New-York tribune., 1875-05-15
TyTERyATTONA SCNDAY-SCHOOL CON
VENTION

VEN IION
We have published this week accounts OF the
proceedings of the International Sunday school
Convention which hns been in session ut BAL
tmore. All of the Protestant sects, we believe,
were represented, and usually by some OF their
most eminent men. The most liberal and Jealous
good will toward one another, and carncstness
in the cause in which they were alike en-
gagged. were manifested. The consultations
were of the ordinary character upon the
best methods of instruction. uniform les
Sons, increase Of Libraries, Sunday school
publications, etc, etc. The cause Is one IN
which perhaps differing religious sccts Will
ioin with more harmony than any ether; deg
mas happily, are generally left to adults, but
Jew and Gentle will join in the simple duty
of leading their children to faith in their
Maker. No one Gun doubt that the Sun
day school system has served useful
purpose in tho work of making the
GOSPEL tidngs familiar to the mass
of mankind. Tho children Of ig-
rorant ard vicious parents and the chill
dren of cultured and careless ones depend
upon it almost wholly for their knowledge OF
the salvation that lies in the Christian religion.
Tho truths lin many cases inscrutable mys-
teIies) conveyed to them in hymns and pas
saccs Gf Scripture, are stamped upon their
minds at the most impressible period OF life,
only to DO fully cOmprehendcd perhaps when
ago and suffering have made them ready to
welcome the Divine message. At every Sunday
school convention instances are given OF men,
hardened in crime, who have been brought
back TO an honest, clean life, and to faith in
Christ, by remembrance of the teaching re-
ceivcd 10y these means These stories are
pathetic and true, and are adduccd in support
of n system which is in fact never attacked
But do they cover tie whole ground This
International Convention Of sincere and we'll
meaning men has met and adjourned, VIC ven
ture to say, without the suggestion OF doubt
as to tie merit and efficacy of the Sunday
school system in whole and in detail. A man
is never clear-sigl4ted judge OF his
own family or house or even favorite
machinery. Familiarity blinds him to
faults and weaknesses elaring enough in
the eyes of outsiders. For this reason it
may not bo amiss to suggest that the present
Sunday school system is defective in many
points in the eyes of every unbiased observer
In the first place, Sunday or any other school
for the purpose of imparting religious instruc-
ton is in itself mistake when the scholars
are tho children OF parents capable OF giving
such instruction themselves. The great ma
jority of the six million of pupils in the United
States are tho children of such parents. Ey-
cry Christian mother and father owe this in
structiOn to their children as duty which
stands before all others; they have no right to
shIk it in any case except One-when the
teacher is, by reason OF superior knowledge,
experience, or devotion to the work, better
qualified than themselves to impart 1T. AS
rule the teachers in the Sunday schools are
young girls and lads who, however good their
intentions, can hardly lay claim to exceptional
wisdom, tact in dealing with human nature, OF
TO more sympathy or love for the child than
the mother who bore it. The ancient system
of homc-tcachinS in Scotland and England,
where tho house father and mistress of the
household were responsible for the instruction
of not only children but servants, is supplantcd
by tho Sunday school but poorly in Christian
family. We shall be told, probably, that the
later method is intended only to supplement
and by no means to Supersede hOmc-tcachinS,
and also that tho large majority of families
are not Christian. except in name tho children
receiving no instruction whatever except
through this outside influence. In this case
double caro- should be exercised that the ntu-
cnce be wholly beneficial, and again we suggest
that the Sunday school, especially in fashion
able city churches, is left TOO frequently to the
control of the younger members of the cOngre
CATION, and necessarily obtains an atmosphere
from them of frivolty, vanity, and vulgarly
familiar habit of treating sacred things more
powerful in its influence on the mind of
child than any direct teaching. In many of
these schools, as every Observant mother will
acknowledge, the dominant ideas are anxiety
among tho children as to dress, and anxiety
among the instructors to raise money by con-
tribution from the pupils, who are usually
ignorant of its destination. The purpose Of
these collections may be good. but the system
of raisng them by rewards to those who give
most by incessant appeals to the vanity and
ostentatiOn of the little ones, is thoroughly
bad. and always injurious to the future char
acter of the child who is taught to blend such
principles or action with the idea of religion.
We throw out these hints in no censOyious
spirit, but with the most cordial and hearty
appreciation of the great work already accom-
plished by this powerful engine of the Chris
tan Church and an earnest desire that that
work may not be impaired in tho future by
evil influences 80 easily controlled.
Consolidation begins to bc the order Of the day In