River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-17
VISIT THE SCHOOLS.
Extract from "A Sermon or Notice
Read i'm the congregational
Church Last Sabbath, by
Rev. n. g. Jerome.

nave been 10 THOSE meetings WHICH nave
kept many of you who would like to have
been there, from attending or from attending
every evening. One is, the meetings being
so long, not only that every one becomes
physically wearied by sitting two hours or
more on hard benches but, also that it is
positively dangerous to the health in the
accommodating foul air OF the small room or
the drafts and chills resulting from efforts to
change the air. And the other drawback to
many persons, has been the holding OF these
meetings in the evening instead OF the
day time. | confess, for one, to decided
sympathy with those elderly or middle aged
members of this church who make it a prin-
ciple not to be out in the evening. | think
God made the evenings Tor the family circle
and intended us to spend them as the rule
about our own firesides. In the millennium,
imagine the stores will all close at sun down
and every body be at home by dark flor every
body will have q home them and in bed iii
season to be up at dawn every morning
So, if we hold religious services every even
ing in the week and keep them up from sew
en- until nine or half past and the same per-
sous attend all the meetings, | think they
are guilty ofreligous dissipation and commit
mistake ut not SIM which for myself trust
to avoid in the future.
But have mentioned these drawbacks of
the prayer meetings of che past week in or
der to give you notice OF another daily union
PRAYER meeting which is to be held in our
village this week and next week and every
week almost the year through, which will be
tree from both these draw backs--a meeting
in room twice as large as this room-where
the air will be perfectly fresh and the seats
as comfortable as seats can be made, and ev-
erything in the furnishings to conduce to in
terest and helpfulness, and at least two hun
bred persons sure to be present fair weather
or foul and the meeting not to exceed twenty
minutes in length--usually 10; and held in
the forenoon.
Do YOU want to know where this daily
PRAYER meeting is 10 be held | answer, in
the Normal School, every week day except
Saturday, from o'clock in the morning to
quarter past. 1t is q service OF such unipter-
rupted attention, decorun, solemnity and
manifest heartiness as we rarely see in any
ordinary pray meeting, Sunday School or
Sabbath congregation. While the scripture
is read, you can almost hear pin drop any
where in the large room. During the prayer
every head bows as heads do not bow here
and every voice joins as no single voice can
be induced to join in our repeating of that
same "Lord's Prayer" The singing of our
familiar hymns, led by the piano, is diviner
far than any choir can furnish, because
the united praise of hundreds of notes.-the
only place in River Falls where you can hear
true congre gational singing.
And after the worship you will be quite
| likely to hear bit of sermon. The one
which heard Thursday morning in visiting
the Normal School at the opening exercises
dents to consider to-day, thoughtfully, the
question as to what truth is +; that is, where
| in consists truthfulness in the highest sense;
whether only being careful that the words
we speak shall all be true or rather in striv-
| ing earnestly that every act and feature and
thought shall be truth" Following this,
came an address from the President of twelve
minutes in length upon such practical appli-
cations of the law and the gospel, as care for
the property of the State, even III so little
| thing as the use of the faucets OF the water
bowls; care for the rights of fellow students
in not intruding upon or being tardy at
special exercise which is held at $50 every
morning; and care for each pupils physical
healthfulness in not lingering overmuch
near the registers and each pupils moral in
| tegrity and self-government in strictly re-
porting to the President in private all irreg-
ularities or breaches OF discipline. twas such
a sermon as any one of US might take home
for our daily lives-in its principles it not It's
details
A rare, direct selfish privilege is open to
every resident of River Falls in such exer-
cises being held daily among us. And yet
| suppose that not one in ten, even OF those
of YOU who have children OF your own at
tending have ever taken interest enough to
look in even once at the ordinary exercises
of that school If any visitors or strangers
come to see us we take them Tor send theml,
of course to visit the Normal School. But it is
like people who have lived in sound of Mag
ara all their lives but never once seen the
Falls Then, say to you this morning visit
the Normal School in its ordinary regular
work. Don't all 90 tomorrow but go soon
and 90 often; and go especially, if you love
to worship God, at the hour OF morning pray
er-s O'Clock And remember that you will
have to be more punctual than you are here,
for tardy pupils at least are not allowed TO
enter during worship; many many things asa
worshiping congregation we might learnfrom
their worship.
When | asked Pres. Parker yesterday, ii |
might give this invitation to-day from my
pulpit he said eyes and thank you too; we
want the people to visit the school" 1t is
indeed our right as citizens OF the State and
the town to visit the schools. And l know
from my own experience as teacher what
announcement are the evidences OF interest
in and appreciation of teachers work afford
ed by the frequent visits OF many persons.
And this brings me now to urge the same
for our other schools What have SAID
about the Normal have said, not for their
sake they don't need any patronage or spe
cial appreciation from US because they have
the entire State to support them. | have
urged you to go there mainly tor your own
sake, because it will do You good and because
for every visitor that service has special ele
ments of human interest and power. But
| have a further and more urgent invita-
ton to bring, especially to Christians, OF the
other two or three union morning prayer
meetings held five days in the week In this
village.
re-established) facing upon our own church
lots What privilege it is to this village to
have such school here. In its work it is
New England Academy or Seminary with
its full fifty young men and women IL atten-
dance And how | honor their pluck and
energy. In the east they would think such
school must have an endowment 10, 20, or
80 thousand dollars before it could do any
thing. AT the least, the people OF the town
must provide it a commodious building, and
furnishings OF comfort and convenience as
return for the direct good the school is to the
town But this school has come to US asking
no favors, seeking no aid, making no flourish
of trumpets, with no Trustees nor Regents nor
State patronage drawing together these tit
ty pupils-mainly from outside OF our own
town--simply ON the merits OF the schooi
and the work it is doing. Ought not We, as
business matter in this community, to
return something of direct pecuniary aid for
the thousands OF dollars which they are
bringing into River Falls 7 But what is the
money the pupils may spend here compared
with the culture, added facilities for educa.
ton, thought and science? This is part of
the gospel of Christ And especially when,
there also, every morning the Bible is rever-
emily read and the name OF eur Heavenly
Father invoked in prayer. shall not we as a
church this morning bid them God-speed
and every SapDatn Gay remember THEM III
prayer And shall we not, also as lndividu-
ais, pray for them in our homes, about our
family affairs and in cur closets, and visit them
as often as we can to join in their morning
worship and express our interest in all their
thorou gh, earnest work
And finally, the most onerous and respon-
sible place IN this village made the more
difficult even because OF these other
schools is that of the Preceptress and the
several teachers in our public school. There
fore, most of all, must we as citizens who re-
gard the direct welfare of our own town, as
parents many of us, and as Christians all of
us who believe that good deeds done and
kindness shown to little children are done
| peculiarly to our Lord, sympathize with
and pray for the teachers OF our public
schools In these schools, also. the Bible is
read as a regular opening exercise, although