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2 INDEX AND BAPTIST. : —ft History and Importance of SaMb-ijctoob BY ELDER W. L. GRIDER. PREFACE. The following pitmen are the fcubatauce of a sermon preached before the Sabbath-School Con ▼entiofT, at Mi. Zion chtirch, m Tat naif eigh ty, Georgia, on Friday, 17th day of Septem ber, 1875, and written for publication, in Tub In dex, by reqnetit of the Convention. Take it, reader, and study the history of the time honored and heaven bleat institution. May God bless and sanctify the Hermou to the good of hie own beloved cause ia the earnest prayer of the Author. “ And these words which I command thee this diy, ah alt be in thy heart : And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou beet down, and when thou risest up.”—Deute ronomy 5 : 6, 7. The student well knows that in his historical researches he often finds places and institutions which have lived for years, and have undergone many changes in name. He sometimes, also, finds the same person, place, or insti tution, called by different names, at the same time, by different people. And it is sometimes the case that an institu tion is described in history and not named. All this is true of the institution we have risen to-day to defend. It has been called on different occasions, and by different people, by a variety of names; and we may find it described in history, on some occasions, and not named. The names by which the institution has been called are, “Sunday School," “Sabbath School," “Sabbath Class," “ Lord’s Day School," “Bible Class," “Bible School,” “Theological School," etc., all of which q,re indicative of the character of the beloved institution. The territory over which t' s asso ciation extends contains mam vile op posers to the Sabbath-school cause, who have exhausted the English vo cabulary in getting slanderous epithets, malicious expressions, and wicked anathemas, to hurl against that highly honored institution of God. They have said so much, and dealt so large ly in gross misrepresentations, until m ny of the people are ignorant in re gard both to the meaning of the term “Sabbath School,” and to the history of the institution. We therefore propose — I. To notice the definition of the term Sabbath School. 11. Examine the history of the insti tution. injections raised against 'III Jins ion XkrW'ff. ••// of Sobboth- SehOMheacftlnfe. I. Toe definition of the term Sab bath School: The best and most comprehensive meaning of the term Sabbath-schdol that I can give is this : “si school taught on the Sabbath day in which the old and young meet to study the Bible , and be taught in those things that pertain to,God's blessed II ’ ord .” 1 am aware of the fact that many schools have been taught on the Sab bath where the Bible was not the only text book ; yet the great object was to teach, at least in part, the great truths of Christianity ; and while the Bible has not been excluded from any of the schools, spelling, reading and even writing, have also been taught in com munities where there were no literary schools, or where the Sabbath-school scholars were unable to attend the lit erary schools. Many are to-day bless ing the Sabbath-school because within its walls they received the rud iments of an education both literary and religious. 1 have heard some fair scholars, and devoted, intelligent Christians say they were indebted to the Sabbath-school as the humble means, in the hand of God, for what they were, both as scholars and as Christians. But while spelling, read ing, and even writing, have sometimes, under the circumstances I have named, been taught in the Sabbath-school, yet the Bible is, and should always be, the leading text book, and all the rest that is taught should only be prepara tory to the study of its precious pages. The misrepresentations and slan ders dealt out so lavishly by some of our neighbors, in regard to Sab bath-school or theological instruc tion, has caused some of our weaker brethren and sisters to err, in neglect ing their duty, and thereby to live de void, to a great extent, of the real joy of God’s salvation. Some have been much worried at hearing repeatedly unfounded anathemas and reproach ful stigmas hurled at us, both from the sacred stand and the private circle. A good, but weak sister remarked to me a short time since that she had been much hurt by a remark made by Parson about me, but says she, “I know it is not true, and told him so.” “YVhat was the remark ?” I en quired. “He said that you had studied theology, but I know it is not true,” said the sister. “YVhy, my dear sister,” said I, “you surely do not intend to disgrace me by saying I never studied theology; I have been a sort of theo logical student for near twenty years.” “You don’t say so," said she in aston ishment, “how sorry I am." “Do you know what theology is?” I enquired. “I don’t know that I do exactly,” said the sister, “but I have heard it spoken of as being something very bad.” “Let me tell you, my sister, that theology is nothing more nor less than the studv of the Bible, and if