Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-06-22
Sabbath School Report---ConcIuding
Remarks.


Remarks.
l. twill be seen from these reports that
taking the schools as whole throughout
Orleans County Conference, the average
attendance is but little more than half the
whole number connected with the schools.
Much allowance may be made for a coun
try like this, for the state of the travelling
at certain seasons of the year-and this re-
mark may apply especially to the past win
ter and spring. But this will not cover the |
whole ground Let us all make special eff
forts during the year to come towards Sc
curing the constant attendance of those
connected with our schools.
2. Don't grow discouraged at the feeble
ness of your school or removals from it.
As one brother has said in his report, the
influence of every one of these little schools
is felt in other parts of the country and the
world In a land like ours, where rich,
new regions are continually inviting emf
grafton, the older, and especially the agri-
cultural states, can expect to do no more
Jhan to keep their number good. 1t is so
with our churches and Sabbath schools
And yet our work here in these little
schools is important, and the call to it is a
pressing one, that the young, as they go
out from us, may go we'll taught-abe and
ready to carry Christ and His truth wher-
ever they go; and that the mountains and
prairies of those Western wilds, as fast as
they became the homes OF men may also be-
come abodes of righteousness. We Dtast
hold on. If the streams of emigration are
to continue their Westward flow. these old
New England fountains of piety must new
er be left to dry up.
/ 8. The Sabbath school must be made d
place of interest to all who attend In the
choice of superintendents, and the selection
Of teachers, great sagacity is required in
order to have and keep the right person in
the right place And in the assigning Of
lessons and the adapting Of religious in
struction to young minds much wisdom is
needed. The school must be an attractive
place, or children will receive little benefit
from it. need not explain or dwell furth-
er upon the idea, | simply press it upon
all Much has lately been said and writ
ten upon this point-perhaps too much
yet there is great significance in the satir-
zeal remark Of recent writer. that the bliss
of heaven is not to consist in our sitting in
an los, r,,,,. Il +l,.,,- +,,,,o
but rather in delightful, varied employ
ment suited to our different capacities and
We certainly must not forget this in the
training Of our children for that better
world. In view of this principle it will be
we'll for every school to examine the new
system Of instruction in the Bible, adopted
and recommended by the schools Of New
port and Barton. Also to inquire whether
the substitution of the Sabbath school con-
cert once month for the afternoon service
is not a decided improvement, as stated by
the school in Greensboro.
l. Children even the youngest that attend
the Sabbath school, are the very ones whose
conversion we are TO labor for and expect.
1t is one of the characteristics OF the work
ing Of the Holy Spirit in this age of the
world, that "a very large majority of the
conversions that take place are those OF the
young. The time was when the churches
Of Christ consisted mainly Of men and wo-
men who had reached or had passed the
middle age, but that day is now gone by.
In the Congregational churches of Yer
mont, last year, the proportion OF members
under thirty years ofage, varied from one
haifto one-tenth the average being about
one-sixth; and the proportion is steadily
increasing. 1t is thus large, taking the
churches Just as they stand at one given
time, the proportion ofthose who make pro-
fession while young is much larger, most
likely as large as tour-ifths. Probably
most of the additions to the churches Of
this county during the past year have been
children and youth. Now if these are facts
they call upon Us to remember the children
to labor for, to pray for, and to expect THEN
conversion. In the words Of one Of the
best and staunchest of our living divjnes
Formerly it was not expected that any
would seek the Lord till in mature wears
= | can myself recall churches which in my
bOyhOod had not a single young man il
them. 1t would have been looked upon d:
something strange had it been otherwise
: The Holy Spirit did not then move upon
the hearts of children and youth as He now
, does 1t was not the common mode of Hi.
? operations But since we have taken the
= children in hand, instructed them in re
, ligion and prayed for their conversion, anC
belieced it possible and most desirable, mos
r of our conversions are now among tn,
: young. We now look to the Sabbath
school for our recruits and the material OF
q future usefulness"
= 5. Finally, pray for the Sabbath school a
: aOeH as IN it, Anything that is worth en-
! gaging in is worth praying over; and thi
Y is eminently true in cur work of winning
: souls, for it is Gods especial delight to b.
$ inquired of in these things, that accordin!
to his covenant He may bestow blessings
The Sabbath school, hardly heard of sixt,
years ago, has already come to be one o
e the largest, surest means of grace we have
It and | have often felt that we do not pra
q in it or for it as we ought. Let the lesson
" be studied with prayer; let the sessions
a accompanied with prayer; let the officer;
g teachers, and pupils. be made special sub
IS jects of prayer by all. Letteachers strive
II agoRjze for the conversion of the individu
= ais of their classes. Let the spirit OF praye
D. be possessed by every worker in this grea
d cause, then rich harvest may be expected
= for che that goeth forth and weepeth, cal
rying precious seed, will doubtless com
again with rejoicing, bringing his sheavt
q with him."
Il Men Wanted.
s. The great want of this age is men; me
r who are not for sale; men who are homes
l. sound from center to circumference, tru
&c to the hearts core men who will condem
N wrong in friend or foe, in themselves