USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > The Sesqui-centennial, or, The 150th anniversary of the Deerfield Presbyterian Church, Cumberland County, New Jersey, celebrated Thursday, Aug. 25th, 1887 : historical sermon, addresses, etc > Part 6
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It is sometimes questioned whether what are known as the Raikes schools were really originated by him. Some would have it that Rev. Thomas Stock, contemprary and friend of Raikes, is the real "father of the Sunday school." The facts seem to be then concerning the starting of the first distinctive Raikes Sunday School: (1) Raikes accidentally learns of the ignorance and viciousness of great numbers of the poor chil- dren of his native town of Gloucester; (2) he is set to thinking of some way to better the condition of the neglected children, and recalls something that had been tried by a Mr. King, a
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wealthy manufacturer of a neighboring town, in the way of gathering the children into a school on Sundays; (3) he resolves to try something of the same sort in Gloucester, and immedi- ately employs four lady teachers to take charge of as many children as he should send, promising to pay these teachers a shilling a day for their labor; (4) Raikes then calls upon Rev. Thomas Stock to make known his plans and to seek his assist- ance; (5) Stock had been thinking of something of the same sort, and falls right in with Raikes, and together they go out to hunt up scholars to begin with, and succeed in finding ninety willing to enroll. And thus it is that the first real Sunday School was organized and started, in Gloucester, July 1780.
Who is this Robert Raikes, upon whom such great honor has come? Was he some religious fanatic or wild enthusiast? What sort of a brain conceived the idea of the modern Sunday School? It was just two years before your fathers organized this Church here at Deerfield that Robert Raikes first saw the light over there in England, in the town of Gloucester. His father was a successful journalist; his mother was the daughter of Rev. Richard Drew. Robert entered the profession of his father, and at the early age of twenty-two became the sole proprietor and editor of his father's paper, the "Gloucester Journal." This paper he edited with distinguished ability. His editorials were extensively copied, even the metropolitan journals of London quoting liberally from them. Ile had a large brain, a profound understanding, a great mastery of lan- guage, and a forceful style. He advocated many reforms, and especially reform in the management of prisons. Socially he was received into the highest ranks, being on intimate terms with royalty. Were I to seek some one here at home to liken him to, I could do no better perhaps than to compare him to the late Horace Greeley or to the journalist and philanthropist of Philadelphia, George W. Childs.
Four years after the first school was organized a dozen more had spung up in that same county of Gloucestershire, and one had been organized in the metropolis of London by the congregation of the celebrated Rowland Hill, of Surry Chapel. In one short decade England alone has over a thous- and schools, with sixty-four thousand scholars. At Windsor,
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ladies of fashion passed their Sundays in teaching the poorest children. Mrs. Sarah Trimmer, popular authoress and maga- zine editor, was an active worker in these first Sunday Schools. And Hannah More, the gifted writer of prose poetry of the last century, organized a flourishing school of her own.
But England has never entirely gotten away from the nar- row notion of the first promoters of Sunday Schools; the notion that only children of the ignorant and poorer classes stand in need of Sunday Schools. The children of the "respectable" people, of the high-born and high-standing, even when church people, are not in the schools. The children of church officers, ministers and deacons, as a rule, arc not in the English Sunday Schools. All this is very primitive.
The first Sunday School, proper, in the United States, was organized in Hanover county, Va., in 1786, by Francis Asbury, the patriarch of American Methodism. To-day they number 99,762 schools, 1,107,170 teachers, and 8,034,478 scholars, mak- ing a grand total of over 9,000,000! But there is almost an equal army of youth, under school age, not enrolled in any Sunday School, here in our own land!
Scotland-Presbyterian Scotland-at first determined to have nothing to do with Sunday Schools. Where was the layman's Divine right to teach? And dare anyone profane the Sabbath by engaging in Sunday School work on that day? So the good orthodox Scotch preacher, who loved his toddy, and took such delight in cock-fights, threatened to ex-communicate any parent who should send his children to these unauthorized, unholy Sunday Schools. Sunday School teachers were really arrested and brought into Aberdeen, under escort of constables, as the veriest criminals of the land. This was when schools first began to be organized, say in 1788 or 1790. In time things changed, prejudice ceased. But the Scotch have never been a very enthusiastic Sunday School people.
