, 1874-07-12
Comments and Opinions Of tho Rchs-
iouS Press.
Notes and Personals at Home and
Abroad.
The Rev. G. 6. EIu1lins On the Modern
Pulpit.
Church Services To-Day.

the hearts Of the solid Eous Of Caledonia with E
.n:e1mi1ture Of Gospel preaching and sundaJ
.chcoi hymns, thus giving to our brethren OF til
Gid World eamp!e Of what Chicago layHen ca
10. it should be remembered that we still hay
left in tits city some lay-workers in the Lord
g;uc@ard not wilt behind their Eo1e faulou
srcthren.
Within the last twenty years the work Of evan
zelization in cities has fallen very largely upo1
earnest ard devoted lnymen. They are the Paul
who transplant the young converts into ta
churches, while the ministers are the Apolose
who, with the ecclesiastical watering-pot, keel
the ground mellow, and the tender riants grow
ing in grace and thu knowledge OF Calvin, Wes
ler, and John Bunyeu.
The greater majority Of all the converts re-
re,ycd in to the Evangelical churches, core nov
from the Sunday-Echools, ard hence these nur-
series Of the Church are cultivated with the
greatest care ard asslduity; the Superintendent
gre chosen from the most derout and jealous
members Of the Church, in order that the DuI-
pore may be fully Bubsetyel, and we propose in
this sketch to give some account Of one OF the
most successful managers Of these schools
MR. 3. +. JACOBS.
Mr. Jacobs was born in Paterson, i. j., in the
ycar 1885. His parents were poor but honest,
a,,d brought up their son torespect and revere
tue principles OF religion. 1Ir. jacobs. when d
Young man Of ls, camo to Chicago. His
common schools Of New Jersey. and, Of course,
Has Eot yczy broad or very profound But the
ynurg man WAS full OF zeal, aud, from the tra-
ui::cns Of his family, who we're Baptists. he
Grifted towards the Church OF tAat denomlna-
tion. LII the game year
HE MAS CONVERTED,
and became member OF the First Church OF
this city, and Immediately set himself to work in
the home Sabbath-scboo1.
1r+H L..1. II. NAL
Mission, branch OF the Second Presbyterian
Church and in the following year helped to
organize
THE FIRST Baptist .11ss1oy SCHOOL N CHICAGO,
uu the corner Of New and Euttertield streets,
afterwards known Us the Shields Mission. Soon
nficr, or some time in 1857, he became
Superintendent Of the Echool, filing :h7 Office
1.ntll 1864. Soon after this E;ssion was COM
nlenced. Monaay-night meetings wero begun. in
WHICH Jesse 3. Thomas then q lawyer and
teacher in the school. took turns with Nr. Jacobs
III conducting the services. lu the fall Of 1857
Aiessrs. Moody and Stilson organized
TIE ILLINOIS STREET Iies1oS,
and Moody and Jacobs soon became fast frisnds
and earneat felIow-workars III tho same cause,
n.d mutual admirers Of each other, which rela-
tionsllips have not faded by time, but strength
ened, until now they regard each other notmere
II :s Ch1ist,an brothers, but as members Of the
game household. Noodys successes are jacobs,
aud vice yersa But while Moody's Christianity
n;d persuasive. The latter has never been cred
itct. with coliarng boys in tic street, aud dag
ging them to the Sunday-sc.loo1. Or Of carrying |
:nen en- bis back to the little heaven below
80 which the enthusiastic poet once went aud |
b.ll would 60.
TIE T. L. c. 4. |
In March, 1858. the Young Mems Christian |
Association Of Chicago was organized. and
Nesa,s. Moody and Jacobs we're the most prorli-
3eut leaders Of tho organization, and held
:eya~l1 EtraPf-mnn4inra and Tra r1ant-
ngs. When the war broke out, the Young
Gen's Christian Association became prominent
,owcr i'll the organization of Christian work in
he nrmt, and Messrz. J: 7. Farwe1l, D. L.
