The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-05-10
CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL.

A significant fact developed by the census
of church attendance which hats been taken
in several of the larger cities of the country,
and now being taken in Philadelphia, is the
strikingly small number of children in at
tendance upon the services, the congrcga-
tions, in some instances, being composed
almost exclusively of adults, yclept the
"children of larger growth" Very many
Christian parents, nowadays. when asked
why they do not require their children IL
attend church, eXcnse themselves on the
ground that they send them to Sunday
school, where the religious instruction is
sufficient for one day, and moreover. better
suited for youthful comprehension. The
Sunday school, in their opinion has super
seeded the church, SO far as the children are
concerned, and in view of such a departure
from the original belief, it may he asked
whether the Sunday school has not out
grown its usefulness. Such, at least, seems
to have been the view taken by the Epsco-
pal clergy and laity ut their late convention
in Brooklyn, y. Y. On that occasion, Rev.
Dr. Middleton asserted that very many of
the children under the modern machinery
of Sunday schools are irreiigiouS, irrevcrcnt,
untilial and ignorant" Another gentleman
showed how the Sunday school was driv
ing children away instead of drawing them
into the church, although another speaker
Seth Law, thought that to be the fault OF
the church itself, because churches are for
the most part, mere enclosures in which
pews are held by those who can afford to
pay for them" and the children Of poor
families especially have not where to sit i'll
| the church.
Aforetime, and that within the memory
of the oldest inhabitant," the children of
church members accompanied their parents
| regularly to the meeting house on the
| Sabbath, and of the manner in which they
passed the afternoon familiar instance is
given by Rev. Il. Hamill Davis, in his
History of the Presbyterian Church OF
Deerfield." Parents gathered their chill
dren around them in the afternoon, he says,
and examined them about the morning ser
mon. They also read the Bible together
and recited the catechsm.
Sunday schools, originally, were founded
and carried on solely in the interest of the
neglected children of Goddess parents
| Robert Raikes walked through the streets
of Gloucester, England, in 1871. and ne
ticed, with sad heart, the hundreds OF
neglected and vicious children wandering
off to the suburbs and fields on the Sab
bath. He hired a ROOM employed teachers
at twenty four cents a day. and thus aid
| the foundation of the modern SUNDAY
school. Ten years later representatives OF
the various denominations started, in Phil
adelphia, the first Sunday school in the
United States, Bishop White. of the Fps
copal church, being chosen president.
The modern Sunday school is a good in
stitution in its way, but il it is allowed Ia
superccde the church, or deter children from
attendance upon the services it We're better
to abandon ii and return TO the old tim,
method OF cnlightening the children in
knowledge of the Scriptures. Parents, il
deed, are remiSS in the bringing up a.
their children, and they, if Christians. tn
in one very important duty, il they do NO
require them TO he regular in ATTENDING
upon the morning services. Ministers, W.
feel sure, would not preach over the heal >
of the children, were there more o
class to preach to. The fault isnotv
pastor, but with the parent.
- There are men who no "
the truth they seem to hold thai
grasps the message through tho
on which it perches