The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-06
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF DISCIPLES.
FIRST DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
Sunday Schools and School-Work
Considered.

SOhSfuereds
The Disciples assembled In annual conven.
| tion at the Seventh-Street Christian church
Yesterday morning. Professor W. X. Pen
dleton, Of Bethany College, was elected
chairman, and Mr.. w. Fl. Clemmitt, of Rich
mond, was made secretary.
The opening exercises consisted of the
reading of the 33d psalm by the chairman,
the singing of hymn, and prayer led by
| MIR. Z. P. Richardson.
Messrs. J. 2. Tyler, L. A. Cutler, and w.
| Il. Clemmltt, were appointed committee on
enrolment. a considerable number Of dele
gates reported their names. The list, how
Fever, is incomplete, as many more will pro-
badly arrive in time to participate in to-day 's
proceedings.
The day having been specially set apart
| for the consideration of the Sunday.school
work, Mr.. j. u. Tyler, from the committee
| appointed last year, submitted the following:
REPORT OF The COMMITTEE ON SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
The Sunday school is now almost
universally acknowledged to be one OF
rteSnsest important religious institutions
of the aye AS a means of religious educa-
tion to a large portion Of the rising genera.
ton, and as opening up field of usefulness
to Christian men and women, it is entitled
to high position. In no other way can the
membership of the churches so effectively
preach the Word" as in this. The story
Of the Cross is peculiarly attractive to the
young. Their hearts are warmed and melt
ed by the fervent glow Of love, and
moulded by its lessons into the image OF
Jesus. Early impressions are never entirely
lost. The seeds OF that definite form which
each individual life eventually assumes will
be found to lie within its early history. The
character Of the man is mainly the natural
product of elements which existed and acted
upon the child.
Religious people every where seem to be
waking up to realization of this fact, and
heuce the Sunday school is gaining activity
and power in every denomination. 1t is
| generally believed That the first school of
this kind in America was established in the
county of Hanover, Va, by Francis Asbury,
in the year 1856. Since then nine decades
have not passed by, and yet the army of
children gathered into the ranks in our own
country does not number less than flee mil
hon Jfce hundred thousand souls Should
the coming twelve years lying between this
and our Sunday-school centennial be charac-
terzed by the same rapid increase that we
see in the past twelve years, who can esti-
mate the wonderful proportions and the i'm.
mense influence to which it will have at
tanned God grant that it may increase un.
til not only all the children are gathered un-
der its blessed and heavenly influence, but
until every church shall have become lite.
rally school of Christ.
! 1t is only about six years since the Disci-
ples took any steps toward an organized eff
| l,L> Sc cohnn1o Cionn fhnp
Ohio, Indiana, Iliuois, Missouri, and Ken
tucky have perfected State organic ,tions.
They are proving very efficient. Through
them there is not only an interest awakened,
| but better plans of conducting schools and
| better modes Of instruction are devised and
spread abroad.
Iu this State it was not thought eXpedient
| to form separate organization Of this kind,
but as this work may be regarded as one de-
| partment OF home missionary enterprise, to
give it a place in our State and district con-
yentions, at our last State Convention we
adopted, therefore, the following plan:
FIRST. That one day of each District Con-
yention and each State Convention be de-
voted to the interests Of Sunlay-school
| work.
| Second. That the churches Of each dis
| trict send to the District Convention stats.
| tical reports of their Sunday schools, these
| reports to include the following items:
/. Number of officers and teachers in the
school.
2. Number Of scholars.
3. Number of conversions from the Sum-
day school.
4. Whatever else may be regarded as ofin-
terest to the brotherhood.
Third, That the district secretaries report
to the STATE Committee before the annual
meeting of the State Convention, so that they
| may prepare report to present to the State
| Convention.
Fourth. That our preaching brethren, and
| especially our evangelists, be requested to
nav more attention to the Sunday'scnool
work among our churches.
| It will be observed that according to the
| above plan your committee depends entlrely
| uDon the district secretaries for knowledge of
the work in different parts of the. State. Ihls
is the first formal report of Sunday-school
| work, and must necessarily be very imper'
iect. We epdeavor to place before you as
| perfect view of the work in each district as
| the information we have will enable us TO
| do, The districts are named in the ORDER OF
time of holding their conventions.
| Tide,cater met with the Smyrna
church, in King and Queen county,
bon the 30th of July. Twenty-one
churches are enrolled, with an aggregate
| membership of 2,l70; Is report schools
and generally in good condition number OF
officers and teachers reported, lS3; NUMBER
! of scholars, 1,162; number OF conversions
from the schools, 20. They have separate
organization; G. w. Booth, of Dunnsville,
is president. and W. Fl. Clemmitt, OF Rich.
mond, is secretary.
| Southeastern met with the PerseVer-
ance church, Lunenburg county, on
the 7lh of August. Twelve churches
are enrolled-ten report by delegates.
membership in churches reported,
| GAG five churches report no schools, on ac-
count of the scattered condition OF the
membership or want of material-one
| fJetersyille) Union school not very prosper
ons: and four report schools. In these the
] number of officers and teachers is ~ num-
ber of scholars, 2S9. They have no separate
organization, but work under the Mission
ary Board. OF this r. A. Smith IS chair
/ man and j. C. Rowett secretary.
| South Piedmont met with Liberty church,
| Pittsylyania county, on the 9th OF Au.
nnst. Eight churches on the roll dele
oates present from all; six report schools
three of these Union schools. Num-
her of officers and teachers, 81; mum.
her of scholars, 345. They have no separate
organization, but work under the MISSION
ary Board. Of this S. G.. Bernard is chair
| man. and John 0. Bernard secretary.
V1lleu met with the church at Eoe'
nezer. Frederick county, on the i4tn
Of August. Ten churches are on the
roll; all report by delegates; aegre