ple generally in favour of Sunday. schools, and desirous to have one in their own settlement. On inquiring for a suitable person for a teacher, they all directed me to the same individual, their "schoolmaster." As I was passing towards his house, I met one of the inhabitants, and stopped to converse with him, on the subject of Sunday-schools, &c. I inquired who would be the most suitable person for a teacher? "Ah!" said he, "I dont know, for there is none of them that have any regard to the Sabbath. Most of them are profane, and but few of them can read." I then alluded to the "schoolmaster." "Yes," said he, "he is the best qualified for the business, but he is a Deist, and has no regard for the Sabbath, and is intemperate." I found this schoolmaster quite zealous for a Sunday-school; he had even attempted to establish one himself. But I was satisfied from his appearance, that the statement of his neighbour respecting him was true, and therefore did not establish a school, though there are fifty children in the place. . Another obstacle, especially to winter schools, is the want of a place to meet in. Unless the children can find a warm house, they will hardly be tempted to face a strong N. W. wind over two or three miles of open prairie. The third obstacle, and that which outweighs all the rest, is the extreme ignorance of the parents, which prevents them not only from engaging in the instruction of their children, but from appreciating the instruction they receive from others. The forming of county unions, and the making schools auxiliary to the American Sunday-School, Union, is out of the question. There are what are called the -,who are very bitter. One of their ministers refused to preach in the room where the Sunday-school was held, merely because the Sundayschool was held there. I have met several Deists who oppose Sundayschools with great violence. but expired in two years, and several others in other places have died away. At settlement only two persons were at all qualified as teachers, and they attended meeting a great way off. Three miles farther, I could do nothing; the only three men qualified being preachers. Next place, same difficulty. At C-, got things nicely under way, when an elderly brother rose and said, that there was a rumour that the Presbyterians were trying to establish a national religion, their petitions to congress about the mails showed it, and now it comes out in Sunday-schools. Professors of religion here, (by the way,) of different churches, go to market, visit, cut wood for the fire, lay plans for the week, &c., on the Sabbath as on any other day. An old clergyman told me plainly that he was opposed to Sunday-schools. In conversation with two others, one of them said, he did "not like Sabbath-schools, for where he had been, the children run over and destroyed the water melon patches," that it was a moneymaking business; that the society had a great heap of old books to get rid of, and wanted to give employment to individuals in getting rid of them, and at any rate, there is some yankee trick or cheat about it. He said he had rather have a day school, and that preachers generally thought as he did, and I expect they do. ( January 1830. During the last week that I remained in county, I received intelligence almost every day from one. place or another that I had visited. From five places I received intelligence incidentally, that they had organized schools and were going on prosperously. Two of the schools commenced with about 40 scholars each, and the number increasing. I visited Mr. S who mentioned "About the following circumstance: two years ago Mr. (now about 30 years old) commenced learning his letters in a Sunday-school in North Carolina. Last spring he removed to -, near the place where I then lived, and proposed to me to establish a Sunday-school. We went III. ANNUAL SUBSCRIBERS. By the payment of three dollars and upwards. Robert Wallace, 1829, 1830, Wm. Alexander, Wm. Leech, Huntsville, A. 6.00 3.00 1830, 3.00 66 3.00 3 00 1829-30, 6 00 6:00 1830, 3.00 166 3.00 3.00 1829-30, 6 00 A Friend, do. do. Sunbury, Geo. A Friend to the Am. S. S. U. being one half of his Subscription of 500, per Rev. R. Baird, General Agent, Eighth Pres. Ch. Philad. of which Rev. Wm. L. McCalla is Pastor, being the amount of their Subscriptions and Donations, per Rev. Robert Baird, General Agent, First Pres. Ch. N. Liberties Philad of which Rev. James Patterson, is Pastor, on account of Subscriptions and donations, of which 830, is from Mr.. George Wilson, to constitute him a Life Member, per Rev. R. Baird, General Agent, +Edward Davenport, Petersburgh, Va. 10 00 30 00 3.00 +John Myrich, do. 10 00 +Jane Taylor, do. 10 00 †Griffin Orgain, do. 10 00 12 00 +H. Whitmore, dò. †J. S. Brander, do. +Martin Eaton, do. 5 00 5 00 15.00 5.00 †A. B. do. +James C. Crane, +H. Belden, do. +Lewis Webb, do. +Hugh Nelson, do. †James Riddle, do. †John Walthall, do. +Frances Follet, do. +Cash, do. 5,00 +James Dwight, do. 5.00 +Cash, do. tJ. C. Swan, do. 5. 00 +David Dunlap, do. 5 00 5,00 5,00 5.00 5:00 5:00 +Charles Holt, Jr. do. +Geo. Hutchinson, do. +Young Pankey, do. +Cash, do. +William Roulett, do. +James Caskie, do. +Madison Walthall, do. +John Mosby, do. +James Sizer, do. +G. Lucke, do: +Cash, do.' 10 0010:00 10 00 5.00 5.00 5 00 5.00 5 00 5.00 5.00 5 00 5 00 5 00 5.00 5 00 5 00 5.00 +Samuel Freeman, do. 5:00 5 00 5.00 5 00 THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL MAGAZINE APRIL, 1830. INFANT RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.. For the American Sunday-School Magazine. ADDRESSED TO SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACH ERS. [By Rev. John Brackenridge, Baltimore.] The Sunday-school system is so extensively known, and so deservedly popular, that it is quite unnecessary to take up any part of this address, in discussing its merits, or in repeating the topics, which are fitted to animate you in this important service. The object of these remarks, is to direct your attention to INFANT RE LIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. You are aware that it is the commonly received opinion, that children are scarcely fit, or even capable subjects of religious instruction, before they have attained to the age of six or seven years-and the consequence has been, that but little effort has been made toward acquainting them with "the great things of God." The same unhappy sentiment has weakened the motives of parents to send their children, at an early age, to the Sunday-school; and has gone far to abate the zeal even of the Sunday-school teacher, in behalf of their spiritual interests, when they have been found in the number of his pupils. These young immortals, with the exception of a few religious services which they scarcely understand, are almost entirely engaged on the Sabbath, as during the week, in VOL. VII.