The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-18
SAVED TO SERVE,

annual convention at Valley City on
Wednesday of next week. The Of
fetal program gives some indication
of the Importance and scope of the
work being done by this band of
devoted laborers in the vineyard of
the Master.
The actual organization of the Sum
day school was not included in the
early church. though it's principles
and its methods We're we'll illustrated
in the system of Christ himself. The
first introduction we have to his ac-
tive work was in teaching in the
synagogue on the Sabbath day.
Ii secular writer's are to be believed,
the early history OF the Nazarine
carpenter is that he as small boy
engaged in the work of reading from
the scriptures in the assembly hall of
his native village whenever opportunity
permitted. The method which was
taught at that time was that of read
master was also intrusted with the
custody of the rolls of parchment
which constituted the scriptures, and
which were taken from the archives
and read to the assembled people on
thr Cnhl >n%
his boyhood made him naturally
leader in the village school which he
undoubtedly attended, and for this
reason he was in all probability often
| permitted to read from the sacred
rolls on Sabbath occasions. as he was
much more precocious than the other
! boys of the village, and was prob
ably the only one who could read
| except in concert.
So that the founder of the Christian
religion was in all probability
teacher in the early Sunday schoul.
Certain it is that he gave attestion
to the teaching of the ..oaag, and that
the sweetest incident in his life is
connected with little children.
1t remained for Robert Raikes, an
English journalist. to originate the
great system of religious schools
which today are found in every village
and hamlet in the Christian world.
1t is true that in the early history of
the church before the books of the
bible We're collected as they now are,
the life of Christ was taught orally,
These were in all probability more for
the benefit of the early converts to
the Christian faith than for the
children. These were gradually en-
larged and were under the direction of
the church officials Later when the
controversies with Luther arose the
churches inaugurated larger system
Of schools for the dissemination of the
church doctrines. But all of these
were for the religious education of
the adults.
Raikes, lover of children and
philanthropist of the most intense
character. was impressed with the
need of caring for the children who
were compelled to labor in the shops
and factories of his native city, and
who were turned into the streets on the
Sabbath day to make it hideous with
their revelry.
He might have used the rigors of
the law In compelling them to desist.
But he did not. He knew that un-
derneath the coarseness of these un-
fortunate children lay the spark of
humanity which if rightly touched
would kindle into a fame of Christian
manhood.
He began the work of gathering
these children into schools on
the Sabbath day which was their
only time not employed in the dingy
shops. and there they were taught by
women who were employed by the
founder for a shilling day.
The plan opened new life for the
children. 1t was to them like glimpses
of paradise. The number increased
SO rapidly and the effects were so great
that other charitable people in diff
ferent portions of the city, and in
few years the Sunday schools were
found in every part of the nation.
1t is for the carrying out of the
principles of the great institution
founded amid the workshops of
Gloucester that the Sunday school
workers Of this state will assemble
in Valley City next week.
The children no longer come from
the CRIME of the work shops, and the
teachers are no longer laboring for
charity. but the lofty purpose and the
Christian spirit of the founder is as
evident today as 1t was when in the
old barn in 1871 the first lessons were
taught
These devoted men and women realize
that the incubation of the teaching of
Christ in the children is the creates,
means Of elevating the human race