National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-12-12
THE CLOSING DAY.
Final Session of the Sunday-School
Institute.
Lectures, Addresses and Discussions of varl
Gus subjects-The Necessity aud Benefit
of Normal CIasscs-openingE xer-
cises for Sunday ScbooIs-Dr
viDcenrs Lecture - FIR.
Cattelrs Address.


Tho Sunday School Institute.
The third and last days sessions of the Sunday
school institute were held yesterday III me Con.
large aud the interest unaboted. This has been
one Of the most successful institutes ever held, and
already the good results are beginning to crop out
The afternoon session was opened with an organ
voluntary by Professor BischoG. followed by sing
ing Nearer My God, to Thee" led By Dr. G. +;
an address on " Normal Classes-Their
Necessity and Benefit" He stated that
the normal class work is constitutional treat
mcnt, enabling The teachers to throw of the de-
fCcts OF the whole system. Two things should be
taught-the what and the how; the manner and
the method. normal class embraces two lessons
the what Bible lesson, and the how, the Sabbath
school lesson. There are different ways OF organ
izng normal classes. The most enectual teacher
should be the conductor, and he ought TO conduct
the whole course Of lessons One way Is to hold a
normal class in connection with Il teachers meet
ing; that Is, in the teachers meeting Introduce
Another way of organization Is to devote the on.
tire evening TO the study of normal lessons The
normal class teaching IN few years, he believed,
would be the most effective system eNnnt There
could be n normal class In connection with the
Sabbath-sChool, and instead Of tuking the scholars
through the Sunday.school lesson exercise them in
normal school practice. In order 10 teach we must
know. Never attempt to teach what We don't quite
understand We should know more than we have
10 teach. Inc reason why teacher Is clear ana
gives forth the living truth is because he has vas
reservoir of knowledge in store.
An modern civilization is based upon division OF
labor. Everybody knows that skilled labor is bet.
ter than unskillcd labor And 70 get this skill we
have TO work-labor hard and indnstriously for
years, IL Is not to be expected That we can become
skilml teachers without being fully prepared, aud
TO become prepared we must labor. The minister,
the lawyer and the teachers in our secular schools
are not expected 10 practice their professions with
out first having studied and prepared themselves;
and should the teachers IN Gods schools expect TO
teach without having studied and prepared
themselves for tie great work? He eNhib-
tied an outline chart of the life Of Jesus,
the seven periods IN His life and gave short drill
lesson as q specimen lesson. Every sabbath-sehool
teacher should be fully conyersant with the life OF
Jesus, which il the centre Of the worlds history,
the centre OF the Bible and the centre of the con-
iicts Of to-day All the conflicts Of to-day circle
around His life and deeds Teachers will remem-
Der better the life OF Jesus by studying by periods
The first period is called preparatory; the second
| IN Eastern Gailee; the fourth, the ministry In
| Northern Galiley; the fifth, the last journeys to
| Jerusalem; the sixth, the last passover, and the
seventh, the forty days. At the conclusion OF his
remarks Mr.. worlen was heartily applauded.
Rev DR.. J. ii. Vincent then addressed the inst
tnte on "Opening Exercises for Sunday Schools
lie said that they should be the shortest exercises
Inc most tiresome Thing in sunday school cxcr
| cscs is a long review OF the lesson. The openirs
exercises should not be over ten and a-half min
utes 1t would be better 10 have 1t seven and hal
minutes. An ideal opening should be seven min
utes. rhe school which has been weariec
with thirty minutes opening exercises Is not IN
condition to go through the rest of the exercises
| The opening tap of the bell should be on the sec
ond. a brief Invocation should fnllow, which I,
one OF the good things about Presbytcrtans. The
wise Superintendent prays much, but briefly. Then
| comes a hymn, followed by the ro-oall for teach
ers and The assigning OF teachers to the classc'
| whose tes chcrs are absent The teacher who al
lows any little thing 10 Keep her away from school
| needs arlttlc tonng up in her conscience. Brie
prayer next then go on with the lessons. The les
the speech-making the better for the school.
| Dr.. Vincent then conducted n question drawer
en- SGbbath-school progrulnme-length of time fol
each service relations of superintendent and
teachers preparation Of lesson as to its subject
matter, and to the plan Of teaching
The institute was then adjourned until evening
| THE EvENING SESSION.
