The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-12-25

hear the preaching. The Sunday
School supplements the home and the
pulpit, but is q substitute for neither.
Thesunday School is a divine institution
and has a grand mission to perform.
but without the home altars and the
pulpit the Sunday School will not ex-
ist: hence. il is Of secondary i'm
portance. yet OF so great Importance
that tho stability and importance OF
the church depends very much upon
the success of the Sunday-school. The
Sunday-school is the place where the
catachetical studies OF tho church are
learned, and is as much n place for
adults as for children. The sabbath
school lesson should be thoroughly
learned during the week, and every
thing should be made ready on Satur-
day night for an early rising on Sun
day morning. so that none OF the time
which should be occupied h devotion
al exercises be spent in bed, aud thus
lost TO both time and eternity. The
great importance OF having full num-
ber OF hours on the Sabbath, in which
to study the Scriptures aud familiar
ones self with the duties he owes 10 his
God. will be readily appreciated on re-
Election.
The remarks OF Rev. DIR. Vincent
were very interesting and well received
by the audience. and we regret that we
are unable to lay them before our read
ers in full.
The Question Drawer was very in
teresting and some of the questions
sent up were pertinent, and were an-
swered by DIR. Vincent in very salts
factory manner. This was a very in-
teresting part Of the programme, in a
general way.
The following are the questi )ns sent
mp by the audience, and brief synop.
sis OF the answers thereto:
Q.-How can we get all our children
to attend church
Always announce public service
in the sunday school. Urge the teach
er 10 urge their pupils to be present.
Keep a record of every pupil present
Q.-What can n superintendent do,
whose class is in charge of a negligent
teacher?
A.-Gst the negligent teacher TO re-
sign at the earliest possible time. Neg
ligent teachers have no business 10 re-
main in their position. They ought to
be put out They should have the
spirit of resignation.
Q-Shall we offer prizes in school to
scholars ten or twelve'years of age. for
the best lesson?
Al am OF the opinion that prizes
are a bad thing as general rule, in
fact they are so in most cases, as they
are more apt to engender jealousies in
the minds OF those who are unsuccess-
ful, than TO plant in the heart desire
to emulate the industry aud proficiency
of the successful ones. II, however,
the competition be not too great. with
proper care prizes may be offered with
good results.
Q.-How should n teacher come be-
fore his class =?
A--Come before the class with
pleasant, cheerful countenance. Do
people are not the solemn ones always.
/ always think there is something the
matter with the solemn teacher. Sol
emnity is not trait Of childhood, and
they should never be approached with
elongated couutennnce, unless YOU
wish 10 punish them or destroy their
vivacity or enthusiasm in the duties
before them.
Q. What plan should be pursued to
command the attention Of children in
the solemn act Of prayer
A.-D0n't have the prayer too long.
Preface the prayer with appropriate re-
marks. Study your prayers. Don't
ask the Lord in closing long prayer
to forgive your "short comings;" it
sounds bad.
Q.-What kind Of Sabbath School
music should be most used
A.-Church music. Two-thirds old
music. and the other third, the best of
the new.
Q.-How shall we retain the larger
scholars in the school?
A.-Put strength and dignity in the
sshool. Do away with the frivolities of
the school as much as possible. Give
the young men cultivated, good look
ing lady for teacher.
Q.-Should the superintendent pro-
vide substitutes for absent teachers?
A.-No. The teacher, IL his absence
is absolutely necessary, should provide
his own substitute. But no teacher
should ever be absent without having
informed the superintendent OF the ne
cessity at least as carly as the preced-
ng Saturday.
Q.-Who was King David's mother
A,-This question was evidently sent
up by some facetious fI., nd. / was
not acquainted with her, and can't an.
swer the question.
Q.-Should the Sunday School have
Treasury separate from the church
A.-No. 1 think the Treasury of the
school should be a part of the church
treasury.
Q.-f have often heard il remarked,
THAT bad boys father belongs 10 the
church, but he has compelled him O.
attend church until he has become a
machine or is disgusted. Is this the
case
Al think il is at most a very rare
case. and the boy who would excuse
himself in that way was avery contemp-
tible boy.
Q.-what is the best method Of
opening aud closing the school =?
A.-1he school should spend about
seven minutes in opening instead Of
thirty-seven. Short prayer; short
hymn; roll call, aud then lesson. Dur
ing the lesson the utmost quiet and de-
corum should be exercised by teachers
aud scholars, the reason OF which is
obvious.
Q.-Do you think eight years a
proper age FOR children to enter the
sunday school?
A-Rather younrer than that. Was
the learned Doctors opinion
On the convening OF the evening ses-
sion OF the Institute on Tuesday, the
first half hour was given over to the
conduct Of Mr.. Currier; and some very
fine music was rendered 10y the choir
under his leader hip.
The lecture, subject, THAT Boy" 10y
Rev. DIR. Vincent, on Tuesday evening,
was the finest thing 10 which We have
ever listened; not that il conveyed 10
the mind and understanding scien-
tific truths or knowledge heretofore un-
known or bat partially understood, but
byreason Of it's wit and great versatility.
aud ia the bringing OF the listener back
TO the "frisky" DAYS OF his boyhood,
and TO live over his youthful pranks in
that brief hour. We have no hesitancy
| in saving that We believe II to be the
best delineation OF boyhood character
ever gwen. His talk to the father OF
"that boy" was we'll worth the price Of
q ticket 10 the entire course OF the In-
stitute. while his apostrophe 10 moth.
erhood was supremely grand.
He stated that he was not lecturing
about the bad boy. hung at twenty-one,