gious character, are fostering a taste for attached to a farmhouse in the State of reading among the rising youth, and the New-Jersey. adult population, also, of the country. The The hours of meeting are very various. scholars receive from them one or two In the cities and large towns they comvolumes each, according to the size, ev-monly meet twice in the day; at eight or ery Sabbath, to read in the course of the nine o'clock in the morning, according to week, and return on the Sabbath follow- the season, and at two o'clock in the aftering, and these volumes thus pass into the noon, for about an hour and a half each hands of older brothers and sisters, parents, time. In the villages and country churchand other members of the household. The es they usually meet for two hours, once proceeds of the sales of books by the Amer- a day, immediately before, or immediately ican Sunday-school Union amounted last after, the public services. In some cases year (1843) to $55,895. If we add to this I have known a pastor, with a parish exthe value of those sold by the denomina- tending many miles in all directions from tional Sunday-school societies, we should the church, meet, during an hour before find it rise to at least $100,000. And if we his public service, with nearly all the adult farther add the cost of Sunday-school books part of his flock in a Bible-class, and go purchased from the booksellers, we shall over with them the portion of Scripture have a total far exceeding the last amount given out to his Sunday-schools for that as the value of books bought in one year day; and then, instead of having service for the use of Sunday-schools, and mainly in the afternoon, he would in the latter for the libraries attached to them. part of the day visit one or other, in their Besides the series of 450 volumes pub-order, of the ten or twelve schools held by lished by the American Sunday-school his people in as many different neighbourUnion, a far greater number have been hoods. On these occasions he would adpublished by the denominational societies.* dress, not only the children and teachers, Neither pains nor money have been spared but also the parents and others who crowdin the preparation, improvement, and pub-ed to hear him. And how could a pastor lication of these volumes, and in this re-instruct his people more effectually i* spect, I am inclined to think that the Amer- A word or two may not be amiss on the ican Sunday-school Union has outstripped manner of conducting our Sunday-schools. every similar institution in other countries. Each is under a superintendent-a gentleMuch, notwithstanding, remains to be done man where there are scholars of both sexin order to render these Sunday-school | es, but usually a lady where there are only books all that they ought to be. It is no girls. The scholars are divided into classeasy task to write books for children well. es, according to their age and capacity. Much talent has been bestowed upon it of All the reading classes learn the same part late years in the United States, and such of Scripture, going through a certain book has been the demand for children's books, in order. Suppose, for instance, the fiscreated by the Sunday-schools, that the teenth chapter of Luke, from the eleventh booksellers have found it for their ad- verse to the end. It is the parable of the vantage to publish such books for those prodigal son. As soon as the school is schools. Many of these are good, but opened the scholars take their places. The many, too, are worthless enough, as may service begins with prayer by the superinreadily be supposed where there is no in- tendent or some other person. Each class telligent committee rigorously to examine-composed usually of six or eight perthem previous to publication, and to determine what should go forth to the public and what should not. Sunday-schools are held in various places; sometimes in churches, or in the lecture-rooms attached to many of our large churches, or in rooms fitted up expressly for the purpose in the basement story of many of our city churches; sometimes in the schoolhouses, which are very numerous; and, especially in the new settlements, in private houses. In summer they sometimes meet in barns; and I once superintended a Sunday-school myself which met for many months in a large kitchen The series published by the Methodist "Book Concern" exceeds 250; that of the American Baptist Publication and Sunday-school Society 170; while those of the Protestant Episcopal, the Protestant Methodist, the Lutheran, the Free-Will Baptists, and several local societies, are considerable. sons-has its teacher, to whom the scholars repeat the lesson in the Scriptures for the day. When that is done the teacher takes the book of Bible Questions (a copy of which each scholar should have), and asks the questions in it relating to the passage which the class, in common with the others, have learned. The answers to these questions the pupils must find out through their own efforts, or with help from their parents, during the week. The teacher asks, also, such other questions as he may think useful, and calculated to lead to a more perfect understanding of the subject. An hour, perhaps, is spent in this exercise. After that the scholars return the books which they had received from the librarian on the preceding Sabbath, * In