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