Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

have arisen from necessity a number of home stations; that the residences of some godly men or women have become sanctuaries, in which the whole of those who are occupied upon the farm are gathered as catechumens. These places, therefore, are in reality Sunday schools, and taking such stations into account, I am sure I am correct in stating that in New South Wales there are at least 30,000 persons constantly under religious instruction; and if we take this average for the other colonies, we have something more than 100,000 persons so being trained. In making this statement I am sure I have toned down the figures, and I should have no hesitation in saying it is in reality more like 150,000; but I can safely say it is 110,000; and this will give an average of something like one in fourteen of the entire population, or perhaps one in twelve. I think you will consider that this is something pretty good for a new country; especially when you consider, that beyond the other difficulties, we have to contend with those that are climatic. We cannot there have our Sunday schools crowded from one end to the other; if we did, we should have, during the great heat of our summers, several of the children carried out dead every sabbath. We are therefore obliged to provide school and class-rooms with proper ventilation; which in many cases is a very serious matter to our comparatively weak churches. We have also another difficulty, which every one who thoughtfully considers for a moment the conducting of Sunday schools in such a climate, will see presents a problem which time only will solve-that is, the propriety of the separation of the young men and young females. This becomes a most important consideration, and we have found that, practically, it is one of the greatest difficulties which we have to meet; for a girl there is a woman at ten years of age. These things all come crowding upon us, and demand from us great attention, and considerable expense and care, while they seriously interfere with our christian efforts; still we have to face them, and one of my hopes is that the narration of them may set some of your men of great experience, like Mr. Cooper, or Mr. Manton, of Birmingham, who have given years of thought and labour to Sunday school operations, to see whether they cannot suggest something which will help us in our difficulties. Well, sir, great things have come out of our Sunday schools in New South Wales and the other colonies. If it were at all becoming, I could refer to one lady now in this room, who has been a noble pioneer in bringing the work of the Sunday school to apply to the ragged and those classes who go into your reformatories-one who has nobly worked in that far distant land. I am happy to say that one of the results of the establishment of Sunday schools has been to show the necessity of having ragged schools. We have been to the Government, and got them to institute reformatories; and these things, entirely flowing from Sunday schools, we believe will be glorious helps to us in our country. Might I refer to another thing? In our conference this morning one gentleman said, and I believe from his stand-point with

perfect propriety, that he had an objection to separate services. One can see that there is a dangerous tendency in this, but what are we to do in Australia? Of necessity, we must have such services, and I am glad to be able to tell you that they have worked remarkably well with us. Will you allow me also to say, that in all the denominations of our land the feeling predominates of a desire to render the day and Sunday schools amongst us most thoroughly effective. My ministerial labours have not been lengthened, but I stand here to-night with the full conviction that nothing repays the minister of the gospel more thoroughly, for all the work and time he expends upon any department of christian labour, than the Sunday school.

Rev. W. RYCROFT, of the Bahama Islands, said,-My dear christian friends, I will not intrude much upon your time at this late hour, but I would say that the Bahama Islands were the first in the western world upon which Columbus landed. They extend for 700 miles; from the Gulf of Florida on the west to the Caribbean Sea on the east ; and it is an interesting fact, that there is not a town or a settlement in the whole length of those islands which has not its house for God, and its Sunday school. Were you to visit those islands, and go into our places of worship, you would find brethren like this-[putting his hand upon the shoulder of the Rev. J. M'KENZIE WILLIAMS, a coloured minister from Demerara]. The children of our Sunday schools are as intelligent as your scholars at home. The only drawback to their advancement is the want of more of your books. Still they progress, and you will find, as they grow up in life, some of them take their place at the bar, and others at the head of mercantile establishments. We have our class-leaders and teachers; and two of our young men who are training to occupy the pulpit worthily possess the confidence of our churches. The speaker concluded his remarks with an account of a Sunday school treat, and an appeal to the friends of Sunday schools to sympathize with and aid their coloured brethren in their efforts to extend the cause in that country.

Mr. GROSER then proposed the following resolution:

"That the respectful thanks of the Committee of the Sunday School Union, and of the friends composing this meeting, be presented to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor for his kindness in granting the use of the Egyptian Hall this evening."

P. D. SWANN, ESQ., provost of Kirkcaldy, seconded the motion, which was very cordially adopted.

HENRY MANTON, ESQ., mayor of Birmingham, moved a vote of thanks to Alderman Abbiss for his kindness in consenting to preside over the meeting, and for his able and courteous conduct in the chair.

Mr. A. BENHAM, finance secretary of the Sunday School Union, seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.

The CHAIRMAN said he was greatly obliged by this mark of kindness,

and, referring to an observation made by Mr. Groser, said he hoped that if he should live to occupy the high position of chief magistrate of the city of London, he should never forget that he was once a Sunday school scholar, and subsequently a teacher, and that he should then feel as great an interest in the important work of religious instruction as he did at the present moment. He had passed through one high civic office (the shrievalty), during the term of which, although his duties were very onerous, and occupied a great deal of his time, he was always happy to take his place, as often as possible, in the Sunday school of the little village in which he resided, and derived more pleasure from his engagements there than in the honours of the post it was his privilege to fill. He hoped that feeling would never cease, and should he become, in some future year, the Lord Mayor of this great city, nothing would give him greater satisfaction than to welcome the friends of Sunday schools again in the Mansion House, and preside once more over such a meeting as the present. The hymn commencing

"From all that dwell below the skies,"

was then sung, and the Rev. Robert Robinson, of York Road Chapel, having engaged in prayer, the meeting separated.

