News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-10-11
Lanoil1e County Sunday School
Association.
Report of the Convention held at
Cambridge, Sept. "a and rs.

modern church edifice which now graces that
village and of which all its people are justly
proud. The Roman Catholics have for centu-
ries fiourished on the idea of appealing to the
soul of man through his aesthetic taste; 1t is
high time that Protestant churches should
take advantage of this idea in a modified
evangelical form, and make the house OF God
attractive instead of repulsive. As rule, the
homes of the people are far more tasteful and
ornate than fifty years ago; and shall westlil
worship God in q square barn, devoid OF aren't
tectural grace or ornament, because our ances-
tors did? We ought to be wiser than they
We congratulate the people of Cambridge on
their new church-it is every way admirable.
The convention opened at 1:3O P. m with
a devotional service led by Rev. ID. Il. Croft
The President of the Association, Rev. l.. L.
Tucker, formerly of Johnson, having been re-
moved by appointment of the M. h. confer
ence last spring to the southern part OF the
State his duties naturally fell upon the vice
President Rev. W. l.. Anderson of Stowe, but
he being absent on q Western tour, the con-
vention elected l. II. Lewis of Hyde Park,
President pro TEN.
After some opening remarks by the Presi-
dent, committee on nominations were elect
ed-Messrs C. P. Jones, George Ell. Gilmore
and Charles Hulburd. Also O committee on
resolutions-Revs L. B. Tenney and D. E.
Croft, and Mr. B. l.. Austin.
Rev. L. B. Tenney opened the discussion of
the general subject, 1.-The Work of the Sunday
School Teacher" upon the first topic, 1.-THE
Importance of the Teacher work, The ques-
ton "Who shalrTeach ?" was considered in an
interesting paper by Miss Verona Fitch, who
was followed by Prof. A. H. Campbell. The
topic "What to teach and what not to teach !"
was opened by Mrs A. F. Raffensperger, fol
lowed by D. E. Croft. Glow shallit be Taught
or the Methods of Teaching" was taken up
by Miss Lucy Wheelock. She instanced Christ
as our example in presenting to the eye object
lessons The subject was further discussed by
70, hall soY11 1f. How Tha 1OG OF
exercise of the afternoon was a Normal Class
Exercise on the death and Burial of Moses, y
conducted by Mrs. A. F. Raffensperger, with
the whole convention for a class, making it a
lesson full of interest. At its close she called
on Miss May Baker of Johnson to recite Mrs
C. F. Alexander's beautiful poem 1.-The Burial
of Moses" which was very finely rendered.
Benediction was pronounced by Rev. Edwin
Wheelock.
At p m. the evening exercises were opened
with a service of song led by C. F. Hulburd.
After prayer by Rev. L. B. Tenney, the Presi-
dent introduced to the Convention Rev. DR..
Halves of the Winooski Avenue church of
Burlington, who addressed the Convention on
1.-THE Duties of Parents and Teachers to Child
rem" 1t was an address to stir the heart and
SOUL one which every parent and teacher in
Lamoille County might proftably have heard
and more profitably still lay its teachings to
heart, that it might bear fruit in the life.
Childhood in the early days was not the pleas
ant, care-free existence it is now. When Christ
was in the flesh, one of the requirements of the
rabbis was that a child should begin to be in
structed in the law when he was five years old.
1t is only since the dawn of Christianity that
childhood has been surrounded with halo of
romance. With what amazement would our
grandfatherS have looked on the attention
paid to children nowadays. There can never
be too much done for children, though there
may be unwiSe doing. Every man in O COM
munity, be he what he may, does something
towards creating the moral atmosphere of
that community. There can be nothing so
full of evil results as the neglect of children.
Parents and children will meet together before
the judgment seat of Christ, and there the
true measure of our present responsibilities
will be fully shown. Parental influence is de-
signed to be almost hmitless. The most i'm
pOrtant element in the training of children is
the religious element. By reason of what they
are themselves parents in large measure
determine the character of their children. In
the matter of church going, if a child can at
tend but one, either church or Sunday school, |
have him attend church. That may not, and |
would not, be his choice, but you |
do not allow him to do just as he pleases |
on weekdays, why should you on the Sab |
bath? A child who cannot remember when he |
never went to church will be likely to keep on |
going when he ceases to be a child. How can |
4 person dare to be a parent, without being a |
christian? There is no responsibility like that |
If parent and no man is living in vain who |
g going to leave to his children distinct re-
nembrance of his fidelity to Christian duty.
