The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-11-03

aUvSIV 6As0ssv oSvsot0VOAVu Va III 0tG00
!. tive laudience, Mo were afterwards
fAyorsd with an Essay BY Mrs.. L. Il.
rasl, on the. subject, sDuties Of Par
ente," . tine production and worthy
to Be remembered. BY ali fathers and
mothorA Also, m essay, by Mrs. L
W. Barton, subject aThe Successful
Sabbath Sciool," !" which was listened
TO with no less appreciation, both Of
which we publish below.
i Il i'm. RANDEL, Secy.
l. EJ,f FSs;igsts '. ...--4--.s ssyItisafp35
/ THE sUCCEss1UL sABBATH SCHOOLS. !
fBY Mrs Il MRAEL4lgw sg
In q decision regarding the spccoss
Of any enterprise, the FIRST and indeed
the only important thing to bc con
sidered is the object Of the underta.
king. For what purpose, 70 secure
what end was II undertaken3 that
! tpurpoas tulhllsd, that end STAINED
aad We are inccessfuL Pleasure and
even profit, and, that too, in . high
degree, may attend its prosecution,
but unless thoy are Of the kind and
degree composing tho object for
which we are working, success IN the
true meaning Of the term, 10 mot ours.
He ID counted the successful bunness
man whose Golfers are flied with
gold, for this ID the object Of his
toll she, the sdEcessful warrior,
whose enemies lie conquered
before him. He 10 the successful
farmer, whose barns are filled with
grain. Success for the poet lies in
the laurels Of fame that CROWN his
brow, and for the miniater of Jesus
in the number Of precious souls he
can win to the paths Of virtue and
religion. Each has STAINED the end
desired. Let us see then wherein
lies the success Of q Sunday school.
In considering the subject we must
first fix in the mind what we are
trying to accomplish. Why All this
ada about sunday achnnla 2 Sermons
are preached, essays are written
conventions are held, books and
papers flood the land. Money by the
thousands ofdollarsis is expended; time
and labor lavished without stint /; for
what? / fear 1t is aquestion We too
seldom ask ourselves, and that many
who are working earnestly in our
schools have no definite object in
view. Thus we are not 20 successful
as we might and ought to be. What
great want was felt. What lack In
the evangelization of the world, that
caused the founders of the Sunday
school, amid opposition and discour-
agements, still to perssvere The
lack, not only of. religious education
for the children work too often
neglected BY parents, and therefore
needing other hearts and hands, but
q lack of conversions amoug the
children. 1mbued with the spirit of
the great command, aFeed my lambs, "
and loving the little ones for whom
Christ died, but seemed to be almost
forgotten BY The disciples in their
Invitation to tho marriage feast, they
won't forth and through the medium
Of tho Sunday school said to the
children sthe lambs He will
carry in His bosom, and thus
tried to win thcm to the cross Of
Christ. Is this our object to-day ?
Do We keep tho conversion Of the
children in view? How often we
hear such expressions as these, aWe
have the largest Sunday School in
town." or 1--WE have the finest library
in the country, and such splendid
singing" But you ask, is it notright
for. no to induce every one We can to
attend our school? viii it not be Q
benefit to have . good library, and
good singing? Most certainly, and
the attainment Of these il highly COM
mendable in 30 far as they are looked
upon as the means to the accomplish
mentof 8 higher object and not as
the object itself. How seldom do we
hear on expression like this: "There
we're b great many children convert
ed ID our school this year, and yet
this ssould be the chief object Of Sum
day School teaching, while these
other acquisitions should be gladly
sought after rs helps.
I. Ofwhat avail will be our religious
education if it fail to lead US to the
object Of oil religious worship or to
exercise suoh saving faith % will lead
to happiness, both here and hereafter.
It is much more easy to teach chill
dren with, their tender, believing
hearts the way Of faith, than it IS
those whose hearts have grown sus-
.picious and unbelieving by contact
with a deceitful world, 4 eslg.~s. 8,
Only clothe the truths Of salvation
in sim plc garb that their minds may
easily grasp them. You remember
the story Of tho little boy who when
lgiven u hard lesson in the oatechism
said, "Oh, mamma, havn't you got q
kitteachism for me to learn, this cate.
chism is SO hard" SO we say give
the children. kittenchisms to learn.
Tell the simple story Of Christie great
Iloye in a simple manner. Do not
teach them that If they are good and
obey father and mother and never
swear they will go to heaven. Teach
them religion, not morality tell them
Christ mast savo them, and in him
must they trusts end that By these
good works they show their lovo for
him and their desire TO DO saved
/ Thus careing for thelambs who large
| " shares in tho lovo of tho grea,
Shepherd, wo will hear the words o.
the Master reiterated in our ears
"W hosocver shall give to drink untt
one Of these little ones cup of eolt
water only, shall in no wise lose hi
70 ward"
/ SUCCESSFUL SABBATH SCHOOLS.
II BY MRS. L. W. BARTON.
10 the christian, the world IL