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i'l'i

n ikgltcKd Oppoinmity •< •» CiwrdKi

CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS

Before the Gmgfregational Union of Ontario and Quebec^

at Montreal, June, 1896

BY SETH R LEET, B.CL., MONTREAL,

mmmmm

^m'

S. p. LEET, B.C.L.

CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS.

CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC-

BY MR. SETH P. LEET, BARRISTER, MONTREAL.

A "EGLECTED PRIVILEGE.'

June 10th, 1896.

EB^'ORE delivering what I suppose will have
to be designated in the Records of the Union
as the Chairman's address, allow me to say
how much I appreciate the honor which has
been conferred upon me by my brethren of
our churches in electing me to this position.
It came to me entirely unexpected and un-
solicited, and 1 am sure undeserved. If in
any way any have thought 1 have deserved
it, it is a pleasing indication that the spirit
ot the Master is in the hearts of my brethren ;
that small services wrought in His name are
remembered. This, I trust, will be an
encouragement to others. 1 would also like
to add to the words of welcome which have
been so happily expressed by the Pastor of
this Church. It is, indeed, an added pleasure
to me, to stand in Zion Church, which is honored with such
honorable and holy memories, and, as a member of this church,
and as Chairman of this Union, to welcome you to the annual
o-atherings of our churches here, and I do trust that the sessions
of the Union may be very helpful to you personally, and to the
churches and causes which you represent in your various fields

of labor.

While I recognize and appreciate the honor accorded me in
electing me to preside over this Union, I think no one, who has
not enjoyed the privilege, can quite appreciate the responsibility
which it involves. I refer principally to the responsibility of
preparing and delivering the Annual Address.

4 CONGUEOA'l'IONAL UNION OF ONT. AND QUE.

Mv ideal of an address on such an occasion as this, is that

it shouW be addressed to the churches rather than to individuals,

and be one which in virtue o£ the information given, or sugges-

tfons Xed, should help the churches to do better work for the

Master and in the line of our particular principles. . , , -

In IvyZ to conform to my ideal, I found a good deal of

diffieuU in coming to a conclusion as to the channel into which

I shouW dkec your thoughts to-night, but finally decided to try

and sav a few words to ybu about one of the most blessed privi-

Wes tL churdies have^nd to indicate some of the ways m

which I think it can be best employed.

mLV look upon turning toWist and the doing of work in
His name^as duties, and so we hear of the religious duties and
obliLmtions of churches and church members.

Now while tills statement of the position is a ti-ue one and
that aspect of our relation to Christ and His work is „ot to be
overlooked or forgotten, there is a higher and better way ot
reSng the attitude of a man to his God and Saviour, and the
Xnei of his showing his appreciation of His grace and love.

'' '' mLt^*-e human knowledge with the Omniscience
of God when we compare the strength of man with the Omnipo-
tence of God when we compare all the powers oi man. taken
toother w'th the Infinite God ; how impotent and ignorant do
we appear and we feel constrained to take up the cry of the
Kin/of I'smel. when he said, " When I consider Thy heavens.
Ui"workof'l'hy fingers, the moon and the stai-s which Thou
hast ordained ; whatis man that Thou art mindful ot him ^ and
thp son of man that Thou visitest him i p „ -, •

Then when we think that the God and Creator of all this
wonderful^iiverse has gi-n us a life which shall ou^^^^^
heavens and the earth which we now see. that the God and
Sorof this unlimited and inscrut-bk umverse, so lov^ . s
as to mve His only Son to be incarnated m our fiesh and die to
redeem us who had rebelled against him. and to make us kmgs
Tnt'Ssto Himself ; how San we ^elp being ovei^wh^^^^^^^^
with a sense of His grace and love, ot the ^'^^^J^'^f'^l
bestowed upon us, and how can we regard *"y^^8 ^^a ^^^l^^^
limited knowledge or P^^y ^'ength ^nay do to plea^^e H^^^^^^^
simplv a duty ? Oh 1 my brethren, what a privilege to be lecog-
Sfas a cMld of God.^to be able to say with a -nsci^^^^^^^^^^
that it is true. " Our Father, who art in Heaven, how can anj,-
one help adding, " Hallowed be Thy ^auie,

('HAIHMAN S ADDRKSS. O

It HiMiuxH to uie that anyone wlio slmll meditate seriously
upon (Jod's grace and mercy must be conntrained to seek oppor-
tunities to express his appreciation of the great lionor and privi-
lege conferred upon him, rather than to wait to he asked and
urged to do .something for the Master as a fulfilment of a duty.

