Richland beacon., 1874-03-28

Tins gentleman had conceived design of ~ e
proving the condition Of the ncces>itc,Is. he
did not suffer II 20 fade away. siumhcr IL his
m.nd. Accordingly an a-re-mrut wis soon
made with persons property qualified 10 .c-
ccIvr AL instruct IN reading. and the cate
ch>,n Of 'i!r established church. tor = rea .ou-
able cuwprESalIou.a, many children IL should
lie >'ni them CA Sundays The cura'e at the
parish volunteered the ,uperlniemdrncr of
their education, and undertook 10 examine
them Il, certain times, aud thereby test the
competency OF the preceptOrs, and the pro
gre,s of The pupils. Thus was the fir, Sun
day School instituted in 1881. The PROJECT
was not a fruitess one. It's advantages Were
50 apparent and the value of lis influence 80
obvious, that in very short time, the poor
children Of other parishes in Gloucester were
collected together 10 receive the precious
boon of instruction. freely dispensed on that
day, which they had been accustomed to
spend in deleterious idleness sinful amuse-
ments, or puerile prof gacy-Thc promise. of
good was realized IN the improved de, OFT
ment of those who had been gathered mo
tins fold; who, instead of renuing wild about
the streets upon the Sabbath were now occr,.
pied m developing their mental faculties adj
yanclng themselves III the scale of rational
existence. and by the ambition of moral pre-
ccpi> and pio,s admUnitenS PREPARING a
foundation for lives of honesty and credit. If
not of rcspectablity and honour. Many
young voices were now raisd in alteration ,
Of HIM, whose holy name hey lad never :
been heard 10 lisp, bat ia needless nimckrd /!
b.asphrmy Many young hands were now I
foldcd in the graceful. the beautiful attitude of
prayer, which had.been hardly iept from tn,
foul pollution of robbery and thti
The report 0i the success of nese in,titn.
lions srreud. sunday Schools strted up in
tue ri,i-t of The neighbourng towIs, and al
len. threw open their fostering ,rms in al.
3; p-t everv part OF England. The were in
..htuccd Some years ago into on country.
Ihry have increased aud prospeed here
Differing secis of christians have molly yirI
in protecting and encouraging them; IA most
praise worthy rivalry has been di>placd.anJ
still exists. In some of our cities and towns
there is scarcely a church, but villa, as lis
Sunday School attached 10 il. Men hIh ia
station, and great in TALENT the cutis,ed
sons and daughters of opulence, have gerr
ou,ly de voted their best energies to TIE INST
worthy CAUSE; they have not SCRUBBED al IT.
tedious and often thanklcss task, of makin,
the way Of knowledge smooth and plain TO
the ignorant and Obiuse; they have not hrsi-
rated 10 search among Tie abodes of want aud
wrrtchrluess. for the proper objects of their
kindness and providemt care, and To- pluck
them from immoraiIIy aud impending run.
This should be mentioned to their honour.
That these institutions are beneficial in
their effect cannot admit of a moments gue>-
ton if II be true, that ignorance is not only
the parent of supersttution. but Of misconduct
and few will pretend 10 deny it. He who
adds 10 the intelligence OF a nation, adds 10 lis
strength he who pours an additional ray of
LIGHT upon the human understanding, he who
contributes single denier to our intellectual
store, is public beneiactor; he who plans and
builds up an institution, whose object is TO
make society or any particular portion of II.
wiser aud better is worth all the AleXanders !
and Caesars that ever lived. The legitimate /,
aim of Sunday School ought never To be lost .
sight Of or swerved from. Ii is Intended 10 ,
reach those, whose sole opportunity ofinstruc- /
ton, is the one il presents whose only time !
of relaxation from laborlous application, is /
Sunday, and who, without the aid Of an insl- /
tuition of tins sort. would creep through life in /
abiect ignorance. II was to assist and lift mp !
such AS were in this state of helpless destii..
ton, that it vas originally founded; and 10 ,
this It's attention and sxertons should be eX !
directed. The number of persons !
thus situated, in England, is much greater in /
proportion TO the population, than with u.
But from the popular character of our govern
ment, the extension Of the right suffrage, and .
the influence of what is called pubic opinion,
upon public measures, the call upon us to re-
lieye them, is much louder. and more imper- /
alive. 1t Is absolutely necessary To our we'll /
being, that the light of education should be I
generally, nay universally, ditfused. 1t should ,
spread through the land like the light Of Hca-
ven, visiting and vivifying every part OF it;
reaching every nook, penetrating its darkest /
corners. and sending its cheering influence into |
its soomeet recesses. Let not the zeal Of .
those who are doing what they can towards |
this through the medium OF the Sunday School /
decay or lessen-let not their spirits fag--let |
the animating recollection that they are con-
tributng to the stability of their countrys free.
dom, be among their incentives TO exertinn
Conscious o. this, we should like to see the /
Sunday School tilling and fer,ilizing the weedy |
and neglected field Of mind, in every part Of /
our wide dominion and urging forward the
streams of useful know ledge, TO the very Dor
ders of the western wilderness.