The competition of Evangelism and Unitarianism to expand their followers targeted no other group more than families, more specifically the welfare and upbringing of the children within. The ulterior motive for both religions appealing so heavily to children was founded on the idea that children are the future, and if one instils belief into a child they will more than likely grow up to house and spread on that same construct drilled into them when they were younger. Meaning these religions did not see children as willing or capable of making their own decisions, nor did they want to, as stated by David Turley by interpreting the ideals held during that time period, “children needed firm guidance because they could always be wayward, self-willed, self-indulgent, …show more content…
Parents would send their children to Sunday school to learn about their beliefs, and in which they would do a large amount of reading and writing, “to aid understanding of the bible so as to prepare children’s minds for later conversion.” Evangelists also more deeply drew the line between the converted and unconverted than the Unitarians, so they were more willing to press laws in order to disadvantage those who had not yet converted, and although there was now a law forbidding denominational text many evangelists followers offered books to local schools housing their beliefs in the hope that a child might read it and be influenced toward their teachings, as explained in work by David