The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-09
CYMHASrIC GaDLIAESS.
How the New Theology is TaugA It in Philadel-
phia-A Spirituaiistic, Opera nc and
CaIisthenio Sunday school-A A~w
Dance and Waving Of Banners>


PHILADELPHIA, March 8, 1s,>t
Your correspondent has Just returned from slh,-
day school, and iunnier Sunday school humanity
never saw.
"a tell you, SIR" cried tall, lean, lank individual
Oh the Sprituahsic caste, there Is no such school
as TINS anywhere else in the world"
believed hm-there are certain assertions
which We never even venture to dispute, and this
Is one OF them. Two such Sunday schools could not
possibly have place, and the world be the same
ouii dreary, wicked, yet good natured world that
II 49,
Inc place where the children were gathered Is at
the corner of Broad and Coates streets ana is
properly speaking the second story OF market
house' and hehce eminentiy fitting locality Tor
the
COLLECTION OF YOUNG LAMBS
It is really a Spritualsts' yceum and ia preg.
nant WIN the memories OF bygone stances. The
SUNDAY schooi was partly gymnastc, partly
operatlc partly calisthenic and very largely mis-
cellaneous. l never saw in my life gathering in
which were combined so many elements
SYMBOLS AND INSTRUMENTS
One OF the main points OF the Sunday school was
a piano ana another was violin, the most nsig.
nlfcant figure upon the platform being man. AL
down the aisies were gaudy banners, six on each
side, and fastened to settees by means of straps.
Each banner had different color. One pink one
represented modesty, the rose dfideD y, the red
ardor and the light gray innocence. The latter, l
noticed, had very few persons groupNt about it.
The altar was decorated with an American flag;
but as your correspondent did not have chance
so see what was inside the altar ITSELF It would bs
hardly fair Tor him to presume that 1t contained
fireworks.
The man upon the platform said that it vas the
%
day school so interesting and attractive that the
children could not possibly be induced to stay
away. When the school opened the overture was
performed upon the piano and violin. and might
as easily have been the work OF one composer as
that OF another. IL reminded one OF the original
doggere which sensational writer's put at the
heads OF all their chapters, and then accredit 1t TO
"oid song"
BEAUTIES OF ELoCUrIoN.
a poem by Gerald Massey was then read. The
man upon the platform pronounced the first line,
and then all the classes ran Wild, haremscarum
and intensely animated race, to beat each other
through the second. 1t sounded as If n crowbar
had accidentally run iou OF u circular saw All at
once the bell sounded again and the orchestra
struck up waitz-iJ was really y waltz-of gay,
eXhlarating order
SPIRITUAL CALIsTHENICs,
The man upon the platform folded his arms; the
children did the same, and thus the gymnastics Of
the afternoon began. Such peculiar caiisthenics
are seldom SEEN their chief beauty being in the
40 entirely as he peases. Up through
the air, down towards the floor around
curve; then straight out ahead as II severe
battle were being waged With nnumerable phan-
tom pugilists. strike, dig, dive, pigeons
wing triangles, circles, paralelograms and all
the various igures in advanced mathematics be-
coniuslon Suddenly the music WAKES warmer
and swlfter ana the performers grow wilder and
more demonstrative III proportion They begin to
stamp with their ieet; the clatter grows faster
and faster ana just as there dawns upon the spec
| tators present that the old women and young cnik
bell taps and the performance Is over. Then
comes rest Mr.. Somebody-or-other gets up ana
makes u speech. II Is addressed to children, and
Is, of course, such a nature that none but cnil
dren understand IT, Then comes grand process
sion.
An old lady went up to the platform and took
| large American Tag. 1t was surmounted with o
Drazen eagle, but so curious was the model that,
upoa oGhodiug it, ones mind Immediately re-
! ,efted to the popular little FOWL generally seen
The Glasses then left their seats and went up and
| surrounded the elderly lady with the standard.
Then there was peimeid rush l1r otner nags
there was general cqnus!9p, In which mems
Voices, women's dlrectioIs' aa4 childish outcries
! mingled in q common roar. )
piano. the fiddle the old woman and the children.
Each had nag and there were hfty-seven in all:
meant, or what was its import, what religion
there was in 1t or how much nearer such paraoes
brought those participating In them to heaven was
not ascertained. 1t made no difference to the au-
dience, and IL was q question apparently indie
pendent of the orchestra. Alas 1t would have
been a relief had the pianist and fiddler only
paused for moment to reject But they did not
until men, women and children came to stand
| still at the thunder OF the word "HaltW
| THE MANUAL OF FLAGS.
They then went through the manual OF arms or
| rather the manual OF flags; 1t was 'ShouldeI
nagsn ''Order flags" "Right shoulder shift nags,"
&C Just imagine old women, crazy men and
young, innocent children INDUCING in such TOM
IOOiery as this at q sunday school.
During the entire afternoon the name OF God was
not mentioned nor was any reference made to the
holiness OF the dav. Ii was prOiane and sacrt-
legious, and was, to any true man or woman, pain
Jul and melancholy to look upon.