| At $50 o'clock the Institute rcasSembled thu
church being crowded. The exercises were opened
with an organ voluntary by Professor Bischon, fol
lowed by singing, led by Mr. Paul Prayer wa
offered by Rev DR.. Butler
Rev. DIR. Vincent then proceeded 10 deliver hi
lecture, entitled ION Deck" This was truly grea
effort and one Of the most entertaining Lectures
ever Lizard in this city II was compa rison o
the views obtained of the world from a portfolio
aud on deck, ms IL were. After q few preliminary
for men 10 take limited views, Most people have
q limited education, and few people travel. An
opinion which man holds becomes part of him
self When We aSSail his opinion we nSSail the man
Opinions are largely influenced by ones own in
terest They are also influenced by social aud
family tics. We have our personal pTejudces, and
II Is surprising 10 see tie amount Of personal preju
dices which extend throughout hunuuity-ev
| throughout the various religious denominations
also among nations We have them in politics, but
The speaker said, he hardly dared to openly express
his opinion on that subject Not only Christian,
and politicians bear these prejudces, but look a
the physicians, the skeptics at your broad liberia
people. Some Of the most narrow minded peopl,
he ever knew were of these liberal people. IL
every department of life we are liza
bic to take these narrow views. When W,
begin to take views, it is time for us TO b,
on deck. Denominations arc necessary Their,
are always denominations where men think
Woe to the republic where everybody has the sam,
views. Individuality is a great thing. AS long al
truth is important, so long VIII that truth be dc
fined and discussed. Every discussion does good
hpliegpn dino, I,ualf
He believed that denominations were banefil onl,
when the heart was wrong. In all these branche
each denomination defends itself and support
itself with charity. We must avoid dOgmatsIn, an,
each denomination must build up itself 70
the, sake of the rest. He. was set for tn
building. up of Christianity, and the de
nominational methods were the means HI
nad GgRd WS mi ed Rsops, in al dc
cious in holding up their views, yet we will fin,
large-hearted men among them, Then we will b.
on deck me man OF large stainments is Away
the most useful man IN church. II we could &c
the people to think OF the large things this earth
how much OF gossip would cease Let man stud,
the vasiness Of these Heavenly realms of truth ant
see how this lttlencSs of minds cease and hoy
Al soon labor will be respected lie claimed that thi
larger, broader culture Is possible to the
the people, Every family should impress the boy
and girls with the Importance OF tho collegiate edu
cation But 1t is not to DO believed that those VIII
do not get to college cannot become educated, !
we can bring the people on deck we will increAs
their power ten-fold. lie thought II pracueabl
! for our people to do more reading and acquir
greater knowledge Of things While the outloo
Is very broad the deck is very narrow. People VIII
take the broadcast view have very limited bu
positive creed. man may hold the truth tens
ciously, but have very broad view. Broad gaug
when we can narrow gauge when We must n
closed with the prayer that our outlook may
broader and grow larger and larger. lie charac
teTiZed this Institute as being the most delightful
that he has attended for great while.
Mr. Paul then sang a solo In admirable style an
President Cattell Of Lafayette College Pennsy
yauia, delivered the closing address OF the institute
, The subject assigned TO him was Improve
school Teaching" but owing 70 the lateness of III
hour Mr. Catiell said that he would not discuss II
= question, US was his intention, but take only
\ general view OF II. lie said that they had not a
\ agreed as 20 whether they are all improve
J methods. Tho subject of education has grown
DO one Of immense proportions; 70 use a new
paper phrase, there has been boor
lie never knew q boom which aid not I
o little beyond the mark ut which II was Anne
Tho schoolmaster is abroad; he IL eveTywher
The educated fool is II smpendous fool yet there
q sort Of useflllu eSs about him after all, broh
man and Il strong man belongs 20 the regnu
class Teaching has now got to be professions
: is not the last resort Of a man who cannot e
anything else to do. Ne hoped 10 see the tin
+, when all teachers will be called professors The
= has come up sense Of responsibil
I was never iet before. And This has become Il
same with the SundRy.school teacher. A tn
I teacher must be above his book, He must have
=, reserve power greater than his book. This shou
be applied 20 the sunday school teacher. ms
must be thoroughly up with hssubjCct IL he wOu
be teacher according TO the improved methods.