3V 1 5V 5* 6337 80331 CAVEN LIBRARY KNOX COLLEGE TORONTO THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BY W. H. WATSON, Ont of the Secretaries of the Sunday School Union. CAVEN LIBRARY KNOX COLLEGE TORONTO LONDON : SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, 56, OLD BAILEY. 80331 PRINTED BY JOHNSON AND GREEN, LORD STREET, SOUTHPORT. P KEF ACE. UPON the occasion of the Sunday School Union, in the year 1853, celebrating the Jubilee of that Institution, its history to that period was recorded in a volume prepared by one of the Secretaries and published by the Committee, entitled " THE HISTORY OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION." A desire had been expressed for a Second Edition of that Work, and in preparing for a compliance with that request the Author discovered that the papers read at the Sunday School Convention of 1862 contained a large amount of information relative to the progress of the Sunday-school system which had not any connection with the history of the Sunday School Union. He was therefore led to consider whether a volume devoted to the narrative of the origin and progress of the the first of its Sunday-school system during fifty years of the history, in which the proceedings Sunday School Union should be recorded only so far as they materially influenced that progress, might not be the most convenient PREFACE. [ Vt mode of preserving the memory of the facts which, under the guidance of Divine Providence, have resulted in the establishment of so wide-spread and beneficial agency. The present volume is the result of that consideration, and is now submitted to the perusal especially of the friends of the religious training of the young, with the hope that it will excite gratitude to the Author of all Good, who has so wonderfully guided and blessed the thoughts and actions of His servants, and made them so extensively useful. Should this contribution to the history of Christian efforts since Robert Raikes commenced the present Sunday-school system meet with acceptance, it will probably be followed by another volume, devoted more especially to a fuller detail of the manner in which the Sunday School Union has sought to extend and improve that system. TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE Early efforts for the moral and religious training of the young . i CHAPTER II. The intellectual, moral, and religious condition of England shortly to the . previous establishment of Sunday schools . 8 CHAPTER III. The establishment of Sunday schools by Mr. Robert Raikes . 18 CHAPTER IV. The formation of the Sunday School Society and establishment of the School Stockport . 28 CHAPTER V. Joseph Lancaster The British and Foreign School Society Dr. Bell The National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church Tract . The Religious Society . 36 CHAPTER VI. Rev. Rowland Hill Opening of the first Sunday school in London Mr. Thomas Cranfield . "43 TABLE OF CONTENTS. y j CHAPTER VII. PAGE Introduction of the Sunday school into Scotland Opposition of the 2 civil and ecclesiastical authorities . 5 CHAPTER VIII. Introduction of the Sunday school into Wales Consequent demand for copies of the Scripture Rev. Thos. Charles Formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society . 59 CHAPTER IX. Mr. W. B. Gurney Formation of the Sunday School Union Mr. James Nisbet Mr. Thomas Thompson 69 CHAPTER X. , . 80 The extension of the Sunday school to America . CHAPTER XI. Introduction of the Sunday school into Ireland . 85 CHAPTER XII. First public meeting of the Sunday School Union . 94 CHAPTER XIII. Efforts for the promotion of general education . , . 107 CHAPTER XIV. Mr. Brougham s plan for the promotion of general education . 118 CHAPTER XV. Formation of the American Sunday School Union .. .. ..126 TABLE OF CONTENTS. y CHAPTER XVI. PAGE The establishment of Infant schools .. .. .. T ^4 CHAPTER XVII. Senior classes in schools * Sunday .. .. ., I4 CHAPTER XVIII. The of Jubilee Sunday schools Conclusion i c 2 THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CHAPTER I. Early efforts for the moral and religious training of the young. AMONG the various subjects which occupy the attention of the reflecting mind, there is, perhaps, no one more interesting than that which refers to the origin and gradual progress of events in the natural, the political, and tho moral world. We behold the mighty river rolling its ample flood towards the ocean : in its course, it beautifies and fertilizes the land through which it passes : by its agency, that which would otherwise be a barren desert is converted into a fruitful field and furnishes food for millions botli of man and beast. The traveller, anxious to examine the spring whence this blessing proceeds, traces the stream upwards to its source; and, after a long and painful journey, his curiosity is gratified. He then perceives how apparently insignificant in its early course is the stream, which, widening as it proceeds, at length confers blessings so varied and extensive. Such also is the feeling