The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-16
THESUNDAY SCHOOL ARMY.
OPENING OF THE STATE SUNDAY
SCHOOL CONTENTION.

OPENING OF THE STATE SUNDAY
SCHOOL CONVENTION.
Delegates Present from Every County
Permanent Organization and Elec-
tion OF OHcers-Instructive and I'm
pressive Addresses.
The State Sunday School Convention assem-
bled yesterday morning, in Trinity Methodist
Church, Hasel street, one hundred and thir.
teen delegates being in attendance, represent
as well as large number of lady and other
spectators.
At about half-past o'clock Colonel thinner
man Davis extended welcome to the dele
gates. He said:
The grateful duty of extending the welcome
of the Sunday-schools of Charleston to the
delegates assembled here to-day was expected
to have been performed by one who has taken
the most active part in the work of prepara
ton for this convention, and who Is ever
wont to be foremost In every good word and
u work, but upon whom the heavy band OF
af1lotion has just been laid. Regretung. there
fore, the sad necessity which has imposed the
du:E<upon any other, I now proceed to Its
discharge with the greatest pleasure. We
have come together, brethren and friends, for
no idle show, to advance no mans private
interests, TO crafty no worldly ambition, but
actuated solely by the high and noble pur-
pose Of consulting as 10 the best methods OF
training up the youth OF our State In the
knowledge and love oil God, and thereby eX-
tending the cause of our Lord and Saviour.
In this great and glorious work We, the dwell
lers by The sea, join hands with you from the
mountains, the mill sides and the valleys. We
"rejoice and are exceeding glad" tnat you
have come hither, and now extend to you all
cordial, fraternal greeting. We open our
arms, our hearts and our homes to receive
you, and bid you welcome, thrice welcome
1t was then moved that John F. Ficken,
Esq, be requested to act as temporary chair
man, and Rev. A. j. Stokes and Rev. ]. W.
Murray as temporary secretaries. These
nominations being unanimously carried, Mr..
Flcken advanced to the platform and briefly
addressed the delegates, thanking them for
the honor conferred upon him by selecting
him to preside over the preliminary deibera-
tlons Of the body. He said that he had come
to the convention prepared to unite heartily
with the brethren In the great work before
them. and was ready and willing at all times
to contribute his humble services to the full
extent of bis power to facilitate the progress
of the business OF the convention. He urged
harmony and courtesy Of action, 30 that the
united voice of the convention might 60 forth
to the people with such force ana power az 10
commend their best efforts In behalf Of the
great cause In which they were engaged.
The Sunday school, he said, had been called
by q beautiful slmile the nursery of the
church; but he would go farther, and call 1t
the younger sister Of the church, work
ing side by side with the elder agency In the
great work of the conversion Of the world,
and 1t had grown vastly within the last few
years, and was becoming every day more i'm
its work and influence.
The roll of the convention was then called
by counties, and committee on permanent
organization, composed of one delegate from
each county, was appointed and retired for
deliberation. During the absence OF this co n
mlttee prayers were offered by Rev. Messrs.
Woods, Buist and wightman, and number of
hymns were sung, and brief addresses upon
the subject OF sundsy-schOol labor were made
by Rev. Messrs. Legare and Jacobs.
The committee then returned, aud the
chairman, Colonel W. L. DePass, reported the
nomination of the following permanent of1-
GERS of the convention: For president, Prof.
james Il. Carlisle, Of sparianburg; tor vice.
presidents, Rev. J. P. Smellzer, Nutheran,)
Rev. G. E. Chichester aud Rev. W. P. Jacobs,
(Presbyterian,) Rev. E. T. Winkler, D. D.,
(Beptist,) and Colonel W. L. DePass, Meth
odist;) for secretaries, Rev. Nice. Purvls,
Messrs. J. F. Hay, G. M. Johnson, John F.
Ficken and Rev. A. J. Stokes. These nomina'
tions were unanimously carried, and com,
mittee, consisting OF Messrs. DePass, Robin.
SON and Jacobs, was appointed to conduct the
president to the chair.
Prof. Carlisle on taking the chair expressed
his thanks, and introduced the business of the
convention In few earnest and impressive
remarks. He said that he had considered It
high honor to be ermitted to attend the con-
vention in The capacity ofa delegate and CO.
worker in the Sundsy-school cause, but to be
elevated to the position of presiding officer
was dignity that far transcended his deserts.
He counselled promptness, hearttness and
fsrvency of thought and sentiment In the
counsels of the convention, and said that he
hoped the record of the convention would
show, as had been said of a similar assem-
blage recently In session at the West, that
there were mo long speeches and no dry
spseches;" and he added that he hoped there
would be no spologetic speeches.
A communication was then read from b. H.
DeLeon, ESQ.,, extending to the delegates ON
invitation 10 avail themselves of the freedom
of the Board of Trade Rooms, aud another
from the proprietor of Holmes's Book House,
on King street, accompanied by liberal
supply of stationery, for the use of the conven-
ton. Both of these courtesles were acknoWl-
edged By votes of thanks, which the secreta-
rles were requested to transmit to the
gentlemen named.
OR motion of Colonel Davis, resolution
was passed, extending fraternal invitation
to all clergymen In the city to seats upon the
flooeof the convention during its session.
The fret subject for discussion was then
announced as being "rhe Bible authority for
the Sunday School" and the Rev. W. P. Jacobs
was requested to deliver the first address
upon the subject. Mr.. Jacobs said:
The nuestion to be settled Is this: Is the