Chapter XXXV

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION FOR STREET-CHILDREN.

The Difficulties of Religious Teaching—Street-children not to be Influenced like Sunday Schools—Rhetoric and Sentiment do not Touch Them—True Oratory and the Dramatic Method always Reach them—They are Peculiarly Open to Religion, but Exposed to Overwhelming Temptations—Solemn Aspect of their Position to the Speaker—The Problem—The Object to Implant Religious Love and Faith—Moral Influences not Sufficient—"Bread-and-Butter Piety" Doubtful—Objection to Prizes or Rewards—Religious Instruction not so desirable as Religious Inspiration—The New Testament to be Preferred to the Old—The Knowledge and Faith in Christ, Most of all Needed—What this Faith Has Done, and What it Can Do—Mistakes of Sunday-school Oratory—Rhetorical Pyrotechnics not Wanted—Allegory the Best Method—Our Best Speaker a Sportsman—His Sympathies with Boys and with Nature—"BIBLE IN SCHOOLS"—Religious Instruction in Public Schools Desirable, if all were of the same Faith—Bible-reading used by the Priests Against the Schools—Free Schools the Life-blood of the Nation—Protestants should Never Allow Them to be Broken Up—Protestant Pluck—Are School Religious Exercises of Much Use—Separation of Church and State—Experience of England—Free Schools without Religion, rather than no Free Schools……………………………………………..pp. 418-428