egularly, especially to such schools where they are trained, not only
for this world, but for heaven also, where they are instructed in song,
prayer, and the doctrine of the catechism." "In our corrupted times some
parents permit their children to waste the whole day of the holy Sabbath
in a disorderly and sinful manner rather than bring them to the teacher
in order to have them instructed for half an hour to their temporal and
eternal welfare. O parents, parents! is that the way to bring up your
children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? O remember that, who
knows how soon, you with your dear children will have to appear before
God's judgment! O ponder what a fearful and terrible thing it would be,
if at that great day your own children should have to accuse and condemn
you there before the throne of God!" With respect to the grown-up youth
the address complains: "We cannot, in truth, think of many of you
without shedding tears. Many of you do not only despise your mother
tongue, but with it your mother church. Many, at least among those of
our acquaintance, born of Evangelical Lutheran parents, neglect the
instruction which they could have so conveniently, neglect confirmation
and the Lord's Supper, and frequently behave in public worship in a
manner to make one feel almost ashamed of them, and thus they live in
the world without religion and without God."

84. Minutes of 1807, etc.--To the minutes of 1807 a formula for burial,
furnished by Henkel, is added for the use of schoolteachers in the
absence of a minister. At the meeting in the schoolhouse at Winchester,
1808, it was resolved that the congregations elect devout men to conduct
reading-services and give catechetical instruction to the children on
Sundays when ministers are absent. It was furthermore resolved that
ministers should conduct, as often as possible, private meetings in
their congregations in order to edify the members by prayer, song, and
instruction. The admonition, written by Paul Henkel and Streit, and
added to the minutes, in a simple and earnest manner urges the
congregations to introduce the reading-services, the instruction of the
young, and to attend the private meetings. "Coldness and indifference in
religion," they say, "is so universal that we must employ all possible
means to awaken men to a true and living Christianity." A special and
fervent appeal is added not to abuse, but to keep, the Sabbath, the Day
of the Lord, "the good,