The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-04-01


truth, and in many cases have give
no substitute. s1anr teachers spcn,
the half hour in gossiping with mem
bers of their respective classes. o
carefully prepared, systematic bible
instruction there is precious little.
A primary scholar was asked OF
his return from Sunday-schooi
"WhaS did ycur teacher teach 70,
to-,Iay 81 .Nu::;;;a;i, was tie answer
'ccpt she tooi; ln:' penny way from
me. There Is entirely too much o
idle sitting before the class, and il
the place CT te;sc:i:l:s, only receive:
the pennies.
3. Auo'i,er 'niss;joa al ;he schoo
is to influence !oi' good IL" lives O.
the cEildre" c.'lumitt;:! :n "ur care
10 influence ti,r!:l 10 he betty: boys
and girls, and in the !,i'ure, usefu
men and wunc:: We Influence
them by oar cwu acts a.,.i converse.
ton, aud especially oy l:ie way tLa'
we read aa,l Study the bible in oul
homes, in the presence OF the children
II we read it, and they see US Otter
with the bible in hand, they vii
quickly learn to retd it toe, anG
hence the word OF God becomes the
power that shapes the iile and puri
ies the heart.
Among the old Romans there pre-
vailed the custom of holding the face
Of every newborn babe towards tht
heavens, signifying By thus present
ing the forehead to the stars, that i
was to look above the world into ce
lestial glories. 1t was vain super
stition, but Christianity dispels The
fable and gives US clear realization
of the pagon yearning in the deel
solitude which all its disciples cherisl
for the spiritual welfare of the young
The great design of the Sunday
school organization is to turn the
faces of the little children TOWARD
heaven and prepare their spirits fol
immortal glory.
4. 1t is also the mission of tht
Sunday-school to seek the conversion
of the scholar The teacher who has
been honored with the office Of teach.
er, and over whose shoulders hang &
tremendous responsibility, that does
not seek the salvation or conversion
Of the one he or she continually in
Auences, certainly does not accom-,
plish the highest good. Christ, the
Great Teacher, while here in the
world, felt SO much the importance ot
this work that he laid aside his office
stopped his great work of healing the
sick, curing the lame, and restoring
sight to the blind, and mingles in the
group of merry, happy children, and
lifting his hands he blessed them say
ing, Suffer little children to come
unto me and forbid them not, for OF
such is the kingdom of Heaven. Ex-
cept ye become as a little child, ye
shall in no wise enter into the King
dom of Heaven"
How glad and happy is the true
loyal teacher when she sees the one
she has tried to teach and save going
down into the Baptismal waters
''buried with Him in Baptism" She
feels that another star has been added
to her crown and that inspires her on
to nobler works.
5. SOME PRACTICAL THOUGHTS.
Let US now, as the winter fades in.
to the spring and summer, look after
our "absent scholars" find them, Wis.
it their homes, tell them that we miss
them, and if possible, bring them
back. And while looking after the
one that has gone astray, let US seek
for those that have never come. The
old folks are welcome to the school
You may find that in coming you will
set good example before your chill
dren, and I will promise that you
will not be injured yourself.
Let our teachers make as much
preparation on the lesson as possible
Make what you say plain and pointed,
not too long. Often we wrong oul
pupils by our teaching.
Last quarter the average attend:
ance of the Baptist Sunday-school
was not quite one hundred, when we
should have had at least one hundred
and fifty. Let US seek to make the
next q:arter far better than the past
Once there came into the Sunday
school "a new scholar" The super.
intendent, who was quite an active,
energetic brother, met the pupil, and
not being familiar With him, said
"Little man, whose class do you be.
long to-" The little fellow in bis
simplicity said: 81 belong to sisters
class. SWELL" continued the super
intendent, "Whose class does sister
belong to-" The boy replied, SShe
belongs to my class" "Whose class
do you both belong?' continued the
superintendent. eve both belong tc
the same class" was the ready reply