Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-19
HISTORY OFM.E. SABBATH SCHOOL


4 the world in the earliest ages. In bot
cases to a great extent, reliance must b
y placed in oral tradition, detached facts
obscure records, where all the essential
, are left out aud when all these fail thet
, recourse must be had TO the art of guess
ing. One great reason for the paucity 0
material is accountable for from the fac
that most OF those who took part in In,
afiairs at that time have departed nm,
those who are living have forgotten nearl,
all the affairs OF the long ago. The mail
part OF the material forming this sketcl
down to the year 1860 is derived from In,
Sunday School reports of the pastor to In,
quarterly conference, which in many in.
stances ale very meager.
The first in order is to suppose that n
Sabboth School was instituted when This
Methodist Church was first organized. for
II is one of the characteristics of the Meth.
odist preacher to establish the Sabbath
School alongside Of the church. But now
to the facts.
In the year 1885, the old Monroe circuit
was divided and the Perrysburg circuit or
ganized. But we hear nothing of a Sab
bath School ill the year 1888; although
! by the tenor of the first recorded report il
Is evident that school had been in exist
ence some time.
April Is, 1888 a Sabbath School society
was formed with constitution and bylaws,
with Henry Darling as Superintendent
which position he held for some time. Al
this time the school enrolled 10 officer.
and teachers and 55 scholars and had n
library OF 90 volumes, which continued
with varying success till 1850, with an en-
rollment OF from 80 to 60 scholars. At
times the circu Instances were encouraging
and Mt others, discouraging.
But now it is necesstrv to resort to cuess
authority, sine. even the Pastors meager
). ). reports fail us; for there are no
church records from 1850 TO 1888 10 draw
from. l know not the reason of this reti-
cence unless writing became unpopular.
One OF the old members thinks that ID. NJ.
Mehered was Superintendent part of the
time OF this obscurity.
In the year 1853 the clouds Of the dark
ages passed away and we find the school
mum bcring l5 officers nd teachers and no
scholars, which would indicate that it hnd
aot been asleep all this period. However,
alter this there was great falling off in
numbers. The records show an average
attendance OF from 30 to 80 till the wear
1857 at which time we can bid farewell To-
speculation and depend upon recorded facts
and greater portion OF it from the s, S.
records themselves.
During the period just canvassed there
appears 10 have been two caIises to operate
against the success ofHhe school. The re-
ports Invariably in the fall of the wear
complain OF the falling off in the attend
amce on account of the prevailing sickness
incident to this season of the year and in
this locality. No one unacquainted with
he ri Ia .f
the force OF the remark since a majority of
the people at this time were shaking with |
the ngue and this hnd Il greater effect ON
thinning the school than the semi-annual
complaint prevalent now ia the Spring and |
Fail, OF nothing to wear"
The second calIse Of complaint is one |
which has equal force now and pcrplexes |
Sabbath School woi kcrs rs much as ever. |
which Is the want of enOugh good, earnest !
working teachers, punctual To their duties |
and Milling their responsible positions ns |
they ought. Christ, our Savior, while full |
hlling his mission To fallen humanity |
when the panorama OF the Jewish people !
came in review before him and seeing how |
little was being done BY human imstru-
mentality, to "save the pcrishing," was led |
to exclaim, THE harvest truly is great
but the laborers are few" and when Sab
bath School workers look at the amosnt to
do and the few to do the work they too nre
almost appalled, at the magnitude of the
Commencing with the yesr 1859, the list
OF Superintendents Is complete down To
the present Incumbent; Also a large
amount Of statistics which will he present.
ed in condensed form.
The following persons filled the Office Of
between 1859 and 1864:
The Pastor, J. legally; p. s. Slevin, Pas.
tor; J. A. Shannon, Pastor; S. RI. Alder
man, q. w. Creps, J. S. Ellis and the p. ..
tor, l.. NJ. Alhright-enrolling during this
lime from ID to II officers aud teachers
and commencing with an average attend
,nce nl 80 scholars and increasing to an
average attendance of so.
In the Fall of 1868 the school adopted
he constitution prepared by the General
Conference and recommended 10 be used
by all schools aud thereby become auxilI-
,ry to the Sunday School society ni the
NJ. +. Church. From 1861 to 1867, the
Pastor, L. n. BIrkdull, was the Suucrin,
endent, with is officers and teachers
md an average attendance Of from
100 to 40. The following is the list of
from 1867 to the present.
With their term Of service: j. A. Shan
non, year; John Barton, IA wears; W.
J. Dtnison, 6 months; j. A. Shannon, |
rear; Rev. j. H. Wilson, year; W, j..
leni.nn, 81 wears; David Donaldson, 6
months; A. q. Smith, year; anl the
,resent incumbent, W. J. D,nison who wa,
''ccted again Ocli 1877. During this time
here were from Is TO 25 officers and
eacherS and an average Attendance of from
70 TO l23. Sometimes the schnnl was an 4
he increase and then an the wnne, Ms mo- \
lotoity, neglect and iheflcicncy in its man
gcniehl have worked n decline in its num-
'ers nnd uscfulncsS dr excitement, novelty
'r actual efficiency were made conducive
q its growth.
Daring the year 1873, the society adopted
Ia third constitution NJ recommended bv :
he General Conference with such modih-
alions as its necessities required, under
which il is now operating. In 1871 the
easement OF the church was fitted up f0r 5
sabbath School purposes, which gives ]
,reAler facilities for y. =. work than we en- !
Dyed before. There has been library ;
connected With the school all this time,
With greater or less variety Of hooks,
Idditions being made to il from Iine to
ime, and had it not been for its con-
inual, and II seems sometimes unnecessary
waste would have been larger than il now
:, but which seldont has been adequate to
he wants of the school
Although the school at times may not
rave been what It should yet there il rea-
on to believe that it has been hand mai
len to the church all these years in pro-
the Gospel and bringing the
NuafW rNlA q. LII a