Now among the ways in which a child of Clod may show
his appreciation of this relationship, the most important, and
that which really includes all others, is to seek to spread abroad
among his brethren in the flesh the knowledge of God's good-
ness and love, and to bring them into the fold of Christ. Christ
declares that he came to save that which was lost, and when he
left, His comniand was " To go and make disciples of all men,
teaching them to believe all things whatsoever he has com-
manded. "

^ow the very purpose for which churches are organized, is
to teach men the.se things that He has commanded.

The methods adopted by the churches to this end may be
broadly divided into two : Preaching and Teaching.

The preaching services of the churches are, for the most
part, arranged and conducted for the benefit of adults. The
teaching services for the children between the age of five and
fifteen: and while I would not for a moment criticize or try to
detract from the importance of the preaching services, I do think
the teaching department of the church has not received that
attention from the churches that it deserves.

It is, of course, unquestionable that the working force of
the churches at any particular time is largely among the adults,
and that the efficiency of all branches of the churches' work de-
pends upon strong and vigorous adult membership ; therefore,
it is in the interests of all the agencies employed by the church
for the Master, that there should be strong, energetic, intellectual
and spiritual preaching, but if Christ's kingdom is to increase,
and the church is to grow in power and efficiency, the teaching
department and especially as regards the children and youth,
must be specially looked after, and our young people prepared
for the duties and privileges of adult Christian life.

in this teaching department I think the churches have not
fully appreciated their position.

As I have just stated, the churches need strong, vigorous,
intellectual and spiritual preaching to maintain their spiritual
power, but in so far as preaching to adults leads to conversion
the results are uieagre compared with the work amongst the

6 CONOREOATIONAI. UNION OF ONT. AND QUK.

youth. StatiBtics compiled in the ITnited States «''<>w that S5%
of the additions to the churchen come tro.n the membership ot

'^" ^NovfT>f^tt^ that cannot all be credited to the Sunday
School as apart from the church, but it sliows tlie class from
which recruits for the kingdom are secured.

If a man in business found that a large portion ot his proh s
was derived from one department, would he not exercise himset
Tpecially to develop that section and to maintain its etliciency
but w at do we see the churclies doing n relation to its work^

U- we look at the money expended i" the building ot s«i a-
ble edifices and the furnishing of them we hnd that three^o rths^
if no^ more of the expense is made in connection with the
leaching servtes and for the benefit of adults. When we look
at the ed'^ication of the religious teachers, we find the same great

"^''^^Now when it is so universally admitted, that the impres-
sions of youth are more lasting, that the minds and hearts of
chUdren are more susceptible to holy influences, should not more
ettbrt be made during this period of__life ? It has been well st.v ed
bv Mr Gladstone, that "forming" was a greater work than
"reforming." Is it not, therefore, as important work to so guide
a cliild that he may never wander from the told as it is to

"^" t^r^^^r^^^ services in a city in one of
the UnMVtes,^many c&ldren were brought to he Ma^^^^^^^^
but durin<T the same meetings the Governor ot the i^tate was
converted ° The newspapers and the communi y at large re-
garded the conversion ot the Governor ns a most notable thing
and much was said about it, and certainly it was an event worth
noting and reyoicing over, but the Governor died two or three
years after and no doubt went to be with the redeemed. Little
notice however, was taken of the numbers oi children who at
tlm time found the Saviour ; but among them was one little
feUow who is now doing a great and glorious work tor the M.vs-
eala Foreign Mission^ We have no right to judge or make
comparisons, but have we not some reason to believe that the
coZ^sion of that little fellow was at least of equal importance

with that of the Governor ? r i, r • ^

Have we not also in God's Word strong reason for believing
that our Master regards with special favor the little ones ? Rm
Ue not declared " That of such is the kingdom of heaven.

chairman's addukss. 7

" I hat thoir jiu^'oIh do always behold the face of uiy Father who
\h in heaven." " That except we heconie as little children, we
cannot enter into the kinf^dom of lieavcn " "That it is better
that a man should r)e drowned in the depths of the sea, than
that he should cause one of these little ones to offend.''

