Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-07-27
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pIcuty VI IOOu, AS tntfc must lnucUnltely
be in this county, there will always be
plenty OF children. This is n benefcent,
beautiful law. To-day nearly one half
OF the population are yet in what may he
called the flower of youh-a fact present
ing an example of national adolescence.
and presenting the freshness, the ardOr,
the vigor and the susceptibility Of child
hood, youth and young manhood A
broad field for primary sunday school
teachers is opened for usefuln' IS which
can hardly be estimated, in the right train
ing of youth The plant grows by careful
attention in supplying earh.food and
moisture: so the child by proper train
ing, religious foot and spiritual
influences. "As the twie is bent
so is the tree inclined; and, according to
the Catholic priest, if he can lave the boy
until he is ten years of age he will not fer
sake the priests te tchings. The child is
the most important object upon earth for
our consideration, his health. his nurture
MS training and his Christian development
are far more worthy of our regard than
anything else. Yet, | dare say. and am
quite positive, that all will agree with me
that there Is less known about the child
and less attention given TO his care than
almost anything else. In order to make It
possible that the parent, the teacher, the
physician. the minister may know how TO
treat the child, it is necessary that the
child be studied, analysed and catalogucd
believe that he should be, and tina, the
time is coming when Christian young men
and women, especially Sunday school
teachers shall be required To understand
psychological principles, IN order TO IN
dcrstand the needs and TO enter into the
life of the child predict that some of
my hearers will live long enough to won.
der how it was possible in the Sunday
school for teachers who knew so little Of
child life TO have made it a su' cess; and il
seems 10 me that when the child is studied
scientifically and carefully there can be
no doubt that II Will revolutiouiZe all the
pre- sent methods of approach to the child.
Our days are witnessing the putting forth
of great efforts to improve the Sunday
school, but great teaching ability is looked
for; and though we have many good men
and women Of character who are teaching
IN the Sunday school, YET it seems to me
that our character can be compared for
many times our arms are too short for
gaining true success with the present Gle
ments of character, many times Of teachers
\ child cannot help initiating what he sees.
Everything becomes to him "a pattern. This
is more true Of juvenile classes than older
ones. We believe that example becomes
as much il not more than precept En-
ample teaches without words and often
more effectually. For if the words be
enforced by teaching fact, and the example
be at variance with the truth taught, the
child is more likely TO follow the example
than the precept There Is no one better
able TO discover deception in the teacher
scholar 1t is the opportunity and i'm
perative duty of every teacher 10 have a
character based on Jesus Christ He j.
revealed AS the embodying ideal character
and a. the model and pattern of humanity
Of which we can bc his communication to
mankind In short, character il but de-
yelopment of Christ, formed within sun.
day school teachers; il is OuT opportunity
both by practice and precept to teach that
life is no joke but full OF terrible realities
We cannot, we dare not, estimate the
number of fruitless lives there are. and
even in the reform school house Of cor
IectiOn and the penitentlary. who might
have been redeemed had The proper and
effective moral training been inculcated
The question Of religion in The schools we
will not Discuss but simply say, that to
eliminate God from the beliefs and the
convictions Of the race, government would
be an impos >ibility. or IT II did succeed al
all, the more potent force for The proven
lion of crime and vice would be absent.
Fellow Sunday school teachers we hold
most opportune and responsible positions
While every man and woman must in the
end give an account for the deeds done IN
the body, 1t has often occurred 10 me that
the moulders of the heads and indeed the
hearts of human beings would have almost
more IMAM lItlI NllhIt W dtCOunl lOI nv
lives placed under our care are mostly like
putty and clay. easily molded INTO forms
Of beauty or ugliness. If we neglect our
whole duty, their destiny may be such as
we helped to make, yet very unsatsfac-
tory. We find peculiariles almost daily.
and so cannot be held to account for lack
of character But our character is con
stanlly rejecting 1t may require much
twisting and bracing to make The tree grow
upright, but the careful gardner will sue
reed in time: and instead Of a dwaifed or
deformed shrub, we find thrifty tree
pointing directly heavenward Again,
the Sunday school teachers opportunity
is opened in a sphere Of usefulness against
an enemy which is a foe To all the social
interests Of men, namely alchoholic drinks
No other evil is there which wars SO ruth
lessly upon home and all that sacred circle
Of interests of which the home is the cen
ter: because back of all the visible ravages
of intemperance, and deeper than all these
lies "A field OF devastation which has never
been fully explored, and can never be
more than partially reported. II is the
wasted realm of the social affections, the