, 1881-05-08
AMERICAN S. S. UNION.

| FIFTY-sEvENTu ANNIVERSARY OF IT'S OH
| GANlZtT1OS.
The American Sunaay-School Union will celc-
brate its tifty-scycuth anniversary Thursday
| evening in Central Musc-Iial. An interesting
! and instructive program OF exercises has been
prepared for the occasion. including addresses
by Bishop Cheney, OF this city, Daniel T. Noycs
| Esq, st. Paul, Dir. T. 4. Nublc, OIL 'Sunday-
| School Training and tho Future of the Statc,' -
| and an grafton on what the S,1nday-school has
accomplished, by the Rev. John HALL, d. D., Of
| New York.
| The report of tho Union for tho year 1850
opened with appropriate reference to rEc
centenary celebration held in LoIsuon to co1Il-
ncmoratc tho founding Of Sundayschools by
Robert Raikes, Gloucester. ENGLAND, ESQ. 1t
calls attention to tho Importance OF Christian
education as Il safeguard to the nation, und
quoting on that subject the emphatic words Of
President Garfield in his inaugural address.
The American Sunlay-SchoOl Union was the
pioneer In producing juvenile religious litera-
ture, i'll which it expended thousands Of dollars
beyond what was contributed and paid to it
therefor. That the country and The Christian
Church has been benefited by this liberal policy,
Is indicated by the very strong testimony OF the
Rev. DR.. james v. Alexander. the Rev. Dr.
Thomas +arnlitnEH, and others.
Or. Armitu..e says: II believe that since the
Society wHs organized you have poured out upon
the public mind !, larEtr literature upou the
subject OF the early conversion Of children thu1l
the world POSSESSED IN the l.>oo years bcfose
your organization" The Society has lis1rib-
uted 900 worth of publications aud organ
lied III tifty-seven years about 10tSD Sunday
schools with 50o,0oO -teachers and 30o00o0 schol-
Ars- -..
The unprecedented growth Of the country. has
Increased, rather than diminished, its field Of
labor.
There are two classes in tho community to be
reached by Christian ltcrlture: III Those
needs. These seek and pay for their own sup
plies. e. Those whose tastes Arc Mt war with
piled hy the o,eiinary In" Of trade, but must be
reached by direct and patient effort They are
nou- church. socrs,, and many vi them beyond
the reich OF ordinary church agencies 4
Christian litcraturc is needed also to render
mission schools permanent, as Is AbunGt;tntly
shawn by the testimony OF large number Of
missionary workers from every part Of the land
The report notices the npr'intment Of tho
Rev. Edwin W.. Ricc MS editor of the Socie'y's
publications; the nGrlted i' success of Dr sshaits
Gospels" -. ".Wolnar's Talk About Insli;." a new
Pocket Atlas Of the Lands of the 1sfnic,' The
Sunday Hours Library Of seventy five volumes,
and several o1hcr1lrw issues during; the year.
Some changes have been made in the pcrioui-
calls: tho Picture Ford. tor littu people, is
the youngest clusses, and the t3tl'* Hn,ld has g
new title+ and IS 1iow called the Youths EIU,9d,
being adapted for the intermediate cnsscs. The
success OF the new quarterly and the continued
appreciation Of tho Su'id!j- Sc}s",t U'o';d, u1u
the various lesson papers also receive notice.
Attention Is called to the large amount cx-
pended iu National education. about sSi,tD0,O1O
annually, besides upward OF S5MEl,U1O given for
tho endowment and support Of higher $chouts,-
none too large an expenditure for secular rllu
cation.-but Christ'an education is Of VASTLY
grcater i1unortancc, and should have corrt-
spoDdiIlglv lArgc gifts.
The power of the press for good or evil is
clearly shown in statistics Of immense t;uatlti-
tics OF worthless and utterly bad books which
are being issued, and the Importance of nrutral-
izing this with 1T, equally immense quantity OF
friends, to putriots. and to l,hilanihrol,ists to
foster and encourage by liberal contributions
this branch Of the Socictys operations.
The work lf the UulQIl's missionaries d,lriui.