DIOCESAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1622, 2 May 1879, Page 4

DIOCESAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.

The two-monthly meeting of the association took place last evening in the College Library, the chair being taken by Mr H. R. Webb, one of the vice-presidents of the association. The proceedings being opened with prayer, the Chairman, after a few appropriate remarks, called on the Rev. Mr J. W. Stack to read a paper on the advantages of Sunday schools. The Rev. J. W. Stack prefaced his paper with some observations on the necessity of supplying a religious education tO' the children of both sexes. He referred to the amount of religious training derived from the weekday instruction in State schools and the Sunday schools. He remarked on the necessity of infusing a thoroughly religious element into the mental training of the children, which was of the highest value. He then enlarged on the difficulty of eradicating injurious influences imbibed by the children before they came within the scope of Sunday school teaching. This, to a certain extent, he attributed to _ the latitude and freedom in the colonies, which Home control tended to foster rather than to check. He then referred to the several reasons which induced the children to attend the schools, alleging that a large proportion were actuated by many motives of personal gratification rather than with a pure and wholesome desire of being taught. He was of opinion that the existing machinery for imparting instruction in infant schools was very defective, which wai attributable to the fact of the religious element in its earliest stages having* been neglected. This, he thought, could be remedied by the formation of infant Sunday schools, which should instil reverence to Hod, to their parents, and their teachers. It was a great object to teach p re simplicity of thought, through the medium of Bible lessons to the little ones, and no more delightful task could be found. After seven years of age they would be eligible for removal to schools for children of a more advanced age. There were about 6000 children of tender age in the diocese who could be benefited by the establishment of infant Sunday schools, which was the foundation of making them afterwards good Christians and good men and women. The Rev. Mr Flavell at the invitation of the chairman, made a few remarks on the value of Mr Stack’s remarks, and he thought not af moment should be lost in acknowledging the indebtedness of the meeting to the rev. gentleman. He thoroughly endorsed Mr Stack’s opinion, and thought that religious instruction could not be commenced too young, that is when the children were old enough to be bonefitted thereby. He would ;suggest a definite age for the commencement, gay five years of ago, and a sine qua non was a thoroughly competent teacher, in which respect they might take a lesson from the Jesuits, who always chose the most accomplished teachers to mould the children’s minds. Lady teachers as a rule he did not approve of, but ho could not say too much of the value of those who were thoroughly trained, therefore they should be chosen from clever pupil teachers or ladies trained at the Normal School, especially under the Kindergarten system. To such teachers he could imagine no more delightful task than the education of young| children. He again thanked Mr Stack for bringing forward the * abject. The Rev. H. C. M. Watson did not altogether agree with the somewhat gloomy view taken by Mr Stack. He was more hopeful of the future of the children of the present generation, whom it was rather the fashion to speak disparagingly of. He quite felt the importance of the infusion of religion into a child’s education, and was glad to hear that the question was being warmly taken up by the Australian papers, more especially the “ Australasian.” He enlarged on the value of home religious training to the young, which was sure to bear its fruit in the future. There were about 5000 children in the Sunday Schools of the Church of England, and with the children belonging to the Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, and other bodies, would make a total of about 20,000 children receiving religious instruction, and he considered this hopeful, although the nature of the instruction might certainly bo improved. Above all, he thought the children should bo first imbued with a love of religion in the home circle. Mr Stack had made an allusion to a children’s church service especially adapted to their capacity, as a preparation for the Sunday school. This was a most valuable suggestion. The Rev. Mr Penny thought it would rather savour of schism to have a separate children's service in another building, with its own accessories, but he would hail with satisfaction the holding of children’s services in the regular established church, and the making of such service more directly applicable and attractive to the children. He then made some practical suggestions on the method of infant tuition, drawn from his own experience. He thought that well trained young lady teachers would be the best they were likely to have for some time to come. Mr E. J. T. Ford feared that Mr Watson had over-estimated the number of children in the Sunday Schools, which he thought would not amount to more than twelve or thirteen thousand. The greatest difficulty they had to contend with was the paucity of teachers, especially those adapted to give efficient teaching to infants. He quite agreed with Mr Stack’s view that the most efficient teachers should bo employed in this direction, and that every effort should be made to obtain them. He approved of the Kindergarten system, and would like to have its principles practically explained. Mr Watson explained that the system was teaching by object lessons, but ho did not see how that could be adopted in Sunday Schools. Mr Searell remarked on the advisability of separating the very young children from their elders, who might possioly sot them a bad example. The Chairman 'spoke in favor of separate children’s services suitable to their comprehension, which he considered would give greater opportunities of fostering a love of religion than the regular services,| which were beyond their understanding, and had the effect of sending them to sleep. The Rev. Mr Stack having replied to the various speakers, The Rev. Mr Flavell announced that their next meeting would be held in St. John’s schoolroom, on the 14th inst., when a lesson would be given by Mr Twentyman. It was hoped that a special service for the members of the association would bo held during this mouth, and the yearly mooting would follow on the same evening. Having served the association for two years, ho thought it best to resign his position as secretary, though still willing to do all in his power to promote the objects of the association. Votes of thanks having been passed to the Eev. Mr Stack for bis valuable paper and to the chairman, the meeting terminated in the usual manner by singing the doxology.