The following Letter and Report of the progress of Sunday schools in the Canton de Vaud having been received, is here inserted in its proper place, although not read at the Meeting, for want of time :

"Lausanne, Aug. 20, 1862.

"To Mr. Hartley, Secretary of the Committee of Sunday Schools in London. "Honoured brother,—I have to thank you for your kind invitation and your fraternal offers. I regret that I cannot be present at your great reunion, but in my absence, I have thought that a short report of our work would interest you. In order that you may understand more readily, I have translated it into English, and you must be kind enough to excuse all mistakes. We sincerely hope that God will be with you in all your conferences, and will bless you for your praiseworthy efforts in favour of Sunday schools.

"SULLY JAULMES, Secretary and Missionary."

SUNDAY SCHOOLS IN THE CANTON DE VAUD. About forty years ago, a few Sunday schools were begun in Canton de Vaud, but those beginnings were very small. At Yverdon two ladies associated to receive children and instruct them, but, for three following years, they could get but one scholar. This scholar is now a converted

woman, and a most zealous teacher in the same locality, which has the benefit of four schools, attended by at least 300 children. In Lausanne, during the first revival (1830), a few young theological students began a Sunday school, which was attended by about a hundred children, and most of the lady teachers actually at work in Lausanne have been as infants in that school. Now we have here 15 schools in the town, and 5 in the suburbs, attended by at least 800 children.

But the localities thus privileged were very few, and for a long time the schools had no connection with one another; they were little thought and spoken of. Some christian people, men or women, wishing to do something for their Master, gathered silently around them a few children, and spoke to them of their Saviour, and so it went on for a long time without hardly being known. I must nevertheless mention two Sunday schools, one in Lausanne and the other in Aigle, which were opened in 1843, and which, being under the direction of the Wesleyans, received at once the whole organization of the English and American schools.

In the year 1852, there was felt a desire to have a bond between those who tried to work in this way; and a Sunday school committee was formed in Lausanne. There was then a general look-out to know where Sunday schools existed, and then 70 were found in the canton. Two years after (1854), 80 were known; in 1858, it was thought that the number was about 140, and now we can say at least 250, attended by 8,000 children.

There is already something there to encourage us, but if we consider that there is, in this canton, 750 primary day schools, attended by 35,000 children, we feel how much remains to be done. One might easily be astonished that in this country, almost altogether Protestant, and where reigns the utmost religious liberty, so many children should yet be deprived of the benefit of Sunday school instruction, but this may be the result of prejudices particular to this people, amongst which I will mention the following.

It has generally been believed here that Sunday schools are not at all necessary, for all the children are obliged by law to attend the day schools, and there they are taught the history of the Bible. Besides, there is a catechism in every church on Sunday afternoons, where many children go, but where those from 14 to 16 must go, and have no idea not to do it, for, if so, they would not be confirmed at the proper age. Now, this opinion is much modified, for many national pastors feel a great difference in teaching the children who have attended Sunday schools ; with the others, they must always begin again with the elements of religion, and they lose a time that they would have liked to employ with more solid instruction. Those ministers who are earnest in their work, hope a great deal that in the reorganization of their church (which is about to take place) the Sunday school will take its right place for the religious instruction of children. Some, even, have already begun to establish

them in their parishes; those who are most opposed (because they like nothing that might be the means of revival) dare no more speak openly against it, they merely say, they do not particularly wish for their establishment, but do not know what can be said against. Some others fear it might create some kind of disturbance, and many others tell me they would be most happy to establish them at once, had they only some one able and willing to help them.

Another fact, which shows what a change has taken place lately, has come under my notice in one of my last "tours." About two years ago, I visited, for the first time, one of the valleys in the Canton. I found there only two schools pretty flourishing, and two small ones, which had just been opened. I spoke to the pastor, and he told me he did not wish the creation of a large Sunday school, and would not take it under his patronage, for such things have always the appearance of being the work of dissenters, and it would not be liked by his people; that certainly he preferred much to have peace without a Sunday school, than war with it. But soon after, he took another parish, and his successor, a young man, seeing that so many children liked to go in the Sunday school held by a dissenting lady, thought he would have a school and keep the children to himself. What was the result? Of course the other schools were rather diminished, but, in the same time, the people thought that a Sunday school was not a "mômier's" business only, but a good thing in itself; all the prejudices are gone, and now in this valley I have found twelve schools, and three more are going to be formed in the villages, who have not yet that privilege. What is still more interesting, perhaps, is that the pastor himself, who had refused to begin where he was, has formed himself three schools in the parish where he has gone to. In another place, not far off, the clergyman has received, from the "communal council," the authorization to give, in every village of his parish, the day school-rooms to be used by Christians for Sunday schools; and this was done because it had been observed how much better informed on Holy Scriptures were those who had been to the Sunday schools.

Another hindrance to Sunday schools has been the fact that in Switzerland, and perhaps still more so in the Canton de Vaud, there is very little disposition to imitate what is done elsewhere, so that the single fact that those useful institutions are a foreign importation, is a reason for many to look at them with great indifference, whilst with others it raises almost animosity. But in this also I can see a great difference. The prejudices give way pretty fast, and a proof of it is that I, though a stranger to the country, and a messenger sent by a committee in Lausanne, formed of all denominations, am received most kindly and friendly wherever I ask to go; till now, one school only has refused to receive me, and since then I have heard I might probably go.

One thing that must not be forgotten is, that the Vaudois have become

« НазадПродовжити »