The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-09
TIE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
PRACTICAL METHODS NECESSARY TO THE
BEST SUCCESS.
A Layman's Random Thoughts, aS
Suggested by the Recent Sunday
School Convention at Abbeville.

ers, which WAS held in the Presbyterian
II has been said that the Sunday School is
the nursery OF the church-that the men,
bership Of the church comes largely from 1t.
The admission Of this fact Is evidence
judicious work, hence the Importance OF re-
ducing II to perfect system. In no way can |
this system be better reached than by free |
conference Of all the teachers ana others IN.
much good was done at AbbeVille last week.
The Press and Banner has great faith In
the Sunday School, not only as means OF In
q means of furnishing to the children pleas.
ant and profitable social occasions.
While the "unce guide and the rigid tight
can tass anq e9 there
people who are not 80 well fixed IN their de.
votfonal exercises, and there are people
whose habits OF fIequenting the sansstdaary al snaay
The Sunday School, like the church itself,
should be inviting and entertai ming,
The human heart Graves and VIII nave
and neighbors. II the School is made attrac-
tive, and II proper efforts are made 10 see
thai none OF the neglected children are for.
cotton 1T is not a1temRtea 20 tbe sup
light and all the joyousness OF youth the
young people will fill our Sunday schools
They will flock to them, after once oeing
~
x little boy or little girl naturally loves
the good and the beautiful. Joyousness ano
sunshine win their hearts. AS the sun de,
adorns the earth, 80 does the cheerfulness
and EIadness OF the Sunday School deyelope
in the boy or girl those desirable qualities or
head and heart which lead them on step Oy
ness to the State and to the Church.
The writer Of this paragraph when BOY
enjoyed for season the pleasures OF tne sun.
were enjoyed. Their influence led In the
right direction, and the Sunday School was
always looked forward to with interest. In
that school we had associates which we had
pG WSs a 6e ehurcS aoS ous s va
besides, In the school we pald heart oeVo-
tions to little divinity, which were never
uttered.
his head and say that the Sunday. school u
no place for social intercourse, and where =
little boy may not worship little gir'
we would say that the "adoIadi6n "nacn M ta.i.
10 be purer and better than himself is hardly
distinguished from 9 religious feeling;
What deep and worthy love Is. Is no! sa So, 60 :
se Tes'nfz How Ss is oar Gr Religion to
from the social qualities OF life? The chief
power and influence Of onr relgion Is the the
social side Of the; Christian. Wtaoun o;he the
Ing. and his religion Is as Ice TO the zeal and
warmth OF others. 1t is as killing frost TO
tho tender flower. Co..
day School will allow the Press and Banner
to make o suggestion, we would say: Let us
first do church work at home. Alter we
have brought oil the children into the sun
day School, we may talk about "fore'sn m's-
At present, q christian denomination Is
making effort to establish church at Ab.
sDi m and Peaf that se has
dificult task before him. But u the mem.
bers and officers Of his church labor In the
Sunday School and cooperate with him. the
ton OF time. The conditions are favorable.
While 10 one could reasonably expect mem
bers Of the other congregations TO change
their churchly relations, the held ior Inc
fs unoccupied by any OF the other churches.
Although we have more f1ne churches
than can be found In any town OF its SIZE
this may be said TO be uo non,cnprSn , .goans aS
could be drawn together they would iorm q
congregation more numerous than any that
ore now in existence at Abbevil lie.
not attend the Sunday Schools. While less
may be done with those grown people VINO
have wandered from the path which lesds
TO the Church and on to grace, 9St
the town can be brought to the SUNDAY
School, and hence within the shadow OF the
church, and within Its wonderful influence
for good. o,s.s
with clothing and books, they are encour.
aged by the zeal OF the teachers, ana they
are pleased by the more kindly recognition
In the schoolroom, which they nowhere alse
II it is urged that poor people and poor
children are Of little force In establishing
and maintaining the church, let IT not os
,k,ok nd
little boys and girls, and that In this country
the poor children often develop Into the most
useful citizens.
brought into the Sunday School. II the
School is made attractive, and II the more
modest and retiring are made welcome, they
will come. They will gladly come.
to be met, liberal hands will meet the oills
60, then, into the highways and bring all
the children into the Sunday School. You
will live to see many grow into power sna
have their being without taking leading or
useful part In life or In the church.
There is no result without cause.
There Is no failure In legitimate pursuit
where practical methods are applied.
II grown people stay away. there
cause, and no amount of abuse from the pull
pit will bring them 10 the doors OF the tem-
r If the poor. or other children, are not In
the schools, 1t is somebody's fault.
The school is not made attractive or else
the proper effort Is not made to bring little
children 10 the foot of the Cross.
The right method Is not applied, II they
stay out of the Sunday School, q. and their
feet go in devious ways. But lam my
brothers keeper7"
II the Sunday Schools are made attractive
the children will hock TO them even as they
now run TO witness pleasing games. ,
II the Sunday Schools are attractive, the
children will be there as surely as they
would be Mt picnic.
The devil being practical agent applies
practical methods to lead boys and girls into
mischief and the Same power also applies
energetic efforts TO keep them out OF the
church.
Their repulsive manners, and their fune.
rial-like appearance in the church and the
Sunday Schools, might lead people who, did
not know better, TO believe that some OF the
"unco guido and rigid righteous" were In
league with antanic Majesty.
The theory Is, that the church Is the Lord 8.
1t was dedicated to him, and all are well
come to 1t. But, practically, the poor and
rich-ihe people who built it, or have 1t In
charge. For this reason, the welcome or the
lack OF welcome. which the officers and
other members OF the congregation may
give to the visitors, TO the stranger, or 10 Inc
poor wields great influence In drawing peo-
pie TO the church, or In repelllng tnem-ln
driving them away.
Without money, without social recogni-
tion, without family influence, and. II may
be, without good clothes, people are very
susceptible TO kindly attention, while they
are more than sensitive to seeming neglect.
Thay shrink from entering where their well
come may be doubted, and they seldom
they are met by coldness and freezing for
mality.