The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-09-06


GRAND SUSDAY.ScHooL Mass. MEETING op
ALL DENOMINATIONS. "A grand mass.meet-
Ing OF Sunday,school workers Of al, de-
! nominations Of Richmond and Mauches.
ter was held at Brosd.Street Metbodist
church Sunday afternoon at O'Clock, under
the direction OF the " Executive Committee
OF the Sunday. Schools OF All Denomina.
tions Of Virginia John y. Cary (presi-
deni) in the chair, Z. =. Rady secretary,
| The church was crowded with represents.
tives OF all denominations Of Richmond
and Manchester. The meeting was opened
with singing, led by Mr.. j. DIX. Seight.
OF the First Presbyterian church; prayer
by Rev. Or. Richardson, OF the Central
| Presbyterian, and reading the Scriptures by
Rev. Z. A. Peterson, OF Centenary Meth
odlst church.
The President stated the object Of the
meeting, aud said that he was never hap
pier than when engaged in Sunday school
work OF an uudenomiDationa character. 1t
is always pleasant 10 meet on the common
platform OF Sunday. school work, where we
are all one in Christ Jesus, our great head,
where brother can meet brother, and for
getting all denominatiOnal lines, can clasp
bands and work together for the salvation
Of the world. lie then Introduced Mr.. r.
PaysOu Porter, Of the international Sun
day-School Union, Christian gentleman
| distinguished for his untiring energy and
ability in Sunday-school work. He ex-
tended to him hearty and cordial Chris
tian welcome 10 the hospitalities Of every
Virginia home.
Mr. Porter then addressed the meeting,
stating that he had Just returned from the
North Carolina State Sunday-School Con-
/ upae worry O. al IN moot fhn ron.
resentatives OF this great work IN Virginia.
| The honor conferred upon him was an
honor TO the cause OF God. He stated that
the SunGay-school cause is making rapid
progress all over the world. We have in
the United States s4,730 Sabbath schools,
| 952.2 .2S3 teachers, and 6,S20, S35 scholars.
! The number who Joined the Church In
tWenty-iour States and five Territories
/ from the Sunday schools during the past
] twelve months was 1913 532. During the
! past wear over 5000 Sundsy-sehool con-
veDtious were held in the United States.
/ He read some appropriate passages OF
| Scripture bearing upon Sunday-school
work. In London, last year, represents
/ tives Of all The nations OF the earth
! came together 10 one grand convention TO
compare views and devise methods for the
| propagation Of the Gospel through this IN
! strumentality. In Europe there are larger
proportion Of adults in the Sunday schools
than in America, but here in the United
| States there are more children being taught
the Word OF God than in amy country on
The globe. Our Sunday school is the church
at study. This great army is efficered by
| the International Union, and once iu
every three years they meet TO consult Tor
the good OF the work at large. The great
labor OF preparing "UnfOrm Lessons
was the work OF this Executive Commit
tee. and these lessons have found favor all
over theworld. In former days only The
| New Testament was taught in our schools;
now the range OF study is from Genesis
| to Revelations. Even the secular papers
are publishing these Uniform Lessons"
for the benefit OF their patrons, and many OF
our most distinguished ministers and pro-
! fessors are engaged in preparing comments
aud explanations OF these lessons. Thus
has the Lord opened the way for the intro
duotion Of His Word. Since the introdnc-
ton of these lessons and the study OF the
whole Bible more have been gathered into
the Church than ct any time for the past
twenty Years. Mr. Porter said that they
wished to see Virginia more thoroughly or
ganIZed, and hoped that IN the State Con-
yentiOn to be held In Petersburg in the
spring OF 1882 there would be perfected an
Iundenomlnational organization that would
do credit TO this old but hOnOred State. lie
appeaed 10 the Sunday-school workers OF
| this CITY 10 push forward the work with
more energy than had even characterized
their abors in the past. There is much
| TO do vet, even in the streets OF Rich
mopd. All the children who roam the
streets should be looked after. They should
| be gathered I'm and taught The way OF me-
He invoked the blessing OF God on the Ia
bors OF His people in this section, and eX-
pressed the hope that the present GOLDEN
opportunity would be embraced by all the
workers. He urged the teachers 10 study
the lessons with all the lights now ah0rded
them, and so prepare themselves Tor teaeulnR
as 10 bring the children into the Cnulcn'
aud under the blessing OF God secure l1elr
eternal salvation. The address was very
Interesting and instructive one.
Rev. Mr.. Pitcher, State Sunday-sehool
evaneeIist of the Baptist Church, made a
short address, IN which he spoke very earn
estly-6rst, of the need OF the Sabbath-day
as a day OF work for the Sunday-schooI
cause: secondly, OF the necessity Tor
contsnued efforts on behalf OF the teach
ers. officers, and friends to secure the
attendance OF the children regularly
and thirdly, Of toe absolute necessity Ior
thorough study on the part OF the teachers,
that they may DO this important work WHO
snccess. He returned the thanks OF the
sundsy.school workers to Mr.. Porter Tor
his visit and words OF cheer, assured him OF
the contiH4sed love OF our people Tor tnls
cause, aud pledged the best efforts OF all
Engaged In tie work to push 1t forward
With renewed energy.
Mr.. Porter left Yesterday for his home 10
PhIladeIphia, well pleased with his visit 10