Show CHURCH SCHOOLS IT is a gratifying feature to see an awakening almost simultaneously in every stoke stake of zion to the great value of church schools as factors in zions progress it is now twelve 1 years ears since bince president brigham young established experimentally two such institutions one at provo the other at logan the education of the latter day saints to the necessity of such institutions is quite as effectual it if not so rapid as would be the case had the subject been thoroughly advocated years ago for then the educating factors would at best have been but un tried theories whereas now they are the practical results the everyday every day examples ot of hundreds of young people who have received training in these institutions in spite however of the tact fact cognizant to the people of nearly every ward in zion that young people careless and indifferent to religion aad and many times unmanageable in district schools have come home after a course of 1 training in these institutions entirely I 1 changed a new light shining from rom their eyes and beaming from their coulten ances which change always comes with the supremacy of the spiritual over the carnal mind in spite of results that prepare these young people for leading places in improvement associations soc lations sunday schools home and doratea missions there are those among us who still argue well it may do for so and sos aos children but I 1 am convinced that it would be money thrown away on mine why what religion they get in sunday schools arla ana meetings is more than they can well stand so that I 1 have a difficulty to get them to go at all ex exactly acely so but it is the very meagre ness bess and disjointedness of the ideas obtained here that does the mischief far be it f from rom us to disparage t the h e value of these factors in the religious education of our youth A As well 11 might light a starving man reject a h hat vile loaf because he could not get the anble but how hew much of spiritual cual food will be gath gathered eted from meetings that today are devoted to the 11 momentous times next sunday probably to some exalted principle and the next to a repetition of faith repentance etc it is so with sunday schools and with improvement associations in net quite so striking a degree suppose this way of teaching be applied to mathematics let the exercises be a week apart the first devoted to algebra the next to addition of simple numbers then a dose of geometry w with ith fractions following by way of of variety to secure the interest I 1 and ad yet there are people who wonder why their children become dissatisfied at just such methods of teaching them theology and moreover the feasts a week apart at that the fact is the human mind aside from idle curiosity becomes interested only in that which it fully grasps and comprehends we have growing up among this people a class of young reason ers who will not be satisfied with empirical knowledge there must be a connected chain between every principle in the plan of human redemption from the birth of the spirit in heaves heaven to its final exaltation al each principle about to be unfolded must grow logically out of that which is known then it is impossible not to become interested for what can be more wonderful and sublime than the plan of salvation unfolded in this order As a matter of fact it is the testimony of teachers in the institutions referred to that ninety five per cent of the students attending many of whom come prejudiced become in a few weeks intensely interested in the gospel gel in a short time the energy of the ody body is taken from the muscles and applied to the mind the spiritual nature gains the ascendancy and the man grows nearer the image of his maker we trust that the movement of church schools may gain ground till every stake has its academy and every ward its graded church school but let the growth be steady not spas modie so that not an inch of ground gained may have to be surrendered f for I 1 or want of pecuniary support |