Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-08-23
Sunday School Concerts.

1t is very easy to say what Sunday
school concerts should be, as it is always
easier to criticise and condemn than to
point out q better way. They should not
be simply musical exhibitions, nor occa-
sions for voluble speakers to air their rhet-
oric or retail their stories which are with
out point or use. They should not be meet
ings for lengthy dullness, long prayers,
long lectures, long and inappropriate
hymns. What then should they be? In
the first place they should be concerts:
union meeting of pastor, superintendent,
teachers, parents and scholars. Let all
come, and you have the elements of good
meeting. But if any of these classes stay
away, the concert is robbed of portion of
its symmetry and effect. Next, they should
be Sabbath school concerts: assemblies
gathered in the interest of the Sabbath
school, at its invitation, under its guidance,
and for the promotion of its usefulness and
growth The exercises should be adapted
to those who compose the greater part of
the audience, and if they are interested
and benefited, the rest will share in the
advantage there is nothing truer than
this, that the spiritual food which a child
receives with eager appetite, and the relig-
ious exercises which minister to its pure
delight, will be both acceptable and profit
able to children of larger growth. The
exercises in which all can engage should
predominant at the Sabbath school concert.
The singing of carefully selected and az
propriate hymns; short prayers, united
repetition of the Lords Prayer, biblical
exercises, in which questions asked by the
pastor or superintendent shall be answered,
by teachers and scholars, from the Word of
God; catechism exercise, with brief and
pertinent explanations and illustrations by
the leader of the meeting responsive scrip
ture readings, recitations Of scripture and
hymns, and brief addresses by those who
have something to say and know how tC
say it-these, and other simple and devo-
tional acts and words in which all can join
heartily, will give variety, interest ard
value to the Sabbath school concert.
There is nothing which kills these meet
ings quicker than long speeches. An Eng
fish lady, who, after years Of prosperity
was compelled by loss of fortune, at the agt
of 76, to avail herself of her excellent edu
cation as a means af support, had unde
her charge a class Of very little children
She was unusually successful in teaching
these infants, who were supposed to be to-
young to learn anything except how to 81
still. They progressed rapidly, and sh
gave the secret of her success as follows
"Three minutes of complete attention fror
a child will enable you to teach him NOR
than three hours Of simple hearing" Th
same thing is true of children in Sunda
schools. Talk to them so that they will s.
with eyes and ears open for five or ten min
utes, and then stop, and you will make a
impression. Not long since we listened [
capital speaker on bible themes, who ha
only this fault-he never knew when I
stop. He would say, 'Now, know your
tired and don't want me to go on" Som
one out of compliment would say, go on,
and he would go. For 80 minutes he tall
ed to the large assembly, talked we'd, bill
Ideally, earnestly, Auently; but, alas
+, talked 50 much that the children had onl
a tumble OF ideas in their minds when /
; was done, and talked to such an extent thi
the hearers had enough to last them for
. year, and the Sabbath school concerts wei
thinly attended for many a month. 1t is
pity some men cannot be shut off like II
2 gas, by those who can see better than the
can when they ought to stop.
Let it never be forgotten, in conductir
the Sabbath school concert, that it is r
ligious service; that its aim is the spritu.
L benefit Of the children; that, however i
teresting or apparently successful it ma
be, it is really useless unless it proves {
aid in developing the spiritual life Of Il
s, school, in stimulating officers, teachers al
parents to greater faithfulness, and hearth
d devotion to the great and blessed work
leading the young to salvation by Chri
and to sanctifcation and growth throul
the truths of the bible.-OJserUcr.