Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-02-17

opinion to join any other class, aut
whose exercises are only imperfect
ly reported. The latter class wal
composed Of large boys, who dis
cussed matters In general. Thes,
two classes had the same teacher
who, DR.. Gale says, is still Living
at an advaaoed age, and is still go
ing to and fro in the earth ant
walking up and down in it, as III
was in Jobs days, Good old bish
op Lstimer reports him as the mos
diligent preacher in the days OIL
Henry VIII. in England, and, il
his experience has increased with
his days, he must be quite accom-
plished in the present year of grace.
The Lee Sunday school was be-
gun at a time of spiritual declen-
sion,--it is probable that the "stu-
pidity" of the people, and their "un-
usual languor and coldness," over
which DR.. Hyde mourned in 1919,
may have stimulated him to the
meditation which led to the new
undertaking. Itis noteworthy that
the people in the Sunday school
Immediately began to work out
wards, Deacon Spencer soon open
ed school in South Lee, and an
other in East Lee in each of which
places the work is carried on, and
the church still represented. At
this early period, tOo,-long before
the agitation of the rights Of the
children of Africa,-the fathers and
mothers of Lee were exercising
their Christian philanthropy toward
that race. Mrs. Phebe Treadwell
was a slave in Connecticut until she
was twenty-five years old. Like
many Others, she came to Lee by
way Of Beckett, and when the moth
er of eight children, entered the
Sunday school. She was taught to
read by deacon Nathan Bassett and
his wife, and for forty of the nine
ty-two years of her life, has been a
member Of the church here.
The school appears at first to
have been intermitted during the
winter, and, at certain times in the
spring, committees were appointed
to "revive" it. 1t was, however,
carried on with persistency, with
numbers,
In 1929 the total was three hum
lred, and in 1881 four hundred,
which cheored DIR. Hyde, and is the
greatest total ever reached, a fact
only partially accounted for by the
subsequent organization Of other
schools.
The present pastor wes-installedt \
IN 1858, at which date the school
appears to have been in an unprom-
ising state, with an average attend
lnce OF only one hundred and fifty
one, poor library, and irregular
lessons. Since that time the libra
ry has received several large addi-
ions, a regular lesson system has
oeen adopted, the contributions
lavc been directed with a systemat-
C purpose, and have largely in
,reased; the average attendance
las risen, and the Sunday school
concert, from being a formal prayer
Meeting, has become one of the
most crowded and interesting meet
ngs in the church. Besides these
the annual Christ
las festival has been introduced,
nd trees and sleigh-rides have Civ /
n a cheerful variety, in which the {
hildish mind takes proper delight,
nd in which pastor and parents I
like join. '
In 1868, at the suggestion Of DR..
tale, the church assumed control q
f the school, electing its officers,
nd receiving from them the annual {
oports. The question sometimes t
ut to teachers, "By what authori- t
7 doest thou these things ?" may {
ow be unequiyocally answered. = '
he present superintendent, Mr.. {
.bner Rice, was inaugurated two
ears ago, and under his judicious S
ire the school has been eminently C
Every year for some
xteen years, some have united +
ith the church from the school, I
lore than one half of the scholars v
,e over fifteen, and more than a fl
undred members of the school are r
so members of the church h
Having reached the end of a half. G
,ntury, the event was marked by n
Jubilee celebration, held on Dec. Il
Sd, to which all old scholars, teach h
s and superintendents were invi- Z
d. 81
These years have been charac-
rized by the usual changes, through
| Of which the Sunday school has W
zen cherished by the children and n
lildren's children Of its founders. a.
/ the present classes are the an u
ent men who remember the days n
the first house, before the flames IN
ok it, and with their descendants u
the second and third generations II
ey lately united in singing, @The g,
ar of Jubilee has come !" OF the ID
,uth of this parish between fifteen III
ID twenty-five, two. thirds sit at
e communion table, and there are re
n members of the church over HI
ghty, whose ages average eighty 4,
<. ~
1t only remains to, sketch, in tn
W words, the exercises Of the d,
mi centennial celebration. The til
for the day were o.
ldc with evident care by the su- "
rintandent. Mr. A bner RIca The Il,