some of the large cities Sunday-schools are held at night, especially for the benefit of the coloured people. and obtain others. Then the superintend-, ent, or pastor, if he be present, addresses a few words to the whole school on the passage which they have learned, and endeavours to impress upon their minds the importance of the truths which it teaches. A hymn is sung, and a prayer offered up, and the school closes. If there be any children that cannot read, they are arranged in classes by themselves, and taught that important acquirement. In many of the schools there is a considable number of such, and persons beyond the years of childhood, who have had no opportunities of learning to read before, sometimes make the attainment in the course of a few months at a Sunday-school. In all the free states, and in such of the slaveholding ones as permit the slaves to be taught, there are Sunday-schools for the coloured people. In these schools thousands and tens of thousands of them have learned to read the sacred Scriptures, and have made much progress in divine knowledge. The superintendents of the Sundayschools are sometimes elders and deacons of the churches; sometimes they are pious lawyers, and other intelligent gentlemen; and in the vicinity of our colleges and theological seminaries they are often students of religious character, who may be prosecuting their studies with a view to the ministry. The teachers are, for the most part, young people of both sexes belonging to the churches and congregations. Wherever truly pious persons can be found willing to be thus employed, they are preferred; but where this is not the case, seriously-disposed and moral persons, who desire to be engaged in this benevolent work, are taken, and almost invariably it happens that, in teaching others, they themselves become instructed out of the "law of God." It is to be regretted that most of the ladies, after they become wives and mothers, have too many domestic cares and duties to allow them to continue as teachers in the Sabbath-school. Some, however, there are who persevere in this blessed employment, their zeal triumphing over every obstacle. As to gentlemen, many more of them may continue in the work after they have become heads of families. Hence we often find men of age and experience among Sunday-school teachers, encouraging and * There are Sunday-schools held by some pious slaveholders in Georgia, South Carolina, and perhaps some other states, in which portions of Scripture are often repeated to the assembled slaves, and remarked upon until they have committed much of them to memory. Prayer and singing are added to these exercises. Such schools no laws can well hinder, no more than they can the preaching of the Gospel to the slaves. These schools have only been commenced within a few years, and are spreading in several places. And it is not aiding them in their toils. uncommon to find some of those who hold the very highest offices in the State or General Government, spending a portion of their Sabbaths in giving instruction to a class of young persons in a Sundayschool. I have known several governors and their ladies, members of Congress, and of the Legislatures of the states, judges, eminent lawyers, mayors of cities, &c., who were, and who are at the present time, Sabbath-school teachers, and who have felt it no degradation to be thus employed. The present distinguished Chancellor of the University of New-York was the superintendent of a Sunday-school, even when he held the office of attorney-general of his native State, and afterward, when he was a senator in the Congress of the United States; he is a Sabbath-school teacher still, and delights to associate himself with the youngest teachers engaged in that heavenly employment. The Hon. Benjamin F. Butler was a Sabbath-school teacher, even while holding the distinguished office of attorneygeneral to the United States. The late Chief-justice Marshall, and the late Judge Washington, both of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the former of whom, it is admitted, was the most distinguished jurist the country has ever produced, were warm friends and patrons of Sunday-schools. Both were, in their day, vice-presidents of the American Sabbathschool Union. Within five years of his death, I saw Chief-justice Marshall march through the city of Richmond, in Virginia, where he resided, at the head of the Sunday-schools on the occasion of a celebration. And, finally, the late President Harrison, who in his youth had been a rough and far from religious soldier, but towards the close of his life became interested in the things that concerned his everlasting peace, taught for several years a class of young persons in an humble Sunday-school on the banks of the Ohio; and the Sabbath before he left his home for Washington, there to become his country's Chiet Magistrate and, alas! within a month thereafter to die-he met, as usual, his Bible-class. I have dwelt the longer on this subject because of its great importance. A Sabbath-school is so simple an affair that it may be begun wherever two or three persons are found disposed to undertake it. I have known even a single individual keep one himself, and spend several hours every Sabbath in instructing some dozen or twenty poor youth, who came around him to learn to read and understand