Of weakness and
meanness, and would loose respect for him
| self. The condemnation of his conscience
would make him feel that he would be con-
DENIED by others, the fear of detection
| would make him a coward, and he would
hide himself behind falehood aud deceit
He then spoke of the depth OF meanness
| and unhappinesS one was driven TO when
he submitted to vice, and of the rewards to
be expected, he said the chances were that
a vicious attempt would fail Of success, for
the power of truth was never known until
one commended against it. Ii it did fail
then nothing was left but the crime and
the shame. But if it had the greatest
possible success, aud gained wealth and
power they couId only bring tempo
rary qualification they could not tax
away the knowledge of dishonor, they
| could not sooth the suferings of wounded
soul, they could not allay the bitterness
of an outraged conscience, they might
make n man envied but could never make
him respected or esteemed.
He then spoke at length Of the impossi-
bility of concealing the real character, that
it would show in spite Of all one could do
to prevent it.
1t was impossible to estimate the cOnse-
quences of our actions that every deed,
good or bad, when done, was immortal, a
spirit passed into it, and it assumed sePa-
| rate existence; it could not be recalled or
controlled If it was evil and one had re-
pented of it, and been forgiven for his part
in it, still no tears of penitence or bitter
ness of remorse could undo it. Aud what
was more horrible, no repentance of
ours could atone for the sins it caused
others to commit.
To the parents he said, if they wonld
have their children walk in the paths Of
rirtne they must ihem elves lead the way