Free thinking and Roman Catholic France is coming under the power of the Sunday School. In Italy and in Spain many Protestant Sunday Schools are composed almost entirely of Roman Catholic children. May it not be that the Sunday School is destined to become the dynamite to blow into atoms the Roman Vatican?
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Rationalistic Germany has 300,000 children in the Sunday Schools; and although the secular press is quite generally hos- tile, there is no country in Europe where the Sunday School cause is so prosperous to-day.
In little more than a century the seeming insignificant school of ninety scholars on the British Isle, lias grown to be a host of 16,447,990 scholars, reaching the world over!
This wonderful success has been possible only by associa- ted effort. So early as 1785 a "Union" was formed in London to extend Sunday Schools in the British dominions. In 1795 Scotland had a similar association for that country. In 1824 the "American Sunday School Union" was organized. The most efficient of these associations is the "Foreign Sunday School Association." In our own country the different states for the most part have their unions or associations. Eight states have every county organized, three of which have every township-Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey.
The "International Sunday School Convention" mects triennially. The first met in 1875, in Baltimore. Since then the Convention has been held at Atlanta, Toronto, Louisville. and Chicago. This "International" was the outgrowth of a "National Convention" which met first in 1832.
It was at the last "National Convention," at Indianapolis. in 1872, that the "International Lesson System" was adopted. For some years previously there had been uniform lessons adop- ted in certain localities, but now it was first proposed to make uni- form lessons extend to all schools throughout the world. All "International Lesson Committee," consisting of fourteen mein- bers, was appointed for a term of seven years. At the end of that time a similar committee was to be appointed by the "International Convention." Each committee selects the less- ons for seven years, going through the Bible in course.
This system has been severely criticised. It has been called the "game of hop, skip and jump." The objection is not to the uniform feature, except so far as it applies to all grades of scholars. The point criticised most severely is the changing about of the lessons from one part of the Bible to another. The question stood thus: Shall we have graded less- ons for different ages and different conditions, or shall we have
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graded helps and teaching with uniform lessons? Thus stated all can see how uniform lessons may be made suitable to all ages and conditions. The greatest weakness of the system is the flitting about feature. This may and ought to be remedied.
The proper organization of the individual school demands the most intelligent consideration. Most schools now are "church" schools, rather than "union" or "undenominational." The pastor is the head of the school ex-officio. The church directly, or through her spiritual advisers, should have an influ- ential part in selecting the officers and teachers. The qualifi- cation of the teacher actually to train the scholar should receive more attention. There are too many youthful teachers in our schools. A high grade of teaching is necessary in order to win and retain the patronage of intelligent parents.
We must do more work and better, if we would save the American boys and girls. Remember, if we save the boys and girls of the present, we save the men and women of the future. As Wordsworth says, "The boy is farther to the man." What are boys good for? queried a Sunday School orator. "To make men of," replied a little urchin who spoke more wisely than he knew. Our times sorely need honest, pure, sober, law-abiding men. Look at our daily papers! They are scarcely more than catalogues of daily crimes! Some vigorous Sunday School teaching has got to be done. We must instill the decalogue into the hearts of the youth; nor must we be content with mere morality. Pope was mistaken when he wrote, "An hon- est man is the noblest work of God." Young stated a pro- founder truth when he said, "The Christian is the highest style of man." The Christian type of manhood should be the goal towards which every Sunday School teacher should be working.
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REV. DAVID M. JAMES' ADDRESS.
With feelings mingled in joy and sadness, I return after an absence of many years, to take part in this hundred and fiftieth anniversary. I rejoice at this outlook. The enlarge- ment and beautifying of this house; the improved increase of the congregation; the advancement and favorable improvement of all the surroundings.
When I left this place in the days of my youth, I was acquainted with almost every person who worshipped herc. I could call every name. Now as I glance over this large assembly I can hardly recognize a countenance. The faces and forms of those who were then so familiar have departed. We do not see them on the streets, nor in the homes they then occu- pied, but we read their names on the stones and monuments which symbolize the affection of surviving friends, and the faith that they have entered into rest.
But the church and the ordinances of God remain, con- firming the truth of His Word, "That one generation passeth away, and another cometh, but the earth abideth forever."
