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>From: Connie Kirk <ckirk@stny.lrun.com>
>Subject: Re: Mary Lyon
>To: owner-dea-l@lists.village.virginia.edu
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>Debbie Smith wrote:
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance for any help you can give in understanding the motives
>>>and methods of Mary Lyon, founder of the Seminary.
>
>
>*****
>Hi Debbie,
>
>In the _Life of Mary Lyon_ (1851) Lyon herself describes the religious
>culture at the
>school this way: "This institution has been built for the Lord, that it
>might be
>peculiarly his own...Public worship, the Bible lesson, and other appropriate
>duties of the Sabbath, a regular observance of secret devotion, suitable
>attention to religious instruction and social prayer meetings, and the
>maintaining
>of a consistent Christian deportment, are considered the most important
>objects
>of regard, for both teaches and scholars" (299).
>
>The author describes the religious instruction this way:
>"The number of religious meetings during the week was not large. On Sabbath
>evening was one for those without hope, and several prayer meetings of
>professors at the same time. During the week, one meeting was held by
>professing Christians alone; another monthly or semi-monthly, and sometimes
>oftener, for missionary purposes. At these meetings it was usually
>customary
>for Miss Lyon to take up some passage of Scripture, and deduce instruction
>from it in the way of an extemporaneous sermon. This she did, also several
>times in a week at morning prayers; in all, about five times a week. For
>these
>exercises she usually prepared a skeleton of the subject. To all these
>religious
>labors we must not forget to add a Bible class by the other teachers on the
>Sabbath, whose lesson was reviewed during the week" (294).
>
>For Emily's firsthand responses to the religious culture of the school, you
>might
>try searching her early letters in the DEA, especially ones addressed to her
>girlhood
>friends and Austin.
>
>Hope this helps,
>Connie Kirk
>
>
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