The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-05-28
ECCLESIASTICAL COLUMN.
Rev. j. w. Butler, Pastor st. Marks Lutheran
Church, Editor.
The Sabbath School-Its Manage
ment and Object

school has made since its earliest
beginning in 1871 has scarcely been
equalled. Its efficiency as means
to the end in view, has been unlyer-
sally recognized. Horse power has
given place to that of steam, and
stage coaches to cars, but the Sab
bath school as an agency for diffus-
ing a knowledge of Bible truth, and
intoxicating those moral and relig-
ious truths which are received by
Protestant churches generally as d.
vinely inspired, has never been sup
planted. But how long it will be
regarded as such an important
agency depends upon its continued
Obvious fitness and efficiency to that
end. It's adequacy to fulfill its ex-
allied mission has been especially
evinced by the signal tokens of di-
vine favor that has been shown To
it, and these may well excite our
gratitude and wonder. Its officers
and teachers have multiplied to
thousands, and through the untir-
ing efforts the mountains and hills
have broken forth into singing, and
instead Of the thorn has come up
the fir tree, instead of the briar, the
myrtle tree. Streams of light have
been poured forth from the Holy
book; eyes that were blind haye
been opened; ears that were deaf
have been unstopped; the lame have
been made to leap as doth the heart
and the tongue Of the dumb to sing
praises unto. God; indeed has the
wilderness and the solitary place
been made glad, and the desert to
rejoice and blossom as the rose.
The religious instruction of all
classes of children on the Lords
day by teachers who are professors
of religion, is system unknown to
the past century. And when, with
this present advancement in the
great work, we contemplate the ag-
gregate influence of three hundred
thousand teachers oyer the hearts
and minds of three millions of
scholars, and these for the most
part children whom they meet every
Lords day for the purpose of IN
structing them in divine truth, and
this too according to the system of
the international lessons by which
all study on the same Lords day the
same part of Gods word, we may
expect great things, even greater
than we haYe yet seen.
The management of the Sabbath
school has, since the time of it's
origin, been a matter Of no little
concern. New methods have been
introduced and improvements made
until there seems no longer to be
room for improvement. In the flu
ture, as in the past, the position
which the Sabbath school shall hold
in Gods favor, and in the affection
and confidence of His people, must
depend on the skill and success with
which it is conducted. Thorough
organization, libraries replete with
chrIstlsn literature, large patron
age Of periodicals, the memcrizing
of verses, and strict adherence to
y the international lesson system,
nay all be considered indispensable
requisites; but the success of the
SABBATH school is not to be meas
ured ~ these: they are important
circumstances, but far remote from
the grand result, a H0r0agA religious
training Of children md y0uth,
And IN this thorough religious train
ing lies the prosperity Of the Sabbath
school. So that Its success depends
upon the fitness and fidelity of those
who are chosen as teachers; this be-
ing the condition, it is of paramount
Importance that the Sunday school
teacher be in every particular quail
lied. And most important of his
qualifications is a thOrougA c0atSe-
Grafton to God and true conception
ofHe responsibility resting upon him.
He should also possess skill to adapt
instruction to the capacities of the
pupil, combined with love for and
devotion to the work. Punctuality
and regularity in attendance are
also important requisites. Again,
the teacher should have clear and
thorough knowledge of the truths
to be taught. In connection with
this requisite may be considered the
abuse of helps. tbs a most lamen-
table fact that the lesson helps as
we now have them in their multiple
city, have about expelled the Bible
from the Sunday school and quite
supplanted its use as a book. In
many of our country schools scarce
celv copy Of the Bible can be found
and it is no less true Of many Of the
schools in the villages and towns.
l recently tested this matter in a
country Sabbath school by calling