Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-22
SABBATH SCHOOLS.

The Sabbath School is the working
agent to fix the basis of vital Christianity,
because ID, Il enIists the affections Of chI'
dren on the side Of Christianity, It's insttta-
tons and principles. That is to say, if its
influence be directed Alright, children will
learn TO love religion, and everything con-
nected Herewith.
In our first article We developed the
idea that all of US bad religious desires.
Hence their exercise and development
must necessarily react upon our spir-
itual condition. How is this de-
velopment to be brought about? Most
clearly, at an early age, by influencing the
affections, which are aligned, as it were,
side by side, with these religious desires
Now it may be assumed without argument
that there is a desire Of human nature FIR
sympathy in sentiment and purpose, to
love and be loved ia the Just acceptation
Of the term. Taking this for granted, this
law Of love, as a specific or generic term
underlies all the relations of life. 1t rules
in the spiritual universe just as the force
Of gravity governs ia the material. As
without the one chaos would take the place
e general unity, SO without the other and
it's afinilieP, man would be but a step
removed from the bru'e creation. If
this be true, special affections are It's
Necessary sequence. 1t is impossible to
love the whole world and no one in particu'
Jar. For instance, though rock bound and
steril e, We love cur native land in her very
barrenress, and ask no prouder heritage
than TO live, die, and be buried in her bo-
som. 4 lcok at the face Of the mother who
love- him, will touch chord in the heart
cl,vuv man, ihat nsnght else can awaken.
Nor can any Of u resolve The ties thai
hid Us 10 a father, brother, or sister. Then
If thee special affections exist in the rela-
tics q life, 70 do tLey exist in religion,
fcrtke,Lli.iisn lie aud character is deter
mined by our love-, cur aspirations, and
the state Of cur hearts. 10 short, there Is
an iuseparable affinity, besween our alice
tiCns and our religious nature. Purity IL
lie CIT, inevitably follows from the truth
Of the Other. Ii may seem strange, At q
fret glance, yet it is none the less true
hat here is such unity in cur intel
leciual being that The proper development
Of one Of its faculties will necessarily de-
yelop The others. Nor can we cultivate tc
a healthy extent, any single capacity, men,
tai or physical, without strengthening Its
correlative powers. Upon this principle
DO / contend that our affections and relig
iCus nature are insep arabic. You must en-
gage The enc if you would empress tn
other. Religion Is assisted by every thiEt
which biiugs cut the pure feelings Of hu
mainly, for thus we are raised above zen
suaI, material view Of life. Furthermore
the experience Of every Christian will a
test the fact, that each holy affection gOe
hand in hand with religion. In truth, d
the laws which govern in the physics
world, ale traceabIe to a great first caus
20 by reason and analogy our pure afe
lions are but the instruments OF religion
culture and development.
Then accepting it as true, that there
an afiuity between our affections and oil
religious nature, l contend that a religion
imprtss.,n can be and is made on Il
affections, far more easily in Il
Sabbath School than anywhere els
Why? Simply because it takes hold Of Il
affections while still unbiased, and pr
SCENTS religion in an attractive light.
illustrate it plainly, consider how powe
ful Is the kindness and affection of a teac
,r devoted to the work. The child res
ICES tina. il Is the object Of this afectio
reciprccatos the same love as the tesch'
aud in 70 doing, loves the religious tru
presenttd. The child studies to please t
teacher, and in so doing receives the 60
seed of the word, which will spring up
net at once, after many days, 10 yield
abundant haIvest. So potent 10 the ope
ton Of love on the human heart, that I
Sabbath School teacher has thereby
Influence iuCalculabie in its effect and
,uii. AIToaChod through the avenu,
The Affections. the heart Of the child is C
ried for religion, as it were, by storm,
lasting impression for good made aim
, uEconsciously. IA well might the de
drop resist ihesuu-heam in Whose warmth
,yauOrates, as for the childish heart TO rel
the instruction Of the teacher who loves, a
whom it loves in return. To be spoken
only kindly and aaectiOEately, touChe
lew cord, and almost before be know
The sullcn hov, who will and who wO
I,alizts that he loves some one, that e
one loves him, and with willing heart,
Listening esr drinks in what he bel
l,rlisCd. DO not strike exactly, the
perleIce Of every Sunday School teacl
nhO has had any success in teaching chi
rtE@ j. not tuch a result apparent to ev
practical mind II not, explain v
children so love their teachers, and v
thty will always honor aud respect th
afteI they have passed from under &
irhuence If not, explain why the act
working Christians of the Church
nov made up from those who had
benefit Cf sabbath School instruct
But e this hereafter, in another pa
the suliect)
The affections being thus enlisted
sabbath il no longer irksOme and tires
II becomes not only day of rest, but
# genuine happiness. The children
Tor he holy day to come, so that they
ste iheir teacher, hear his or her wOr'
kindness aud wisdom, and sing
sweet songs. Said = little girl
me, one Sunday morning, who
come to tie school over a mile thr
the beating rain, ''Oh, | could not
away tli- morning, ] love you and
sChuul somuCh, aud then you are alwi
clad 10 see me-" The incident il but
a hundred which ! might relate, and
Iess suggests others to every Sa
School worker. Now tits blessin
Noud all price, thus to engsge the '
affections "ou the Lords side" For,
msUent taste and habit ia thereby fC
for attending church, while the q,
lions and thoughts are grOOved in
channel Of religion. Furthermore,
Of US willingly relinquish that viii
love. None OF Us will willingly Civ
Measure. Rather do we cherish ant
10 il. If this be true, how easy and
raj will il be, when mature age sha
addcd it, experience, for any one 4
the assent of their intellect TO a r
which their young affections hollow,
which their reason COnvlnces Il
he the foundation Of morality, ID