Many of the things said to parents apply as |
we'll to the Sunday school teacher. The pos |
sible scope and meaning of Sunday school |
teaching has only lately come to be rightly |
Teaching the word of God is Sc
rious business. Let the teacher put the truth
in as attractive form as possible, but let him
always have the right aim. Gospel means
''good news" and according to Christ the
summing up of the good news is this God
so loved the world that he gave his only be-
might not perish but have everlasting life
One necessary qualification of the teacher is
great grace. The child will see you for just
what you are. If he is old enough to trust
you, he is old enough to trust Jesus. The
impression the teacher makes should be dis
tinetiyely Christian. The work of a Sunday
school teacher is not only serious but difficult
Notions may be acquired by the study of books,
but ideas can only be impaired by means of
earnest thought. The teacher needs to study
all the week. He must adapt himself to all
shades of character. A great deal is involved
in the Scripture phrase, "apt to teach" Every
Sunday school teacher should feel to use the
words of the builder of the walls of Jerusalem,
81 am doing great work" What is of more
importance than the imbedding of right prin-
ciples in an undying soul? There are 7 800 900
souls in the Sunday schools of our land.
Speaking as unto the wise | would say, begin
with the great object in view and go on to
perfection
the benediction by DR.. Hawse.
The morning session of the Convention on
Friday was opened with an earnest devotional
service led by Rev L. B. Tenney. First topic
of the day How can the Superintendent Aid
the Teacher" opened by B. L. Austin who
thought the Superintendent should attend
the Teachers meeting, get acquainted with
the teachers, and find out their wants and the
needs of their classes. Schools that get along
without teachers meeting are leaving out
one great element of success. And only as
both superintendent and Teachers have the
spirit OF God in their hearts can they hope for
success He was followed by c. =. Jones who
said one great thing for a Superintendent to
do was to go into one class and another, and
when he saw the teacher had made an especial
point, to sanction it, thus giving the teacher
prestige in the eyes of the pupils. Thought a
Superintendent should have the lesson for the
next week prepared and give it to the teachers
IN the teachers meeting. Rev. Mr. Tenney
said the Superintendent ought to back up the
teachers and indOrse their teachings as far as
possible, sustaining them in every way, their
work being ardqous, unpaid and perhaps often
unappreciated. rOfCampbell believed greatly
in the beneficial effect of kindly criticism, if
the Superintendent saw occasion for it, not in
the presence of the class, but outside. Mr.
George Gilmore gave his experience of a Sun
day school Superintendent in the copper re-
giOns of Lake Superior. Told how he would
contrive to have each teacher supplied with
some special topic on the next lesson to pre-
sent at the teachers meeting, thus helping to
insure the theacher's presence there.
l.. H. Lewis thought the Superintendent
should have a full acquaintance with the
teachers, also with the scholars and fit the
teachers to the classes, not give a class an I'M
suitable teacher. Rev. Mr.. Tenney thought it |
would be fine thing if a few in each school |
would volunteer as substitute teachers in the |
absence of the regular supply C. P Jones |
said that in the Johnson Congl Sunday |
school substitute teachers were appointed at |
the beginning of each year, from which the Su- |
could draw to fill vacancies
The next topic was amended to read |
70 How can the Pastor best aid the Teacher, |
and the Teacher best aid the Pastor?" Rev
Mr.. Smith spoke infavor of better use of the |
Sabbath afternoon than at present, thought |
that the spirit of God ruling the teacher |
should incite them to such things as would aid |
the Pastor. Mrs. Raffensperger told how re-
vlval was started in a church in Ohio by O. |
pastor going from class to class in the Sunday |
school and pressing home the truths of the
lesson upon them, then at the close of the
school calling upon all scholars who were
willing to be prayed for and wished to become
Christians, to rise, whereupon more than half
the school arose. DR.. Halves said the people
should realize that the pastor needed their
help and sympathy, not think that the minis
ter has an easier time than body else The
teacher can help the pastor by abiding to the
sermon in his class, if there is anything in it
which bears upon the lesson, and never criti-
Using the sermon in their presence, even if he
lOes not agree with it. 1t helps the children
% respect their pastor and to put them in
he proper attitude towards him. The teach