Then again, whsn God in His infinite knowledge and wis-
dom created this world and prepared it for man, he might have
peopled it with adults^, but in His infinite wisdom he only created
two, and the first recorded words of (jod to man are, " Be fruit-
ful and multiply and replenish the earth ;" and t'ver since that
time God has exercised the creative attribute through man, even
His Son came as a little babe, the Son of Mary. What a won-
derful privilege is this, that God takes man into partnership as
it were, in the creation of inunortal souls.

Who can look upon a new born babe, without having called
forth in his heart the holiest and tenderest emotions ? Who can
look upon such a one and think that a new eternal ure has been
ushered inio existence, without a feeling of awe and reverence ?
In that little heart and life what possibilities there may be of
good to the world, the lives of many a humble babe has proved ;
and on the other hand, there may be developed a character, the
very thought of which fills us with loathing, disgust and horror.
And when we think that as how we teach them and live before
them may depend whether th. one character or the other shall
1)6 developed, is not the feeling of awe and reverence turned to
one of pain and trembling i

Oh ! my brethren, is there anything in the universe second
to this duty, more important and glorious than this privilege—
the privilege of continuing the work which Christ came to do,
to save the souls of men from perdition ( Is it not a terribly
humiliating fact that children should bo born in Christian homes,
that they shall be sent to the Sunday Scliools and att.nd the
services of the church, and still bp claimed by the powers of
evil i That these little ones, who vmen ushered into this world
are children of the kingdom, who have been redeemed by the
blood of Christ, shall ever be let stray from the fold, shall have
ever been for one moment estranged from God !

I am very glad to say that much has been done, and that at
no time in the history of the church has more real interest been
taken in this question than now ; but we need to do more ; and
1 venture to make some suggestions here, as to the directions in
which 1 think more may be done.

8 CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ONT. AND QUE.

First of all, I do think the pastors of our churches should
make Ms subject more often the theme of their public discourses ;
Zt the chUdren .hould be oftener got together by themselves
and addressed by the pastors. That in our Sunday Schoo s,
tLVsSTrecIve mo're .attention from the c^^^^^^^^^^^
the nrimarv and the senior departments. Ihat our tounaay
s/hoo moms should be as well famished and equipped, as light
a^dlrand teheerful. as the church ; f ^^ ^J^^J^^^^^^
hp two nurses one for the church a- .d one for the Sunday hchooi.
■nmrnoSsUnling the opinion of my Wend -tjo --* ^^
the Covareactionalist some time ago, I believe the feunoay
IvhooroiX, to be a department of the church, directly under
Hs contrT; and that the^hurch should feel tl-t it was - m^^^^^
resDonsible for its maintenance and efhciency as for the minis
trXns of the j dpit, and the services for the adults^ Ihat m
t^e CninVof' our m^ attention should be gwen

oiiuSor the teaching department and it ehouM be on-
sidered as important to train them in the art of teaching, as in
the nrinciXs of preaching ; that they should be turned out of
oll.-^ge as competent to take charge of a Norma^^ Class m the in-
struction of teachers and elder scholars, as to hll a pulpit accep-
tabW That as much care should be taken to educate and train
teachers for the Sunday School, as for the day school.

I know that in order to carry out :ill that I have ^uggestea
means a good deal of time and money, and some change of
methods bSt I believe it has got to be done, before we can tulfil
oufobU^aUons and responsibilities ; and will be done when
Xistian people rightly appre<^iate this neglected privilege.

At wSver of the operations of the church we may look,
wheifwe consider the work^o be done and ^ow it - to be do-
T think we shall come to the conclusion, that rei tively tne
church mTst pay a great deal more attention to the education
of the vrth than it has done in the past ; and this may be done^
t I hive said before, not by neglecting anything that is now
beine done in the way of making the preaciing strong an.
effectual but more in the way of strengthening ^he teaching

^'^'ifseeL CO me that this is the only solution of the burning
nuesUono Church and State Schools, which is being /ought out
Sow in this country, in England, and ^^-^her coun ries. I he
church has got to take hold of the matter, and attend to the
reUgLus trining of the youth, entirely apart from the State.

I
I

chairman's address.

