THE Sabbath-school is not, and was never designed to be, a substitute for home instruction. The Sunday-school, as first organized by Robert Raikes in England, was for the benefit of children of irreligious parents. It was begun because of parental neglect, as an assistance to parents, and not as something to take their place. The work of the school and the home are in perfect harmony; it therefore becomes important to know how the labors of each can be so combined as to produce the best results. The object of this paper is to consider the question, How can parents render most assistance in the work of the school? I answer:—
1. By attending the school themselves. If you are never present, how can you understand what the teachers and officers of the school are trying to accomplish for its members? And how can you make your children realize that it is important for them to attend? If you cannot attend regularly, be present as often as possible, say once a month, so as to keep pace with the work.
I was impressed by the remark of the pastor of one of our churches not long ago. The question was raised by a visitor in the Sabbath-school, "Your church is full now, and what will you do when the people come to meeting?" The reply was, "Our church is here now. The church is the school, and the school is the church." This is as it should be. It has often been stated that the Sabbath-school is the nursery of the church; but we are glad that the facts justify the statement that the Sabbath-school has outgrown this title. It has now quite generally come to be the church school.
2. Be earnest Christians at home. Manifest a deep interest in religious things in the home circle. The school is the place where are taught the principles of holy living. But if the children see no regard paid to these principles by those whom they are taught to love and honor at home, how can they regard them as of any great importance? Precept and example must go together, or much of the effect of good teaching will be lost.
3. Assist the children to prepare their lessons. I am aware that where there are several children in the family, each perhaps having a different lesson, and none able to fully master it alone, it requires considerable patience, perseverance, and time, usually upon the part of the mother, to help each. But there is no investment which yields better returns. Look at those who have received such instructions in early years. Timothy, we read, was taught the holy Scriptures from a child. And what mother would not put forth any effort to have one of her sons become a Timothy? Again, how was the knowledge of God preserved during the darkest period of this world's history? Simply by the faithfulness of a few God-fearing parents in teaching the Bible to their children. Suppose the Waldensian fathers and mothers had said that they had no time to teach the Scriptures to their children, that it took all their time and strength to prepare food and clothing for them; what would have been the condition of the world to-day?
From every Christian home should ascend a tribute of praise that these early followers of Jesus remained firm to the principles of truth. These principles were more precious to them than houses and lands, friends, kindred, or even life itself. "From earliest childhood," says a recent writer, "the youth were taught the Scriptures. Copies of the Bible were rare; therefore its precious words were committed to memory. Many were able to repeat large portions of both the Old and the New Testaments. Thoughts of God were associated alike with the sublime scenery of nature and with the humble blessings of daily life. Parents, tender and affectionate as they were, loved their children too wisely to accustom them to self-indulgence. Before them was a life of trial and hardship, perhaps a martyr's death. They were therefore educated to endure hardness, to submit to control, and yet to think and act for themselves."
Shall parents in our day be less careful to implant sound religious principles in the minds of their children? We know not what trials await the youth of to-day. We know not how soon not only the youth, but the aged, the middle aged, and the children may be plunged into a time of trouble such as never was. And what better preparation can parents now give their children than that given to the youth of the Piedmont Valleys?
"Yes," we hear you saying, "we are thoroughly convinced of the necessity of teaching our children the Bible, and we have resolved again and again to attend more faithfully to this duty; but it seems just impossible for those who have so much to do as most of us have, to find time for this work." Does it? Let us see if there are not ways in which it could be done, if the habit were once established.
First, let the season of family worship be made interesting and instructive. Let the children understand that they will be called upon early in each week to tell where in the Bible their lesson for the next Sabbath is found, and then let the one who conducts the exercise read the passage specified, slowly and distinctly, pausing occasionally to explain or to question, so as to keep the attention of all. As family worship is often conducted, if the question, "What have we just been reading about?" were unexpectedly asked, in nine cases out of ten even the older ones would not be able to tell, but would be obliged to confess that, perhaps unconsciously, their minds had been wandering upon some business transaction or household duty.
Let the season be made interesting to the children, and it will be profitable for all. One of the best ways to do this is to read some historical portion of the Bible by course. I once heard the book of Acts read in this way. A small map was kept hanging on the wall, and some member of the family would trace the course of the apostle Paul, as he journeyed from place to place. Only the usual time of family worship was thus spent each day, but when the book was finished almost any member of the family could tell what places Paul visited, and the principal events that there transpired.
The hour of prayer might also be enlivened by singing. A certain writer well said: "If there is but little musical talent in the family, let that little be given to the Lord."
Another way to increase the interest in Bible study, and consequently in the Sabbath-school, is to make the Sabbath pleasant. Set apart an hour that shall be the children's hour. Question each one about the experience of the day, about the lesson, the singing, the words of the teacher or the superintendent. Make them feel that you are interested in whatever interests them. Then go through the lesson for the next Sabbath with them. If they manifest a reluctance to study, try to make it so interesting to them that they will learn to love it. It may be necessary sometimes to force children to study, but in general very little good is accomplished by it. If you wish to pour water into a bottle, first take out the cork. If you want children to study the Bible, first take away the idea that it is a dull, uninteresting book.
