Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-07-12


latter gentleman observed that there
was too much singing in the schools,
and also thought church sociables
against good taste, good sense and
good religion. Messrs T. J. Magruder and
G. B. Bayly, strongly dissented from the
idea that there was too much singing.
THE CATECHISM IN THE SCHOOLS.
was the next topic. Rev. G.. e. Brooke,
the oldest Sunday school worker in Balti-
more Conference, leading off. He urged
that the catechism should be made study
in the schools and the duty imposed by the
last General Conference should be fully
performed. He did not think the pure
principles of religion as held by the Metho-
dist church should be sacrificed at the al
tar Of the International Lessons. He
spoke of the tendency to dispense with the
Bible in the public schools and expressed
the opinion that the Methodist church
would not have fulfilled its mission until
it established parochial and district schools
for the education of the children of Metho-
dists. Rev. DR.. Rogers held up as an ex-
ample the way the Pres5yterians enforced
the learning of the catechism in their
schools. Rev. Messrs Robey. Canter, ard
Fox. spoke strongly on the same side and
resolution was unanimously adopted,
pledgjng the convention to do "all in it's
power to sustain the effort now being
made to adopt thorough system of cata-
OH inctruotioy in ur cohOo1Q ,,
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
were discussed next, Rev. G. G. Biting,
the eloquent pastor of the Franklin Square
Baptist church Baltimore leading off. He
favored purely religious books for school
libraries and opposed the use of books
nearly novels in their character. Hemade
happy illustration of the objection to
them by saying that while there may be
good deal of good in them as there is
much wheat left in the screenings after
threshing, .yet no farmer was ever known
to leave the bags full of good wheat and
plant the screenings because of the fact
that there is some good wheat among them.
His address was very eloquent and stirred
the convention profoundly. A resolution
of thanks was voted him.
BIBLE LESSONS.
On Wednesday afternoon the convention
resolved itself into a Bible Glass and was
taught by DIR. j. W. F. Hank of Baltimore.
The subject was the early life of Christ
and the questions asked by the scholars of
the class soon led into series OF unan-
swerable inquiries regarding the human
and divine nature of the Savior when a
boy. Dr. Ell. showed much skills in con-
Quoting the class and received vote of
thanks.
CHILDREN's MASS MEETING.
Wednesday night there was children's
mass meeting at which the school of the
Methodist church was present and sang
some beautiful pieces. The remarkable
alto voice of Miss Effie Stiff, one of their
choir, attracted much attention and adj
miration from the visitors, especially those
from Baltimore. where fine voices are not
scarce. Addresses were delivered by
Drs. Biting, Rogers and Harper, and
President Magruder gave one of his genial
talks. The building was crowded almost
to suffocation.
PERSONAL.
Rev. J. 1. Miller, OF Staunton visited the
convention, and was introduced. When
DR.. Biting who is a Baptist was introdu
ced to the convention he made some elo-
quent remarks upon fraternal feeling
among Christians and when the applause
which greeted them subsidized, the members
grose and sung verse OF the hymn,i' To-
gether let US sweetly live."
MEMOIRS
were adopted in memory of Rev. Dabney
Ball late ice-president of the society and
Henry F. Zimmerman. of Washington,
both of whom have died during the year.
RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE.
A letter was read from President Ben
nett, of Randolph Macon asking that the
convention recommend to the schools rep
resented in it, the collection for that COL
lege. He states that fourteen schools have
already taken up collections which aver
age $1Oeach and one school had given 500.
There was some opposition to the conven-
ton taking action on the request, but it
finally adopted a resolution requesting the
schools of the conference to take up the
! collection named, with very few dissenting
votes.
REPORTS ADOPTED.
The committee on the use of the cate
chism in the schools reported yesterday
morning, requesting pastors, superinten~
dents and teachers to teach wherever and
whenever occasion permits, the doctrines
and economy of the church, and recon-
mending that the Discipline be adopted as
text book in the schools. The members
of the schools are urged to familiarize
themselves with the doctrines of our be-
loved church. The report was adopted.
The committees report recommending
that the Sunday School literature be pur-
chased from the Southern Methodist Pub
fishing House as adopted.
A report was adopted endorsing the
Mexican mission and recommending that
collections for it be taken up in the schools.
| NEXT PLACE OF MEETING.
| The towns OF Lexington, LeWlSDurg,
W. Va, and Harrisonburg were put in
nomination as the place of next meeting.
Lewisburg was withdrawn, and then Lex
ington was selected by a vote of SIS to SIS for
Harrisonburg. The convention spoke
highly of it's former reception at Harrison
burg, and a strong effort was made to
get the vote reconsdered, but it failed.
THE STANTON SCHOOLS.
In the call for reports from the schools
| of Rockingham district very interesting