Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK.

SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK.
OPENING SESSION OF THIS IMPOR-
TANT CONGRESS- YESTERDAY.
General Discussion on the Difficulties
of Sabbath School Work-Valuable In
terchange of Opinions-Dr. vincents Lee
ture Last Night-He is "On Deck in
the Cause.
| The thirteenth session of the Methodist
Episcopal Sunday school congress convened
yesterday afternoon at the Jackson Street
| Methodist church. The exercises were opened
| with scriptural reading by Rev. A. Cressey, of
st: Peter, following which the congregation
joined in singing 'All hail the power of Jesus
MIR. Cressey, after which the congress proceeded
to the election of officers. The Rev. J. Il.
Vincent was elected chairman, Mr.. 81. J. Crist
! being elected to officiate secretary.
The Rev. DR.. Vincent briefly outlined the OBJ
lects OF holding Sunday school congress.
The principal idea in view was to render more
intelligent, and promote the usefulness of Sun
day school work in general. 1t was not intend
ed to interfere retard the Christian efforts of
any other denomination. While the Sunday
| school congress was Methodist institution peT
Sc, it candidly invited aid or seasonable sugges-
| lions from all sources soever. The aim of the
| congress was to inspire Christian workers by
organizing a correct and reliable system of
| work, and to that extent the congress was
necessarily restricted to the Methodist denom-
nation. With all the organized evils to con-
| tend with Christians could not be too closely
| nf kh4 G
| all. In conclusion the speaker invited free
expression of opinion from all Christians, of
whatever denomination, present.
Is DIFFICULTIES OF SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK.
The congress then proceeded to discussion
OF the difficulties attending Sunday school
| work, the Rev. Thomas McClary acting as in
| terlocutor. The exercises were prefaced by
brief address from DR.. Thomas, who generalized
by saying that among the principal difficulties
were lack of capable teachers, the indiffer-
ence of parents, a lack of harmonious action
| and a want of funds.
The Rev. Mr.. Heard thought that one of the
principal obstacles was irreverence in the sane
tuary and want Of the true spirit of worship.
Rev. Mr.. Hulburd said that one difficulty
| man got educated to the business he slid out.
MIR. Crist said that it difficult to keep
| scholars in the school after they had became
| men and women. Rev. Mr.. Bradley, of Du-
luth, said that the great difficulty ut their
school was lack Of scholars. Rev. Mr.. Whiting
| said the greatest trouble he thought of was to
keep the young men and women in the Sunday
schools.
The Rev. Mr.. Rice said that one difficulty was
the line that was drawn between the church and
Sunday school. It had grown to be 'our
church, and your Sunday school," The evil
Rev. Mr.. Gale of Northfeld, thought their
greatest difficulty experienced was in holding
| the Sunday school Immediately after church
service. Many families were not sending their
children on the ground that it interfered with
| the dinner hour.
The Rev. MIR. Conighton, of Minneapolis, said
| that he had been annoyed by the same difficult
| ties.
| Rev. Mr.. Lloyd, of Centenary church. Mime
| apolis, said that the difficulty was not exper-
fenced to the same extent in their church,
for the reason that the session did not COM
| mense until 2:50 o'clock.
Mr.. Wyman said that it wasn't right to keep
$50 or POO children waiting an empty stom-
ach. Another difficulty was that a great many
young men, who boarded, did not
like to lose their Sunday dinners. The
speaker knew how it was himself,
A boarding house dinner was bad enough at
best, and the chances for obtaining anything
to eat after 8 o'clock were exceedingly slight.
The Rev. Mr.. Tice, of Saltwater, Thought it
would be a good plan to have the Sunday
school session at 8 A. N. Rev. Mr.. Heard
thought there was too much sensationalism
about the work in general. The speaker depre-
Gated clap-trap concerts, ETC., as exerting a
pernicious influence on the minds of the young.
! Following are few Of the difficulties sub
mitted in writing by the congregation: The
limited time allowed for the consideration of
the lessons, spiritual and personal application
Of subjects; how to keep the drama from run
ming away with the Sunday school; how to
keep other schools from bribing your Sunday
school; lack Of hard work in teachers; how to
keep the singing out of ruts; our greatest diff
Guilty is to lead the children to Christ; the want
of proper religious instruction; desire to hurry
through the lesson, and leave before
the services; parents not interest
ed; teachers not properly qualified;
want Of more money; lack of study on part
of adult classes; dislike of the Sunday School
Adrocate;; irregularity of attendance of both
teachers and scholars; pastors leaving their
bible classes at the close of the conference
year; failure of teachers to make spiritual
application Of the truths of the lesson, etc.
The Rev. W. G. Rice spoke first of the lack
of efficient teachers. 1t seemed to the speaker
that any work that fell short of conversion was
almost failure. An indispensable condition
| OF the work was conservation to Christ. It
should be insisted upon that both men and
women workers should have an intense love
for the work, because it had saved them.
The pastor should be the responsible man. He
l
vancement by constant encouragement and at
tention. The cooperation Of parents should
also be insisted upon. In this respect there
was entirely too much apathy. Parents were
disposed to turn their children over to the
Sunday schools, after which they became ut
terly Indifferent as to their spiritual welfare.
The true idea Of the Sunday school was origin
ally given by Moses, who enjoyed the coming
together of all the children of the multitudes.
Reference was also made to the proper use of
funds, the lack of reverence and the prevalence
of disobedience. The speaker said that it WAS
better to have the unruly expelled from the
schools than to have other scholars contami-
impress IN the minds of pupils the fact that
when they come to Sunday school they were
entering the presence of the great king. The
demeanor of adults should be exceedingly de-
corous and circumspect. The superintendent
of Sunday school occupied the most import
ant position, next to the pastor, in the econo-
my of the church.
The secretary reported the following Chris
tian Sunday school workers in attendance:
| Methodist minister's Sc; superintendent and
other officers, H.; Sunday school teachers, 40.
The Rev. DIR. Vincent called attention to the
untimely decease of the late DR.. Nelson, agent
| of the M. E. book concern. at New York, stat
ing that it would be proper to appoint COM
| mlttee to draw up resolution commemorative
| of the memory and good qualities of the de-
| ceased On motion the following named cler-
gymen were appointed a committee on resolu
| tions: Rev. Mr.. Brooks, Rev. j. F. Chaffee and
| the Rev. J. o. Rich.
Rev. j. 81. Vincent, after which an adjourn
ment was taken until 80 o clock in the even
| ing.
On Deck
The Rev. DR.. Vincent delivered an interest,"