The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-11-07
The >ABBAIH
Some Old Methods of Religious
Teachings Reviewed.

In the days of Adam and Eve they did
not have books or Sunday school leaves as
we have IN this Twentieth century Adam
was taught by direct inspiration By Ga8
his father and creator Adam and Eve
were taught to offer sacrifice because they
had dlsobeyed a divine law. We often hear
folks say Old Adam, what did be know to
what we know now adays Well Adam and
Eve knew more than we give them credit
for. Adam was king and monarch OF the
whole world and Eve was princess. Many
a young man or woman would feel proud
IL they could say / own the world But
Adam and Eve owned it, formed govern
ment in it, laid down the true foundation
Of worship and also laid the corner stone
Of all educational gems that have budded
out and to-day fill the earth with its in
duence ana fragrance of knowledge
So this teaching was transmitted to
their children and from generation to
generation down the ages Of time until all
knew what sacrifcial worship meant and
what traditional law meant But so man
and women are forgetful beings. God di
rected them to- build Tabernacle where
sacrifice was offered for the people also
to have the law or ten commandments put
on tablets to refresh the memory OF the
people of duty towards their God as well
as their fellowmen. Some would think a
people in bondage for 400 years would for
get this instruction. But the whole thing
was revived by Moses on his journey for
forty years toward Canaan, and this same
instruction was taught by the Jews In
their synagogues down to the coming Of our
Saviour, when a change of method In
teaching commenced.
By pointing to Christ as his sacrifice on
the cross was the fulfllment Of sacrifcIal
worship. So his disciples are told to go
out and teach all nations, and that Is one
Of the great objects Of our Sunday-schooIs
today. When the twelve Apostles went
out they set the world ablaze with the
light of their teachings and the old fathers
took the light and carried 1t on from gen
Grafton and from century to century. Tin
dal and Wicklf sent the beacon of light
onward and onward until John Knox, the
great reformer, in 1860 shook Scotland and
even Queen Mary by it's power. Yes, Mar
tin Luther shook and broke the letters Of
superstition and ignorance Ia January, In
1921 The same tidal wave swept Europe
and America by our pilgrim fathers at
jamestown, Virginia, in 1907, and to
Plymouth Rock, Mass, in 1920, and the
flame was kept alive by Roger Williams In
1886 and others, and by Elliott and Robi-
son and Stricken in 1916. Yes what a
glorious time we old folks would have In
our log cabin school houses and the old
methods of teaching. 1t seemed to me that
the good old pious mothers Of those days
knew, the Bible from A to q, and oh how
we were drilled in the Old and New Tesla
ments and their real teachings and prin-
cipIes. 50 the boy or girl in those good
old days came out like we'll trained soldiers.
1t wasn't so much for what we ate then,
but what was dlgested. Yes, we were
taught plain what bliss was and what hell
was. Yes, the bitter as well as the sweet.
Yes, the old folks handled the scripture
without gloves, just as 1t should be
We pin our sunday-school opinions ON
others and not enough on ourselves.
Anybody that has come to years of de-
cision should think some for themselves
as they have the same Bible as Others.
Don't pin yourself on the coat tail OF the
minister or deacon to get to Heaven oh
no, you must work out your own salvation
or you will be left By remembering that
you are a responsible being to God alone.
ray que respect to your teacher and min
lister and deacon, but more to your Creator
and yourself, as it is to Him you are nc
countable, nobody else.
Who does the Sunday-school want? They
want everybody. They want editors,
printers, DOCTORS attorneys-at-law, bankers.
merchants, mayors, men of all professions
and avocations. Farmers, miners and
men Of all the crafts. By getting such
variety of talent what precious gems and
nuggets of gold can be dug out of the old
Books Of Books Also, would suggest
that every Sunday school in the city ap-
point committees in every ward in the city
and invite everybody to our Sunday-schools,
let them be rich or poor, wise or foolish.
Welcome all In and what a glorious good
time our city would have. Yes. even go
after the saloonkeeper. Who knows but
there is some good in the corner of his
heart. Yours
J. W. JONES