The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-11-09
SUNDAY SERVICES
TWO ABLE SERMONS IN THE
M. E. CHURCH.
REV. JOHNSON'S ABLE SERMON
In the Evening the Pastor, Rev
Powick, Discourses on the I'M
portance of the Work of the
Sunday School Teacher.

Rev. Robert E. johnson, well known as
a former resident of this neigh borhood, but
now pastor of Bethel circuit, in Mont
gomery county, preached very excellent
sermon in the Methodist Episcopal church
yesterday morning on the contrast between
Hearers and Doors of the Word" In
the evening the church was crowded and a
sermon was delivered by the pastor es
p cally to Sunday school teachers on the
Importance Of their work.
The text was from Psalms Ball: Come
ye children, hearken unto me and l will
teach you the fear of the Lord" The
term children" in the text was one of en-.
dearment, rs in the text "if children then
heirs" and includes persons of all ages.
The Sunday school is not for children
only-none are too old to learn. But by
force of circumstances it deals principally
with childhOod-and whatever has to do
with childood is important. Early i'm
pressions are lasting and they are the most
easily made. Then many children receive
no other religious instruction than they get
at the Sunday school. This ought not to
be- But many parents are 50 neglectlul OF
this great duty that they give out the
moral training Of their children, as they
do their mental, to the teacher without
much care as to how they are trained or
whether they are trained at all. This
makes the work of the teacher one of vast
Importance and no little difficulty. Then
many homes which are moral are not
spiritual. The training consists of thou
shalt and thou shalt not without the saving
truths of the gospel. Then the Sunday
school teacher of to-day are sowing the
seeds Of the civilization of the twentieth
century. They have a grip on the con
science and the habits, the ballot boxes and
the governments of the future. The hope
of the future lies in the childhood of the
present. Among the conditions of success
are, IA lofty conception of the impor-
tance and dignity of the work This is the
secret Of enthusiasm without which there
is no success anywhere. PA boundless
faith in the adaptation of the gospel to the
needs of childhood and the desirability OF
early conversion. 3-An earnest desire for
a definite change of heart-this being the
focal point of all our labors. The need OF
the church and Sunday school is not more
people of extraordinary parts, but more in
telIigent and faithful effort by people +
ordinary parts. Where these conditions
are met teachers will be regular in their at
tendance or in the eve of unavoidable
absence will provide a suitable substitute
They will make careful preparation to
teach-wlll be patient with the erring, re
memberiug that they are com batting the in
heri!ed badness of a century-will look up
their absent scholars through the week.
visiting them at their homes and becoming
acquainted with their surroundngs-will
see that as far as possible they attend the
public wors hip of Goodwill bring them to
prayer meeting and labor with them in re-
vival services that they may be soundly
converted TO God and will then continue
their care till they are established in the
faith. If men should set about raising po-
tatoes on the principles that some people
follow in getting up or bringing down q
revival the potatoes would be as scarce as
the converts. The word of God must be
planted in human hearts and watered with
prayer and tended with care in order tc
the production of fruit into holiness.