people who hurl thj|ir epithets of condemriation at those who are trying to do their Master’s will, would be theological students themselves, we would have a much bet ter world.” And this, brethren, is what we understand a Sunday-school to be —a little theological school —a school where the people meet to study that best of all books, the Bible. Our text fells us that we are hot only to receive the precious truths ourselves, but to teach them to our children and neighbors. This brings us to notice in the next place— i. The history of the institution. Somq have claimed that Sabbath schopls are of recent origin, and, like the nptishroom that springeth up in the night and withereth in the morn ing, they will soon be numbered with the things that are past. Let us come now to examine their history, and see if, indeed, they are like the fungus nuisance of which we have just spoken, or like the durable rock that has stood the storms for ages, and is likely to stand them much longer. I hold in my hand two books, these I expect to use in proving my positions in regard to the Sabbath-school cause. One is entitled “Raikes and his schools.” It is publihsed by the Amer ican Baptist Publication Society, and is considered by all, so far as I know, to be a true and faithful history of the Su tday-school cause. The other is the Holy Bible. By the aid of these tw4> books I hope to be able to trace Sabbath-schools back from the pres ent through many centuries. i st. Sabbath Schools in Georgia. I suppose no one will deny the ex istence of Sabbath-schools now in Georgia. The delegates composing this Sab bath-school Convention arc the repre sentatives of different Sabbath-schools within the bounds of this Asssociation. Sabbath schools are in existence, then, right amongst us, and we have the chance of witnessing their workings, if we desire. Many persons are here to day who will testify to the fact that Sabbath-schools did exist as long ago as they can remember; and many church records show Sabbath-schools to have existed in our beloved State long before the birth of the oldest per sons in our country. The first Sabbath-school erer or ganized in this State was in Savannah, in the year 1737, “by the Rev. John Wesley, which was continued by his brother, the Rev. Charles Wesley, and the Rev. George Whitfield.” (See Raikes, page 144.) This school was or ganized before any BaptisfWbsited 'the State, so far as we can learn. The first Baptist organization of which we have any account iu Georgia was, pro bably, a branch of the Charleston church, organized about the year 1769, in the city of Savannah. YVe do not know whether or not this little body of Christians had a Sabbath-school, but we do know that Sabbath-schools were taught in Baptist churches, not a great, many years after, in the Eastern part of the State as well as iu the city. An aged minister told me a few days ago that he is indebted to the Sabbath school, under God, for all he is as a Christian, and Biblical scholar. He walked eleven miles every Sabbath to attend school in a Baptist meeting house, quite a half century ago. In this school he received bis first relig ious impressions, and he learned to love the Bible. We verily believe from all we can learn that Sabbath - schools have existed in our beloved State for one hundred and thirty - eight yeafs. The little spark first kindled in our metropolis was fanned into a mighty flame, that spread iu pace with civilization and Christianity, and lias rolled on and on until now, as true re ligion is planting its footsteps in our part of the State, and we are begin iug to be, blessed with its luminous beams; and wo believe it will continue to spread until every part of our land will be illuminated by its effulgent rays. But let us now notice (2,1) the Sab bath-school movement in other parts of the United States. I will again read from Raikes, page 163: “We have recently met with a state ment which claims th 6 first Sunday school in the State of Virginia to have been organised iu the Baptist meeting house, called Ground Squirrel, in the county of Hanover, on the second Sabbath in April, 1816; the same year, it will be observed, as the one com menced at Lynchburg.” We learn from this that our own people advocated Sabbath-schools in 1816. And if you will turn to page 149, you will find that the Baptists were warm-hearted advocates of the beloved cause long before the organi zation of the Sabbath.school at Ground Squirrel. I will read: “The fifty-third anniversary of the Broadway Baptist Sunday-school, in Baltimore, was cele brated in 1847.” That makes this school date back to 1794. That makes Sabbath-schools date back in our de nomination eighty-one years. But our brethren, the German Seventh-day Baptists, date farther back than we do. (See Raikes, p. 144) “In the same year, (1740), the German Seventh-day Baptists, at Elphrata, in Pennsylvania, commenced a Sabbath-sohool.” This dates back 135 years. “As early as 1784, the Methodist TgE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. ministers and preachers were required,! by the Dec-ipline, wherever there were ten children, whose parents were mem bers, to meet them at least an hour every week for purposes of religious instruction.’’ Rev. P. D. Gorrie, in his history of the Methodist Episco pal church, sayß;“as early as 1786, Sunday-schools were established in the Methodist Episcopal church in the United States, through the agency of Bisb >p Asbury.” (Raikes,pp. 144,145.) “In 1740, t he Rev. Dr. Joseph Bellamy,' of Bethlehem, Connecticut, established a Sunday-3chool in that town, which has continued, with some modifica tions, until this day.” (Raikes, 144.)- This same school has been in exist encp 135 years. The Pilgrim Fathers, who left their native land in search of an asylum where they could worship their God" 1 “according to the dictates of their own consciences,” were the first peo ple of whom we have any ac count that advocated Sabbath-schools in the United States. Their church re cord shows that as early as 1680, they had a Sabbath-school taught for the, benefit of the young in their congrega tions, during the intermission on the Sabbath. The vote of the church was in these words : “That the deacons be requested to assist the ministers id" teaching the children during the inter- mission on the Sabbath.” (Raikes, pp. 143, 144 ) This school might have existed long before this date. The resolution does not say that the school was then organized, but “ that the deacons be requested to aid the ministers,” etc., which seems to imply that the school existed previous to that time and that the church decided aL, that time that the minister needed help in his arduous task, and requested the deacons to give the necessary help. But if the school was not organized until the year 1680, that would be able to trace the Sunday-school cause back in the United States nearly two hun dred years. That seems a little aston ishing, no doubt, to those who hav-e] been taught to regard the Sabbath- j school as a thing of very recent origin, j We have not named near all the histo-j ry we have to prove tbe existence of Sabba‘h-schools in the United States, but we think quite enough has been said upon tbe subject to satisfy any unprejudiced mind that Sabbath schools have existed in tbe United States for nearly two hundred yearsfc If, however, any one should not be istied from what wo have said thus fat, we recommend a careful perusal of this little book. (Raikes and his Schools^* We will come now to speak— B 3d. Of Sabbath sclw(> s gn side'the Atlantic. r It lias been asserted that Robert Raikes was the originator of Sabbath schools. This is undoubtedly an error, for as we have already seen a school was organized as early as 1680 in the United States, which was before bis birth -he having been born Sept. 14, 1736. We have found, also, that two schools was organized as early as 1740, which was only four years after the birth of Raikes. Raikes cannot, there fore, lie considered the first man who conceived the idea of organizing the benefits accruing from a Sabbath school. Yet he was the first to bring tbe plans of Sabbath-schools into prominent notice. When he began his work in his schools, no doubt be be lieved lie was the originator, and thought bo stood all alone in bis great j work. But others hail advocated the cause long before his day, but their [ work had been limited to a small com- i pass, and nothing had been published | upon the subject. His biographer says : (pp. 18, lib) “It is true that Robert Raikes first brought the system into prominent notice, and employed means to extend it, but it would seem that when he began the work he bad no idea of what it would come to; others, whether he knew it or not, had engaged in the hapny task.” He tells us the beginning of his scheme was entirely owing to accident. Being called into a part of the city on some business, where the poor class reside, he was shocked at the appear- j ance and manners of some children he I saw playing iu the streets. Upon in quiry, he learned it was much worse on the Sabbath, because then the children that were employed during the week, were turned loose with the profane idlers he found in the streets in the weekday. He thought, upon learning this, that it would be, at least, harm less to organize Sabbath-sehools for j the benefit of those neglected children, i He set to work, and soon had several flourishing Sabbath-schools in exist-' enee, where the children were taught | to spell, read, write, and learn hymns, j the catechism, and verses from the j Bible. He found his plans received' the Divine approbation, and he con-; tinued to extend them. He published several artitles, the first of which was printed November 30,1783; as well as a great many private letters, some of which have been given to the public. His published letters caused many to think of the plan, and consider the great importance of Sabbath-school instruction, and in a short time num bers of schools were started in differ, ent parts of the country. Almost every denomination of Christians caught up the idea, and schools were taught in nearly all the churches