Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-07-19
A FAREWELL MEETING.

DEPARTURE OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
CONVEN N-INTERESTING AMI
TOUCHING EXERCISES-AN AUDIENCE
IN TEARs-THE OLDEST SUNDAY
SCHOOL WORKER AND THE OLDEST
TEACHER PRESENT,
&C., &C., sc.
Last Friday morning, as early as
O'Clock, the members of the Sunday School
Convention commenced coming into the
Methodist church. 1t was the day for ad-
journment, and many of the lady members
had on their brown linen travelling dresses,
while the males brought their hand sacks
with them. At the hour of half past
eight O'Clock, precisely, President Magru-
der took the chair, and some closing up
business was transacted.
A TOUCHING INCIDENT.
Rev. Wesley Hammond, in making a
report of his Sunday School, said some per-
sons objected to professions of religion by
young children. but he could not agree
with them. He had two children, a
brother and sister, neither far from seven
years of age, in his school. Both professed
religion. The little boy died first in the
triumphs of his faith. This year his little
sister died. All through her sickness she
kept the Sunday School ticket she had re-
ceived the last Sabbath she was ever to be
in its walls, closely held in her hand, some
4 al iarr hay fiy,ao tO 1nnH q IL
She never let it go, sleeping or waking.
When her last hour came, and her parents
were hanging over her, she babe them
farewell, but never let 60 the little scrap
Of pasteboard IN receiving their last en-
braces. When she was dead they opened
the little, cold, clinched hand, and found
the ticket, and on it, "Sutfer little chill
dren to come unto me and forbid them
not,''
A STAUNToN BOY.
President Magruder rose to take leave
of the convention and called to him a
bright little fellow of eight years, with a.
blond head, saying, 'sCome here, George.
Brethren, the first day came to Staunton
l saw this boy. had never seen him be-
fore, but he seemed to like me. He want
ed me to go home, some mile and half
distant, and stay with him When l
could not, he insisted on my going home
to dinner with him, and when [ could not
do that he brought his little brothers and
sisters to see me. That boy, brethren has
been here every hour Of the convention,
and when older heads have given way to
fatigue he has been awake and full of in
terest in our work. His name is George
Knowles, and now [placing his hands upon
the little ones head] 1 intend to send
George thesprettiest bible 1 can find in
Baltimore Mr.. Magruder said in his
farewell address that the reports from
schools received at this convention were
far ahead of those received at any previous
one.
A LADY SPEAKER.
Mrs. j. N. Spangler, wife of Rev. MI.
Sppangler of Washington, arose and adj
dressed the convention. She was dressed
plainly but handsomely in black, with a
hat in which were white feathers. She
spoke much after the manner of the Friends
her hands and keeping her eyes
down on the floor. Her remarks which
were narration of her religious experience
were delivered in beautiful language, and
though very low in tone were, from the
clearness with which they were given,
heard by nearly all in the church.
REV. G. G.. BROOKE
the oldest Sunday school worker in Balti-
more Conference, delivered some very
farewell remarks, made all the
more go by the venerable appearance of the
speaker. He spoke Of the many memories
that crowded on his mind while standing
here where he was formerly pastor and
in a few steps of the body of his former
Bishop which lay under the pulpit Of the
church in which he was speaking.
REV. JACOB HOPKINS,
Of Stanton, and at whose faith
ers house Bishop George died, gave some
very moving recollections, speaking of the
good old bishop and how the children in
the house loved to get hold OF his old broad
hat and put it on and speak Of the time
when they too intended to be preachers.
beneath that pulpit near the body of Bishop
George. He spoke of how much pleasure
it gave him to meet again the venerable
Mr.. Brooke, who had once been his pas
Tor.
AN AUDIENCE IN TEARS.
At. this point Miss Sallie Fuller, a
Methodist lady of Staunton,
who had been Irdaily attendance at the
sessions of the Convention, rose from her
place on the front bench. She was dress
ed in close fitting black dress, and wore
white shawl and black bonnet. Her
voice was firm and clear, except when bro
ken by tears and what she said, which
was faultless in intelligence and clearness
and very touching in manner, completely
broke the audience down and during her
address Of some ten minutes in duration,
there was not a dry eye in the house. She
said she was eighty years old and
had been Sabbath school teacher for fifty
nine years. II remember she said, "when
this was a circuit and not a station, in 1928
when the first Sunday school was organ
lied. The Presbyterians had a school and
we said we must have one too. We
opened with eighty-two sch GLARS and to-
day l am the only one left who was present
at the organization. taught in it until
seven years ago when was no longer able
TO get to it. But 1t is never out of my
mind. l am glad you met here, am glad
to meet my old pastor here Cunning and
taking the hand of Mr.. Brooke), and am
glad to see you here pointing to Rev. DR..
Alpheus Wilson, one of the most distin-