the Word of God. I have known a lady, who, as her health did not permit her to go to a Sunday-school, received a class of young ladies in her parlour every Sabbath for years. Why, then, should not Sabbath-schools be established in every city, town, hamlet, and neighbourhood, where there are only two or three persons with hearts to love the kingdom of God, and hands to promote it? Were such a spirit to prevail in all lands professedly Christian, how soon would they show a very different aspect from what they do at present? attend; a practice feasible only where the population is compact, and the flock within an easy distance of the place of meeting. In country churches, these classes often hold their meetings in church before the regular service commences, or in the interval between the morning and afternoon services. This is convenient, but is apt to produce fatigue. I have known pastors in country church It is impossible to state with accuracy the present number of Sunday-schools ines who had no fewer than 500 persons in the United States. They were reckoned one Bible-class, if I can call it so, which seven years ago at 16,000; the teachers at met in the afternoon instead of the regular 130,000 or 140,000; and the scholars, com- service; and others, whose Bible-classes prising, it was supposed, 100,000 adults, at included the whole adult part of their 1,000,000! These numbers must be much flocks, and met previous to the forenoon greater now. Who can estimate the amount service, or in the interval between that and of good resulting from 1,000,000 of minds the afternoon service. being brought into contact every Sabbath with the word of Him who hath said that His "word shall not return unto him void?" | Thousands and tens of thousands, both teachers and scholars, are known to have become enlightened and saved, by means of the lessons given and received at Sundayschools. But a whole volume would not suffice to unfold all the benefits conferred by this blessed institution, to which may be emphatically applied the words of the celebrated Adam Smith, in speaking of popular education in general, that it is "the cheap defence of nations." HAPTER XV. BIBLE-CLASSES. AKIN to Sunday-schools are Bible-classes. Indeed, the former, conducted as at present in America, are little more than an assemblage of the latter. What are commonly called Bible-classes are composed of a comparatively large number of persons, all taught by the pastor of the church, or some other individual whom he engages to act for him. To preside over a Bible-class of from twenty to some hundreds of persons, the greater number, if not all, of whom are adults, and some of them, perhaps, remarkably intelligent and well informed, requires far higher qualifications than simply to teach a small class in a Sunday-school. In conducting these classes, the common method is to go through some particular book of the sacred volume in course, and some system of Bible questions is generally pursued. Upon this plan, all who have time and inclination for the task, prepare themselves, by reading and study, for answering the questions to be found in the book of questions that is used.* But it is not the practice of any well-informed pastor to confine himself to the questions contained in the book. These he employs as he sees fit; by the questions he puts he assists in sustaining the attention of the people; and he takes occasion to give a great amount of scriptural instruction. To conduct a Bible-class in a manner at once interesting and profitable requires no little preparation; and, when well done, few methods of instruction are more edifying, either to the people or to the minister himself. The divine blessing has rested most remarkably upon it. Nor could we expect that it should be otherwise. What more likely to secure the divine benediction than to bring the mind to the study of that which God himself hath spoken? "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple." "Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth.” CHAPTER XVI. MATERNAL SOCIETIES. I MUST not omit, among the means which there is reason to believe that God has greatly blessed to the advancing of his kingdom in the United States, the Maternal Societies-institutions that have not been These Bible-classes are generally conducted by the pastors, and so highly are they valued as a means and occasion of good, that few settled ministers have not one or more among their flocks. In some cases, one for each sex is held once in the week-that for gentlemen in the evening, have written systems of Bible Questions, among *Several excellent clergymen of the United States that for ladies during the day. They meet whom may be mentioned the Rev. Drs. M'Dowaccording to circumstances, in the church, ell, Tyng, Barnes, Professor Holdich, and the Rev. lecture-room, vestry-room, schoolroom, or Messrs. Covel, J. Longking, and Newcomb. The Biin some private house. The pastor some-school Union are good, as are, also, several of those ble Questions published by the American Sunday. times devotes his Sabbath nights to a Bib- printed by the denominational Sunday-school socielical service, for the benefit of all who can ties. of many years' standing among us, but which have existed long enough to produce much good.. These societies are composed of pious mothers, who meet in