The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-10-09
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK.
CLOSING SESSIONS OF TEE STATE
CONVENTION.
Immense Congregations Present.
Interesting Addresses by Mr.; j. T..
Chancellor. Rev. l.. A. Cutter,
and others. 49,.
&c.

in the chair. .. ....... ......... .....
The first half hour Of the session was spen
in general praser.meeting, conducted D
II n. Dunlop, of Petersburg.
The Convention was then opened with rel
eious exercises, conducted by the President
PUBLICATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
The Committee on Business offered tn
following: ..-. .a., -.r. -.
R.solued, That the Executive Committe
have the proceedings, addresses, and othe
papers OF this Convention published II
pamphlet form for general distribution.
Adopted. -
The chairman of thesc0D mittee stated tha
1t would be necessary TO- have pledges OF sub
scrption for five hundred copies to pay ex
penSeS. .-"
The Convention resolved to order th
printing.
SPECIAL PRAYER FOR SABBATH SCHOOLS.
The same co nittce also presented tht
following: - 2
RESOLVED, That this Convention offers tht
of observing the 1Tth and 18Th o'
the present month as days Of special prayer
for Sabbath schools, ar d heartily recommend
hat the Sabbath school workers Of this Con
yention will meet with our brethren
throughout the world in the observance Of
these days Of prayer for tie cause. agreed
to.
REPORT on PERMANENT oRGANIZATIoN.
Ia order to permanent organization, Rev
J. T. Whitley. from the Committee on Busi.
ness, offered draft of constitution; which,
after being read by sections, was, on motion,
tax N up for final adoption as whole.
Rev. Johu f. Edwards said he would sug-
ge>t that perhaps it would not be best to
hamper this great uniou movement BY q
constitution and bylaws. Let delegates
come every one, two, or three years, as may
be determined. from every section, and unite
in Grand convention Of all denominations.
L. Il. Hunter, of Norfolk, said he colo.
cidcd in the views Of Dr.. Edwards. Let us
come up from year TO year and unite in such
pleasant meeting, lis we bare held.
Rev. J. S. Martin, of Staunton, said it was
not anticipated that this Convention would
adop: any permanent organization, aud he
doubted if it was advisable to do so. lie
thought he could say for his section that they
would prefer occasional meetings OF the kind
We have had instead Of permanent organlZa'
ton.
The hour for the order of the day having
arrived, Major Stiles moved to postpone it in
order to continue the discussion on the con-
Agreed to.
Mr.. Eaton moved to recommit the report
Lost.
Mr.. Jones moved to lay the subject on the
table and proceed with the order Of the day
Agreed to. -..
These several motions indicated that the
Convention was pretty evenly divided on
the question ot the adoption Of tie constitu'
lion upon any plan looking to permanent
organization.
A spicy debate was had until the oppo-
nents Of the measure succeeded in tabling
the constitution.
SUNDAY. SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
The Convention took up the consideration
Of the seventh regular queSt;on-YiZ: "The
and Management OF Sunday.
School Lioraric>,'. which was discussed by
Dr. J. Z. Chancellor, of Charlottesville. lie
thought tha, well.Selected library was the
most valuable adjunct Of ! Sunday school.
Let us consider it IN its comprehensive sense.
He meant the thousands Of books, costing q
mighty tXacndi;ure of mind and money.
To-day The books of Sunday-schOol libraries
form a considerable part OF the reading mat
ter for the youth Of this land, and 1t Is
he most wholes ONE literature. 1t may
be es.irlated that 100000 children are
weekly supplied With the best OF reading
matter by suuday-school libraries. There Is
such variety Of tas,e that it is very difficult
to suit every boty in the su!jeci-matter o!
the books of our Sundays school libraries.
Or. C.. s. Robertson, the celebrated Sunday
school worker, says he examined most OF SIX
huuGrrd volumes in Suuday-school library
and found that they would correspond IA
yorabIy with any books in the land.
The unpretentions voEm3s OF our
ilr.ies exact powerful effect for
GOOD on the youth Of our land.
1t is fact that is very gratifying that no lite
rature receives more thorough eXamina'
ton than our Sunday-school books.
Asto the management OF Sunday-school IL
braries, much depends on SIZE, location,
etc. Those in the city must be managed dill.
Ierently from those in the country, where a
minister often is pastor, superintendent,
tescher, and librarian. Let us see how II
works in the country. The books are on a
table; the superintendent Is secretary and IL
brarian; the children come up and get
books; he must charge them, and deliver
them, and receive them on their return. The
plan i'm the city is as follows: The library
eases are properly arranged in spaces ana
numbered 10 correspond with the book; q
catalogue is printed in book-ierm and put in
The hands of the scholars; u rack is prepared
10 receive the books OF the class, and the
scholar on entering puts his book in the pl-
reon hole named for the class. A register
book is kept, in which each scholar Is charged
with q book, and credited when 1t Is re-
turned.
Che speaker then indicated plan for the
of the books, which should be
ret,,rned in two week.. 1t ought also to
be an infleyble rule MOTTO interrupt tne
elias s-exerciscs. Let the librarian put Ill
books for the class in pile, and distribute
them lust before the closing TO the teacoer
who hands each scholar bis or her BOOK. II
will take only few minutes. The lstant
class should be different department., ana
should have its library aud lis papers. laey
will lake them home and read and distribute
them. Let q lady-,eacher manage this c'ass
AS an essential requisite for the proper MN
ayement OF any plan OF libraries The super
in;apdent should insist on due observance ol
all the rules.
TIE CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL EXPENSES
Rev. 7. T. Eaton, Of Petersburg, who hao
con sep,ed to discuss the question aud make
the opeuiug address on the question "Shou'C
not The church bear all the expenses OF the
sunday scnool, and allow the Sunday schoo
IN sid missions and other religious euter
n,ises yn next addressed the Convention. Ht
said tnat to nix the obligation OF the chnrcE
in this matter we must determine the re!a
lion of the church to the Sunday, school
The Sunday school is chureh-:chool, Du
not an organic part Of the chufeh-a place
where every body may come. aud. under Ih'
direction of the church, learn OF Jesus. Ihe
church should support Sunday school. l
is the duty of the church because IT Is an ca
terprise created and foslered by the church