Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-11-09

Importance of the Former to the
Latter-As Set Forth by the Rev.
A. $. Gumbart, Successor of DIR.
Meredith ia the Leadership of the
Boston Teachers Bible Glass.
Copyright 1919
The theme I wish to discuss in the pres
ent article is: "The Sunday school in it's
relation to the moral training of the child,
and, hence, to the well-being of the state"
1 say of the child with degree of hesi-
fancy, because to the adult scholar as well
as to the teacher there comes through the
Sunday school a moral as well as spiritual
inspiration which cannot come in any 9TH
er way. More than we are likely to admit
does the Sunday school bear a vital rela-
ton to the welfare of the state. 1t is
fact painful to contemplate, bat fact
none the less, that the majority. of chill
dren receive no moral training whatever.
By the term moral training I do not, of
course, refer to that much of moral habit
which the child acquires, accidentally by
virtue of its environments, or by mere
unconscious imitation. By moral training
I mean earnest direct continuous effort
with view to elevating the childs moral
nature.
Does this work in large measure fall
upon the Sunday school, or is the Sunday
school but ancillary? Our answer to these
questions will depend very largely upon
whether we ourselves were brought up in
Christian homes. Let us not, however,
lose sight of the fact that thousands of
our boys and girls are not being brought
up in Christian homes. Multitudes of
young people are thrown upon the world
to shift for themselves. Were Gods an
gels to write the statistics for US we should
undoubtedly be surprised to see how many
| boys and girls are looked upon simply as
| nuisance; who, very early in life, are
made to feel that they are only in the way;
| that no heart beats in sympathy with
theirs and that the world is hard and cru
ell Whether such children shall go right
or wrong is a matter which the Sunday
school can largely determine.
1t is a joy to know that the best friends
some of our boys and girls have in the
world are their Sunday school teachers.
In the Sunday school they are taught
higher ideals of right and wrong than pre-
vail in the average home. And 1 think,
on the average, our boys and girls have
higher ideals than their fathers and moth
ers frequently have or than are usually in
culcated in the day school. They necessa
rily learn much about Christ and the good
men of the Bible. They hear about the
nature of God and of what God loves.
This knowledge is impaired largely, and
in some cases altogether, in the Sunday
school. Even when the child receives
moral training in the home, and the best
kind of it, such training is proftably sup
plemented by the additional inspiration to
right living which is recsived in the Sun
day school. Even in the hands of an in
experienced teacher, or one whose culture
or Christian character may be inferior, it
must be admitted that the child gains
much besides that which it may gain un-
der home instruction. Too often the
moral training of the child at home is
governed by selfish motives. We may be
unconscious of this and at first thought
repel the statement, but reflection will
prove it true. The lessons taught at home
not infrequently are to serve the conven-
ience and happiness of the parent rather
than the moral elevation of the child
How often do we hear a mothers instruc.
tions to the little ones as she runs off fol
an hour wind up with the pious reminder
'God loves good children and if you are
not good God won't love you" But wha
is the mothers motive? Does she really
wish the children to be good because Goo
wishes them to be good, or is she exercised
l about her own well being, lest the chill
dren cause her trouble Too many pa
] rents use the name of the Lord as other
use the name of the doctor, literally as
name to conjure with. Before long tn
children find this out, and when they d
:, reverence, the light in the Holy of HOLES
{ is put out. We need not go to the com
: mon people for examples of such mors