The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-04-27
Glk Adtdjrate>
THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH, 1876
Reported for the ADvocAfn. g.,
The Elk County Sunday School Conven-
finn


that 'the frst Sunday School was founded
10y Ludwig Hacker between the years 1740
and 1747n at Ephrata, Lancaster Co. Pa.
am eng the German seventh day Bapti,ts
there. If Haydn's statement be true then
let the fact be entered up to the memory Of
Ludwig Hacker aud to the credit of Ian
caster Go. Pa. Whether the first county
| sunday school convention was held in Pl.
Haydn does not record, neither does he
say whether, when, or where one was ever
| held in Elk County, but in some future
| edition of his invaluable dictionary it may
be stated that the first Elk Co. Sunday
school convention was held at Ridgway,
On Tuesday and Wednesday April 18th,
ard 10Th, 1876, and closely associated with
| it among other names will be that Of Rev.
| r. Crittenden, Dellefont, Pa. The Rev.
| gentleman just NAMED is a missionary of
| the American Sunday School Union and
! has been laboring zealously among the
| people of this county and was iustrumen-
| tai in calling the convention. rs per
| call and announcement r the county papers
| the convention met at the NJ, +. Church
Gidgway at 3 .. IN. on Tuesday April 18th.
| The time appointed was unfortunately not
suitable one to secure large attend
ance of Sunday school workers. Few. VIM
| Hoffman, Wilcox. Rev. Il. White st.
Mary's, and Rev. l. Brenneman Ridgway,
am told were away from the county
attending their respective synUds, while
Rev. Chilcoat, Bennezette, Rev. VIM. Jas.
Miller, Ridgway, and several others were
kept away on account of sickness and
death. From the above statement it may
be readily observed that the working force
at the convention was not large. | have
not been furnished with the names of the
delegates which l hoped to receive from
the committee op delegates, hence they
do not appear here.
THE CHLnRENs NETTING.
on Tuesday p. NJ, was quite largely at
tended, and representations FROM all the
sabbath schools in the village were
present and took active parts in the
exercises. The programme which give
from memory think was substantially
as follows:
1st. Singing by the children--''I love
to tell the story"
2nd. Bible reading by Rev. Crittenden
and the schools,
3rd. Prayer by Rev. Crttenden.
4th. Singing-"IIo the fort.n
9th. Recitation by scholars.
9th. address by Rev. VIM. Yinglirg,
Lite Toby.
7;h. 6 Grinding mill exercise-Rev
Crittenden.
After which adjournment was IN order.
Tuesday evening the convention was
called to order by Rev. Crittenden and
after stating some preliminaries he an
nounced the devotional exercises which
took place as follows:
lst. Singing II need Thee every
hour"
End. Prayer by A. b. Preston, Wilcox
3rd Singing-"Jesus paid it ali.n
4th. Bible Reading.
Following the Devotional exercises
came the formation Of temporary or
| ganization of which A. i. Preston was
made PRESIDENT and Geo. r. Dixon Sec'y.
Mr.. Preston on taking the chair made
a brief but pointed address at the close
of which he announced the following
subject for discussion.
"Niz: The objects we seek to accom-
plishn Rev. R. CIittenden spoke first
and thought the following We're among
the Objects.
lst. SO to occupy the young as to ena-
BILE them to keep the sabbath day holy.
End. To gather in. adults for Bible
study.
| 3rd. To make good citizens.
4th. To qualify the young to sing in
the house ofthe Lord.
9TH. To give religious instruction.
9th. So 10 teach that al arc taught to
be christians
Rev. Wm. Martin followed in the dis
cussion and named two objects.
LIST. ''To make good men and women" 4"
"2nd. To study the word of God"
Rev. Mr. Yingling concluded the de-
bate on this question by considering
that zone great object was the salvation
Of the soul" The chairman then trefly
reviewed the points presented and an
nounced the 2ud. question for discussion
viz 'Duti es of the sunday school
supt"
The scc'y was called upon by the chair
to opsn the debate which he did and
tried in the course of hisremarks to give
some Of the duties as follows:
2nd. Should study to possess executive
ability.
3rd. Introduce variety of exercises
TO conform with the nature of the chill
dren.
4rh. Keep all busy ard not try to do
everything himself. .
9th. Be decisive and firm.
j. o. w. Railey was next called upon
who strengthened the points already
| given and added one more that the supt.
ought to conduct frequent Reviews. Rev
Martin followed and said the first great
duty of supt. was ''to giUe his heart to
| GOd,u and closed his speech by taking