-13 "learning to read;" and until that attainment is made, religious instruction is considered premature, and all their "profiting God-ward" as prospective only. Since the work of Infant-school cultivation has been taken up by distinct societies, and schools formed for its special promotion, public opinion. among us has been slowly, but really improving on this subject. Every day is shedding new light on this field of discovery, (shall we say?) which lies fast by the fountain of life. As the principles of the Infant-school system are disclosed, and its benefits felt, we hope they will be gradually communicated to Sunday-schools, and to schools at large; until at length education will be carried several years downward, and the life of man, as to the great end of life, he sensibly extended. In the meantime, however, this momentous concern is, in a great measure, committed to the care of the Sunday-school. It is eminently a Christian institution; its work is to wield the sword of the spirit.-It has in its keeping the children of the church; its field is the world; the day of God is its time of action; it enjoys the power of Union, and the facilities of an uniform system; in its teachers, who are the flower of the land, it possesses a boundless charity, and it is followed by the smile of God. The eye of the nation is upon it, its decision will be deeply felt, and its example extensively followed, Whether it may be better for the American Sunday-school Union to establish distinct departments for Infantsunday-schools, or to carry Infant cultivation forward under the present organization, it does not become us to decide. But the candour with which the conductors of that institution have always invited criticism; the good feeling with which they have received every kind suggestion, touching improvements in their general system; and the successful progress of the institution to its present eminence, are so many public pledges that on each question as it rises, the best course will be ultimately taken. My present design will have been fully answered, if in addressing the ten thousands of their teachers, I shall be enabled to direct their serious and interested attention, individually, to the practicability and importance of Infant religious instruction. 1. In pursuing the subject, my first remark is that children are capable of receiving oral instruction on the subject of religion, as soon as they are of receiving it on any subject, (not as readily, but as really.) It will not be denied that little children are capable of receiving distinct notions in the way of instruction, about other things, much earlier than we commonly think of speaking to them of the things of God. They learn the names and uses of the things just about them, (and almost as much of their nature too as can be ever learned,) at a very early age. They very early learn leading facts on every subject that immediately concerns their little wants; and from these facts, with such instructions as we can, and do give them, they draw the necessary conclusions; and with such helps as we can and do give them, get on in life. They are ignorant and infirm, and they need to be daily taught, and daily guarded. Yet they early make the most sagacious remarks; they very soon observe with wonderful discrimination, the agents and elements around them; and assisted by our superior strength, and long experience, make rapid and safe acquirements. It is true that their senses aid them in natural things, while in religious things they do not; yet without instruction and the influence of the society of others, of what avail would be the impressions of their senses! And with religious instruction, they have conscience, (a sort of religious sense,) affections, thought, and memory and above all, they have the good spirit of God, to give impression to the facts of revelation made known to them. Their souls, though depraved, are still religious beings; that is, are capable of the knowledge of God; and by his almighty grace, capable of holy love to Him. Religious instruction is God's appointed way to their souls; and the things that "are not seen," have ideas connected with their nature, as well as "the things that are seen;" and the God of the Bible has so illustrated the spiritual, by the natural world, in his holy word, that the knowledge which a child acquires of earthly things, is made a sort of high-way, along which he may be led, to things heavenly and divine. Without divine influence, the` little child will not feel; neither will the full grown man-but the great truths of revealed religion may be so borne into his infant mind by human agency, that he will perceive them as really, though not as extensively, as the full grown man. The result, in both cases, must depend at last, we need hardly say, upon the sovereignty of God. 2. That religious instruction can be successfully imparted at a very early age to children, will further appear by considering the nature of those facts and first principles, which constitute religious knowledge. The religion of Christ is as simple as it is sublime"none can by searching find out God;" yet the way of salvation is called an " high-way," so that "the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein." In its immensity, seraphim are lost; yet its "doctrine distils" on the infant mind, like "the small rain upon the tender herb." It is a fact well adapted to humble us, that many of the leading doctrines of our holy religion, are almost as much within the grasp of infancy, as of manhood. |