Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-05-08
Temperance Teaching in the Sunday
School.

| School.
Thoughtful people everywhere are
recognizing more and more the value
and significance of the Sunday school
and in proportion as people concerned
in any particular school cultivate
mind and heart regarding it. in just
that proportion will desired results be
promoted. Better understood than
ever before is the vital relation of the
school to the growth of the church,
to good citizenship and to whatever
tends towards the best things for the
people. Rev. F. B. Myef has said,
1.-The Sunday school is an opportunity
for service that an angel might covet,
power for righteousness that the
world ought to feel" At the present
time when the churches of the land
and various philanthropic organiza-
tions are enlisted in cooperative tenn.
perance work it is comparatively easy
| for Sunday schools to adopt plan for
temperance instruction. The wide,
wide circle IF temperance endeavor
anu temperance supply can be fol-
lowed down by degrees from our in
ternatlonal work to the local school,
and every member of that school feel
that he or she is unit in the great
whole. We are grateful indeed that
the promoters of Sunday school inter-
ests have provided our quarterly tenn
perance studies. and especially Word 8
Temperance Sunday. 1t is very evil
dent not all schools can use the same
method of teaching the temperance
lesson, as some schools are adopting
different and new methods of work,
while others are doing much the same
as our fathers and grandfathers did.
| Because habit is strong it will not be
easy for the last named to enter into
a plan to teach temperance in a way
that up to-date studies allow us to do,
and facts and figures so generously
things and pressing on. let US ask the
question, why do we teach temper
ance? Because we have an object. 1t
needs to be studied IN order to work
efficiently for God and Home and
every land. Then having an object
we have something at which to aim.
| How shall we teach it, and what our
weapons? With love always, but
truthfully and convincingly by the un-
selfish teacher who has the lesson
we'll in hand. A mistake here may
cost life. Have you noticed in deal
ing with intemperance, three things
have to be considered, the reason, the
conscience and the will, and so in
teaching it seems to me, these facul-
ties may be aimed at, results expected
and shown in knowing, feeling and
doing. With the Bible truths con-
tanned in the lesson may be intro.
duced bits of prose or poetry Illus
trating the points, often the class is
interested to do this sand it proves to
be a helpful way in stimulating
thought and study. 1t sometimes
happens that Sunday school scholars
stay away when temperance Sunday
comes. or go without studying the
lesson because it is simply the same
old story and means very little te
them, they know it all and dislike il
too, when if a different side of the
subject was presented their interes
would be aroused. Someone has said
"Science is only common sense writ
ten in shorthand.
The Temperance work requires /;
more thorough knowledge of the sci
; entific truths regarding the evil re
suits of alcohol on mind and body; al
understanding of the moral effect O
alcohol. Let these come in for dis
cussion and tactfuliy let REASONABLE
| conclusion be arrived at as to tn
right of the matter. Ask for fact
concerning intoxicating beverages t.
. be brought bring some yourself t.
supplement the others and tactfull
make your statement concerning then
in different forms. Daniel Webste
used to say that he made a practic
of repeating every Important state
ment in his case twelve times
= once for each member of the jury
Then build around these facts Bibl
truths and thoughts on right livini
, and think the practical appli alto
can always be made-the loving car
f and help of our Heavenly Father, ant
our duty and responsibility to GU
neighbor. Mrs. Zillah Foster Steven
, writes of brave little fellow of II
+ who said ''Do you think can do moth
, ing? Up in my room have a strin
), of Sc pledge cards hanging. all signe
} by boys | know who used to drin
, and who have stopped drinking"
The little boy was right in layin
: claim to his share of influence an
i was he not ingenious in thus attemp
. ing the thing he could do? TIL
t amount of right things a boy of thu
e endeavor can accomplish is not sma
o and while he is helping others to /
q enlivened and vigorous, ne is himse
# by that same law of action sustain
4 ing his own life and adding thereto
character which shall endure; on
which can oftentimes help clear tf
moral atmosphere of a communit
In how many of our communitie
have we enough such men? How ma
&c we best try that the number may |
IS increased?
- M. E. T.
RI RartOn VT