Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-05-15
From the Philadelphia Press
Children in Church.

IN this CITY, last week, a lay member, well
known in the community for his energy ard
practical ability, asked why so many Of the
children Of church members are leaving the
church. Was it the fault Of the SUNDAY
school ? or Of parents or of the minister
We nigh, extend the question. and ask
why does boy or girl, brought up under
the influence Of any church, stray away as
soon as adult age is reached and become
Indifferent TO religion? Either the parents
or the minister or the Sunday school is to
blame. They have had unlimited charge of
the child during the whole period when he is
most susceptible TO influence, and when an
Impression once made will last for life
Why is he Indifferent to religion or quite as
often annoyed and Disguised with il ? Our
readers who are parents and profess to be
Christians can have ne more important
subject to consider this Sunday morning.
! They have their boy or girl for q veIy
! limited period. When the child is baby they
/ start with innumerable theories about it it
seems as if they had limi,Iess time before
them in which to carry these theories out
But hardly have they settled down fairly
10 work, when, presto the child stands
beside them a man or a woman, with its
own ideas and theories, and their chance is
over forever. OF course, the father and
mother believe that the one sure basis for
the chlld's life is faith in Christ But wha,
have they actually done TO give il that
faith At the most. probably, taught it It's
PRAYERS when il was a baby, told il the
stories Of Joseph and Samuel and the rest,
sent IT to Sunday school and to the church
But how many mothers make themselves
at home IN young girls heart, know her
hopes and longlngs, her fine, sensitive
fancles, and bring her to the living Saviour.
who can answer them all. TO put her hands
IN His 4? How many fathers are intimate
friends Of their sons or would venture 10 say
a word 10 them Of that one Helper who can
make their lives strong and worthy? There
is strong retIcence IN most familes, re-
!uctance to speak upon this subject--the
lenderest and most profound Of all. Yet the
nature of every educated, thoughtful boy
and girl goes through period Of cropping
uncertainty. of intolerable loneliness before
II finds It's place and work for life. Who
IS so tit TO stretch out guiding hand, then,
as the father or mother? II the parent has
kept in sympathy With his grown child as he
was with the baby, and if his own faith is
real and warm TO him, he will bring il like
water OF life to this thirsty struggling soul.
II he does not. who will Yet, in nine cases
out OF ten he shifts his responsibility to the
Sunday school and to the church. Let us
A. --r--..- 81
general usefulness Of the Sunday school, es-
pecialy to children who have religious
training at home. There is an admirable
system of routine teaching in use large
sums Of money are collected from the chill
dren for missionary work. and the discipline
Of teaching is, no doubt, helpful to tho
young teachers But is this mechanical
system likely to do more at best than 10
give the child parrot-like knowledge Of
historical facts and theological dogmas in
the Bible ? Is il likely to awaken any fer
vid, actual wish in the boy and girl 10 lead
pure, truthful, devout life What real
feeling Of charity and brotherly nelp does it
gain from the penny dropped in the box for
the vague, invisible. unreal heather? Are
the Young lads and girls who, as as rule,
teach in the SUNDAY school persons to whom
parents would confde their important husl-
ness affairs If not, are they fit to be the
chief custodians Of a child's soul, or to
direct its opinions and beliefs for life on the
most momentous Of all questions In a
word, is any parent who is a Christian justl-
fed in turning over It's child TO the SUNDAY
school for religious instruction
But, the parent answers, there IS the
church, With its services and sound teach
ing. Let Us come down at once to hard
fact. How many sermons are preached In
Philadelphia in the course Of year which
would interest, or could even be understood
BY, boy or girl of TO- u OF even 10 Years
Of age? Let our ministers answer TO their
own consciences. One of our clerg, ,men, now
a venerable old man. has been in the habi'
Of preaching once month to the children Ot
his parish. But so unusual was the custom
and 30 welcome an innovation that these
sermons Of his are published aud known ali
over the English speaking world. We know
other exceptions to the general rule. The
boy or girl goes from SUNDAY school to tnr
church and sits during the aearlSUme dis
course as unintelligihie 20 him ! foreign
ianguage1 with more or less decent deCoIum.
but his mind is full Of the people or the
dresses in the next pew. Why not? He
reiOces when the moment ut escape comes,
and, soon he is old enough 10 choose
his own course, STAYS away from the church
where he has been intolerabl, bored.
Whose fault is it
During fifteen wears the child's thoughts,
affections and soul are before parent, teacher
and minister like soft and virgin soil, wait
ing ready for the planting. If they remain
barren, II at the end We find no crop such
as We desire it is not the child who is to
blame; nor God, who promised the increase
when We did our work faithfully