New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-08
sUNDAY-sCHooLs IN FRANCE.

by TIE REV. NATHANIEL WEISS OF PARIS.
Everyone knows that Sunday schools are Of
quite recent institution, We do not find any mention
OF them in the time OF the Reformation, either In
the writings of the Reformers in the organization OF
the new Evangelical Church. In the early history OF
the Reformed Church Of France there need for
Them In the sixteenth century the truth was accepted
everywhere over the country. We find that the youth
received their religious instruction and education in the
family circle. Any familiar with history knows
that the Huguenots celebrated for the austery OF
their lives, and / believe that some part Of their
traditions remains IN American families Parents
considered it not only their duty to provide for the
earthly wants OF their children but also 70 lead them to
Jesus and work for the salvation OF their souls They
therefore, taught them the Scriptures, and inspired
them with faith heroic their And with such
an education not astonshed to find such numer
Gus examples OF individuals giving all-aection and
wealth. and often laying down their lives for Christ
AS a result OF this system Of education those Of the
lower classes who had other means OF learning than
this home education, able TO hold great and con-
yincng argumentsgwth priests and doctors of the old
religion.
But owing to those priests and doctors those prosper
GUS times did not last long. Prosecutions came, and
believe that IN any country or at any tme they
ency. They lasted for more than 200 years. The
churches destroyed little by little; families were
massacred, Imprisoned, or e1led. Inc lew VINO sue,
ceeded in serving God did so IN secret hiding In desert
places, and firmly maintaining for tnelr children the re-
igous education which they illustrated In their daily
walk and conversation.
But toward the end Of these dreadful trials many
yielded and pretended TO be converted to the religion
Of their prosecutors, while trying to remain faithful 10
the truth. Owing to this extorted hypocrisy, ~ was
France But, from time 70 time torture or an execu-
ton recalled it 10 mind Finally the day came when the
IN their country This brings rs TO the seventeenth
century, and our Church enters period muc2 less n-
terestiug than the preceding one; but the Few VINO
formed these churches Huguenos OF the old type
who had remained faithful to the Reformation through
all storms and trials and greater number or the new
converts who had pretended to be RomanstS declared
themselves Protestants as soon danger was 10
these were added later exies VINO had returned 70
their country, with foreigners Swiss, Germans, Dutch
English or Alsatians) VINO had settled IN France Inc
largest proportion being those VINO hau relne 20 tne
faith denied against their VIII, show MS that we
must not depend upon Old TRADITIONS ior Tue rohsoS
education OF our youth Otef circumstances nave con-
trbuted In great measure 10 Obhsfate almost entrey
Rousseau, DideTot DAlemoer rcigned at that TINE IN
France and their influence extended over large Pof,
On OF OF the beginning Of tho nineteenth century and
affected the Protestant Church. Falth ost It's energy
and Christian life its austeIlty Ii seemed US though
apmoP had TAKEN hold of Christians Moreover it was
necessary to organize the Church. and much time was
feed large portion OF the liberty they had
so dearly bought What resulted from ali
The instruction and RELIGIOUS education OF the youta
were almost entirely neglected. Parents scArueiy
tho hands Of the pastors who, faithful 20 the ancient
excellent for children trained and educated 1T
stead OF bringing the children htllo by little To tho
knowledge OF the Word OF God, ana fmliarZing them
with the stories OF the Bible, and thereby gaining their
hearts They Obliged them 10 learn abstract formulas.
which represented Christianity a a syston and when
they able TO recte these formulas they declared
their Dcef IN tins eIstem OF which they very often
had little II any understanding They then received
their first Communion, and declared Christians.
Thero were exceptions to this rule, aud IL must be said
that this method WAS geue ally followed aud o la
IL u tho causes OF ts religious Indifference, the
Weakening OF geca belief aud tho Intestine diyis-
ions winch To-day eharaeterze portions OF French Prot
y be AL hat In "A coun
try where the adherents of the Gospel surrounded
On al sides by their enetues of yesterday, with
religious education 80 yory inefficient (iOr IL only ex-
TENDS the last two three years OF childhood
properly speakDg, so superficial ana little appro-
nraed to tho mind aud heart OF the child great part
OF ioso who subjected to IL suddenly disooyerod
that they had completely forgotten thor lailb or that
tney believed in BOthng. and had gradually lost all
intsrest Ia the religious lilo OF their Chureb. :.
TIE YiRsr sUHDA IN FRANCE.
But az soon almost us see tho ey tho remedy ap-
pears SCARCELY thirty years ago. after Robert Rakes