The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-08-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Prepared by II. K. Hinde, A. M, NJ, d.
THE IDEAL SUNDAY SCHOOL.

As contemplate the possibilities of sun
day school tuition this beautiful vision comes
before me. l see the church of God awak-
ened to II true conception Of the Bible idea of
the Sunday school. Instead of the ~listless
and negligent parents, in pure selnshness,
RELOCATING the work Of teaching their chill
dren the Word OF God entirely to the faith
tul sunday school teacher, ! see them going
with their children to the Sunday school and
earnestly engaging in studying and teaching
the Sunday school lesson. l see the mem
bers of the church OF every age gathering to
this nine O'Clock study of the word Of God.
Instead Of u few little children and a few
faithful teachers in the small dingy basement
of the church, l see O vast congregation Of
men, women, fathers, mothers, young men
young women and children of every age,
gathering In the upper audience room, or q
large beautiful Sunday school chapel. The
pastor is there, consulting and cooperating
with the superintendent, their faces radiant
with Joy at the beautiful scene. | see this
vast and prOmlscuOus audience reduced to
silence and order by the magic touch Of the
superintendent's little silver bell. Accom-
panying the grand tones nf the organ | hear
comDlngled voices OF children, men, and
women making music that would gladden.
angel ears. Then follows the hush Of silent
prayer that precedes the solemn Invocation of
the pastor or superintendent as he asks the
divine blessing upon this hours service.
Now ! see them falling promptly and silently
Into classes graded and adapted to every age
and capacity. The curriculum Of this Bible
school embraces the infant Of two ummers
and the old man and woman Of seventy
years. The textbook is the same for all
the Bible. ! see the teachers standing be.
fore their classes Bible in hand and every
pupil beyond the infant class with a Bible
vanished the picture OF reading and answer
Ing questions from the lesson leaves or mag
Rzlnes!
see the infant class In a room to itself, its
walls beautifully adorned with colored maps,
texts OF Scripture and Bible pictures.
The black board Of course is there with
colored crayon illustrations OF the lesson Of
the day. And as the teacher, all on fire with
love for little children, illustrates TO them the
lesson by voice and gesture and every appli.
anee love and art can suggest, interpreted
with beautiful songs, see their little eyes
sparkling with delight and their faces be am
Ing with JOY indispensable in W ords.
Another beautiful picture is that over in
the corner, the old men and the old women
u hDtttdtIt tiass. ptb lUt tears trlckllnR
down their furrOwed cheeks as they study
the lesson about the agony in the garden of
Gethsemane or some other lesson in the life
Of our Saviour. oh, those dear old people, as
they sit together In the Sunday school re-
viewing the life OF the blessed Saviour, are
having a foretaste OF heaven here below!
Over In that other corner / see another class
Of young women and young men led by the
Dastnr pr apma uipkaI tnanhar atuIVfn ~ thu
lesson one week in advance, training teach
ers for new classes, or to MI vacancies as
they may occur-the normal class OF the
school. And now as the lesson hour expires
and the classes are together again
I can hear the faithful pastor or superintend-
ent with the lesson ready In hand, and quick
ened by the Holy Spirit, enforcing the lead
ing and practical thoughts upon the minds
and hearts OF the school, clinching the nails
the faithful teachers have driven. The sec
retary's report having been read and the
library books and periodical literature dis
tributed, one more song, the benedictlon
and q short Interval OF rest.
And now i see, o beatihc vision, 1 see, yes,
thank God / see what these eyes have never
yet beheld, the entire Sunday school; men
women and children, going into the main au-
diencs room to attend upon the public
preaching service. i see father, mother and
children sitting In the same pew listening
reverently to the man OF God as he expounds
tho word and adopts his discourse to every
age and capacity. And now at the close OF
the service l see these families In solemn rev.
erence partakiDg Of the emblems of the
Lords Supper. the broken body and shed
blood, meekly confessing their sins and re-
newing their faith in Christ. I go into the
bones and ind the parents and children
studying the Bible and praying together
around the family altar. I go to the teach
ers' meeting one evening In the week and
there Innd the pastor, the superintendent
and every teacher faithfully preparing the
lesson and planning for better work In the
Sunday school. And thus In this beautiful
vision that m to me by faith. I see the
whole church In the Sunday school and the
whole sunday school in the church, and as
ny yia1on enlarges and faith and hope grow
ssarsages. and N sgination pierces the still
moro distant future. ! see the world through
+, thoes instrumsntalities being brought to
cnstnt- Dunday schooi workers, let US do
chs or power % make this bright vision .
DGD11ys
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