Mexico weekly ledger., 1883-02-22
THE SUNDAY O

congratulation that the attention of
the ministry, as q body, has been di-
rected to the condition of our Sunday
schools and its effects upon the wor-
ship of children. 1t is admitted that
tn. peculiar doctrines of the churches,
with perhaps a few exceptions are,
seldom taught in them, and that three
fourtlis of our Sunday school scholars
are rarely at church. The conse-
quence necessarily is, that the minis
try has lost most of its power over
youth, and that what ought to be the
nursery of the church tends in many
instances to its destruction. The lit
erature used in many of them, care
fully prepared so as to avoid the
characteristic interpretations of Scrip
ture upon which Il several sects are
based, wlthholds knowledge of them.
Children have no zeal for the churches
of their fathers, and finally spend
Sunday in anything but worship.
Parents are often harshly and un-
Justly censured for such results, when
in many instances they arise from
causes beyond their control. The
sects maintain and direct II Sunday
schools, and the state monopolizes
the instruction of youth without ref
erence to religion. If, therefore,
those of tender years are thus kept
ignorant of the peculiar doctrines of
their several churches by those on
whom parents must depend for their
instruction in them, is it astonishing
that children arriving at maturity
have no taste for them, and are with
out zeal for the particular denomina-
tons of their parents?
The Rev. DR.. Stoddert of this city,
on last Sunday morning, while con-
trastlng the results of schools upon
city and country populations, struck
the right nail upon the head when he
said that in the country children were
confined to association with their
parents and were, therefore, often in
too great subsection to their peculiar
tiles, and needed the injection of new
ideas 10 round out and perfect their
religious knowledge; but that in cities
parents were too much interfered with.
Society had there too much to do
with the conceptions and develop
ment of youth. 1t was impossible
almost for parents to guard against
the malign influences to which their
children were subjected, and, there
fore, the relations of the families of
many pious persons to the churches
and religion were unsatisfactory.
The literature of the Sunday School
Union, prepared at first with reference
to regions where no church existed,
has gradually led to the introduction of
similar sorts into nearly the whole
field Of Sunday school instruction
which, in places where the sects are
strong enough to teach and maintain
their peculiar views. if not wholly in
the wrong direction, tends to lessen
parental control of religious sentimen,
by ignoring necessity for particular
phases of it. The inroads that have
been thus made upon old and hallow'
ed customs are now rarely noticed,
There was a period when parents wer.
liable to be disciplined for rot control
ling their children. The infant o.
professors was then looked upon a:
essential part of the church. 1t wa:
theoretically and practically commit
ted to the parent to be reared ant
instructed. Take this child ant
nurse it for me-" was the text upol
which this doctrine was in part based
Then, too, parental interest was co
relative to parental responsibility, ant
the deepest concern for the CONVEX
sion of children was manifested il
families. But nowadays parents from
the causes enumerated cannot be hell
to such strict responsibilities. Disci
pline for neglect of them would b.
looked upon as intolerable, and We
the interests of the churches demand
under its present surroundings il
cities, an increase of parental relig
;ous zeal. Reforms of Sunday schoo
hours may he beneficial to some con
gregations, but the ''wouuds 81 tn,
daughters of my people" cannot D.
flps lightly healed. If the cure is t.
he permaleus, b treatment must b,
radical.
Undoubtedly, the clergy are re be
judges of what ought TO be don
gain the attendance vi youth ugo
their ministrations. They understan
best of all others that preaching is tt
divinely appointed instrumentality Fl
the salvation of mankind. They mo
realize, too, that there is not a churt
of which a single n of them is
minister that does not owe its ri
and progress to the peculiar gosp
views p~ropagated by its pulpit, al
that without maintenance of the
among the young as well as the m
ture of their congregations, there cs
be no hope for its continuance as
means of grace III the generations
come.
The Difference.
The Louisiana Republican, a patel
sheet, republican in politics, weak
tendency and fresh in inclination, trit
to be smart by stealing the followln