The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-06-01

nority, more than one-third, are doing nothing in
their corporate capacity for the religious instruc
ton OF the young.
The whole number of teachers reported is about
$3.50, and of scholars about 26,650. If you will
deduct from the former number one-fourth, and
from the latter number one.third, you will have
about the average attendance The increase of
teachers in all the schools reported is 236, and Of
scholars GIG, the largest part of this increase be
Ing, In one Presbytery-the Presbytery OF New
Orleans. The number of teachers reported as
added to the Church from the various Sabbath
Schools is 40, and Of scholars 3l3. The aggregate
amount contributed for Sabbath School purposes,
as shown by the reports, is SIS 1885, and for other
benevolent purposes $3.50. A few of the Pres
byteres report that small number of their min
listers preach regularly to the children. In all the
schools directly under control of our own Church,
the Scriptures and the Shorter Catechism are
committed to memory. The text books used be-
sides these are Ramsay's and Smiths Questions,
and In some instances the Child's Scripture Cues.
religious interest.
| Upon the whole the reports exhibit some fea
lures OF an encouraging and some of an opposite
character. Among the former may be mentioned,
|. Increased interest on the subject throughout
the Church. Presbyteries, church sessions and
our people generally, seem to be gradually waking
up to the vast importance of this part OF the
Church work. More attention is being paid to
it and more interest is felt in it. 2. Broader and
sounder views as to the nature and end OF the
Sabbath School, and its relation to family lnstruc.
ton, are beginning to prevail. The idea is gain
ing ground that the Sabbath School is simply the
method which the Church adopts to preach the
gospeto the children-to feed the lambs of Christ s
hock-and that its sole end is to lead them to
Christ; and, accordingly, that it is no more in
tended to supersede the necessity of parental in.
sruction and care than is the public preaching OF
the gospel to adults intended to supersede the ne
cessty of the domestic and secret duties of rei.
gion. In connection with this the improperly
and inconsistency of committing the religious in
struction of the children to voluntary associations
outside of the Church is becoming more and more
seen and felt, and schools under the direct control
of the Church and its officers are rapidly increasing
On the other hand, the reports reveal some
things that are of less hopeful and encouraging
character. |. In the first place, we are warranted
in saying that one-tbird-perhaps more-of our
churches are not engaged in any way in this i'm
portant work. 1t is true that considerable num-
Der of our churches are SO circumstanced as to
render it exceedingly difficult, if not impossible,
for them to engage successfully and proftably in
the Sabbath School work. Yet there are multi
tudes of others that might be usefully engaged in
it, which are doing absolutely nothing 2. There
is not enough OF the aggressive spirit in this de-
partment of the Church's operations. The aggre.
gate increase in the number of teachers and schol-
ars, as shown by the reports is not in proportion
to the growth of the Church in other respects 3.
The amount contributed to the cause of Foreign
Missions is exceedingly meager; and this small
sum was given, as the reports show, by very few
schools; the great majority giving nothing at ALL
4. While, upon the whole, clearer and sounder
views as to the true nature and object of the Sab
bath School are beginning to prevail, there exists
in the minds of many parents disposition to evade
their personal obligations to their children, and
practically to make the Sabbath School sort of
substitute for the instruction Of the family. This
is very great error, and one that cannot be too
strongly condemned. And it will be sad day for
the Church, and fatal alike to the usefulness of
the Sabbath School, when such disposition and
practice comes to be general. The Sabbath School
is simply an assistant to theparent in the religious
instruction of his child. 1t is not adapted and
never was intended to do the parents work. The
parent therefore, cannot delegate to it his respon
sibilities.
In view of all these facts your committee would
recommend:
l. That it be enjoined upon the Presbyteres
that they take such action as will in the future Sc
cure full and accurate reports from all their church
es of the Sabbath School work in their bounds.
2. That those Presbyteries which have not al
ready done so be directed to appoint Executive
Committees to take the oversight of the Sabbath
School work in their bounds and that the chair
men of these committees be furnished with the
means to procure and distribute blank forms Of re.
ports to all their churches
| g. That the Presbyteries be directed to urge it
upon all their churches, wherever it is practicable
to establish schools directly under the control of
the church sessions, and that in these schools
greater prominence be given to the study of our
Catechism, Confession of Faith, and Form of
Government.
4. That more attention be paid to instructing
the children in the duty and training them in the
practice, of giving of their earnings to promote the
cause of God in the world.
Respectfully submitted
SAMUEL w. DAVIES,
Chairman of Committee.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EVANGELICAL
| LABOR.
The committee on Evangelical Labor submit the
following:
Reports have been received from twenty Pres
byteries viz: Abingdon, Atlanta, Arkansas, Mis-.
sissippi, Roanoke, Montgomery, Winchester, West
Hanover, East Hanover, Ouachita, Savannah, Ma
con, Orange. Lexington, Brazos, Central Ohio
Chesapeake, Harmony, Charleston, Indian, Gen.
trail Texas.
Informal reports have been furnished by mem
bers of the Assembly from the following Presby.
teries, viz: Augusta, Knoxville, South Carolina
Central Mississippi, Greenbrier, Pennsylvania and
East Alabama.
The following Presbyteries report one or more
evangelists actively engaged in the work, viz
Charleston, Harmony. South Carolina, Lexington
| Chesapeake, Indian, Central Ohio, Brazos Green
brier. Central Mississippi, Augusta, Pennsylvania
and East Alabama.
The Presbyteries of Orange and Macon each re-
port that they have taken steps to secure the la
bors of an evangelist, with reasonable prospects
of success.
The Presbyteries of East Hanover, Abingdon,
Atlanta, Mississippi, Arkansas, Roanoke. Mont
gomery, Winchester, West Hanover, Savannah,
Ouachta and Knoxville report that they have no
evangelist in the field, but that they have endeav-
ored to supply the destitutions within their bounds
through the labors of pastors and stated supplies
detailed for that work.
The committee lament that so many of the
Presbyteries have failed to send up reports. In
many cases there is reason to believe this has not
been owing to the fact that nothing has been DONE
but to inadvertence which, however, it is to be
| hoped will not be repeated. The work is one of
too much vital importance to the interests of the
Redeemer's kndom among us for any who claim
to love Him and serve Him to feel that they can
afford to slight it in any shape whatever. As
showing the happy results of earnest, persistent
and self denying efforts in its behalf, the commit.
tee would invite attention to the following extract
from the report of Charleston Presbytery:
"Six months ago we had fifteen churches, nine
of which were destitute and unable to secure
minister. Through the blessing of God we have
employed three evangelists to supply these vacan
cies and to carry the Gospel into destitute places
As the result of their labors, two churches have
been organized, two of those lately weak and va
cant are looking forward to the obtaining of pas
tors for themselves while all of our eighteen
churches are supplied at least once month with
the preaching of the Word.
The entire support of one of our evangelists,
two one receiving $3.50 and the other 5000 from
the Committee Of Sustentation,l is raised in the