Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-12-07

.arnest and sincere In teaching the seconC
point of ductrine, are yet without qualifi
cation and perhaps without desire to en-
= force the primary doctrine of righteous
ness, or the culminative truth OF the com
, ing judgement. While then | would no
by word or influence cast a straw in the
way of the societies which seek to pro-
mote any moral reform, yet | contend tha
We ought not to allow any society to mo
nopolize any phase of moral teaching. OF
to take from the church and Sunday schoo
he prestige of leadership.
The Sunday school is the rightful leader
f every moral revolution; its place is al
he heal of the column, and its work is tt
move on and to keep the highway clear
Of hinderances tor the most enthusiastic
secular follower. 1t ought always to be
able to beckon such workers forward and
to say " come up higher to every organ
zstion which has but a single issue to its
moral effort. And to hold such ground as
this, it must needs be in the advance on
every line of moral progress, and hold its
prestige of established authority to com-
mand the forward movement. No less a
measure of ambition than this ought ever
to satisfy the purpose of our Sunday
school work.
To be constantly in the advance and to
aim for power of influence which shall
assure its instrumental service in the rec
generation of mankind is the legitimate
mission of the Sunday school of the church
of Christ
Well may we mediate upon the magni.
tude of the work, for it might we'll appall
the most courageous heart, and dissipate
the confidence of the most sanguine work.
er, if human strength and wisdom were
the only resources from which cometh our
help. But we look further into the prob
lem and remark the second general prop
erty of Sunday school work as one of great
promise of results. This promise is to the
earnest worker, to him THAT goeth and
weepeth bearing precious seed" This
condition will ordinarily be met only by
such as have duly considered the magni-
tude of the work in hand, and by that con-
sideration have come to measure the extent
of their responsibility and the value of
their opportunities.
These results are of twofold character.
First, they are ofimmediate import. Hence
they are of present worth and not subject
to ruinious discount to determine their
value of to-day. The influence of the
Sunday school is pure and elevating in
every sense in which it touches the life of
man. Immediate results are visibls in
every community where the Sunday school
exerts its influence to soften the tone
of society, and as restraint upon the
otherwise unchecked passions of individual
members of the community. Then there
are the ultimate results, which bear upon
the future of life and reach the world be-
vond. Great results are promised indeed
when they are prospective of eternal
change of destiny. Could we measure the
difference between condemnation and sal
vation, with all the implied meaning OF
these suggestive words, it would illustrate
the value of Sunday School work to one
soul delivered from the power of Satan
and brought to a saving knowledge of
redemption through its instrumentality
Then if we could multiply this infinite
value by the countless hosts OF the re
! icemed who trace back to the SUNDAY
school the vital and saving influence OF
their lives, we could approximate the ulti-
mate value of the results of the work.
But all these suppositions only illustrate
the vast expanse ofthe unexplorable realm
Of possibilities which attaches to the prom
lse of results of any work in behalf of
our fellow men as the subjects of God s
saving grace. Short-si- hled humanity.
forgetful of the coming judgment and
careless of eternal interests. calls with i'm
patient tone for material proof of the SOL
vency of the Almighty to redeem His
pledges; but the servant whose soul has
stood face to face with Jehovah, and who
has talked with Him as man talketh with
man, reaches the comprehension of the
truth, that the results of greatest Importance
and of most enduring value are those which
have no material form, but rather spirit.
ual life and an eternal method OF dividends.
So the results of this work, both of the
immediate and ultimate classes, are not OF
this world in their best feature, but of the
world to come. and of the nature which
defes the power of earthly decomposition
We note as the third general property Of
Sunday school work that it is one of gredt
,ecompense. Its magnitude, its promise OF
results and its recompense are each and all
very far in excess of these features in any
other undertaking of earth. There is no
such thing as gratutous work for the cause
of Christ. 1t is sometimes spoken Of as
though an existing reality; but 1t Is myth,
and never had an existence. We are all
insolvent debtors to the Almighty, and
ought to consider always that our best
efforts and sacrifices are only u mere token
of acknowledgment of the Indebtedness we
can never cancel or even comprehend.
There are, moreover, tangible fruits o
recompense which may be gathered in this
life, and which anticipate the recompense
of eternity. To have the opportunity and
the privilege of being the instrument which
rescues child from the demoralzing in.
auences of the world, and which brings
him into associations which counterac
these influences, and lead him to become 3
useful, earnest, virtuous and Christian
citizen, is better work for our fellow mer
and for ourselves, than merely to start tina
Young person in business which has mere
ommercial prospect of success, and which