throughout the land. Among the many religious philan throphists who advocated the cruse of Sabbath-schools was one William Fox, a pious devoted member of the Bap tist church. William Fox was born fie same year which gave birth to liaikes, and in the same county. His father died while William was quite young, and leaving but a small inheri tance for his children. William was driven while young to depend upon his own labor for maintenance, and by his honesty, industry and frugality, soon amassed quite a fortune. “His heart, however, was not allowed by the God to whom he had given it, to place an inordinate love on the objects of earth. His business required him to take fre- Auent journeys into different parts of England, and he soon began deeply to deplore the ignorance and vices of a large portion of the population. He proposed to his most intimate friends -the formation of a society by which every poor person in the kingdom should be taught to read.” (Raikes, pp. 57, 58.) The plan of hiring teachers to teach all the time, was considered entirely too expensive by the society, and the plan was soon abandoned. Just at this time Mr. Fox’s attention was directed to Mr. Raikes’ Sabbath-school, and thinking much good could be acecom nlished by schools taught on the Sab 'bath, he wrote to Mr. Raikes on the j 15th day of June, 1785. Mr. Raikes gave him the necessary infor mation, and the society adopted Mr. Raikes’ plan of Sabbath education. “The result of Mr. Fox’s labors, who .was greatly encouraged by Mr. Raikes’ correspondence, was the organization of a society which has proved a most in valuable blessing, and which is still ex .tensivelv useful as the society for PROMOTING SUNDAY-SCHOOLS THROUGH PUT the British dominions, or as ab breviated, THE SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY. (Raikes, pp. 62.) We see from these facts that Sab bath-schools were first brought into prominent notice bv Robert Raikes, and tbe first society for the promotion Rif Sabbath-schools was brought into jixistenee through the influence of BVilliam Fox, about a century ago. Let pis see if any schools existed in Europe f>rior to those established by Raikes. About the year 1767, “the very dis tinguished John Frederic Oberlin, pas tor of Wald back, in the Ban de la Roche, commenced his Sabbath schools.” (Raikes, pp. 17. 1 In the year 1667, a Miss Hannah Ball, of High Wycombe, a small town in Buckinghamshire, about thirty-five miles West of London, collected to gether a number of poor children, faughr them to read the Scriptures, to Itarnth* 1 Episcopal catechism, and re.. Collect for the day before they accompanied her to Divine worship.” (Raikes, pp. 19.) “It has been said that the distinguish ed Joseph Alleine, author of the Alarm to the Unconverted, it ad a Sunday school attached to his church at Taun ton, Somersetshire, as early as the year 168S” (Raikes, p. 19.) Eustage, in his Classical Tour, speak ing of the celebrated Charles Borro meo, who died in 1584, says: “Many of his excellent institutions still re main, and among others that of Sun day-schools.'' (Raikes, p. 15.) This great and good man died in 1584, so his schools were organized previous to that time. It appears that as early as 1521, Luther “laid the foundation of the magnificent organization of schools to which Germany owes so much of her present fame. At the same time, religious schools on the Lord’s day were established, and were devoted to the study of a Biblical catechist, singing the prai.-es of God, and the great duty of prayer.” (Raikes, p. 14.) We learn from these historical facts that Sabbath-schools have existed for three hundred years, and were brought into prominent notice about one hun dred years ago, and a society form and for their promotion, and since that time they have become general, both in the old and new world. But did Sabbath-schools exist prior to Luther’s day? \\ r e think they did. "In every age of the church we seem to meet with its germs , but it was not till the beginning of the Reformation in the sixteenth century, that the scheme began, by the providence of God, to be developed as we now see it." (Raikes, p. T 4.) But let us now pass over several cen turies coming to the commencement of the Christian era, and remark : 3d. Jesus taught Sabbath-schools. It would make no difference with us who originated the plan, or who brought it into notice, or who advoca ted it, if there were no authority for it in the B.ble. But we think we have au thority for it in this blessed book, both by precept and example, and we ex pect to labor for the time-honored and divinely blest institution as long as we live, or until we are convinced that v. e have not read aright. Let us go ‘.O the Bible, the infallible rule for instruc tion. A gentleman told me a few days ago that a friend of mine, who had always been taught to repudiate Sabbath schools as something that came from ihe devil, was interested upon the Sab bath-school question, after seeing the workings of one, and that he had gone to the Bible to see if there is any war rant in its