Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-06-20

1
of Mason City, 18th chapter of Isl
John, also 18th chapter of John.
Rev. j. w. Mcdonald, of Ottumwa
then lead in prayer.
This was followed by the song
"Precious Promise"
President Allen, Of Marshalltown
then delivered his Annual opening
address, as follows:
FELLOW SABBATH School WORKERS
AND CITIZENS OF Iowa:
One more year with all of its sue.
cesses and disappointments has passed
from us. One more year with all OF
its varied experiences, of victories
won and of losses sustained, has been
added to our lives. One more volume
in the history of our Iowa Sabbath
School work has been made, and we
as representative from the grand
army of s. S. workers that 60 to
make up the State association, arc
permitted by a kind and indulgent
Father to meet here in this beautiful
city, and under these pleasant circum.
stances to bind together in mind and
heart that which shall make up the
twelfth volume of our annual conven.
tions. To me has been assigned the
pleasant task of the opening words OF
preface of this volume. "This Con.
vention and our Association" is the
topic for the few moments allotted
me.
Often during an active campaign does
n commanding officer call together
those in command ofthe different divi.
sions of his army, that they may hold
what is termed council of war, tha,
they may by this meeting, have oppor.
tunity fora free exchange of knowl.
edge possessed by each, determine on
some united and uniform plan of action
that shall lead the army on to victory
and that shall bring sure defeat to
their enemies. So we find in matters
pertaining to peaceful avocations, we
as people, living under Republican
form of government, select from our
midst those that shall meet together
in our State and National capitals
that our common experiences in the
various walks of life may be brought
as it were together, and that from
those experiences laws may be enact
ed that shall be beneficial to us as q
peoele. This idea has become sc
prevalent that all classes of men
representing all branches of business
and kinds of trade, from the farmer
that sows the seed in the fertile sol
to the engineer that holds the lever
that controls the power that drive.
the commerce of the world, have
formed themselves into associations
and hold conventions that they toe
may make use of these valuable mean.
to assist and help them on in life;
work. And so ii is, that we, who arc
engaged in a spiritual warfare thai
far exceeds. in magnitude and import
ance, any earthly contest, and who arc
the sewers of seed that shall bring
forth an eternal harvest. and thai
hold the lever to power that no,
only controls the commerce of the
world, but power that moves ani
governs the word and all of the grea
system of worlds that surround us
have thought best to associate to
gether under the title of the "Iows
Sabbath School Association" that W,
might better promote intercourse ant
dissem inatc religious information
among our Sabbath School workers
and to cooperate together in advanc
ing the cause of Christi" "and thus l
is, dear friends, that we are brough
together in this, our twelfth annua
convention.
Our work is Spiritual, and ou
weapons also, they are might,
through God, to the pulling down o
strongholds /; without that help the,
are but arms of fcsh-thcy ma,
check and roprcss what is vile in us
but they cannot clothe us with beaut,
or Transforming power.
Consecrated hearts, gotten through
the Spirits presence, we mus
have in such work. While W
beg for this, let us not forget pas
mercies. While conservation give
us courage, thankfulness shall len,
wings to our faith, bearing us up owe
all obstacles to new conquests.
i There are many things that go t,
indicate that this convention will b
a most precious and useful one, on
that shall have great success in th
accomplishment of that for which !
is called.
May we not accept it asa peculia
time, when God shall make specia
manifestation Of His presence in ou
midst, in the coming to lis of thi
sacred number that marks our annua
coming together, and again may W
not bring to this, our annual jubilee
hearts that shall be full, and lips tina
may be ready to speak of the won
dcrful things that God has done 70
J Iowa during the past year-for has
not been n year when the tidal wav
, of Gods reviving Spirit has swer
/, over our State in most wonderfU
; and gracious manner. And shal
this not make this convention on
long to be remembered, as we sha
, speak and sing, with our hearts a
/ aglow with Christian zeal, and tn
praises of God bursting from our lipl
as an expression of what we fee
: toward Him who has done so muc
for us.
We meet here as workers togethe
with Christ. Many of your faces ar
familiar to the convention-you hav
loved to come, for once having taste
of the good things to be found her
you have felt the more inclined I
come again. Some Of those permit
ed to meet with us in former year
have finished their labors here belo,
and have gone to join that great cor
[ vention above. Some of our numbe
have passed through the valley Of al
fiction, in being called upon to pal
with those that were nearest an
A dearest to them to such, we offer til
s kind sympathy Of Christian heart
/. Others there are among us who ar
with us for the first time; to you W
, extend the fraternal hand Of gree
ing and welcome you to our nun
J Der, asking your hearty and activ
r cooperation with us in this grea
work, and we trust that you may b
benefited and blessed in meetin
. with us and that we may be likewis
: favored in having your aid.
G The field of our labor is gran
n one, no nobler State adorns the col
: stellation of States that make up on
fair Republic. Her broad acres al
q tceming with a population that ft
Q general intelligence and Christia
q culture, will compare favorably wit
any State in the union, and vet
single glance at the statistics of oil
Q State will show that there are gre,
d opportunities for work in this. OF
q field, with all its favorable compar
sons. With a population of abol
one and half million, one-third
&c whom are under 81 years Of age, "
" find less than 100000 of them i'm Il
: Sabbath School. What can we do fl
=, the 100000 that have no Sabbal
!. School home is an important que
's ton for US to consider. Our positie
4 as a State is an important one-occ1
m pying as we do central position
s. this great union of States, boundl
upon our eastern and western borde
by the two great water courses of II
nation, located midway between Il
IS two great oceans of the world, wi
4 the great railroad thoroughfare th
/ connects the two passing direct
IS through our ccnter-may we not fe