The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-04-03
THE VIRGINIA BAPTIST SUNDAY.
SCHOOL CONVENTION.
l. a $ Il ID A Y
Morning Session.

| MORNING .SeSslOUs
The Convention was opened at 81 O'Clock
and after prayer by Rev. j. Lee Taylor tht
order of the day was called: ... .. .s.E
EssAY-BEsT PLAN FOR DISTRICT oRGANIZA- J,
/ TI0Hs.
BY DR.. J. II. Evans. OF MiddleSex. DR.
Evans proposed TO take an army organiza
ton as a type Of good Sunday-school or.
sapizaton. He would let the individual
school represent the company, the schools oil
the county the regiment, the schools of the
district the brigade, those Of given section
| the division, and those Of the whole State .
corps of the gleat Sunday-scbool army. lssr
| He gave detailed statement of the organ.
ization in the Rappahapnock Association,
which was effected three years ago. ,
Rev. George II. NOrtham was appointed
| general superintendent for the whole Asso.
| citation, and has been most efficient in super
| visipg the work Of the whole Association.
| The Association was divided into three dis
tricts. There is superintendent for each
district appointed by the general superin'
tendent, and they in turn appoint the county
superntendents, leaving it to the individual
schools to select their own superintendent.
He gave vivid sketch Of the results of this
organization, and suggested that the organ
l lZtilOu DC C-NISiQCu " tuC nuOiC
| State. = -.. ..5..
Rev. Wayland F. Dunaway then opened
| the general discussion in most effective ad-
| dress. After giving some further details OF
| the organization and practical working OF
the plan in Their appabannock Association
! he passed to speak Of the need of organiza-
| tion. ,''
He. concurrcd in the remark made the
| other night that we come TO these meetings
| for information and for Inspiration. We
need information, and to catch inspiration
| for our work. But Of far more importance
still, he thought, was to put into operation
what we learn. And we can only work to
| advantage by having proper organization.
He alluded to the Conservative organiZa-
| ton which won the great victory in Virginia
| in 1869 as a good one, which might he car
ried into the Sunday-scbool organization Of
the State. He was inclined to think that
| the time had come wien there should. be
changes in the working Of the State organi-
Ziton. He was inclined to think that the
time had come when the Sunday-School
| Board should be abolished. 1t bad done q
great work in the past, but in the progress
| of our work there had come to be general
| feeling that the Board has finished its work.
| He regarded this feeling as the reason the
contributions to the Board had been so mea-
gre. He favored the separation OF the sun
| day. school work from the other work OF the
General Association, aud the appointment
| by this Convention OF central committee.
| who should perfect the organization in the
| way suggested. He would have this Con-
| ycutjon made permdRent and would put it
| into cc0peration With the American Baptist
Publication Society.
He presented the following as the benefits
| to be derived from district conventions:
| |, They exhibit and unity the clements OF
| Baptist strength.
>. They ditf'use the Sunday-school spirit.
3. Bv comparison Of views the best me-
thods are secured.
4. They are Il great blessing to the indi-
| yidual church at which they are held.
5. They are very valuable as means of
diEusing and promoting denominatonal
strength.
6. It promotes the establishment and fos-
tering of mission schools.
| As Il practical result of the working Of
such convention in his section Qhe North
ern Neck) they now have twenty-siX Sunday
| schools for their only fifteen churches.
Mr. Dunaway elaborated these points into
| q very clear, earnest, and effective speech.
The question was further discussed in
earnest speeches by Z. T. Montague, Esq,
Y. Y. Charters, DR.. w. II. Vaughan. j. NJ.
Pitcher, C. T. Sutherlin, E. T. Rice, and c.
! II. Ry land.
Pending resolution requesting the Sun
! day.School Board to seek to organize con.
ventions similar to those in the Rappahanock
! Association, the order Of the day was called
for, and Rev. J. l.. Carroll, OF Warrenton
took the floor on the question:
IS THE UNIF0RM-LESS0N SYSTEM THE ONE BEST
| ApArrsD TO GENERAL USE IS OUR SCHOOLS?
Mr. Carroll said that he had five ohJec'
tions TO the system, which he proceeded to
sfate and elaborate with his usual ability
and earneStncS>:
|. Its want Of adaptation to the mental con.
| dition Of a large proportion Of the scholars
|, j. not suited to the less advanced classes
,. Ii is ill.adapted TO the mental capacity ol
many teachers.
3. 1t is working actual and serious injury
to many scholars by producing lack ol IN.
tere>t on the part OF both scholars ano
teachers.
: /. 1t supersedes the good old system OF
ca aecheical instruction and the memOrIzlHg
of Scripture, in which he believed. He be
lieved in drilling the children in the brel
but comprehensive definitions Of the stand.
ard cstechislns.
). He objected to the system because il
was uudenomnational and ignored the pecu
liar tenets of our faith.
E.T. Montague, Esq endorsed all of the
objections made by Mr.. Carroll, and made
the additional objection that the teacher has
not in its use the freedom which Is desirable
in bringing the truth to bear on the minds
and hearts OF the pupils.
Rev. j. #. Whitley, Of the Christian denom
inatiOu, was called out, and made an earnest
and forcibe reply to Mr. Carroll and MIR
Montague, insstiog that the objections
made would apply equally to any system
and that the advantages of the system o
uniform lessons greatly preponderate over
, the disadvantages.
Rev. J. u. Tyler. of the Disciples, wa:
called out. and made facetious, earnest
, and Effective reply to Mr.. Carroll. ~
Mr.. Carroll rejoined in L brief but very
happy speech. r..
MIR. t.. =. Mason advocated the uniform
lesson >Jstem in a few remarks, and (witt
fifteen Or twenty advocates OF the system
anxious to speak) the Convention ther
passed on to the next order, which was
BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
By Professor Ulis Mason, OF Columbian Uni
yersity. ...... ....t.
With an excellent assortment OF maps tt
illustrate his SUBJECT, Professor Mason made
a lecture Of deep interest and OF grca
value-f full of instruction, and very sugges
tive as to the uses which may be made
Biblical geography. 1t showed great re
search, Thorough familiarity with the SUP
icrt, and great skill in interesting his audi
tors. -~ ..- "'t
He closed with an eloquent presentation
], rnlntinnS of PalnStInp Il