Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-01-25
COMMUNICATED
Moral Education.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Jan. II, Il


MEssRs. EDITORS As you arc taking
| such deep interest in the cause of educa-
| ton and all that pertains to the welfare of
| the rising generation of Tennessee, trust
you will feel it no less important to the
great end YOU have in view
to welcome to the columns of the
/ CHRONICLE an occasional article from the
| friends of the Sunday School. While the
| day school seeks the intellectual culture of
the youth, the Sabbath School aims at the
moral and religious welfare of the young.
knowledge is power" but it may be
power for evil as well as good.
If the sentiment be true THAT man is
unsafe as citizen, up to the measure of
| his ignorance" then how important that
| we secure to every child in the State, be-
| fore he shall be called to take his place on
| life's active arena, s. sound and thorough
| knowledge, with that high moral training
| which will fit him to GO forth to act well
| his part in society.
That distinguished French writer, De
| Tocqueville, in his wise observations on
America and American institutions, re-
marks, "The halls of science are the tenn
pies of Republican forms of government" !"
To-day, while the German army is thun-
! dering at the gates of the mistress of the
| fashionable world, is ii not well for us, ss
a people, to inquire why this nation, with
all her boasted refinement, cannot cope
with her rival power? Is not the answer
in the fact of the utter ignorance and
moral corruption of the masses? France
has no free school system, and no Sabbath
Schools, hence her effeminacy and want Of
morale, which give success to brains over
mere brute force.
Dewitt Clinton has sagely remarked
that the Sunday School Ia one of the three
great moral powers by which the world is
| to be moved. It is gratifying to know that
| this power is being felt in Tennessee
When good and complete free school sys-
| tenn shall have resulted from this agitation
Of public sentiment, with the growing in
terest in the Sunday School cause, may We
not hope for O rich and ripe harvest from
this early sowing, to wave in golden beauty
over this widespread field of intellectual
and moral culture, and that Tennessee
shall yet rank among the first of the States
forming our national galaxy.
i see in this mornings daily issue of the
CHRONICLE reference is made to the recent
action of Greene county in the cause of
education. She ranks among the first in
taking her stand in behalf of free schools,
az she has been wont to do in the interests
of Sunday Schools. In a recent visit to
that county, we found the people awake to
the three great topics which elicit public
attention ct this time. First, the forma-
ton of East Tennessee into q new State.
Second, the levying taxes to support free
schools. The third, but not the least, the
consideration of that all important ques-
ton how can they best promote the cause
of Sabbath Schools, and reach the neglect
ed little ones. They resolved by their
action that the first step was to give Of
their means to aid in gathering all the
youth into the Bible school. Then to go
| forward with more devotion, greater zeal,
and higher hopes for the year to come.
| 1t was the privilege of your correspond
ent to be present at the Sabbath School
convention of the new and wide-awake
county of Handles, held on the 7th inst,
at st. Paul's Presbyterian Church. The
welcome address to the convention was
most ably delivered by Miss D. S. Nc.
Chister, showing conclusively that lady
teachers In Sunday Schools can also act
| well their part ereH in Sabbath School
Conventions. I enclose copy of her ad-
dress.
Although, on account of the inclemency
of the weather, there was not large dele
cation from the different schools of the
county, yet there were enough teachers
| present to show that this new county will
not be one whit behind her sister counties
| in unfurling the Sunday School banner,
and in representation in the forthcoming
| Sunday School Convention for East Ten
/ nessee, next spring, to be called under the
auspices of the Executive Committee of
Knox county.
The following officers were reelected for
the ensuing year: Prof. I. p Summers,
President; and 8. B. Prows,ll Secretary
both of the growing city of Morristown
After partaking of an ample repast, pre-
pared by the ladies of st. tIPaul's Church,
| quite an interesting discussion followed on
the interests of Sabbath Schools, The Con-
vention then adjourned to hold its next
quarterly meeting at "Union School
House." on the first Saturday in April
next.
The last item wish to notice in this ar
ticle ie that of a contribution from the
friends of schools In this city, and particu-
| larly one from the Union Sunday School
| Convention, w. Karnes Superintendent,
consisting of SO rabbits, IL chickens, 10
| quails, 15tbs bacon, 81 bushels apples, and
ST. in cash, which resulted in giving
SlO.62 to cid and forward the good work
of giving the children the blessings of the
| Sabbath School. May their praiseworthy
example lead others 70 do likewise, is the
| hope of HERE AND THERE.