With very little ones it is often necessary to watch for an opportunity to teach them the lesson. It is almost useless to try to teach them when they are tired or when you are in a hurry. Hence the danger of leaving their lesson to be learned the last of the week. The very best way is to begin on the Sabbath, and talk about it a little every day. Become so familiar with the lesson that you can ask many of the questions while you are about your work. It will not take any longer to do your work, and it will give the children something useful to think and talk about, and will keep them out of a great deal of mischief. Try it, you who have mischievous little ones at home, and see if it does not work well.
If there are any hard questions in the lesson, a week's drill will make them comparatively easy. One little four-year-old had a hard time to remember who was the oldest man; but after the question had been put to her half a dozen times a day for two or three days, she mastered the name perfectly, and the rest of the week went around singing, "Methuselah, Methuselah." Without doubt that name will never be forgotten by her.
There is another opportunity that is often allowed to pass unimproved, and that is the meal-time. At least twice a day the members of the family gather around the board to partake of food to nourish the body. What a fitting time to partake of the bread of life as found in the word of God. I never beheld a more615lovely scene than that of a family of eight children seated around the breakfast table with hands folded, each in turn following the example of the father in repeating a verse of Scripture. The mother's verse closed the exercise, and then with bowed heads all listened while the father returned thanks to the Giver of all blessings. If one had forgotten to prepare a verse the evening before, he was allowed to repeat one previously learned.
The table affords an excellent opportunity for almost any kind of education. Hygienic principles alone demand that meals should not be eaten in silence; neither is the idle gossip of the town a worthy theme for such occasions. "The conversation of the table should be of a kind to interest all members of the family; hence it should vary to suit the age and intelligence of those who form the circle."
"Table talk may be enriched, and at the same time the intelligence of all the members of the family may be advanced, by bringing out at least one new fact at each meal to be added to the common fund of knowledge. Suppose there are two or three children at the table, varying in their ages from five to twelve. Let the father or mother introduce some subject during the meal which will be both interesting and profitable to the younger members of the family. It may be some historical incident, or some scientific fact, or some Bible subject. The subject should not be above the capacity of those for whose special benefit it was introduced, nor should too much be attempted at one time. One single fact, clearly presented and firmly impressed, is better then whole chapters poured out in a confused jargon.
"A little thought will show the rich outcome of a system like this, if faithfully followed through a series of years. If but one fact is presented at every meal, there will be a thousand things taught to the children in a year. If the subjects are wisely chosen, the fund of knowledge communicated in this way will be of no inconsiderable value. A whole system of education lies in this suggestion; for, besides the communication of important knowledge, the habit of mental activity is stimulated, interest is awakened in lines of study and research which may afterwards be followed out, tastes are improved, while the effect upon the family life is elevating and refining." So says one who has had years of experience, and so will all say who carry out his suggestions.
Let it ever be kept in mind that, as one writer has expressed it, "Boys are the raw material on which the good and bad men are made," and also that "character is the aggregate of surroundings, the sum total of parents, time, place, light, air, food," etc., and it will assist greatly in finding the needed time to devote to storing your minds and the minds of your children with a good knowledge of God and his word.
A professor of ancient classics one day astonished a friend by stating that he had opened a class for French. "What," asked his friend, "are you a master of that language also?" "Oh, no;" was the ingenious reply; "you see I wish to learn it." Although this may seem rather hard on the pupils who wished to learn French, the rule could be adopted by Christian parents without incurring his risk. If you think it impossible for you to find time to teach your children, resolve that you will begin at once, and you will soon learn how you can find the time. Doubtless enough time is wasted every day in vain, useless conversation, even while your hands may be busy to fill the mind of many a child with good and noble thoughts and aspirations.
Every parent should be a teacher. A clear conception of the relation which children sustain to God, and a firm belief that the Saviour is soon to appear, afford the truest inspiration for their religious instruction. It is a work that cannot be begun too early, and it should be carried on in the simplest, pleasantest manner possible. The discipline should be such as will call forth and cherish the good instead of merely restraining the evil; such as will create a love for God and the study of his word, rather than a dislike for anything pertaining to religion.
This is a work which parents cannot leave wholly with the teachers in the Sabbath-school. What can these teachers do with hardly an hour a week? True, an interesting school is a great stimulus both to parents and children; but the work of religious instruction requires constant care and faithful application. It should be administered as daily food, and not as medicine, in doses at stated times. There is no question but that if the garden of the home life were properly cultivated, the harvest of souls brought into the school and the church would be much more abundant. And now abideth the church, the school, and the home; but the greatest of these is home.