parties, not inconveniently numerous, once in the week, fortnight, or month, for the purpose of conversing on the subject of bringing up their children for the Lord, listening to the reading of valuable remarks and hints on the best means of discharging this great duty, and mingling their prayers before the throne of grace in behalf of themselves and their beloved offspring. These little meetings prove very precious seasons to many an anxious, perplexed, and disheartened mother, by communicating grace, and strength, and support, and light, for enabling her to fulfil her fearfully responsible part. God has greatly blessed them. For the benefit of mothers, some excellent periodicals have been published in the United States during several years past. Among these let me mention "The Mother's Magazine," issued in New-York, and republished in London. It appears once a month, is neatly printed, and costs only a dollar a year. It has a very extensive circulation, and furnishes much admirable matter for reading at the Maternal Societies' meetings, as well as in the family circle. Another valuable periodical is published at Utica, in the central part of the State of New-York, and is read in several thousands of families. It is conducted by a talented lady of the Baptist Church. A similar journal has been commenced at Boston; while all our religious newspapers contain many articles on the same subject. they ought to be, how different would it soon become from what we see it now! A praying, devoted, holy mother! What an interesting being! Such was the mother of Samuel, of Timothy, and of thousands besides, who have been eminently useful in the world. I have known Christian fathers who met once a week for years to pray together for their children, and their meetings have been eminently useful and happy. I have seen another kind of meeting which I wish were more common-a quarterly prayer-meeting specially for parents and children. It was affecting to see parents, the unconverted as well as the converted, bringing with them their children, dear to them as life itself, into the sanctuary on such occasions, that they might share in the earnestly-sought blessing. CHAPTER XVII. EDUCATION SOCIETIES. ONE of the most interesting developments of the voluntary principle in promoting religion in the United States, is seen in the Education Societies; institutions of comparatively recent date, and having for their object the granting of assistance to pious youths of promising talents but small means, in preparing for the ministry. One of the first of these was the American Education Society, formed at Boston in 1816. Hence it has been in existence for twenty-eight years, and rarely has any society been the instrument of more good.* On the other hand, several publications In all denominations of evangelical Chrisappear once a month, or once in two tians in the United States, there are to be months, for the benefit of fathers and of found among those classes of society whose entire families. One such is published in means are too limited to give their sons a the city of New-York, and is entitled "The college education, young men of talent, to Christian Family Magazine, or Parents' whom God has been pleased to impart the and Children's Journal." It is said to have knowledge of his grace, and in whose an extensive circulation. Other journals hearts he implants a strong desire to preach of like character, and having the same ob- the Gospel. Now, before the Education ject, are published in other parts of the Societies appeared upon the field, such country. Moreover, almost all the reli- youths used to find it very difficult, and gious newspapers, now very numerous, sometimes even impossible, to obtain such and some one or more of which are read an education as was required by the rules in almost every Christian family, contain of the church in whose ministry they wishmuch that bears upon the religious educa-ed to place themselves. Some, indeed, tion of children, and the whole economy of a Christian household. might succeed by their own exertions; by dint of industry and economy they might lay up enough to enable them to com + The subject is one of vast moment. The world has never yet seen the full results of the Christian education of children. This society published from the year 1827 to Parents have much to learn in this respect, Quarterly Register." It was originated by the late 1843 a valuable periodical, entitled "The American and need all the helps and appliances possi-Rev. Dr. Cornelius and the Rev. B. B. Edwards, the ble, to enable them rightly to discharge their important duties. Were all fathers and mothers in a nation such as they ought to be, how mighty would be the influence of the Gospel upon it! Were the fathers and mothers in the Church of Christ such as secretaries of the society at the first-named epoch, and continued by the latter gentleman to 1843, aided for several years by the Rev. Dr. Cogswell, successor of Dr. Cornelius; and afterward by the Rev. Mr. Riddel, who has taken the place of Dr. Cogswell. Mr. Edwards is a professor in the theological semi nary at Andover. mence a course of study at college. By gagement, 1. To go through a full course interrupting their college studies occasion- of collegiate and theological education in ally, in order to recruit their finances by some approved