St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-08-22

Lel us lollbN lllc TURNER through Il
sabbath days journey. who, with com
mcndable conscienciousncss attends all
the Sanctuary services under the two
sermon system. With barn chores. do
mestic duties, general fixing and tray
cling from one to -four miles to church,
the time before the first service must
he entirely occupied. The sitting po-
sition during three services in quick
succession. is not to say the least. cal
cuatcd to rest the body. wealied with
the labors of the week and the prepar-
ations of the morning. On arriving
home, they have just about time to
prepare and dispatch the afternoon
meal. when they must he OFT to the
evening service. Home from this, and
there are the never-to- neglected.
chores to do again. If, at the end OF
all this, our good people are not tired,
miracle of grace must have sustained
them. But what are the facts ? The
statement has come to us from the lips
of many of this class. that the Sabbath
was to them the most wearisomc day
of the whole week.
Needful rest is as much mems privi-
lege as devotion is a duty. Then is
not that system Il wrong one, whatever
its aims, which deprivcs IL large ma
jority of its supporters of their divine
rights -necdtM rest on the Sabbath?
1t may he objected. that one is not
obliged to attend all these services.
But one is under moral obIig0tiOn to at
tend when possible. all the religious
meetings that have their existence 10y
his appointment. Otherwise he would
he guilty of binding burdens for Others.
which he could not. or would not lift
himself.
III. Is the t,ro Sermon System consist
ent 'cith the proper Study ct the Scrip
tureS?
!. AT HOME. The SpartanS took
pains to know the laws of their country
and to teach them, while gathered
around the home circle. to their chill
drcn. 1t is said that the children of
Sparta could report the laws of Greece
rcrbutim. How much more important
that man should know and teach his
offspring the sacred Scriptures
law of his God,
This duty is cnioincd: "Theretore We
shall lay up these my words i'll your
heart, and in your soul. And va shall
teach them your children. speaking of
| them when thou sittest i'll thy house.
| The scriptures are to he scdrched-
siudied. and are to hc taught to chill
drem 10y their parents. But with the
hUr in our country, that aside tIom the
few minutes taken each day tor family
devotionS. but little secular time can
hc given to the house study of the
scriptures Thus it would seem that Il
portion of the sabbath should bc set
apart for this purpose. But if the en-
tire time spared from works of ncce>-
SHY. be given to public services. where
is the opportunity f"r this beautiful.
this God appointed exercise of scrip
turc study i'll Il family capacity
>. lN PUBLIC. During the last
quarter of Il century. no means "t grace
has shared more largely in the visible
blessing of God, than the sunday
school. 1t j. no pant of our purpose at
/ this time To present Il plea FOR the I'M
portancr of the sabbath school. The
necessity for this has gone 10y. Its i'm
/ portancr Is conceded 10y the MASSES
| But we would most earnestly plead tia,
| Importance of giving the sabbath
| school tdir chance. With all oul
| heart, and with all our powers ot ;ugl-
mcmt and persuasion. Te WOHid Hge tn,
/ Importance Of di'oWing this Serrjcc 4
proper amount Of time for its sessions
| No religious services should he gone
through on the rush. such hot haste
| produces confusion and destroys the
| desired effects.
There should he time for the open
ing exercises. Long prayers are mad
miSSible for such occasion, but he VIII,
offers the opening prayer should moi
| he made to feel that somebody count.
and grudges the seconds thus occupied
! There should he time for the lesson
! This is due to both instructors and the
instructed. Having spent hours IL
preparatory study, it is no more THAI
fair that sufficient opportunity he Civ
en- for the development and the bring
ing to the surface of the golden thought:
of the lesson. There should be Il few
minutes for general exercise, to ht
occupied by the superintendent or pas
tor by the way of making an applica
ton of the lesson. Then time for t
proper closing exercise.
Not less than an entire hour SHOULD
he given to the Sunday school session
But where the Sunday school must bt
sandwiched between two sermons, how
is it As the people of Il rural parisl
who attend all the services cannot
with a few exceptions, go to theil
homes at noon, they naturally desire
but a short interim between the fore
noon and afternoon services. The
time given is generally about an hour
which is about equally divided hetweeI
the Sunday school and an intermission
Thus the Sundayschool, pressed he