The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-02-20
ellmlnN HnMoLI LEnrIk.

/ o. "a as sa aAF t'rs lHfp-.H W wa La
VIII some of our good churchmen
please tell us why the church has put
Off so long time the ceremony Of
adopting the Sabbath-School, and
meanwhile, the Sunday.school has
grown to such large proportions that
there is in some quarters a disposition
to hurry up the rite, for fear that the
Sunday school after awhile will not be
willing to be adopted? There are
many who lament the "indepcndCucy"
of the Sabbathsschool, and who COM
plain that "Sunday.school men" de-
clare that "it is more important than
the church." These critics of the old
Rip Van Wrinkles, just ioggled out of q
long slumber by the aggressiveness Of
this new agency, and some of them
unfamiliar (but at heart, good friends
Of the Sunday-school) desire that the
Sunday-school should come under
church allegiance, and be subject to
church supervision. We can offer no
apology for those who say that "tho
Sunday-school is more important than
the church" We do not know that
we need to. The phrase, though un-
fortunately worded, means nothing
more than faith that the Sabbath
school is the field that yields the larg-
est returns, and that children are a
more hopeful class to deal with than
men these are truths that are self evi.
dent. 1t must be apparent to every
one that it means no more than this, for
no worker in the Sunday-school regards
it as anything but rs nursery to the
church. II these clear facts are only
borne in mind, it viii undeceivo any
who are OF the idea that the patient
workers in Che Sunday'school are at
all opposing the church or disposed to
eXalt the Sunday-school above it. In
deed, tho church has no where so loyal
constituency as in the Sabbath-
school.
1t is fact, however, that as wo con-
duct our Sunday-school5 at present, we
are independent" of the church.
The church has no voice in tho election
Of our superintendents OF officers no
voice in the selection Of teachers, nor
in its exercises or management, as it
ought to have. These are regulated
within itself. The two institutions are
! as separate as are the different branch
es Of legislature. Only the pastor
has an acknowledged place in tho
school, that being great or small, ac-
cOrding to his own temper and inclina-
tion. The Sabbath>school ought to be
under the church supervision, there can
be no doubt Ct it, and, not only that,
| but it should be considered @ very es-
sental part of the church itself. There
should DO 10 separation as to permit be-
ing spoken Of as different institutions,
or of there being class Of people
who, on account OF their isolation, are
always denOminated as SUNDAY school
men,"
We arc glad to see some OF our religi-
Gus papers calling attention to the in
consistent position of the Sabbath
school. It is not, however, the fault Of
the workers in it. For any one to sup
pose so, is to show a most lamentable
Ignorance Of Sunday school history.
Certainly there never was an orphan
child that has wanted to be adopted
more than this institution, that was
born Of other parentage than of the
church. Like q street wauderer, we
have looked In tho window and seen
the good things which might be our
own if the doors were only thrown open
to admit US to full relationship. We
have lived on such little pittauce5 rs
could be contributed by tho teachers,
who are remarkable for their gcnerosi-
| ty. Seldom do we find school whose
teachers are supplied with such books
Of information rs are necessary to
thorough equipment for their work,
But from our own slender resources,
again we must obtain for ourselves such
aid as we can, and as-thcy are not am
pie enough to get the best, we must get
what our money viii buy We work
without wages in field where we are
expected to do all the work, furnish our
own implements, and SEQ that none of
the harvest is lost. Verify, the church
| Is a hard task master. JOSEPH.
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The Tamaqua Daily Item, Of Tues.