I wish to bear testimony to the value of good religious training here in early life. The prayers of a pious mother, the preaching of the gospel by the pastors, the instructions in the Sabbath School by kind and devoted teachers, the reading of good books, and the prayers of the aged Elders-all assisted in making a foundation for my Christian life.
Then I have a vivid impression of the school teachers-of David Shute and Mark Peck, who used to flog the boys for doing nothing, telling them, at the same time, that this was the reason why, because we were sent to school to do something.
I am reminded of an incident of an English land-holder, who was requested by one of his tenants to assign to him an acre of land on which he might have the privilege of raising one crop. The request was so singular and earnest, that the landlord granted the tenant his petition. The tenant prepared the land and sowed his seed, but it was many months before
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the land holder could understand what the crop would be. A year passed by, and when the seed sprang up he learned to his surprise that the tenant had sowed acorns. He hadpromised the land for one crop, and he must give it time. Long after the owner of the land and the sower of the seed had passed away, the oaks remained and grew, casting their strong roots into the ground and spreading out their long branches to the brecze.
In like manner we are tenants of Christ, who is the great land-holder. We are sowers of the seed. The good seed is the Gospel of the Kingdom. We can raise but one crop. The field is the world. The soil is the heart of every child; sow the good seed on that acre. "Whatsoere a man soweth that shall he also reap."
The sowers who cast in the seed years ago have entered into their rest, but the seed still grows. And herein is that saying true, "One soweth and another reapeth, and gathereth fruit unto eternal life, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."
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ADDRESS OF REV. WM. H. JAMES, D. D.
SUBSTANCE OF THE REMARKS MADE BY REV. WM. H. JAMES, D. D., ONE OF THE SONS OF THE CHURCH.
It has been my privilege during my long absence from this place, to visit many localities, and to enter many churches in my attendance upon Presbyteries, Synods and General Assem. blies, but I enter this church with feelings different from those which I have in worshiping in any other place. Here is my birth-right. This is my inheritance. Here I was dedicated to God in baptism. This is the first house of worship I ever entered. It is the first one I can remember. Here I was instructed in the principles of our holy religion, and taught lessons of divine truth in the Sabbath School. My mind goes back this evening to those days of childhood. I picture before me the church with its four pillars, before it was enlarged, and the people as they sat each in their place in the house of God for worship. Their names and faces are familiar to me. I also remember where they lived in the community. A few remain to this present, but most of them are fallen asleep. I will name some of them: A. M. Woodruff, David Padgett, Aaron Padgett, Dr. J. W. Ludlam, Lucius Moore, Joel Moore, Charles Garrison, David O. Garrison, Jeremiah Parvin, Henry Ott, Ephraim Cory, Elijah Riley, Daniel T. J. Davis, John More, Robert More, Lewis Garrison, Azariah More, Samuel Barker, James J. Davis, Arthur Davis, Enos Davis, Shepherd West, Enoch Paulin, Abijah Shull, William Parvin, Ephraim B. Davis, Daniel Dare, William Conklin, Lewis Moore, John Garrison, Jeremiah Hitchner, Samuel Leake, George W. More, Martin Ott, James More, David Veal, William Null, Alfred Davis, Ephraim Davis, James Davis, Abijah Hand, David Cake, David Findley, Isaac Whitaker, David Paris, Archibald Shimp, Enoch Shoemaker, and a number of others whose names do not at this moment occur to me. I remember their fami- lies, their wives and children, as they were seated together in the sanctuary. I also well remember a certain pew where on
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the Lord's day could be found, with great regularity, a devout worshiper, with her children, seated by her side. It was my honor to call that person mother. To her I owe more than to any other what I am, and what by divine grace I hope to be. She was the most priceless earthly gift that God has ever bestowed upon me. Emotions of deepest gratitude fill my heart this night, that I ever had such a mother. She conse. crated me to God and to his service. I can never remember the time, even in my earliest childhood, when I did not desire to be a minister. It was as a fire shut up in my bones. God in his own time and way brought me into his services and into the ministry of his Son.
During the exercises of this day there has been much said about the ministers and ruling elders of this church. This is all well; they have been a power for good here; they have served their generation according to the will of God. But I appre- hend that the greatest spiritual power this church has had, has been the godly women who have been in it. No doubt many other sons of this church could testify to the rich spiritual blessings they have enjoyed through a pious parentage. It is fitting that we, their children, should rise up and on this anni- versary day call them blessed. As the work and service of the mothers in Israel has not been brought into special prominence in the remarks that have preceded, I take great pleasure in bringing into grateful remembrance their love and devotion to this house of the Lord. And I have a strong impression, from all my experience as a pastor, that the women of this church, at the present time, are an indispensable part of its strength and efficiency.
