The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-06-11
ROBERT RAIKEs.


About 100 miles west of London on
the river Severn is the old Englisi city
of Gloucester. Some 1900 years so slie
Romans campcd there. and there NOW
stands in the city famous cathedral
whose foundation has been laid over
/ 300 years. Armies have marched
through the place and battles have been
fought around it. But it is not ON ac-
cOunrof these things that this city is
particularly noted. The city of Glonces-
ter is kn syn throughout lie civilized
world as birih place and home oi
Robert Res, the great founder OF Sun
day schools
Robert Raikes, called "Raikes, the
Printer" Was born in 1735- HIS father
was the founder of the Gloucester Jour
nal, weekly paper, aud ne was sue
cessiul journalist. At the age of %
young Robert assumed the management
of the business and soon became one OF
the most influential citizens of Glouces-
ter. The old house where The Printing
WAS done, with gable emo facing tie
street ADD 1he upper stories projecting
over tie bower, still IemPip in good
condition. and is now occupied by wine
merchants
Robert Raikes was n kind hearted
pnilantilroDic energetic man and de-
vout me uber of Ihe clrTcn OF EDglapd.
His first beneyoleat uaas ,agsls .Oisseied
! towards lac relief o. those in me prisons
OF his native city. In all his Charitable
work he nsed his paper with great pow
er, recognizing FULLY the value OF
primers ink" even in works of charity.
he iiim'y believed that the neglect Of
TIRE metal and moral culture is the
trpe soJsce of crime, and tdis really led
TO Toe iOuddiug of the Sunday SCHOOL.
His own account of TIE first steps taken
is as follows:
Some business leading me o3e morn
ing IN the SUBURBS of Tie city, w1e-e
ihe lowest oftle people (wiIo are priuci
pally employed in The pm maOufac ,O'y)
chiefly reside, was struck with cOpceIh
at seeing group OF children, wretcicG-
ly ragged, ut play in Tie stfee,s. l ASA
ed an nhaoiiant whether these children
belonged 10 that part of the town, and
lamented tJeir misery aId idieD css.
'Ah, SIR said the woman could you
take view of this part of the town on
Sunday, you would 0e shocked indeed,
fer tIen tie street is flied with a mul;i-
tude o. these wre,cies, WHO spend their
Time in noise and Iiot playing al
CHUCK" auu cursing ara swearing in
manner so hO-. id as 10 convey 20 any
serious mind an idea of hell rather than
of any other place L tner inquired
of the woman if there were any decent,
wcll-dis9osed women who kept schools
for teaching 10 read. | presently was
directed to four TO these l applied,
ana made an agreement with them 20 re-
ceive as many children as | should send,
whom hey were TO instruct in reading
ana tie church catechism. For this l
engaged 10 pay them shilling each for
their days employment. Tie women
seemed pleased with the proposal. |
then waited on the clergyman, The Rev.
Mr.. Stock, and impaired to him my
plan. He was SO much satisfied VITA
the idea that he engaged to lend his as
sist2nce by going found 10 the SCHOOLS
on Sunday ATE noon, 10 examine ..ie
progress that was made, and TO eni'l &c
order and decorum among such IL If
little hcathcn.n
This was the commencement O e
Christian Sunday School which /; 10
years has spread over the entire We. u.
rhis FIST Sunday school was held in lie
dwelling house o. MI. King VINO -
one on the early teachers. The chi';,
met NJ S15 O'Clock in the morning and
a@cr spending several hours in the
school marched in procession TO the
church. Boys and girls were taught
apart. The teachers were paid and CON
tinued to be until about 1910, when the
present system of unpaid teachers was
adopted
Robert RallIcs died in 1911, at the age
OF rs years. He left directions that "ais
Sunday School children should follow
him to MS grave end that each s;IOu d
receive shilling and plum cake"
The foIcwing is the inscription nn
his grave II Gloucester:
When to ear heard me, then. it
blessed me; when the eye saw me, 1t
gave witness tonne; because delivered
The poor ti.at a. led and the faiherless and
him tlIat had none 10 help hint &c
blessing of BIN taat was ready to perish
came unOn me, and | caused the widows
heart To sing VITA joy"
From such small DeTinni ngs we now
march along, at the eGd % 100 years Il
mighty army over six milton strong and
vino can see the end