The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-08-22
INTERESTING PAPER
ON SUNDAY SCHOOLS,
AS A CHARACTER.BUMDER FOR
CHILDREN THERE CAN BE NO
BETTER TRAINING.

O"lAS 10 SttS ReP>A
ed and read by Miss Lillian Salters
at Union Rally Day exercises, held
at Union church, Salters, on We'd
nesday. August Z, but received too
late for publication last week:
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL AS A CHARAC-
TER-BUILDING FORCE.
The fact that you are here today
shows me that you are interested IN
Sunday schools, but how deep is your
interest? Do you, who are parents,
feel that 1t is necessary to the de-
velopment of your child? Perhaps
the dearest wish of every parents
heart is to have his children make
good" in the best sense of the word
to have them develop into the
best men and women, mentally, NOR
ally and physically, and to this end
you are striving. Perhaps you are
making sacrifices that they may
have the best mental and physical
training, but are you neglecting the
moral and religious training that
will give them the greatest of all
human assets, a beautiful Christian
character? The world today is ask
ING for men of character to fill po-
sitions of honor and trust. Are we
seeing to it that the children of our
community are being prepared to
take their place in the battle of life?
The child is father to the man"
in character as we'll as physical de-
velopment, and for that reason we
should stand invincibly for his right
to be properly taught. The young
children in our midst need our help
first by example and then by precept.
Let us look at the period Of early
childhood and try to discover the
psychological situation. When the
child comes into the world his con-
sciousness is a blank, he has to mas
ter every detail of the world about
him, but owing to his inherent in
stincts and the plastic condition Of
his brain and mind he quickly forms
percepts and concepts and reaches
out in eager expectancy to discover
relationships of all kinds. He now
acquires his ideas of the world
about him, of himself and of God.
Froebel, the man who has done
more for little children than any
other educator, says, The care of
the life of a child's inner and
higher feeling, disposition and ideas
belongs certainly to the most deli
cate, and yet, the most important
and difficult part of his nature.
From it springs all and develops all
that is highest and noblest in the
life of the individual and the race,
and ultimately all religious life
which is at one with God in disposi-
ton, thought and deed"
Early childhood is the period of
formation of habits that endure a
lifetime; habits that involve and en-
danger such important principles as
truthfulness and honesty. The mind
of the child is ever open to receive
all impressions, and once received
they can never be entirely oblit-
Grated. We all know it is rare that
q person has enough force of will
and determination to offset in
huences brought to bear in early
childhood. The mind and heart of
the child is like a delicate instru-
ment that responds to and indelibly
registers all impressions.
Again Froebel says, You must
keep holy the being of the little
child. Protect it from every rough
and rude impression, every touch of
the vulgar; a touch, a look, sound,
is often sufficient to inflict savage
wounds. A child's soul is more ten
der and vulnerable than the finest
and tenderest plant"
This is psychological fact, and
one that ought to make US, on the
one hand, fearful of our response
biliry of example and teaching, and,
on the other hand. joyful because of
the opportunity to make an endur-
ing impression for the good of the
child and the glory of God. Let us
then take advantage of our oppor-
tunity and present and clinch the
facts of the religious world through
the church and Sunday-school. Let
us watch his environment to the ex-
tent of our power, removing the
things that would dwarf him in soul
and body, and bringing him in con-
tact with all forces that contribute
to the making of the highest type Of
individual.
/ am sure you will all agree that