SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 638, 27 January 1872, Page 2

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

To the Editor of the Evening- StabSib, —In your report of the "interesting ceremony" connected with.the Newton Kirk Sunday school, you say you believe Mr Doull is the oldest person in Auckland connected from early life with Sabbath schools. I doubt it. -

Fifty years ago (1822) I became forcibly struck by some remarks in " James's Sunday School Teacher's Guide," being at that time a teacher in a Sunday school in tho west of England. Six years before that, I had, while a lad, assisted in the instruction of the younger children in a Sunday school in which my father was a teacher.

When living in London, in 1824, I was actively engaged in the same work, both as a teacher and superintendent, and had the satisfaction of knowing that good results followed, some of my pupils having afterwards become active and efficient

instructors. With the late Mr W .Lloyd the first secretary of the London Sunday School Union, I was intimately acquainted, and also with Mr Henry Althans, then an able Superintendent, and afterwards government Inspector of schools in England, With the father of David Macrae (author of Letters in America) I was a tellow labourer in London. How far the advantages of Sabbath schools in this day surpass those oi 40 years ago Ido not profess to decide. In some places no doubt they do greatly; and from what I have seen of some : Sunday schools here, there is yet room ! for improvement. But, as far as my own ! observation and experience in the past , have extended, they were by no means I small. The mercenary influence of reward might not perhaps have been so great, but those of kindly and familiar intercourse with children and parents were very successful. In the limited sphere within which my own labours were carried on, the chosen subjects of instruction were well studied, and the children were exercised not only to read and repeat, but ; also to think ; so that the time occupied in their instruction seldom proved a weariness.

The adoption of Gall's lesson system proved of considerable use as an aid to the early exercise of thought. The practice of benevolence was also encouraged as the waytoaffordproofthattheinstructiongiven was to be practical in its effect. On one occasion I remember the mother of a poor boy in the school was left a widow and in distress. A proposal was made that each scholar should contribute a penny and each teacher a sixpence or more tor the immediate relief of the bereaved family ; an universal response was made to the call by teachers and children, and a sum was collected, which forcibly illustrated the fact that there was " a luxury in doing good," and my own experience, as well as that of others, have proved that " it is more blessed to ftive than to receive. The great object of Sunday school teaching I take to be, the implantation ot biblical truths ; to render the young familiar with facts and their import; and in the investigation of the historic lacts ol divine revelation, it is of some advantage to illustrate by maps and pictorial representations, as aids to memory.

A gentleman, who was an active Sunday school teacher in America, wrote me m the year 1838, expressing his interest in the " lesson system " which had been introduced to his notice i adding, " I have for the last three years been trying to perfect what I have called 'thinking among my scholars ; all our efforts should be directed to that object." The worn: will then be rendered interesting to both teacher and pupil, and the attendance of the children be sustained without having frequent recourse to adventitious inducements.

Let the hearts of the children be engaged by the affectionate and earnest operations of the teacher, and the sower and reaper will be alike rewarded. In this view I dare say Mr Doull will concur. I enclose ray name. I am, &c, Omichon.