with which we examine the progress of a mighty empire, that overruns the whole civilized world, and brings almost every known nation 2 THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS into subjection to its authority. The historian traces back the steps by which it advanced to its power: he finds the limits within which that power operates, gradually contracted, and the authority, much more exercised at he reaches the time mildly ; till, length, when a few hardy men, perhaps of doubtful character, under an able chief, found themselves a home in a few temporary dwellings, erected by them on that spot which after a few centuries became the metropolis of the world. A curiosity of a similar kind is awakened with respect to the master minds to whom we are indebted for so much of our knowledge. While we admire the extent of their acquirements, and the readiness with which their mental treasures are brought out to enrich the world, we are naturally desirous of ascertaining the process by which these stores have been accumulated; and our the first delight is great when we become acquainted with feeble efforts of that intellect whose matured power holds nations in voluntary subjection. In looking around upon society, at the present period, we can scarcely avoid being struck with the existence of numerous institutions designed to promote the moral and institutions spiritual welfare of mankind. These employ an extensive agency they raise considerable funds, and exert a wide-spread influence. Their existence and prosperity are not dependent on worldly power, but are the result of voluntary Christian exertion, and they are producing an amount of good which defies calculation. obscure their has Their origin, however, was ; progress and it affords a to been gradual ; pleasing employment OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. ^ the mind which sympathizes with their objects, to trace back their progress, and to contemplate the insignificant commencement of these benevolent efforts. Among such institutions there is no one which has a greater claim to attentive regard, than the Sunday school, designed to train up the rising generation in the knowledge of God. The mode by which this object is attained is very simple. Individuals influenced by love to the Saviour, and concern for the welfare of the young, gather them together on the Lord s day, to unite in devotional exercises, to read the Word of God, to receive explanations of that word, and to attend public worship. It is impossible for anyone to doubt that such a discipline must be highly beneficial to the youthful mind. The Divine Word encourages us to believe that the Holy Spirit will make it effectual to the spiritual and eternal benefit of the soul and has borne ; experience testimony to its blessed results. Two millions and a half of the rising generation of our land are enjoying the benefits of this system, under the care of more than three hundred thousand teachers while it is gratuitous ; gradually making its way into other countries, and extending its influence throughout the earth. But if we trace back this noble stream to its source, we shall find that it afforded but little prospect of attaining its present magnitude. The origin of Sunday schools presents an illustration of the fact, which has been often noticed, that the supposed inventions of later days, arc but the development of ideas enter tained in ages long since past, but which have either 1 not been all at carried out into actual practice, ox THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS have failed at that period to exert any permanent and wide-spread influence. The originator of Sunday schools appears to have been St. Charles Borromco, Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan, and nephew of Pope Pius IV. He died in the year 1584, at the early age of fever in the forty-six, of a violent caught neighbouring mountains. The Rev. J. C. Eustace, in his "Classical 7th vol. Tour Through Italy," edition, 1, pp. 144146, " says of him, It was his destiny to render to his people those great and splendid services which excite public applause and gratitude, and to perform at the same time those humbler duties which, though perhaps more meritorious, are more obscure, and sometimes produce more obloquy than acknowledgment. Thus, he founded schools, colleges, and hospitals, built parochial churches, most affectionately attended his flock during a destructive the forsaken pestilence, erected a lazaretto, and served victims with his own hands. These are duties uncom mon, magnificent, and heroic, and are followed by fame and glory. But to reform a clergy and people depraved and almost barbarized by .ages of war, invasion, internal dissension, and by their concomitant evils, famine, pesti lence, and general misery: to extend his influence to every part of an immense diocese, including some of the wildest regions of the Alps, to visit every village in person, and to inspect and correct every disorder, are offices of little pomp, and of great difficulty.