The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-06-15

4 y
church, In the training of the you'll
Of our land. "Feed my lambs is th'
command that points out the worl
of today, and it matters not who's,
loving heart and willing hand frs
gathered children into Sabbath
School, they wero Gods agents, ant
If their names be forgotten here OF
earth they are remembered ant
written on white stones in Heaven
To us remains only the task to per
feet their good work begun. Th,
fields are already whitening for The
harvest, and wo take the position
that Christ and this Church neec
cleaners to seek after aad search out
the golddn grains of truth from
amid the thickly sown tares of the
!! wi one. Look abroad. now ana
discover the strife of mammon, the
struggle for power, tho putting away
of God in material and atheistit
crecds, the pretended strength and
pridc of mans own intellect, and
then ask if there be no need that the
simple story of the Cross sway the
heart and nerve the tongue. And
this is why Sabbath Schools arc the
necessity of the age; Sabbath
Schools with more of principle and
less Of sentiment Sabbath Schools
with less machinery and more OF the
teaching of The plain truth Of Gods
word. And here is o point where
we would dwell, for in this age OF
excessive illustration there is danger
that we lose sight Of tho rare gem
in its elaborate setting, net that we
ignore preparation or condemn para
! BILE, for we consider these essential TO
success, but we enter protest against
groveling to or encouraging the
vitiated tastes Of the day that re-
qulre novelty and wonder to keep it
interested and awake. Rather let
US reason soberly, coming fresh from
the fountair with new inspiration
for the work, faces glowing with the
seal of adoption, and eyes overflow
ing with tenderness and tears as we
tell of Savior's redeeming love.
Think you not that our words will
| find an echo in the hearts of Christ's
little ones, or that our warm living
faith, with its creative power, plant
tho germ that shall spring into the
living shoot, the broad .aIe and the
full ear. H.
Give US teachers who are burning
in their zeal, constant in their work,
finding strength for their weakness
at the foot Of the Cross, and we shall
more surely tear down the strong
holds of intidelity, and strike at the
root Of evil than by presenting argu-
ment and appeal to the minds of
unbelieving man
Children are Gods best gift, bearing
the fresh imprint of the Creators
hand they are like spring birds with
thoats bursting with song, and like
them trustingly, glad in their joyous
innocence. And this is why it be-
comes an easy and delightful task to
train those tender feet IN the path
that leads upward for they are
nearer God, in close loving sympa.
thy, answering back almost impul-
sively to the yearning call OF Divini-
ty. Then is it strange that seed
sown in such soil should richly bear
the fruits of rig ghteousness, or the hope
that is engendered defy the powers of
darkness to shake, because of the
firm anchorage to that within the
soul. And this is the basis whereon
we rest our argument, that the pres
ent and future prosperity of the
church lies in her Sabbath Schools /:
for the trained soldier does more eff
cient duty in the day of battle, than
the raw recruit. So we in our sab
bath schools are training u conquer
ing host, who, under tho blood stain.
Cd banner of King Emmanuel, will
sweep Gesolation and death into the
ranks of satan and his minions.
And now before VIC close we would
cxhOrt sabbath school workers to
greater diligence.
Yours is II glorious God given mis-
sion, angels might envy you the
joy Of saving an immortal. Take
courage! press forward gather up
tho grains, if you would have full
sheaves. Gather them in from high
ways and low places of life. go down
even to the mouths of hell. For
soon it will be said ats enough,
como up higher" Then think you
will forget earth's pain and wcari-
ness, and when you stand on the
evergreen shore, will tho sony of
your praise lose II note OF its sw weet.
ness by being joined by Chose who
have been brought to christ through
your influence in tho sabbath school
in the swelling anthem unto Him
unto Him that hath loved and re
deemed us, be glory aud honor for
ever Amen