Watchman Of The South

CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT.

THE DISOBEDIENT SUNDAY SCHOOL BOY.

A MATTER OF FACT.

When I was about fifteen years of age, I attended a Sunday School where there were a great number of other boys, most of whom were younger than myself. Some, however, must have been seventeen or eighteen, perhaps nineteen years old. A great many boys, when they become as old as those that I last mentioned, think themselves too old to attend the Sunday School; but they did not.

Some of these scholars loved the company of Christians, and were willing to receive religious instructions; they desired to be kept from sin, and to walk in the ways of truth and righteousness.

But, I am sorry to say, there were a few others who cared for none of these things.— They did not love the Sabbath nor the Sunday School, nor the Bible, nor their teachers, nor religious instruction,

One boy of this latter sort was a great deal worse than the others. Perhaps they would not have been so bad, had they not had his wicked example to follow. Instead of going directly to school, he used frequently to stop on his way to play with the other boys who did not go to Sunday School. Thus he disturbed the school, and set a bad example to the other boys, by coming in late. And when the teacher began to hear him recite his lesson, he always found that this boy did not know where the lesson was, and of course had not learned any.

When the rest of the boys in the class were reciting, and when the teacher was endeavoring to make them understand what they had learned, and trying to impress truth upon their hearts, instead of being attentive, he was always playing and talking, that he might amuse himself, and keep the other boys from paying attention to their teacher. The bad conduct of this boy deeply wounded the feelings of his instructor. He tried every method to make him a good boy, but he still grew worse and worse. The exertions of his teacher, the other teachers, and the superintendent, were in vain. Every expedient to reform him proved useless, and they were compelled, for the good of the other scholars, to dismiss him. This boy's name was - Leonard.

From that time till within a few days, I have not seen nor heard of him. What is his character now? and where is he at this moment? The following paragraph will answer:

"In the Municipal Court yesterday, the residue of the gang who broke into uninhabited houses last summer, and robbed them of jewelry and other goods, were sentenced. Haskins and Leonard were sentenced to the House of Correction on three indictments, to which they had pleaded guilty; Haskins for three years, and Leonard for two years and six months."

Poor Leonard! two long years and six months in the House of Correction! Little did he think his disobedience in the Sunday School would lead to this! Show me a Sunday School boy that conducts as Leonard did. and I will show you a boy that is in a fair way to be where Leonard is. Youth's Friend.