The morning times., 1896-09-21
PUBLIC SCHOOL TRA|N|NG
DR.. SeWall breaches on Its
Relation to Religion.
IT'S BEARING ON LIFE
He Recognizes Some of the Features
as Being Favorable to True Chris
tinn GrOwth-Ihese Should he Ap-
preciated-GOod Ground, Though,
for Complaint Against the system.

and Sixteenth streets northwest, made the
opening of the public schools the subject
OF his discourse yesterday morning, es-
| peClaiiy Us 10 the ssLi.iCafcc UI public
school education in the Iurlherance OF
religion. His text was from Hosea XII,
when Israel was child | loved hiui,
and have called my son out of Egypt"
After u few general remarks the Doctor
spoke as follows:
As the season of the opening OF our
public schools is at hand 1t is time to
consider the place this great part oi our
civil orSa niZation holds in relation to
The spiritual aud religious culture OF the
youth Of this city and the country at large
1t is often iailIented, ana not without good
GROUND, that our schools cannot be made
the vehicles Of direct religious instruction
aud tnat religion is not given foremost
aud fundanientative place among the things
| that prepare our youJG GOr II true nIa..hOOI
Without entering into all the difficulties
| That stand in the way AT present Of direct
| religious instruction in our pubic schools
we may gratefully recognize those fea-
| lures OF our public school system which
! are directly favorable to u true religious
growth in our children, and which ir not
themselves religious, are the most valuable
aids to religion.
RELATIONS TO LIFE.
| ITO the new c!Iurchman, ali religion has
| relation to life. There can really be
nothing belonging to our life. To our civil
| and social life. which does not have It's
| religious aspect. IL is so with our pub
lie schools. They have. while they do
| not directly inculcate religious doctrines,
| a very important place in a true aud whole
| some religious culture, and 1t is surely the
| duty Of the church TO recognize ard ap-
| preciate the aid to religion which is uf-
fUrded by or public school system. In
| the passage from the Holy word. / have
| selected these beautiful words When Israel
| was a child, loved him call your at
tention 10 the emphasis laid in this aud in
| many other parts o! the Scripture on the
| love OF God tOwan youth and children.
| II was Of he IlCii YONG man wao came to
| Jesus seeking the rock OF life that ii is
| said When Jesus saw him. He loved him. >
| II WIS John. the Youngest OF the Disciples,
| whOlay on Jesus brcast a the supper, who
| II NAMED in the Gospel The Disciple whom
| Jesus loved 1t is the little children
| whom the Lord called especially to come
! II Him that He nj .siit take tneil up in His
; arms and bless them
| 'All this is not without meaning, aud
| IL all has special relation TO the subject
| of the education Of our youth. and the
| precious privileges our youth enjoy. The
| reason OF the Lords special love for
| youth is the special need OF youth for
| this love, and the special capacity OF
youth for receiving IL. This is because
| IL is at this period OF life that all OF the
| real supplies are laid in for the whole
| Journey OF life. You remember that when
| Israel was in Egypt. the youthful! Joseph
| had been made mighty prince. and had
| been enabled to store up seven years harv-
| est OF com IN waiting for the seven years OF
| famine that We're to follow. IL was III
| this way that when Israel was a child
God loved him, and called my son ont
| of Egypt DO you thiak OF all that that
| direct al!usiun 20 history means?
The boy Joseph, bought from ilis brethren
| and carried away into Egypt, rising there
| with favor and fame until all the land pays
, him tribute, and the riches OF years are
| laid at his feet. that h e ma prepa re for the
worlds famine in the years TO Come
such is the youth OF our land today, in
| the rare privilege he enjoys. and the great
| and public need he j. supplying n our
| public schools. lie is there in a land Of
| Egypt spiritually. Heis there TO be clothed
| with the power tnat kno wledSc gives and
to gain command over the resources of life,
of wealth, Of success, OF power, OF fame,
of beauty, of pleasure
What feast l. presented and gratui
tously laid before our youth in the eduCa-
tioD afforded them at the public expense
In this sense ! say il youth the peIiod of
all. loved by God and man. And this be-
cause, rs ! said, this is the time of mans
equipment for all his future life. This is
the time OF the seven years of rich harvest,
TO be garnered carefully for the seven years
of famine to follow.
THEIR MISTAKE.
There are boys and girls who think
shat J.i,' order N their case is reverse.
tuat for some reason they are destined to
enter upon the dry and hard experience OF
life OF competition in money getting
first. and that after they have Lecoine
wealthy they Will then afford to lay in a
stock of learning, OF literary and aesthetic
cul ure. But tins is mistake. That which
the mind can imbihe and he nodded 10y dur
ing these seven years Of youth, the seven
years Of plenty in Egypt, can never lie re-
Ceived by the mind in later li;e. The nerves
Will have EccoiEc dullcd and iEs, nsible to
these impressions and these delights which
youth is alive to, and men grown old in
early life with the care and worry and
STRIFE of business Will wonder why, now.
when they have all the money they want.
that the world offers them nothing tranquil
or refreshing, that they can see nothing
10 enjoy OF admire outside OF tie four
walls of their counting room or workshop.
The trouble is that after their seven years
Of famine their nature is 20 starved that
there is nothing left to enjoy the harvest
OF the seven years. even could II then be
reaped. No, the laying up of the seven
years of plenty comes first during Tie
period of youth, OF avidity for learning.
OF quickDcSS 10 receive Impressions, and OF
freedom from hindranceS.
nd this brings me to the other reason.
Why the Lords love is specially directed
to youth. namely, that the mind OF the
youth and Child is peculiarly open to re-
ceivc impressions of the holy. the pure, the
true, the beautiful, as these flown in
from the Lord and from heaven into the
forms that are presented there by the
hands OF the parent and educator. Pure
vessels for pure things, that should be
the motto Of our public school instruction.
The Lord, the giver OF all good. will see
that the minds OF our youth imbbc whole
some. useful and beautiful lives. provided
only we, through our teachings, our text
books a nd physical Surroundings, put proper
vessels, that Is, images, ideals, and knowl- |
edge into our children's minds Tor receiving |
these holy gifts Among these vessels |
that are being furnished by all our public |
schools are the following habits of mind |
and OF body: Personal cleanliness self |
respect. dignity OF bearing, civility and |
decorurh OF behavior, the true chiv.iry OF |
kindness and OF help to those who a:e |
weak, hatred and contempt for lying and |
che;iting. obedience, self-control, regularity, |
recognition ot others rights, recognition of |
law, the power OF reason, and SD the |
vision OF the unity of the many in the one, |
the possibility OF society, of harmony amid |
of the civil state and us the |
Kingdom OF God
-
Local G.. L. U. Convention.
The annual convention OF the ". c. T.
u. District OF Columbia. will be held
October I and in Wesley Chanel Corner