ArranuementH may be made, possibly to have the seculai and
religious teaching done in the same buildings ; and possibly,
different portions o*' the same day, or different days in the week,
may be set apart for oue or the other ; and sometimes, perhaps,
TeCme teaJher may take charge of both. These are questions
of detail and arrangeuient ; but to do it as it is being attempted
Z be done now, will, I believe, always result in more or less

^' "ihe Koman Catholic idea and practice is the only one
which can be worked satisfactorily; that ^^^^^^^J' ^^^-^^"^^^
denomination should look after the education of its own children,
by te .chers who are competent to teach their particular religious
beliefs as well as general education ; but as that to my mmd it
is absolutely impossible to be done saUsfactorily in tn^x^ed com-
munities, tlie only solution is to have the education of the State,
and of the Church, entirely divorced. I do not wish to be mis-
understood here, as that statement might be understood to mean
bv some " to kick the Bible out of school. It would not in-
volve that at all. In so far as the Bible is a book of history,
either of nations or of men. in so far as it is a revelation ot crea-
tion, in so tar as it contains a code of moral laws I can see no
reason why it should not be made a text book in the schools of
all denominations of Christians; but when we come to its spiri-
tual and religious teachings, the relations between God and man
of sin and its punishment, of righteousness and its rewards of
the church of Christ and its history, then the church should
have entire charge of the teaching of its own children ;^nd only
those who are qualified to deal with these things should be em-
ployed to teach For my part I would not have a prayer read
by a teacher who could not enter into its spirit. _

^ The (luestion may be asked hero. " It it is not done in the
Public Schools to some extent, how can it be done? as the Sun-
day Schools in their limited time cannot accomphsh this work?
I admit this at o ce. and it is just because it seems to me that
the church thinks it is doing it somewhat now tj^rough tht
Public Schools, that I raise this protest here ; for I am firmly
convinced that the religious teaching which is being attempted
through our Public Schools is of very little use indeed and it is
of worse than no use if the church is relying to any extent upon
it and not exerting itself in other directions It is not only the
duty but the privilege of every church to provide for the reli-
aious teaching of the children of its own members and adherents.

CONGREGATlOhAL UNION OF ONT." AND QUE.

'J'his is, oi: course, being partially done by our present system of
Sunday Schools; but 1 am sorry to say very inade(iuately and

inefficiently.

As has been said, not much can be done in the hour, or hour
and a half once a week given to the Sunday School ; but a good
deal more might be done than is being done at present, if
teachers were better trained, and better rooms and equipments
were furnished. Pastors, church oHicers and parents, should
take special pains to attend every Sunday School Convention
and Institute within their reach, and try in every way to^ in-
crease and improve their knowledge and appliances. The
churches should also take advantage of the Society of Christian
Endeavor, and other societies of young people, to impart know-
ledge of their own church history, and church history in general,
and what is being done in the religious world and in the Mis-
sionary field. Normal Schools should be arranged for the train-
ing of teachers for the Sunday School, and for these other de-
partments. Another department in which I think our churches
should take more interest, is that of providing good religious
literature. I do think we ought to have a manual or catechism
for our Sunday Schools and Young People's Societies, setting
forth in concise form those religious and spiritual truths which
we hold. Good libraries should be provided in our Sunday
Schools and Young People's Societies. We ought to have a first
class denominational paper coming into our homes every week,
which should keep us" posted, not only upon our local affairs, but
upon the affairs of our denomination the wide world over, and
be a leader in religious thought. Our Publishing Company is
doing the best it can ; but we want a better paper, and we can
only get it by the churches taking the matter up and realizing
that it is of vital importance to have the right kind of a denomi-
national paper. If our churches would give an average of ten
dollars a year to this department, you would be surprised at the

Then if our distinctive principles and history are of any
special importance, (and I am sure we all believe they are,) our
people, old as well as young, need to be taught them. Wliether
they should be oftener proclaimed Irom the pulpit or not, I aui
not ([uite sure, but that they should be more often proclaimed in
some way, I am certain.

There should be two or tluvo occasions in the year, au least,
on which Congregationalism, its ralson d' elre, the work of the

^»

■r

chaiijman's address.

'«A

churches, and of the noble men and women they have produced,
should be set forth before our people.

if the principles of our order, the history of our men and
churches, and the place they have held, and the work they have
accomplished, in the religious, political and intellectual lite of
the world were better known and understood, we should all be
better men and women, as well as better Congregationalists ; and
would be less troubled about so simple a thing as permitting the
delec^ates from our churches to pa«s acts as well as resolutions.

''Our churches must be got to appreciate better the great
privilege which is theirs as co-workers with God, in caring tor
the children of the kingdom, or else they can never grow.

