Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-10-18
FIRST EDITION.
Friends First-Day schools,
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEETING ON "a,
URDAY--AFTERNooN sEnaION.

| FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEETING ON FAT
| uRDAY--AFrERNooN sEssIoN.
Our reports, ON Saturday, gave the proceed
| lngs OF the morning session OF the Conference,
after which refreshments provided by the Will
| migton Friends were served in the school ruom
opposite the Westinghouse to all who did not
choose other entertainment.
Upon reassembling, at 2 oclock, proposition
from the Executive Committee to hold the meet
| ing OF the Conference only once year was con-
| sidered and called out diversity of opinion. 1t
| is proposed to hold the general meeting Of the
Conference in October OF each year, with an ad
journed meetipg in Philadelphia, during the ses-
sion OF the Yearly Meeting, in May. Tue prop
| osition was finally agreed to.
The minutes of the Executive Committee Gov
erng its proceedings at the several monthly
| meetings since last May, were read. The Com
mittee have offered premiums OF 5000, $l0O and
800 for the best written stories of domestic life
illustrating and explaining tho testimonies and
principles OF Friends in language adapted to the
comprehension of children Of from ten to fifteen
years of age. The intention il to procure MSS.
by those premiums, suitable for books for use in
the First.Day School libraries. For manuscripts
not entitled to a premium, but which the Com
mittee think Of value. s25 will be paid
The reading of this minute called
out considerable comment, several of
the speakers being concerned about
works of felton," Upon this, Thomas II.
Speakman, Thomas Worrell, Wm. p. Bancroft,
Clement M. Biddlo, Louisa j. Roberts, George
Middleton, and several others spoke. 1t was
stated that the action of the Committee. in Of
fering these premiums, had been definitely and
finally taken, and could not now be recalled but
that it was, nevertheless, open to the expression
of the opinions Of those present, for approval or
otherwise. committee of seventeen, one of
whom is Samuel M. Janney, OF Virginia, author
OF the History Of Friends" and Lives of Penn
and Fox, il to examine and pass upon the manu-
scripts when they shall be received from the
authors, which is required to be by the LIST OF
January.
Joseph NJ. Truman called attention to Bum
yans immortal work "The Pilgrims Progress"
as one purely imaginary in its character but
which he had " often heard quoted from our
galleries." He added that for himself he had
never felt free to read works of fiction, not even
"Uncle Toms Cabin" though it was substan-
TALLY relation of facts. Louisa J.. Roberts
said that no storv that could be written, if it
corresponded to the experiences of life, would
be untrue, for the realities of our existence fur
nished every imaginable incident and circum-
stance. In writing stories, the result simply
was different groupings and arrangements of
these facts.
The clerk finally made minute which was
agreed to, approving the action Of the Commit
tee but noting the fact that number OF those
present dissented.
An epistle to the Baltimore Conference of
First Day schools was read, approved, and direct
ed to be forwarded, aud an interesting essay on
the work of the First Day Schools WAS read upon
which there were numerous remarks OF approv-
al. The Chillrens Friend and Scattered Seeds
were commended to the support of those pre-
sent
At 3.45, the meeting adjourned to re-convene
at Race street meeting house, in Philadelphia, on
the evening Of the Fourth day Of Yearly Meet
ing, in May next
four report OF Saturday scarcely gave an ade-
1uate idea of the numerous warm testimonies at
the opening of the Conference, given concerning
the late Samuel Wollaston. He had always been
very warmly interested in the First Day Schools,
and this fact was feelingy alluded to, as well as
his worth of Character and upright walk in life.
Ed. Comm gRcIAL.