The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-06-18
State Sabbath School Association.

To the Editor Of the Standard:
Having been appointed one of the delegates
from this county to the Annual Convention of
the Ohio State Sabbath School Association, 1
started on the first day of June for Tiffin, the
place of holding the Convention. Going by
way of Athens, met at Lancaster our old
friend DIR. A. G. Byers, who introduced me to
Hon. James Reber, of Pickaway county, who
was on his way to the Convention, and whom
1 found to be very agreeable gentleman, and
interested in Sabbath School work.
Arriving at Columbus we stopped at the Unit
ed States Hotel, (Which by the way, ought to be
a good hotel), and then took a walk to the
State House, too late, however, to see much, as
most of the officials had closed their offices for
the day. The next morning we paid our
spects to Capt. Wikof, the able and worthy
Secretary of State, who gave US kind well
come. We also called at the Office of the Com
missioner of Common Schools, but found that
although Commissioner Harvey was absent,
his chief clerk, Mr.. Tibbets was present, who
gave each of us a copy of the Commission
ers' last report, and which, by the way, is an
admirable report of the kind.
Leaving Columb us we went by way of New
ark, Mt. Vernon, Mansfield, etc., to a little
backwoods station, called by the high sounding
name of Chicago Junction, whence we took an
other train to Tiffin, arriving there about
O'Clock p. m. A
The Convention met the next day. OF the 50
counties in the State, so counties have County
Sunday School Organization connected with
the State Association, 3S counties have no such
organization by counties, and AZ counties were
represented by $50 delegates.
The Convention was generally considered
success-rather an improvement over that of
last year, and still could not help thinking
that it might, and really ought to have been,
very much better than it was. There were very
few delegates from this section of the State
Like most other Conventions, it was a kind of
monopoly, in the hands Of few,who did nearly
all the talking, and who seemed to have sort
of mutual admiration tor one another. OF the
speakers, am safe in saying that Messrs, Trum-
bull, Chidlaw and Ryers, were success. Messrs,
Furay, Loomis and Drake, also made very ap-
propriate remarks. Some of the long written
essays which could not be heard, were most
cruel inf1icti0ns. So
The music, by Prof. O'Kane, was of course
most excellent, and the singing of Mrs, Asyre,
was very fine-it was charming-it was grand.
Court was in session at Tiffin, and the good
| ladies there were, as they are in almost every
town and city in the State, doing little crusa-
| ding. They were reinforced by the delegates to
the Convention, and prayer meetings in the
morning, and mass meetings at night, were
| held daily in the Court House yard. The ladies
there have been prosecuted for praying, but all
the juries failed to convict them.
| Friend Chidlaw and myself were the guests
of A. L. Brewer, Esq, prominent lawyer of
Tifin, devoted Sunday School man, and who,
with his excellent and accomplished wife, rem
dered our stay there exceedingly pleasant and
| agreeable.
Bro. Chidlaw and myself, by special invita-
ton, visited Heidelberg College, and found
President Willard, and full corps of Profes-
sors, with large number of students, all en-
gagged in earnest work-and doing good SER
vice.
! After the Convention adjourned, 1 went by
way of Toledo and Napoleon to the North
West corner of Henry county, to visit my moth
er, whom had not seen for nearly six years.
She wears her " years very lightly, and has
been a member of the NJ. E. Church for more
than 90 years.
1 have been in 81 of the counties of this State,
| but never before did SO fully realize how great
State is this goodly State of ours Even the
North Western counties, which a few years ago
were spoken of as a worthless swamp, are now
becoming gardens of beauty-the very paradise
of the State.
Lastly, and most Important of all, the pub
| lie morals of the State are not waning-not
sinking, but gradually rising to a higher plane,
and occupying a more exalted sphere in human
affairs. The great temperance reform move
ment is spreading far and Wide-is laavening
the whole State. and the first proper oppor-
tunity will develop a strength and power that
will make itself both heard and respected-a
power that will finally redeem us from the
thralldom of intemperance.
| reached home on the 11th, in good health,
ready for work, and glad to see the hills OF
jackson, whence expect some day to go again.
p ]. w. LONGBON.