precious pages for the insti tution. I remarked to the gentleman “ that if our friend hate decided to search the Scriptures for information, when he gets through, he will be a strong advocate for Sabbath-schools.” I found my piognostications to be true. He is thoroughly convinced that God commands Sabbath-school teach ing, and he is, to-day, a lively advocate for Sabbath-schools. And I believe, my brethren, that every honest-hearted, thinking man, that possesses the saving grace of God, and one particle of religious philan thropy, who will lay down prejudice, and consent to be governed by the Word of God, and not by non-fellow ship articles, or other unscriptural laws, passed by associations which love to lord it over God's heritage, will be an advocate for Sabbath-schools. But let us see if Jesus taught a Sab bath-school. You remember we told you in the outset that sometimes we find the description of an institution in history and it not named, or it may be called by a different name from the one to which we are accustomed We do not claim to be able to find the in stitution named in the Bible, but we claim to be able to find a school taught on the Sabbath day, in which the old and young met to be taught the truths of the Bible, and that, you remember, is our definition of a Sabbath-school. Well, now, to our task, if you will turn to Mark vi: 2, you will find this historical truth recorded : “And when the Sabbath day was come, he began to teach in tbe synagogue.” We claim that on that o.casion Je sus taught a Sabbath-school, in the strict sense of that term. The people assembled in the synagogue —the place of worship —on the Sabbath day, and were taught. Was not that a Sabbath school? There were pupils, there was a teacher, and he taught those pupils on the Sabbath day. That, then, was a Sabbath-school, and Jesus was the teacher. But some of the opposers of the in stitution may argue that it was only once he did this. Turn to Luke iv : 16. “And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read.” When you go home, get your Bibles and read the whole of the lesson he chose for that Sabbath, and the explanation he gave to his pupils on the lesson, which you will find to close with the twenty-sev enth verse. You see that it was his custom to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and teach. Then we argue Jesus was in the custom of teach ing a Sabbath-school. YVe claim that our well-conducted schools of the pres ent day are similar to the Sabbath schools Jesus taught. Let ns compare them : Ist. It was the custom of Jesus to go intq J:he synagogue pn the Sabbath day and teacn. ' It is the custom of our Sabbath school teachers to go into the house of worship and teach on the Sabbath day. 2d. He read the Scriptures. So do our teachers 3d. He explained the lesson which he had read. That is what our teach ers do to the best of their ability. An other similarity also exists. 4th. His enemies were displeased with His doctrines, and thrust him out of the city, and would have killed him if they could. Our enemies are dis pleased with the doctrine we teach— persecute us to as great an extent as they can, and would east us out and kill us, no doubt, if the law did not protect us. But some people have be come remarkably wise in thege latter days ; yes, wise above what is written. Some have discovered that it is wrong to preach to sinners, and will tell the unconverted of their congregations they have nothing for them. I was told a minister not long since said to the unconverted iu his congregation, “ Sinner, I have not a word for you, only do not be overly much wicked." Now, if it is wrong to preach to sin ners, it is not right to teach in the Sab bath-school, for there we admit all the unconverted who will come, and try to teach them the way of salvation. But we know it is right to teach the uncon verted, because Jesus did so in His Sabba*h-schools. YVe read where Jesus “ marveled because of the unbelief ” of some of his Sabbath-school pupils. Mark, vi: 6. Again, it may be said that we admit children in our schools, but Jesus did not. YVonderful discov ery. He who said “ Suffer little chil dren to come unto Me, and forbid them not,” never said keep them away. Jesus instructed the children, and they received the irst 'uction, and the chief priests and scribes were displeas ed because they believed in the Saviour and cried in the temple, saying, “ Ho sannah to the Son of David.” The dear children were converted, and praised God. Mat. xxi: 15. YVe then have authority for Sabbath schools from the example of our blessed Saviour. But let us remark : 4th. We still find the germ of the Sab bath-school farther back than the nativity of our Saviour in the world. If you will turn to that beautiful and impressive Psalm of David, in the thirty-fourth chapter you will find that David believed just as we do ; that the children should be taught “the fear of the Lord.” David says iu the eleventh verse “Come ye children, hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” David here had a theo logical school among the