college and seminary; and, teaching a school, they might, after long 2. To refund the sums advanced to aid delays, be able to complete the requisite them, should the providence of God, in afcourse at last; and then, by similar efforts, ter life, give them the means of doing so. carry themselves through the required the- Such are, in few words, its principles. ological course at a seminary. Others, A rigid supervision is maintained over more fortunate, might be so far assisted those who accept its patronage. And setby a church or some wealthy and benev- ting out in its admirable career with a few olent patron or friend. But the greater young men, it has gone on, under the fanumber, in despair of success, were likely vour of God, diffusing its blessings far and to renounce all expectation of being able wide. It has rendered aid to young men to preach the Gospel, and to resign them- belonging to eight different Évangelical selves to the necessity of spending their Churches. At one period, some three or lives in the ordinary pursuits of business, four years ago, the number of persons not in making known the "unsearchable whom it was aiding exceeded 1100! Duriches" of Christ to their fellow-men. ring the year ending May 1st, 1843, the These remarks, it will be perceived, ap- number aided was 468. These were purply to such youths only as conscientious- suing their education at institutions in difly cleave to those churches which require ferent parts of the country; some in acada college education, as preliminary to a emies and grammar-schools, some in coltheological one, in all aspirants to the sa- leges, and the rest in theological schools. cred ministry. This is the rule, except And the whole number of those who had in very extraordinary cases, with the whole been aided, up to that time, was 3482. of the Presbyterian churches, excepting The receipts for that year were 33,789 dolthe "Cumberland Presbyterians;" with lars, and the expenditure 29,290. The the Episcopalians, and with the Congre- amount refunded that year by beneficiaries gationalists. The Baptists and the Meth-who had completed their course of educaodists, as we have seen, are less strict, tion was 2157 dollars. The earnings of and are satisfied with a common English the young men under the patronage of the education, and a competent knowledge of society, chiefly from teaching schools dutheology. But even among these, great ring their vacations, have some years and laudable efforts are now put forth in or- amounted to no less a sum than 20,000 der to give a higher education to as many of dollars.* their candidates for the ministry as possible; and it is on this account, as well as for more general objects, that they have established so many colleges within the last few years. God is granting his rich blessing to their efforts in this great cause; of this every year furnishes cheering evi dence. To meet the demands of the churches for a vastly-augmented number of ministers of the Gospel, and to help those young men who desire to respond to this demand, the American Education Society was formed on the broad basis of rendering its aid to all pious young men, of suitable talents, who appear to be called to preach Christ, and who belong to any of the evangelical denominations. The only conditions imposed upon the recipients of its bounty are an en * Several of the colleges possess funds bequeathed to them for the express purpose of educating poor and pious young men for the ministry. The Rev. Dr. Green, in his historical notices of the College of New-Jersey, relates that, more than half a century since, a pious young man of the name of Leslie was educated at that institution for the ministry of the Gospel; but, fearing to assume the responsibility of that office, he devoted himself to teaching a school of a high order, in which employment he was eminently successful. At his death he bequeathed to the college the sum of 15,000 dollars, the interest of which was to be devoted to the education of poor young men for the ministry. This fund has already educated a large number of excellent ministers. The sums granted by this society to those who are admitted to its benefits vary from forty-eight to seventy-five dollars a year, the latter sum being rarely exceeded. Its funds have been liberally augmented by bequests from devoted Christian friends who loved it during life, and remembered it in death. Its first president gave it 1000 dollars during his lifetime, and left it a legacy of 5000. Mr. Burr, whom we have already had occasion to speak of, also left it a handsome legacy. The late Dr. Porter, for many years a distinguished professor in the Theological Seminary at Andover, though far from being a man of much wealth, bequeathed to it 15,000 dollars. Many of its friends have given proof of large and enlightened views by the patronage they have given it. It has assisted a great number of most valuable ministers of the Gospel in the course of their education, and to these we have to add no fewer than sixty of the missionaries supported in foreign lands by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, one of the largest and oldest foreign missionary societies in the United States. Of late years, however, the number of young men assisted by this Society has *This society has permanent funds to the amount of 73,000 dollars. |