West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-06-08
RESPONSE,
By Reu S. B. Barnitz, of Wheeling.


workers Of the State of West Nir-
ginia, Iaccept the welcome you have
so kindly given US, and thank you
for it.
We have already been made to
feel welcome in the Christian
homes and families that have so
kindly opened their doors to US, and
yet, Sir, the public expression of
the interest here felt in our gather
ing, and the appreciation here
shown. of its importance, comes
home as words of Christian sympa-
thv ever do. 4 i X x Il You
have been pleased to refer to the
un-sectarian spirit of this Conven-
ton and the beauty Of Christian
union as here set forth, and in SO
doing l am sure you have touched
a chord of sympathy the music Of
which resounds from every heart
/ regard it, Sir, as one of the strong
est recommendations ofthe Sunday
School work that it has, in common
with all missionary organizations
this feature, viz, "the almost pos
tive inability to recognize in it
anything like sectarian distinct
tons" It's great aim is the souls
salvation, and minor ends must not
be permitted to hinder this grand
result. Truly, Sir, as in the mis-
sionary cause, distinctly so called,
when men are sent to preach to the
heather, the great paramount
theme is, GOOD so loved the world"
So also in the Bible and temperance
cause, when the great fact appears
before us that men are dying, and
nothing short Of the Bread Of Life
can save them. We find no time
to analyze the chemistry Of the
loaves to determine precisely how
much Of this denominations car
bon or that ones oxygen, or the
others hydrogen, is present-the
only question is how to get the
loaves, and how most quickly to
send them. The Sabbath School
claims this feature prominently.
4 * * i The scholars are in
danger, and we are to use every eff
fort to save them through Gods APP
pointed means.
We are now in the second centu-
nv of Sunday School work The
success and glory of the past stimu-
late us to nobler deeds for the future.
Yet with all we have to encourage
US, the work in our State is a
work of patient toll. We must
learn to qudh as well as labor. The
children of Isreal finally drove out
Canaanitish tribes and possessed
tn land; but we must not forget
the forty years travel through the
wilderness, and the 400 years of
bondage, which were first endur-
ed. \: x * * It was good both
tn hope and to quietly wait for the
salvation of God. '
Before closing this discourse |
also must refer to another feature
of the work mentioned in your adj
dress, and l know it will have a
hearty "Amen" from every part of
our Mountain State There is no
work to-day which should claim
greater attention at the hand of
Christian people, than work among
the orphaned and helpless and neg
lected. There are starving multi
tudes in our large cities and towns,
yea, and also in our country dis
tricts, who have neither God nor
Gospel, and many of these are help
less. Unless taught of God no,v in
youth, and brought under the hal
lowed and restraining influences
of the grace of God, they will grow
up curse to society and tax and
cancerupon the body polite. Many
of these cannot now be reached by
the Sunday School in its Sabbath
sessions, but Sunday School workers
can so influence public opinion in
this community that reformation
for juvenile offenders, and homes
for the orphan and fatherless will
be erected and sustained.
But, Sir, and my beloved fellow
workers, we have come together to
pork rather than talk, to make plans
and improve on plans already made,
for reaching and keeping the youth
and children Of our State, and as l
believe much more in uork than
talk, | will but repeat our hearty