The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-22
sUNDAY-ScHOoL ANNInERslRK.


-
How the School is Working-The
Exercises In Detail.
The anniversary exercises of the Sunday
School of the Sprlng-street Methodist Church
took place yesterday afternoon, and attracted
an unusually large congregation. The church
was beautifully decorated for the occasion
with garlands of moss and evergreen, which
hung gracefully from the pillars supporting
the galleries, and were relieved at intervals
by bouquets Of bright spring flowers. The pull
pit was adorned with vases Of lovely spring
roses and flowers, and the tall gas-burners
were beautiful with bright colors. On the
wall over the rear Of the pulpit was the text
''God is Love" in the form of a bow, the let
ters being made of white flowers fixed upon q
background Of dark evergreens. The flowers
were all natural, and their soft fragrance diff.
fused itself throughout the church.
The children Of the school occupied the
principal pews In the central aisle, and every
other pew and standing place was filled at the
appointed hour, q crowd of late-comers re-
naming In the porch. Among those present
were the Reverend pastor, joint. Wightman,
D. D.; the Rev. B. D. Smart, assistant; Super
lntendent Dlbble, of the Trinity Church.
School, and others. The exercises were
opened by The children singing the hymn, 'Je-
sus at the Helm" They were led by Mrs. Moore,
the teacher of the infant class, upon the melo-
deon, and sung with both correctness and
sweetness. The Rev. W. P. Mouzon next of.
fered up q prayer, which was followed by
another hymn. Master Allen McC. Burns de-
livered the opening address, on the Indirect
Influences Of the Sunday School, most cred
table composition, after which Mr.. D. N.
Burns, the superintendent Of The school, read
his annual report, showing the working Of the
Sunday School for the year. The school las
stated In the report) consists of twenty
classes-six male. thirteen female, and one in
FAINT class -and on the roll are the names of
sixty-eight boys and elghty-four girls-in all
one hundred and afty.two., These are directed
by nine male officers and teachers, and fourteen
female teachers, making a total OF one hum
dred and seventy-ave persons connected with
the school. The congregation was partIcu-
larry exposed to the epidemic Of the last sum-
mer, aud in consequence eighty-fve pupils
had left the school during that time. Since
then there had been an addition of fifteen
boys and thlrty.oue girls to the school, which
made a decrease Of only ffy pupils during
the year. Three of the children had died, and
the average attendance at the school had been
one hundred and twenty pupils. One hun
dred and twenty-eight dollars and forty-lye
cents had been collected for the school, and OF
this one hundred and three dollars and
twenty-five cents had been expended for
various purposes. The library contained five
hundred books, which gave amusement and
instruction to the pupils. The report, In fine,
showed the school to be prospecting, with
weekly accessions to the number of pupils.
The energy shown by the pastor, the regular
discharge Of their duties by the teachers, and
the lively interest which the children took In
the exercises Of the school, all promised q
bright prospect for the coming gear.
1.-THE Shining Shore" was next sung by the
school, and q recitation OF Scripture promises
ensued, forming a novel and Interesting fea-
ture of the exercises. The superintendent
would ask for a promise, on any subject. from
the New Testament, when one of the scholars
would respond promptly by repeating the
words of promise In the Holy Scriptures and
stating the chapter and verse where they could
be found. Twenty-six Of these questions, on
different points, were thus answered, the last
being for a promise from God to fulal all bis
promises. A dialogue by Masters Jno. Weekly
and Augustus johnson, of the infant class,
and an address by Master James Ora
ham, on "Early Impressa6ns," were heard
In turn, with hymns, and the prizes,
consisting OF books, &C., were distributed
among twenty.six Of the larger pupils,
and thirty.three members of the infant
class. During the singing Of the next hymn
a collection. in aid OF the school, was taken
up, and a dialogue was then spoken by Miss
Carrie johnson and Master Brooks Hampton
on the svolce OF the Flowers" In which the
three children of the school who died during
the year were gracefully alluded to by name.
The hymn "They are going down the valley"
followed, and the exercises were closed with
the beneaIction by the Rev. John 7. Wight
man. The anniversary celebration was highly
creditable to the school, and the source OF
much pleasure to the participants.
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