The Duty of the Church in Relation to Sunday Schools [pp. 377-393]

in relation to Sunday Schools.
have lost, than by concentrating their force upon a measure
which may place the interests of religion many years in advance of its ordinary progression? There are also many
other persons in the Church who could readily contribute to
this cause. The ministry, and men of talent in other professions, would consult their own religious improvement, and be
acting an important part in the moral enterprise of the day by
making their intellectual resources contribute to the advancement of Christian education. Female talent is peculiarly fitted for this service; and at this day a fairer opportunity is
afforded them of obeying the apostle's exhortation to be
xaxoUS7 xax~U, "teachers of good things," than they have enjoyed since he intimated it to Titus.
In the view of the present condition of this cause, there
is, surely, reason to fear that its pretensions have been overlooked. It is a great scheme of domestic missionary enterprise, and is the conservative of all the other branches of
evangelical effort. Establish schools in every church for the
religious education of all classes, from infancy to old age;
make every qualified member an agent in some department
of the operations, and a large number of ministers will be
raised up for the service of Pagan nations. Form a great
Christian bond of fellowship to unite the various sections of
the Church in holy concord and combination, and every
teacher and thousands of scholars will be gratuitous agents for
the dissemination of the Bible and of tracts. On this ground
the hostilities of sectarism may be slain, and the universal
Church ally for Christ and for the cross. "No such singular
conjuncture of symptoms throughout the world, has ever before invited the activity and zeal of Christians. And if the
pressure of responsibility is at all times great upon them, in
this behalf, it has acquired now a treble weight; inasmuch as
it seems as if the antagonist powers were fast drawing off from
the field. Looking out to the long and many-coloured array
of ghostly domination, as it stretches its lines across plains
and hills, we discern movement; but it is the stir of retreat.
Encampments are breaking up; barriers are trampled upon;
standards are furled; the clarion of dismay is sounded. This
-this then, is the hour for the hosts of the Lord to snatch their
weapons and be up!" ~
' Saturday Evening.' Art. it.
393