The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-19

emphatic-children are responsible for
and to their parents.
Good parents set Sunday school ex.
ample before their children and in their
keeping of the teachings they are re-
sponsible to their parents. Then there
are children who have been led to Sun
day-school by friends while their parents
are not believers in Sunday school or
the Bible. Ia such cases the children
are responsible for their parents. 1t is
their duty to bring their parents to the
church of God.
Work with all your might for the up
building of the church. Sunday school
and character. Try to make each year
of your Sunday -school work better than
the last. Some one asked famous ar.
fist. What is your best picture?" my
next" he answered, Nothing he had
done in the past satisfied him. He was
striving for something better. That is
the way we should feel about our work
for the Sunday.school. If any one asks
(Which year of your Sunday school
work do you consider the best?" try and
answer my next" Take it as your
motto and you will succeed
Be earnest in laying up the truths of
the Holy Word of God in your heart.
That is what makes good character in
the days of manhood and womanhood,
now only few years ahead. IL will give
you true principles by which to guide
your life. 1t will teach you great truths
about God and about your own life
When person stops to think, he finds
he does not know as much about his
own life as he should. The Bible will
teach him of himself. 1t will teach you
how to be strong in the trials and strug-
giles before you.
That point of laying up the truths of
the Bible in the heart cannot be too
much emphasized, mainly for this rea.
son:
One of the main duties of pupil is to
influence the tempters and doubtful ones
that religion is exactly what we claim it
to be. The best and only way to do this
is to have Gods own words in your
heart and mind SO well that you can an.
swer any question asked of you. Take
Christ for example. The tempter asked
him questions which Christ answered
with the Bible answers he had his heart
as we'll as his mind.
But how shall l know when have
learned my Sunday school lesson?" asks
some studious pupil who wishes to
return to the duty OF studying the
Sunday school lesson. That question
has been answered by George w. Childs
in the following manner:
They say of some hearty shrubs that
one may take them and invert them,
planting their branches in the ground
and leaving their roots outspread in the
air, and the roots will become eafy and
fruitful branches and the branches will
become roote, SO like are the two in their
essential nature. So like each other are
study and teaching. Nothing has been
amply studied till we feel we can teach
it; and no teaching can keep its due
freshness and energy once the teacher
ceases to be student. The right kind
of study is teaching ones self, and the
right kind of teaching. especially of such
inexhaustible themes as those OF the
Bible. is mainly studying with Others"
Do not stop studying when you are
through with the lesson. See what pre-
cedes and what follows SO as to get tie
connection. Get the lesson we'll in mind
so as to be able to give the order of
events.
Another important duty is to aid in
missionary work. Think of nations who
have not the Gospel. Think in what
way you can best help them.
Put into practice the teachings OF
your teacher. Imagine that the teacher
is personal in his remarks. Do not be
like the Pharisees who told how to live
good lives. but who did not follow their
own teachings.
Do not be discouraged if you do not
see the results of your labor. You. your
self, may never see them. But they will
be evident. nevertheless. Self denial,
self-sacrifice and the grasping Of oppor.
tunities are important duties and moth.
ing can be accomplished unless W prac-
tice them. Some one has said in regard
to these three characters that, to "know
and we will feel; know and we will pray;
know and we will help"
There is a work for each of US; it may
be small, but remember that "trifles
make perfection and perfection is no
trifie."
Do not think that these are all of the
duties Of a pupil towards the Sunday
school, for they are not. Questions come
up in the mind of each individual and he
must answer; he must decide between
the right and the wrong. He must de-
eide whether by so doing he is perform
ing his duty toward the Sunday school.
IL person rests with clear consci-
ence. he will know that he has performed
all his Sunday school duties. Be loyal
to your friends, to your country and to
your God and you will reap the rewards
of a clean conscience.
CRAwFoRDsvILLE, IND.