Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-05-20
Robert Raikes. the Foundea of sun
day Schools.

Roman camp, and is famous for its
cathedral. whose foundations were
laid as far back IS the eleventh GEN.
fury. During the civil wars il was
besleged by Charles the First, and
: mad then.as now,some foreign trade
aud tiourishing factories. 1t is noted
In moro recent times as the birth.
place of George Whitefeld, the great
: preacher, as the scene of one Of the
early experiments of John Howard
10 prison reform, and still more as
the birthplace and home of Robert
Raikes, the founder of Sunday.
Schools
The story of the origin of Sunday
schools can hsrdly be told without
an account of the founding and
growth of the Gloucester Journal
a weekly paper established by the
father of the philanthropist. Robert
Raikes was known among his neigh.
bors as "Raikes the printer" and
the general adoption of the Sunday
school idea was as much due to his
persistent use OF "printer's inkn as
TO bis Christian sympathy for ne.
elected children. The Journal was
founded In 1922. Raikes the elder
was successful gatherer of news, o
prosperous man of business, aud q
stanoh advocate of all good causes.
His son and namesske, who was
born under the shadow of the cathe-
dral in 1885, succeeded 10 the pro.
prietorship in 1857. Though but
twenty two years of age, he was
fully equal to the demands of the
position. Connected with the man.
agement of the paper was general
printing business, which grew under
the hands Of the young master, so
that through the force of his char
aeter aud his prosperity he became
one of the most Influential citizens
OF Gloucester. He continued in bus
mess for forty. five years, retiring in
1902, with graosful address to MS
readers, 10 which he says ITO pre-.
serve the responsibility and favora-
bic acceptance of the Gloucester
journal has so long been the earnest
desire of the printer, that be can
not suppress a spontaneous desire
for its future prosperity when for
the last time he is about to sub.
scribe himself as the proprietor,
with every sentiment of def.
erence and regard TO the public"
Raikes was not one of the angular
men whose edges cut whomsoeger
shoy touch. He was gentle. courtly,
studious aud pleasing. and contin-
ually on the alert to promote gcod>
will among bis neighbours. His vo-
cation as printer and editor brought
him into contact with all classes of
society; shrewdness of observation
was as decided trait of his charac.
ter as business tact. Wiihsl, he
was devout member OF the Church
of England, and regular attendant
upon ils services.
The house in which Raikes did his
printing lie still to be seen in Glou-
cester. II is on one of the priuei-
pal thoroughfares, and is described
as quaint, roomy, with gable ends
facing the street., and ripper stories
projecting over the lower. It is
sound and in good condition, and is
now occupied by a firm of wine-
merchants The files of the Journal
show many specimens of old.fash.
Toned editing, such as compliments
to newly married couples, advice to
correspondents, and other details
which carry one.back 10 the olden
time. Advertisements had to be
paid for in ready money, and when
there was press of news were
postponed or excluded. The good
man stood by his readers, oven
though the advertisements crowded
upon him cash in hard. He was
DOT an editor .. the modern type
by any manner Of Eeans.
Fhese slight tcuches OF outline
will help Us to sec Robert Raikes in
bis busy daily life. If we add that
bis form was portly, we may pic.
ture him fairly we'll TO the minds
eye. The England of that are was
unlike the England of to-day. Pub.
lie education for the lower classes
scarcely existed. Manufactures wers
growing. and producing, as they
alwaya do, distinct class of popu-
lation, as yet wholly neglected. The
prisons were filthy snd crowded /;
the debtors confined in them
had no public provision for
their maintenance, and often
died OF neglect and starvation.
The first philsnthropic lAbors e
Robert Raikes were directed to the
relief of the prisoners in Gloucester
iails. He was before Howard in
this field, and used bis psper effec-
lively in appealing for food and
clothing to be given TO the "poor
wret hes" as be calls them. Raikes
distributed the gifts of the charita-
BILE iutiuated to him with his own
hands. But be did not stop at this
point; bio had the master idea iD bis
brain that neglect of mental and
moral culture is the chief source of
crime-the idea which later led him
to organize Sunday-schools. He
supplied the prisoners with books,
appointed the most competent
among them readers to the others,
and encouraged the readers to dill
gence by gratuitles, John Howard,
when in 1873 be visits the Glouces-
ter county jail, bears this testimony
to tho printers labore "In Sep
tsmber she felone were pitable OBJ
iects iudeed-half naked and almost ,
famished. In December their ap-
Dearance was much altered; Mr..
aaikes and other gentlemen took
pity OF them, and generously con-
tributed toward their feeding end
clothing M Raikes continues bis
unremitting attention to the prison
ers."
Robert Raikss's work of charity
in the prisons of Gloucester pre-.
pared him for his greatest achieves
ment--the founding of Sunday.
schools. His own account of the
first step taken, as given in letter
to friend, is very simple "Some
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