Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-15
CITY AND COUNTY.
SABBATH SCHOOL STATE CONVENTION
Meetings Thursday.

1fii, thursday uioIHlnS, anu WAS Cdieu W OK-
der at nine o'clock. Rev. Mr.. Wayland of
Worcester read passage of Scripture, and of
fered prayer. The committee to nominate a
state central committee for the ensuing year
reported the following list, which was unani-
mously adopted:
b. W. Williams of Boston, n. Z. Kemp and J r.
Bradford of Jamaica Plain, Zebu on Plat of Mid.
dleboro E. S. Skinner of Lee, DR.. Stephen Reed OF
Pittsfeld, Rev. DIR. Lewis Sabin of Tempeton, W.
c. Chaplin of Lawrence, Nathan Allen Of Lowell,
ham, Edwin Chace of Holyoke, Jacob Sleeper,
Henry Hoyt George w Chapman, Alden Spear:
and S. g. Deblois of Boston, Daniel Kingsley OF
Northampton, NJ. II. Sargent of Someryille David
Wood of Newburyport, and Henry s. Washburn
of Worcester.
The president then read an interesting letter
from X. A. Grinnell of Bloomington, Illinois,
in behalf of a committee appointed by the late
sabbath school convention of that state, greet
ing their brethren in Massachusetts.
The committee to whom had been referred
the Westfeld and Boston Pine street SCHOOL,
resolutions, in favor of substituting Sunday
school exercises for the usual afternoon church
service, reported that the subject be referred
to the next state convention.
Mr.. B. W. Williams of Boston spoke in ia
vor of the resolutions. Rev. Mr. Parsons of
Springfield followed in some eloquent remarks
on the same side, describing the favorable re-
suits attending the experiment at his church.
Deacon Cheever of Chelsea thought the pro-
posed change dangerous innovation, and
thought the convention should have nothing
to do with it. Rev. E. H. Nevin of Edgartown
replied sharply, declaring that God had as
much care for children as for adults Rev.
Abbott E. Partridge of Charlestown desired
the change for several reasons. The congre'
CATION in the afternoon are too tired for anoth-
er sermon, while they might be in just the con-
dition to appreciate change of service, Ike
the exercises afforded by the sabbath school.
! VIM. H. Merriam of Boston thought the
church could not ascribe too much Importance
to the sabbath schools. X. N. Barber OF cam
bridge supported the same view. Rev. Mr.
Foster of PittstieId stated that of late lie has
discoursed to the children of his congregation
on the second sabbath of each month, and he
found the plan to work well. Rev Mr.. Bar
rows of Reading opposed the substitution OF
the Sunday school for the afternoon church
service, as being inconvenient, except in cit
les. Rev. Geo. Trask of Fitchburg got the
floor, and introduced his favorite topic-to.
bacco.
Rev. DIR. Sweetser of Worcester protested
against the change, as it would cause the Puri-
tan sabbath TO degenerate into European
sabbath; the morning being given to the
church service, the afternoon would be devo-
ted to various pastimes, riding, and other
pleasures As descendant of the Puritans,
who were the first to proclaim all Gods laws
concerning the sabbath, he protested against
the adoption of a plan that must result in
breaking down the sabbath. Rev. Mr.. Mar
vim of Bedford thought the complaint about
the heaviness of the sermons came from the
ministers and not from the congregations.
Dca. Edwin Chace of Holyeke spoke against
the change. He had found the surest basis of
success to be in live set of teachers.
Rev. Geo. w. Chapman of Boston saw
many and great evils in the proposed change.
1t would prove disastrous to the spiritual inter
ests of the church. The church and sabbath
school should go hand i'll hand One could
not get along without the other. He feared
the children would not attend the morning
service. He liked the old plan of having the
sabbath school at nine o'clock in the morning.
Rev. Mr.. Twombly of Worcester said mem.
bers might express their individual opinions,
and leave the people at home to devise plan
Tor themselves. He opposed the policy of max
ing the convention breed discord, by recon.
mending change. He moved to lay tke re.
port on the table. Carried by a unanimous
vote.
The next subject for discussion was,-"The
qualifications of superintendent"
Rev. A II. Quint OF Jamaica Plain, while
protesting against the views of portion of
DIR. Huntington's essay, said that the part of
it which spoke of the church as the head of
the sabbath school, met his hearty support
He thought the first qualification of a supern.
tendent was piety, and the next, respect for.
the pastor. He wished the church and sab.
bath school to be united under the common
leadership of the pastor.
Mr.. Benson of Newton, said he had great
love of ministers as the heads of the church
on earth but what should be thought of min.
listers who do not come into the sabbath school
once in two months, simply because they are
not united.
Rev E. H. Nevins considered the offices of
pastor, deacon, and superintendent, independ-
ent of each other. He thought the first quail
fication for superintendent was reverence for
God, the second respect for the minister, and
the third devotion to the interests of children
as if he loved them.
Rev. VIM. ii. Beecher of North Brookfied
thought the superintendent independent of any
authority of the minister Mr.. Tucker of
Holliston moved to lay the subject on the ia
BILE and take up that of sabbath school conven-
tons, state and county but after considerable
discussion-in which Rev. Messrs Gushing of
North Brookfeld, Ladd of Sturbridge, White
Of Boston, and others, took part-Mr. fuckers
motion was not sustained.
Rev. Geo. Trask thought the first qualifica-
ton of a superintendent was a large heart,
which could embrace in its affection all child
rem, rich and poor, black and white, Irish as
well as American. The next qualification was
a spirit of discrimination, that he may discern
the evils of narcotic stimulants of all kinds.
Under this head it should be his first duty to
discountenance the use of tobacco in all its
forms by those under his charge. A pledge
of total abstinence therefrom should be ad.
ministered.
Rev. Mr.. Mason of Medford thought that