As one coming home from a long absence and beholding what I see to-day, I am impressed with the fact that while the fathers and mothers pass away, the church still lives. It is a place where "lively stones," "polished after the similitude of a palace," are prepared for the building of God, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Who is there who is not ready to join in the prayer, "O God of hosts look down from Heaven, and behold and visit this vine; and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself."
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ADDRESS OF REV. F. R. BRACE
CONDENSED ADDRESS BY MR. BRACE ON "THE CHURCH AND WHY WE SHOULD LOVE IT."
Coming together as we do, in a place made sacred by hal- lowed associations, connected with the past one hundred and fifty years, it seems very right and proper that we should turn our thoughts for a little while to that which has given to this place its sacred character. It is not this material edifice that has stood the storms of one hundred and sixteen years, that is older even than the nation whose starry banner is now the em- blem of its protection, that gives the sacred character to the place; nor is it the ancient burying ground which surrounds this building, in which lies the precious dust of the beloved ones who have been taken out of the homes, and from the loving embrace of those who would willingly have given their lives for them-the precious dust of the honored servants of God, who have proclaimed the love of God from the pulpit. I know that very loving thoughts wrap themselves around this building. It is a wonderful memorial of great things that have been wrought in many souls during all these past years. It is a reminder of precious gatherings of God's people, of the sweet worship of God, of the union in worship of beloved families, some of whose members are now worshiping in the temple above. And I know that very tender and precious thoughts must go out continually to the quiet home for the dead, that surrounds this building, where lie the remains of those who have fallen asleep, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, and tender little nurslings.
That, however, which gives sacredness to this place is this: This building is the material inclosure in which the servants of God have met and engaged in the worship of God; it is the temple in which has been enshrined the invisible Christ; the mountain of God from whence has gone forth both the law and the gospel; the house of God where His people have come to meet Him, the gathering place for His church.
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And what is the church? It is impossible to unfold all that is expressed in this royal word. We can learn somewhat of its meaning by turning to the sacred scriptures. It is the ecclesia of God, the great company that have been called out from the world to become the servants of the living God, those who have heard the voice of God, calling them from sin, from worldliness to a Saviour, to eternal life; the great assemblage of men and women who have in penitence bowed down before the cross of Jesus Christ, confessed their sins and accepted salva- tion from Him; the company of the blood-bought, blood-washed disciples of the adorable Redeemer; those upon whose brows is written the name of our God and the name of the city of our God.
It is the Kingdom of the Saviour, where he rules and reigns, where his word is law and his wish the motor of every heart, where he sways a sceptre of glory and benignity, and confers on every subject the glory of his own royalty-a kingdom of jus- tice, but when the justice has been maintained and satisfied by the king himself, a kingdom of love where every service is performed, and every duty done out of this highest and holiest, and sweetest motive of love, where not to perform duty, not to engage in service, would be more wearisome, more distasteful, than the hardest service or the most onerous duty-a kingdom where every subject stands and shall stand, as one of the royal family, kings unto God for ever and ever.
It is the flock of the Lord Jesus Christ, carefully and kindly watched over by the Good Shepherd, led into green pas- tures and beside still waters, the lambs tenderly taken up in His great loving arms or carried in His bosom, the aged ones led carefully and surely along easy pathways. It is the household and family of God, composed of the children of God, those who by His grace have been called from the world and from sin, to take a place in His family and in His house. It is here where the riches of the great fatherly heart of God, of the tenderly loving heart of the Saviour, are constantly made known. Within the walls of this loving home are found all things that can be provided by the Father to make it the best place for His child ren. Everything needed for nourishment, for comfort, for hap- piness is provided; bread of life, and fruit of life, for every one
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that hungers; water of life for every one that thirsts; arbors of refreshment for all that are weary; scenes of beauty and songs of joy for every heart. A blessed household and family is the church of God. Blessed are those who have been adopted into the family of God, who have been enabled to look upward and with uplifted hands and bounding hearts say, Abba Father.
