Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1914-06-18
! The sunday School Fifty Years
Ago
Mr.. Editor:

Mr.. Editor:
| learn you are having a Sunday
School Convention in your town this
week, and being a literary man | am
supposed to have ideas on all sub
iects, and il haven't got them have
to 90 out and get them and want
you to under stand it is not so easy as
picking up hickory nuts after the first
big frost in the fall Of the year.
Some times have to turn on the
electric current to my brain and rattle
around considerably to get the mach
inery in motion, and then it don't al
ways turn out first class article.
Judge Sykes used to tell me that a
man going around loaded with good
ideas ought to be put in jail it he
didn't turn hem loose for the benefit OF
his feIlowman. When get TO think
ine about the Sunday School my mind
takes the back track down the din
ases Of the past over hall century
ago when the Sunday School was an
infant in the arms of the church,
baby whose +. ssibiIities she neveI
dreamed Of. The crude methods then
used, show the methods then used
show the marvellous development oil
thus the strongest arm Of the churcE
today. You will pardon me it | relate
bit Of personal experience, to mort
fully illustrate the point am trying to
to make. In the ante bellum times,
over half century ago. | lived hall
century ago, lived Is miles from
Nashville, Tennessee, then as now,
the hub Of Southern Methodism. |
was light haired, Greckled nosed
pigeon toed boy that plowed old Beck
in the high corn till Saturday at noon,
and then repaired to a creek near by,
washed the accumulated real estate
off Of my body, went to the country
store and bought package OF chew
ing gum for my best girl, and was
ready for Sunday S3hooI in the NOR n
ing. When the Sabbath dawned all
beautiful and bright, every thing and
everybody seemed to he in a good
humor. The roosers crowed, the
hens cdckled, the pigs squeaIed, the
COWS lowed and the sun showr
brighter, and the birds sang sweeter
il seemed to me, than any other periot
Of my life. (Oh! time turn backward
turn backward IN thy fight and max
me freckled nosed, light haired bo,
again just tor tonight For aroun
the halcyon days Of yore fond memor
would love to linger forever more)
After the stock we're fed. the caIve
watered, the breakfast cooked, we as
sembled at the table and fond fathe
tnat loved God and obeyed His Com
mandments commended his family I
HIS watchful care through the day
Let me stop to remark, it would be
singular miscarriage Of providence
a boy raised amid such scenes shoul
ever be lost Breakfast over ever!
thing was hurry aud hustle to get c
to Sunday Scool rugged myself o
in my new calico shirt, cottonac
pants broad brimmed straw hat an
1 shoes that we're so sorry they cried ev'
nv step made, and Ifelt like jining
for they pinched my toes that had enjo'
ed the freedom of the country the balar
ce otthe week: mounted the roam I'll
and soon was at Sunday School prepa
ed to study Gods Word with the be
helps we then had, which consstt
Of catechism for the children and
question book for all the balance
the school. for they we're all in Il
Bible class and good old broth
Il thai thought he knew it all for eache
He would ask a question and ever
4 body would make guess, for we he
no help, you might stumble on I'll
Il answer if you had time to read t
B bic through, the teacher had to d
eide who was right, and we had o
smart Ehc teacher that always d
asrped with everybody. We want
to Ne: rid Of him, and we carried t
mater to old Dr.. Jphn B. MoFerrc
D then The editor oil the Nashville Chr
I,an Advocate. AS his eye twinkIed /