The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-11-08

bath, from the time they are able to go
till they are of full age.
The responsibility of giving religious
instruction to the children, rests, thirdly,
on tie church. Here too, the duty is i'm
perative, growing out Of the relation the
children sustain to the church and to God
And it becomes the more imperative
now, as it seems to be generally admitted
chow wisely we pretend not to say,) that ii
is not the province of the State to provide
religious instruction Tor the children, but
secular instruction only, and that religious
instruction must be left to the parent and
the church. Besides providing for hel
own children, it will become the duty OF
the church to provide for those children
who get no religious instruction at home
Many parents make no pretension to relis,
ion themselves, and have neither the heart
nor the proper qualifications to give relig
ious instruction to their children. Other
parents have not the time. From early
dawn till late at night, they have to toi
hard to earn the means of getting food and
raiment for their families, and are thank.
full if they can do that.
The children of the irreligous and of the
poor, probably form the largest class in
the community; and for these children the
church must provide religious instruction,
or they will, for the most part, grow up in
ignorance of God, and of the things that
belong unto their peace" Such provision
is made in the Institution Of the Sunday
school. Here the worship Of God is cele,
brated, the word of God is read, the chill,
dren are instructed in the great truths OF
the Bible, and great good is done. Many
now in Heaven, and many more on the
way, are indebted to the Sunday school for
their earliest religious impressions, and for
that watchcare and nurture which gave
them stability and usefulness in the divine
life. But for the Sunday school, thous-
ands upon thousands of children, would
know little or nothing of God, or Christ, or
the way of life and happiness. Hence
every available means should be used to
plant the Sunday school in every neighbor-
hood, and give it all possible efficiency.
The church has made farther provision
for the religious instruction Of the children
in her literary institutions. In all our
academies and colleges, Il speak of those
under the patronage of the Church. prob
ably without an exception, there is found
a systematic course of Biblical instruction.
Such course is of the utmost Importance,
especially in view of the fact that the
schools under the patronage Of the State
are limited to secular instruction, with
the Bible excluded. 1t is of great import
ance also, that your children receive their
education in those institutions where relig-
ion is made part of the regular course of
instruction. The interests involved here
are too high and holy to be left at loose
as far as possible, be made to keep pace
with the cultivation of the intellect.
But perhaps some will say, that relig-
ious instruction should not be mixed up
with secular instruction. But why not !?
Can any one tell? Is not religion the only
true basis of morality? And is not moral
ity the only sure safeguard and support of
our free institutions? Why, then, should
not the principles of religion be diffused
through society by every available means,
and every possible instrumentality en-
Ill tha hp1 Of ba
nation, and place our liberties on a sure
and permanent basis. Believe me, when
tell you, that the indications now are, that
an age of infidelity and of liberalism is at
your doors; and when it comes, the very
foundation of your free institutions will be
shaken. And, unless God iaterpose that
noble superstructure of Freedom, reared
by the sweat and tears and blood of the
fathers, will totter to it's fall. The per-
mament safety of this nation, does not
depend on the predominance of any one
political party; nor on the extent of our
army; nor the power of our navy; but on
the enlightened virtue of the people,
And that depends, mainly, on the general
diffusion of Bible principles by instilling
those principles into the minds of the ris-
ing generation.
To me, it appears not only unreasonable,
but most prepesterous, that e-sevenths of
the time of our children and youth, should
be devoted to secular studies, while those
great truths, on the proper diffusion Of
which our very existence as nation de-
ponds, should be jammed into corner, or
left to t,.ke care of themselves. If this
was mere religious question, it might
properly enough be left to the churches.
But it is, in fact, a great national ques-
ton, and worthy the profoundest attention
of every American citizen.
But some tell us, that religion ought not
to be instilled into the tender mind of
childhood, but that the mind should be
left to its own free and unbiased choice
when it reaches maturity. But this notion
is wholly fallacious, because it is impos-
sible to preserve nutrality between virtue
and vice, between truth and error, until
mature years. The human heart is like
an uncultivated field, in which, if nothing
good is sown or planned, nothing good will
grow, but which WILL of itself, produce
thorns, and 5riars, and noxious weeds, in
luxury of abundance. So the young heart
will be educated, if not in the school of
virtue, at least in the school of vice. If
you do not educate it, it will educate itself
by taking impressions from its surround
ings. And being naturally evil, it will at
tract to itself evil influences, just as the
saturated earth attracts to itself the con-
tents of the surcharged cloud. Besides,
Satan will educate it, by stirring up, and
calling into exercise those unholy passions
and propensties that sin has generated
within. The world will educate it, by
instilling the principles of pride, and
worldlincss and sensuality, until the heart
becomes as a cage Of unclean birds, and
the fountain of every pollution.
If then, you would train your children
Alright, there is moral necessity, that re-
ligion be early instillcd in order to get the
vantage ground by pre- occupying the NOR
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