The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-05-21
CenIreVilIe District Conference.
SHADY GROVE, May II, 1875:


SHADY GROVE, May II, 1875:
70 the Editor Of the Herald and Mall
Among the many items of interes
which occurred at the District conference
held at this place on last week, none was
more unique than the Sunday school Mas
Meeting held on Sabbath morning. Three
speakers were appointed to address the au
| dience on the value of Sabbath Schools
Rev. Jno B. Hamilton led off in a short
| apolOgetic, spicy speech. Then came
! Prof. Webb, or the Culleoka Institute,
| whose talk was the soul of wit. Rev. DR..
Wilkes was then introduced as recently
from Texas. The Doctor preluded his
subject by rsciting an amusing interview
| he had in a Texas stage coach with
two men, in which one of them express
ed a wish to show up the other side of
a sermon if he could get chance at the
close of the meeting. The Doctor offer
ed to divide time with his friend at his
appointment, to which he was then going.
But the man declined when the time
drew on. The incident served to illus
trate the old adase that there are two
sides to every question" He said great
many speeches we're being made in favor
of Sunday Schools, and he now proposed
to show up the opposite side of the case,
by speaking against the institution.
First, the Sunday School was an income
nienCe. Every man had troubles enough
without making them to order. Sunday
morning was famous for good sleeping
Christians could not afford a morning
nap any other morning; so our hour was
necessarily consumed in this extra nap.
Then come Sunday morning duties, such
as sailing the stock, mending harness,
greasing wagons, backing shoes, comb
ing the childrens hair, washing their ears
and faces Then comes the debate as to
the dress to be worn, and then dressing
An expert lady, if left alone with her
looking glass, could generally get through
in one hour and half. If disturbed in |
this hour, and he insisted that it was too |
much to ask any woman, especially |
young one, to do ali these things in time |
to 90 to Sunday School. Secondly he |
was opposed to Sunday Schools on the /
score Of finance. A we'll supplied Sun
day School was costly; not less than TWEEN.
ty.five cents per capita per annum would
furnish books and papers. This money
spent for whisky and snuff would gladden. |
many a hearthstone; besides, the count
derived its revenue from criminals. Ev-
cry fight wos worth FIVE dollars to the
public; grog shops breeded mischief con-
stables made their bread by arrests, jails
and court.houses feed lawyers, peniten-
tiary labor kept labor low, and vice was a
paying institution. Now. if all children
could be taught in Sunday Schools until
they learn right ways and become gentle
men, it would inevitably break up all
criminal courts, Vacate jails, empty pris-
Dns stop the issuance Of State Warrants,
starve the lawyers, and bring into bank
'uptcy all our worthy citizens who get
heir living by enforcing the laws; and
hus All army of hungry othceholderS
would be left high and dry ashore.
Thirdly, he opposed Sunday Schools on
moral grounds. Don't bias the young
mind, let nature train it as nature only
an train a chile. Numblepeg and
vading creeks was more in harmony with
free country than catcchisms and tesla
nents; besides, parents had to steal the ,
Sunday School instruction as a rule {
They would not teach in the schools
and had to depend an others. {
Dependence for favors led to loss of man 5
Lood: A great many people were gospel
absorbed all their neigh |
,ors paid for; give neither time nor mon
y, and yet got the benefits Of both !
reaching and teaching. A lunatc once >
anne and confessed that for eighteen ,
ears he had received gospel benefits and t
ad only that day found out that during /
Il these eighteen years he had been a
tealing what others paid for. Oh for ten a
thousand Methodist lunatics Now, as !
here is no hope of a general movement l
mong parents in doing the work of Sun
ay instruction, the Doctor insisted that /
le institution should be abolished, as q q
iherwisc il tends to the development of r
lat state of dependence that Horace {
reeley asserted to be the sign of de-
aging manhood and religion, The 2
'ishop coming in, the Doctor turned
nd gave 4 vehement exhortatiou to all d
continue in the good work, greatly to 5
lie relief of several good sisters and of Il
le brethrcu not few. SELAH. | c