children whether he taught it on the Sabbath or not. Those who are opposed to teaching children those things that pertain to God or godliness, surely never got as far back in their reading as the thirty-fourth Psalm of David, or else they are like the anti-Misslona ary brother I once heard of, who said, “ I know brother Paul says we should lay by us in store on the first day of the week, as the Lid has prospered us,” but I have as p:od a right to my opinion as brotht. Paul has to his, and I,therefore, beg ive to differ with brother Paul." I t ppose those who are opposed to tL teaching of Bi ble truths to child 1 would beg leave to differ with Dav 1. But David was not the only Bible aaracter that be lieved in teaching children, and invit ing tbe young as well as the old to a compassionate and merciful Saviour. Turn to Ecclesiastes, xii: 1, and you find where David’s Son, being im pressed with the same philanthropic spirit of the sweet songster of Israel, gave this invitation to the young: “ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them.” We might call your atten tion to many other passages of like im port, but our time flies too fast. The Bible is full of them, and he who reads with an unprejudiced mind cannot fail to find them. We will now ask you to notice our text, and close this part of our subject. We are commanded in the text to teach something to our children. What is it ? The very same we are to have in our heart. What is that? See verses 4 and 5: “ The Lord, our God, is one Lord ; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Now, God says in verse 6th : “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. Who, after reading this can deny its being right to teach our children those things that we ourselves have learned. What God commands us to teach them covers the whole plan o: salvation, for Jesus says, “on these two command ments hang all the law and the proph ets.” We are to teach them the truths of tbe Bible, and leave the result with God, who will work all things after the counsel of His own will. So we have, step by step traced Sab bath-schools .back from the present to the time of the command by God, through Moses, to teach our children, and we find that the historian spoke truthfully, when he declared that the germ might be found in all ages of the church. In the days of Moses, the command was given, “teach these things diligently unto thy children.” From that time the work went ou, in df limited aijrainl noticed way, until God raised up Raikes to give it publicity, and Fox to organ ize a society for its promotion. Then it began to spread, wider and wider, and to extend itself farther and farther, until it has grown to its present gigan tic size, and we trust ere long, will bring the gladsome sound of the Gos pel to thousands who have never yet heard the name of Jesus. This brings us to our next division. 111. A nsiver to objections raised against the institution. 1. It has been urged against Sabbath schools, that the unconverted cannot un derstand the truth, and, therefore, ought not to be taughc. If the premises in this objection were true, we would admit tbe conclu sion, but we deny the premises for sev eral reasons. Men are rational, intelligent beings, capable of studying and understand ing any science. YVe teach profane history in our literay schools, and our pupils understsnd it; why should they not be able to understand sacred his tory ? Can your children understand the history of George Washington, or Lee, or Jackson, and not be capable of understanding the history of Joseph or David, or Samuel or Jesus ? Can they study and understand the laws of their State, and not be capable of under standing the moral code given in the Bible ? God has endowed us with in tellects through which He has chosen to operate upon our hearts. I will admit, ho wever, that some of the doctrines of salvation cannot be understood before the student is con verted. For instance the doctrine of regeneration cannot be correctly un derstood until the student of the doc trine experiences the new birth. But there are a great many truths that we can teach to the unconverted, which they are capable of understanding, and through which we hope God will apply His saving grace. If it be true that the unconverted cannot understand the truths of the Bible, why are we commanded to teach these things to our children ? It is said that secret things belong to God, and revealed things to us and our children. YVhy did David, Solomon and Jesus teach the unconverted (and even un converted children) if they were inca pable of understanding ? YVhy did Peter preach to the immense multitude of unconverted people on the day of Pentecost if they could not under stand ? YYTiy did Phillip preach to Enoch before he was converted if he could not understand ? YVhy was Timothy taught the Scriptures from a child if he could not understand them ? Paul commended his education, and said the Scripture he had learned was able to make him wise unto salva tion through faith which is in Christ Jesus. I want you to turn to that