Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-01-19
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
BIBLE IN THE SUNDAY.
SCHOOL.

mat there has been great progress
made in the Sunday-school work is OBJ
vious to every observer of its history.
But it is interesting to learn that there
has been more important advance IN
the aim of the Sunday-school since its
early existence, and to find that its pre-
sent condition admits also of further en-
largement of purpose.
At the birth of the institution, a CEN
fury ago, the Bible was introduced sim
ply as reformatory instrumentality.
The aim of the Sunday-school, when Or
gained into system, was comparative
ly feeble; earthly rather than heavenly
in its nature, yet important In itself con-
sidered That object was to keep rough
children out of mischief. to amend their
manners, and to teach them to read the
Bible, without however, expecting or
planning for the conversion of the young
1t is said that the ablest Sunday-school
works published did not even hint at the
conversion of children. Nevertheless
the Bible, "the Holy Scriptures. which
are able to make thee wise unto saliva
ton through faith which is in Jesus
Christ" was in the Sunday-school in its
infancy, just as the never-dying soul is
in the newborn babe, unconscious of its
destiny, yet to develop in its manifesto
ton and power as the child increases in
wisdom and stature. And thus, to-day
in the present growth and strength. even
the maturity of the Sunday-school, the
Bible is reconized as regenerating
agency. since the professed aim and end
thereof, and the realized object of many
teachers. is not so much the personal
and moral improvement of the pupil as
the conversion of his heart to God, the
conservation of his life to the service of
Christ. and the culture of his soul in the
way everlasting. But the hour has come
for another step to be taken; or, rather.
the native idea of the school needs to be
reinforced and realized more complete
ly.
When the Sunday-school, as an orga-
Dized institution, crossed the waters and
landed on these shores, it was colonized
in its original condition as a missionary
society, to furnish scriptural knowledge
to those outside of Christian homes. But
Lyman Beecher and others felt that in
order to keep the school from decay, and
to plant it on right soil, Christian chill.
dren or children of the church should
be identified with it. This idea created
at the time sensation which seems in.
credible to US to-day. Doubtless some
earnest parents in whom Puritan blood
still throbbed. thought that the Sunday
school was to be reckoned as substi
tute for the sacred teachings of the fam
: lily by the Preside affairs "a sad reality
, alas f! in many houses to-day.) Blu
J prejudice was overcome, and the Sun
, day-school became indeed a church in
: stitution. Yet like the camel in tn
> Arabs tent, taking his ease after th
i expulsion of the original occupant, i
5 not the church tempted to sit down t
: mere selfish enjoyment of Bible study
f forgetting the many children who do no
60 to the Sunday-school, or who are no
: clothed that they may come? Let tn
church keep the school close to he
heart, but let not the great commission
be lost sight of in the work of savin
the young The burning thought of tn
Bible as missionary force needs to b.
come more of an actuality in the plan
4 and purposes of all instructors of youth
: Let the Sunday-school. as vitality rel;
n ted to the church, return to its Father
house. whence it has wandered, and /
: warmed anew with that Fathers eve
J. lasting love for the whole world.
e The spirit of this Christian age
certainly missionary one; as evince
~ in the offering of the widows mites, an
IT the opening of wealthy hearts by tt
Spirit of the Lord, to pour their trea