;oi,ted the Army Committco They immedi-
tciy conmcncd holding public meetings |
viii tho soldiers, who we're forming
amps in and about the city preparatory to TAX
sht meetings were held in single evening.
Meetings we're elso held among tic Confederate
elders at Camp Douglas and 1t is claimed that
Ile work Of the Christian Commission, which
.fterward became 80 famed. originated with
i,cre Jealous lay1uen in Chicago. |
Dlt the work which impartial history will give
IT. Jncobs most credit for is his shnre in organ
zing md 1nskmg popular the
INTERNATIONAL suSDAr-scuooL LESSON SERIES.
Only about fire years ago each Satbath-school
pursued It's Own lesson, wlthoutrega1d to topics,
even verses being the traditional quantity OF
::11pture to be committed each week. But now
he Sunday schools in America, Europe, Aus
1n!ia, and even in India, pursue the same lesson
Zach Sabbath ask the same questions, and give
ho same exposition. In this country, Meth
,aist, Baptist, gaiionalist, Presbyterian,
cpisco1a!ian, and even Cnirersalist, with sey.
raj other denominations, pursue the eape
cssous from Sunday to Sunday. All tie
arious denominat,onal papers give weekly ex-
les ale constructed to suit the lessons. The
resent lesson series has been laid, down for
eTcn years, and ONLY Two years Of The courso
lave yet been finished. There has been no such !
.hgstian effort in tue world this of the Iuter-
lational Lesson Series. Tho uniform lessons |
re eaid to be printed now iu tsrenty-seyen diT- ,
erent languages. Impartial his:ory, as bus al
cady been remarked. will give to Mr. Jncobs
THE PRINCIPAL pAnT
d setting On foot aud organizing this grand |
chc1e. Ho will, OF course, share the merit | ,
# this performance with DR.. J. 7. Vincent and
.dward Eegleston, both formerly Of Chicago,
ud who hcId, with Mr. Jacobs. mauy co,,rsels
ogcther over the subject. The International
lcssol, sZies is certainiy Chicago production,
nd LII jacobs has the honor OF Suggesting it,
nd Of !:11:ling it to successful t.la! asaiuet
.'ea: obstacles, especially thcss pertaining to |
ectariau p:ide.
n 1850,
t the National sundas-School Convention held ,
il Newark, n. J., he first proposed uniform !
esson sel;cs for ell denominations and Tor all ,
ountries. isofore this uniform lesson series had
'cen adopted by the Methodist denomination
.nder thu lead of DR.. Vincent, and by the Bap-
lists under the lend Of Mr.. Jacobs, who COM
nenced III 1868 to prepare The lessons in the
Standard OF this city. But the international
'er7ee, so-caled was not agreed upon until 1871,
SAen an Executive Committee, of which Alr.
Jacobs was President. decided to ask fer tue ap-
CONTINENT OF q committee OF twelve persons, tcu
rom the United States and two from Canada, !
all the prominent denominations. | ,
- - nrana7e serles Of lessons for seven ycsrs. {
= n.s committee met in 1872, and made tho ee-
fars'''t from Genesis to Revelation emhodr9e
Hhat IS supposed to be the vital ducrr;oc, ~
christianity aad tho Mosaic tncism. :
OTHER LADoKs
Mr. Jacobs has been ono Of tho forr,,,.. |
saaizers OF the State Sundar-School Socetr TO-
,ecn Chairman of the Executive Committee of :
he Society for several years. and President for :
'Es term. He organized Bible class at The First
5apt!st Church in 1868, commencing with dozen ;;
members. On the lst OF January. 1871. thu |, :
lass had increased to 457. aad at tile present | :
inc le conducts large Bible meeting in tue {
list Church each Sunday evening. the preacIa-
Dx service having been suspended for that pur- /
ose since shortly after the great fire.
Tine paEzion for Sundsy-scuoo1s seems to be
~ INHERITED TRAIT;