REPORT ON SABBATH SCHOOLS  & TEMPERANCE

Your Committee regards Intemperance as a great evil, as the monstrous sin of North Carolina. Drunkenness, like the roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour - has blighted intellect, destroyed health, wasted property, tarnished reputation, dug premature graves, erected the gallows, and, in our opinion, has produced more discord, family feuds and neighborhood confusion than any other evil in the whole catalogue of crimes. It has proved to be the stumbling block and overthrow of perhaps more church members than any other evil. Yet we rejoice to know that a wonderful reformation has taken place. The pulpit has turned loose the thunders of heaven against Drunkenness - the press, that mighty engine, is engaged in this glorious work. Various organizations are engaged in exterminating the monster Intemperance. Your Committee would recommend to the churches comprising this Association to aid by precept and example, in promoting the cause of Temperance, and to look favorably and not with suspicion upon every institution having for its object the temporal interest and spiritual good of man.

Upon the subject of Sabbath Schools, your Committee would say that they regard them as great auxiliaries to the cause of Religion, and as a means which God has appointed or imparting useful information to the young, and of "training them up in the way they should go."  Impressions made upon the youthful mind are indelible, "for, as the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined."  All mankind are more or less the creatures of circumstances, and hence the importance of training up our children and directing the youth of our country to those things that pertain to their soul's eternal interest. Brethren, our churches, many of them, are too negligent, and seem to take no interest in Sabbath Schools; and, we regret to say, many of our churches have no schools for the employment of the children on the Sabbath, but suffer them on that Holy Day - the day which God has commanded us to keep and observe as sacred, to ramble about the old fields, to rove up and down creeks; play ball, run races, engage in sport and amusement, thereby learning to profane, not only the Lord's Day, but His holy name. Brethren, is this, keeping the Sabbath Day holy?  Is this training up children in the way they should go?

Respectfully submitted,

S.J. Fincher, Chairman