It is the bride of Christ. Never did heart of manliest man go out in strong true currents of pure love towards the woman, who has become to him the highest and loftiest ideal of sweet pure womanhood, as the love of Jesus Christ goes out to His Bride, the Church. All that affection can lavish, or love con- ceive, or imagination devise, has been wrapped around this bride of Christ. He clothes her Himself in richest and most royal apparel; her clothing is of wrought gold. He bestows upon her not merely the half of His Kingdom, but out of the great love He has to her, He opens all the infinite treasure of His vast Kingdom to her and places them at her disposal. For her, He let His heart's blood flow freely. It was no sacrifice to Him, so great was His love toward her. Yea, He went through the darkest, the most tempestuous night the world ever saw. He fought the fiercest battle that ever mortal or angel witnessed. He endured the agony of crucifixion and the thorns of death for her, and then triumphant over all, was a mighty conqueror, so that He might have her for His own through all the ages to beautify her as He pleases, to enrich her according to the munificence of His own nature, to glorify her before the ranks of the great hierarchies of the heavenly world, and to show through her to the principalities and powers of the world of glory the vast reaches of His own infinite wisdom.
Glorious is the church of God around which the thoughts of God have been wrapped during all the ages, out to which the richest desires of the heart of Christ have been flow- ing continually, and for which he died, making His blood the purchase price of its future, everlasting happiness.
Let me speak to you of its precious ordinances. How sweet they are to the soul! How many burdens have been rolled off poor, weary hearts, as they have bowed in prayer with the congregation of God's people? How close the Say- iour has come to hearts that have been thirsting for Him? How
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many songs of the sanctuary have been made swift chariots of God to carry the worshipers up to the Upper Sanctuary? Pis- gah's top has been reached and the sweet fields, clothed in living green, have been surveyed; Tabor has had its multitudes with the favored three on its summit to look out upon the splendor of the transfigured Lord; earth has been lifted to heaven and the earthly sanctuary transformed to the heavenly. Not only has there been a mingling with the hosts of the heav- enly world, but a blending of voices in the great hallelujahs; not only has the outer circle of the worshipers been reached, but even the very foot of the Eternal Throne.
What messages of love have been delivered from its pulpits by the ambassadors of Christ! What tender pleadings with men and women to listen to the offer of Christ and accept His salvation ! And sometimes what fearful portrayals of im- pending wrath and judgment to warn sinners to flee from the wrath to come! What scenes of devout dedication of little children in baptism have been witnessed! What scenes of con- secration of mature men and women! But more sweetly sol- emn than all have been the gatherings of the followers of the Saviour around His table, on which have been spread the em- blems of His dying love, when Calvary has once more come before them with its cross and its crucified one. They see the pierced hands and the pierced feet, and the anguished brow. They ask:
"Was it for crimes that I had done, He groaned upon the tree, Amazing pity, grace unknown, And love beyond degree."
And so we love the church, because it is so dear to God, because it is so dear to Christ, because it is worth so much to us. We love it, because it is the channel through which ordi- narily the grace of God is brought to man; because through it the great truths of God's love and God's salvation are made known; because it is constantly opening wide its doors of entrance to men and women who long for better things than earth can give, for sweeter joys, wider fellowship, holier com- munion; because under the wonderful, love-inspiring power of its Head, it stretches its arms of invitation to those who are
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weary and worn and forlorn and sinful and lost. We love the church because we have so often found God there, when our hearts have been thirsting for Him as in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; when we have been longing to see His power and glory as they have been seen in the sanctuary; because we have had shed upon us then the mighty power of the Spirit of God, as we have bowed ourselves at the blood- sprinkled mercy seat.
We love it, because of the help and the strength, and the joy it has brought to so many of those whom we have loved, whom we still love, who have done with the cares and the toils of earth. We love it because it contains the great host of the followers of the Redeemer, who have been washed and cleansed in His precious blood. We love it, because the song of joy begun here is to deepen into the great hallelujah yonder, because the stream of peace begun here is to increase into an infinite ocean yonder; because the tiny gleams of love we get here are to spread into the glorious radiance of the full noon- day yonder. We can all say:
"Beyond my highest joy, I prize her heavenly ways, Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise.
Sure as thy truth shall last, To Zion shall be given The brightest glories earth can yield, And brighter bliss of heaven."
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