The great movements of religious energy to-day in the
direction of Foreign Missions, Home Missions, Christian Citizen-
ship, and the suppression of intemperance and other glaring
evils, cannot be accomplished with only enough to take the
places of those who are now in harness ; for now the additions
to Christ's kingdo.n do not keep pace with the increase of the

world's population. 4. u„ „^f

No one expects that the additional laborers are to be got
from the ranks of those who are now adults. If then, they are
to be -rot at all, and I believe they are, they must come from the
children of to-day and the future. Dr. Goodell, whom Joseph
Cook called "the model preacher and pastor of the Mississippi
Valley," in his volume entitled, " How to build a Church, says:

" He who builda the church of Christ must save the children, if we save the
children ^^^save he world. The world is most easily and ettectively saved in
ch dhood . Life and death are in the training of the children. The

genettl which takes the most children along with it ^o^ Christ -ill do most
to Vinild this Kingdom, and to thin the ranks of the opposition. • ■ • ;
Ihephird ncrel f thei; flocks by carefully nursing the lam'hs ; «« P^f o^~
enSge their folds by caring for the young. How can -^i^g;^]",^^^

^^^l^SC'^S^^i^rZi.U^ be in g^^^g^irSn^ th|
Ufe at the start ^The pointing of the gun determines the entire coarse of the
ball. There is no escape from these truths.

I appeal then to the churches, to make the care of your
children and youth a special subject of thought and prayer In
the Sunday Schools of our churches in these two provinces, thers
must be to-day between nine and ten thousand scholars; there
must be three to five thousand children and youth besides, m
connection with our congregations, who ought to be there. Ut
this large number of twelve thousand to fourteen thousand

CONfiREGATIONAL UNION Of ONT. AND QUE.

childran and youth, directly connected with our churches, and I
suppose it would be a large estimate to say 25% of our Sunday
School scholars were declared Christians.

What a Held there is for work, my brethren. Do you not
think that one in four of these who are outside the fold might
be got to decide for the Master this year, if you laid yourselves
out for it ? If that could be done what a glorious year our
churches would have, and what joy there would be in heaven.
Will we not try ?

Let us make this year a Children's Year ! Shall we not
take for our motto this year, our Lord's word to Peter, " Tend
my Lambs " ? and whether we are more interested in the Sun-
day School or Y.P.S.C.E., or Mission, or College, or Publishing
Company, let us think specially of the children and youth, and try
and make our work tell as regards them specially.

Let our College create a department to train its students to
be teachers of the word, as well as preachers. Let those who
give to Foreign Missions, give as giving to rescue from heathen
darkness some mother's darling, who is as sweet and dear to her
as yours is to you ; and as innocent and pure before God. Let
those who give to Home Missions, remember that they are giv-
ing to bring to Christ some other mother's girl or boy, who some
of^these days will stand side by side with your children, to battle
against evil and wrong, and bear the banner of the Cross in this
our fair land ; nay, they may be the fathers and mothers of men
and women who shall bear your names, and in whose hearts
your blood shall beat. If you give to the Publishing Company,
think that you may be sending a religious paper week lay week
into some home, where it will be the only religious reading they

have.

Let the churches inscribe over their doors the words of the
Master, " Let the little children come unto me, and forbid them
not ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And when they
come in, as they surely will, let us then take them up in our
arms, put our hands on them and bless them— the loving Jesus
will bless them and us !

It is said that the crowds who went to listen to Cicero
would go away after listening to one of his magnificent orations,
exclaiming, " What eloquence, what beautiful diction, what
logic!" but that the Athenians who crowded tohearpem)s-
thenes. as soon as he finished were wont to rush from his pr -s-
ence, with the cry of " Let us fight Philip !"

chairman's address.

I know that the impression that this address shall make
upon you will not be Ciceronian, but I pray that it may ue
Demosthenian ; that with the help of the Holy Spirit we shall
be inspired to go out and tight more vigorously against the
enemies of our little ones. That we shall with more than
Athenian zeal, even a Christ-like zeal, determine to save the
children of our homes and of the world, from the power of the
Devil and for the Kingdom of Christ, and when we have done
that, the prayer that the Master taught us will be answered^

I like the ring of that rallying song of the ladies of the W.
C. T. U.—

" It's coming, it's coming, the time for which we pray.
«' We'll take this world for Christ's own Kingdom,
"Some glad day."

and when that day does come, " a little child shall lead them."