St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-04-26
Letter from Atlanta.
ATLANTA.


ternatiOnal Sunday School Convention
which has been held in this city the
present week. 1t has been my rare
privilege to be present. | cannot fol
want of room and time give you the
details of this meeting; l have not the
power to give even faint idea of the
interest and spirit of the meeting. The
convention included delegates from
nearly every State and territory, the
British provinces, and one man from
over the sea. 1t brought together some
of the strongest as well as most de-
voted Sunday School workers of the
including among those who took
part in-the exercises such well known
names as DR.. John Hall and DR.. Vim
cent and Gen. Clinton B. Fisk of New
York DR.. C. L. GoOdell of st. Louis,
and DR.. Baird of Tennessee DR.. Munro
Gibson of Chicago and Rev. L. 7.
Chamberlin of Connecticut; Rev. Henry
Clay Trumbull of Philadelphia and
Rev. HI. M. Parsons of Buffalo, and a
host of others not so well known in the
north.
The Convention was delegate body,
of which there were in round numbers,
five hundred present. 1t continued
through three days, and discussed such
topics as these: "The true basis OF
Sunday School work how related to
other agencies; possibilities in the
future" To work successfully the work
ers must be qualified, "Q) by a knOwl-
edge of the Word; (2) by knowledge
of methods" The work was promoted
''W by state and provincial Organiza-
tions; (2) by conventions and institutes;
(3 10y normal instruction; (4) by Chris
tian love and sympathy"
Besides these discussions, there were
able addresses upon topics near akin,
which, together with the organization,
reports from every state, devotional
meetings, opening and parting adj
dresses, filed the time all too full. OF
the spirit and harmony of the gathering
too much cannot be said. The conven-
ton with great unanimity and enthu-
siasm chose Gov. COlquitt of Georgia
as its permanent president, and most
excellent presiding officer he made.
The people of Atlanta were most cordial.
Southern hospitality was again ex-
emplifed. The Eflate unpleasantness''
was taboed subject or if alluded to
at all, it was in such way as to inn
press the nearer that at least the Sun
day school men of the South as well us
the north were determined to let by
cones be bygones. No louder applause
or more hearty amens were heard dur
ing the convention than when utterance
was given to this sentiment. 1t seems
to me that such gatherings as this will
do more to heal the old sores and ce-
ment the different sections than any
thing legislators can do.
But this is not political essay, but
a few lines jOtted down on my knee be-
tween times, giving some impressions.
And what are the impressions upon a
New Englander who goes through these
southern states? Many and varied. The
early bloom and perpetual freshness of
these April days-the growing corn and
waving grain-the broad acres dotted
with wild flowers and vegetation OF
luxuriant growth-the trees in full leaf
and the markets filled with early veg
etables, all these are strange at this
season. But the extreme poverty of
the poor-the total lack of every thing
that goes to make life not only pleasant
but endurable. to a nortberner-the
degradation of both whites and blacks
in the country, is enough to make a
New Englander who has home how
ever humble, truly thankful for his lot
This of course is not applied to such a
fine city as Atlanta, or Nashville, OF
Savannah, but in the country outside
IucSO Unity CLUES.
On the anniversary of the battle OF
Lexington l rode out of the city and
saw the spot Wnere inc Druvo UOn. MI
PhersOn fell, the spot now being marked
by monument with the single word
"MCPHERsoN" cut in the granite base,
from which heavy cannon rises as the
monumental shaft, the whole surround
ed by simple iron fence. This is a
mile or more outside the city, in quite
thick growth of young trees, and the
road to it is over stumps and stones,
though approachable by carriages. The
earthwOrks on the high ground about
the city are still plainly discernible,
and the red barren soil all about seems
to repel the growth of vegetation where
so much precious blood was shed.
Atlanta, as you know, was in the line
of Sherman's march to the sea. and was
almost wholly destroyed. A soldier in
the Confederate army, (whO l am sorry
to say was born in Vermont), told me
to-day that when he passed through
here in '65, wounded, he did not think
there We're dozen good houses left
but an old resident says there were by
cOnnt $50 unburnt. Now the city claims
twenty or thirty thousand people.
The railroad by which we came to
this city, runs through the gap held by
the Union troops when Sherman was
marching down to its relief, apd we
breakfasted at Big Shanty, where a
sanguinary conflict was had, and passed
the base of the Kennesaw mountain