West-Jersey pioneer., 1870-09-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL INSTITUTE.

Elder of Bridgoton District, and conducted
by Rev. B. c. Lippincott, was opened in
the First NJ. E. Church, at Millville, on
Tuesday evening, September Goth, by SER
mon from Rev. A. E. Ballard, on ''The Sab
bath School teacher work and it's rewards -
The ground taken in the sermon was that
"The Sabbath Schools ought to be churches
for the children, with the teachers as preach
ers pastor, and persuaders, SO that the chill
dren might develop in their childhood the
experiences of religious life."
The exercises of Wednesday morning,
were introduced by half an hour of earnest
prayer for the conservation of Sabbath
School teachers to their work, after which
Rev. Mr.. Eastlack, of Tuckahoe, read an
able essay on 'sThe Teacher, Teaching. !"
The facts that the teaching was done on the
Sabbath and in the churches, were shown
to have a strong power of impression upon
childhood. The religious songs and prayers
were also considered as exercising the same
influence. The position was taken that
God is under no obligation to help any man
even in good work, and hence the neces-
sity of earnest preparation and prayer were
argued. An illustrated sermon was given
by him upon the blackboard, on the subject
of Regeneration, which closed the first essay.
"The most efficient method of awaken
ing an interest in Sunday Schools, was the
subject of the next paper, which was read
by Rev. Mr. Brown, of AIillvile. In this
the writer thought, that more time should
be devoted by us in perfecting our Sabbath
School work, and less in rejoicing over what
we have already done. He held the Super
intendent responsible for the thorough drill
ing of his teachers, and without such drill
ing but little could be done. 1t was also
assured that the best talent Of the church
ought to be employed in the work, and it
ought not to be left to the young and mex
pcrienced. If the teachers were not tai
ented and cultivated, it would soon be found
that the children knew more than the
teacher, in which case he could no longer
command their respect. A good library
often replenished, much oftener than is
common, he considered essential to success,
with a large sprinkling of new music and
exhibitions, which rightly conducted and
selected would always infuse fresh interest
in the schools.
Prof. Fischer, of Philadelphia, was then
introduced, who both at that time and du-
ring the subsequent sessions of the Conven-
lion. entertained the Institute with delicious
music both vocal and instrumental.
There was then free discussion on the
topics opened by DR.. Richmond, of Millville.
The leading point of the Doctor was, that
the principal work of the teacher was to
bring out the heart of the child in the in
terest of religion. Mr.. Newlin, of the Re
publican, the efficient Superintendent of the
School was next called upon, and in an earn
est speech insisted that the style of the
teaching should correspond with the tastes
and habits of childhood, and SHOULD consist
mainly of parable and illustrations from
common every day life, as grapevine,
worm, or flower, all made illustrative of re-
ligious truth. He believed that the reason
why it was so difficult to interest the chill
dren in the catechism was found in the abb
struseness of It's manner of teaching. Rev. |
/. D. King believed that a most thorough
preparation was necessary for effective
teachers, and that whenever possible they |
should be converted persons. Rev. Socrates |
Townsend believed that while it was best |
to obtain converted teachers wherever it |
was possible, still if those could not be got |
it was very much better to have unconverted |
persons of good moral character than none |
at all. Rev. Messrs. Street and Lippincott |
accepted the latter idea, and cited instances |
where it had been productive of great good. |
Questions were then propounded and an
swered. Rev. Mr.. Ballard answered that |
works of fiction were of value in the schools
SO long as they illustrated the idea of relig- |
ion, and outside of this were strongly rep |
and that the formation of classes |
of baptized children in the church had been |
generally found to be impracticable, and
that the making Of schools self-supporting
was yet an unsolved problem. Rev. Mr..
Street decided afirmatiyely in regard to
teachers meetings led by the Pastor, and
that the financial support of the school
fell back upon the church. Rev.
Mr.. Morris gave as the best time to distrib-
ute the library books the interval between
the opening of the school and commence
ment of the lesson. Mr.. King took the
ground that the interested attention of any
child could be gained by proper means, and
the use of question books OF
one kind or another. Rev. Mr.. Scott be-
ieved that the question Of how best to
teach could be answered only in general
way, each teacher using the plan which he
found the best. Rev. Mr.. Lippincott said
that no teacher ought to be absent from bis
class without written excuse sent to them
at the time, and the Broadway School, at
Salem, was quoted as one where once
month each teacher who had been absent
during that time was required publicly to
give the reason. He also decided that ex-
pulsion from school was something which
need scarcely ever be resorteu 10 as tnere
were better methods
The afternoon session was opened with |
the same religious exercises as the morning. |
Rev. Mr.. Relyea discussed "The Prepara-
lion of the Lesson" He stated that the |
Sabbath School was not only the nursery
If the church, but part of the church itself.
It's grand object was to impart instruction,
md in order to do this the teacher should
himself be instructed. Large preparation
was needed, and it was painfully true that
many teachers made no preparation at all
Preparation, like the one blow of the sculp-
tor upon the marble would bring out the
hidden feature and make the statue per-
fect. In the absence of Rev. Mr.. Maddox,
Rev. Mr.. Pittenger of Roadstown, took the
second tonic of the afternoon which was the