The Baltimore County union., 1883-06-23
Correspondence Baiiimore County raioH.
cHILDREN's DAWN THE n. z. CHURCH
Its Origin. Object and Observance.

wAvERLY, June 18th, 1855.
MessTs Editors AT this season Of the year Il
nay not be inappropriate 10 give 10 your readers
some account Of tho Chidren's Day movement,
which Is becoming 50 deieryedly popular In the
". T.. churches. The General Conference ss 1884
appointed \ committee on the Centenary of Meth.
odism, which was celebrated In 1860. At meet.
ing Of this committee in Cleveland, Ohio. February
22d-25th, 1866, Bishop Simpson ''moyed that the
correctional object Of the Centenary Fund be
chiefly that Of Education" IL was at that meet
ing also resolved that all the unspeciGed sums
raised throughout the church and all sums con.
tTibuted over aud above the amounts named fsr
them be placed in the hands Of a board, to be ap-
pointed as provided In . subsequent resolution,
and TO be called the Centenary Confessional Ed
ucaiionhl Board Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church." In 1865, Nov. sth, at another meeting
Of tho COMMITTEES, Il was "resoived that Il is the
sense Of this committee that the Centenary Edn-
cational Fund ought TO be placed before our pco.
pie a. the prominent object for correctional con-
tribuiions." And at final meeting Of the General
Centenary Committee the following resolution was
passed:
"Rssoired. That Sunday School Childrea's
Fund be established for the following purposes
and under the following conditions: (I) The fund
10 be vested In and administered by the Board Of
Trustees already authorized, but 10 be kept as n
separate fund. (2) The interest Of IL Il 10 DO Gp-
propriated q assist meTitoriOus Sunday school
scholars Of either sex who may need help In OBJ
tanning n more advanced education. (3) Each
conference 30 share In the annual proceeds Of this
fund ProPoItionately to the number Of Sunday
school children under is care. (t) The bcnefeia-
Tits within the bounds Of each annual conference
10 be selected in such a manner each conference
shall direct"
In lSGs the collections made In accordance With
these provisions amounted to Sos, ,s2q.72, Of which
amount SjG,65I.tO were raised az the "Chiidrcn's
Offering for education" And at the General Con.
eofl ehar rens ;sa -
10 the conference to take In Sunday schools every
where collection on givea day, annually, for
the Children's Fund. In the same year the Board.
OF Education was instituted. In 1862 Its csarter
was enacted by the Legislature Of the State Of
New York. In 1870 the Board Of Education pro-
posed 20 the annual conferences that the second
Sunday In June of each year be celebrated a.
chiltlTens Day, the collection 20 he given to the
Childrcu's Fund. Ia 1872 the General Conference
adopted the suggcstion by the following enactment
:ounl in the Book of Discipline: at Is recon-
menled that the second Sunday in June be every
where observed as chiiirens Day. and that when.
ever Pracicable u collection be taken in the Sun
day school in aid Of the Sunday School Fund Of
the Board of Education."
Some idea may be had Of the Importance Of such
Plan in church which has 20.9Ol sunday
schools with attendance Of i.6?9,3 ,3jS scholars.
To accommodate these there are 90 academies,
seminaries and female colleges, 50 colleges and
universities aud theologica schools. These ag.
gregate an attendance 0f 2j.122. and hundreds
would enter these institutions Of learning if
the way for successful prosecution Of their studies
were made open for them. We are informed that
during the last nine years more than 900 students
of both sexes have been helped. the most Of whom
have been Sunday school scholars. Over $4,000
were contributed by the children during the last
year. We need say nothing Of the great impor.
tancc Of Christian education. 80 univcrsaiis this
feeling of need that 90 multiply words upon the
subject would be waste of time and paper. The
great question IL. How TO provide for this denan
stimulate the church and encourage those who
seek an education by cheerful prospect Of aid 10
conduct the dependent ones through the sewers
courses IN their schools,
The exercises Of Children Day answer these
questions, and arc determined by the pastor and
superintendent or by a committee appointed BY
the school. and generally consist Of responsive
Scripture reading, speeches by the scholars, aud
Addresses by the pastor, superintendent or some
o;hers. and singing. The exercises including also
n collection for tia Sunday School Fund of the
Board of Education. Under an arrangement Of
this kind most pleasant and profitable day may
be spent in the cause Of the young. A Sunday
school superintendent Of the first class. Gen. Clin
ton u. Fisk, says, eve aim 90 make II he great
day Of the summer. We decorate the church With
flowers and eveTgrcens and cages Of birds. The
sermon in the morning is adapted TO the children
and On the education Of ministers, missi0naries,
&c. In the afternoon comes the grand rally of
tiu YOUNG. Win lhucu ftuktuk anu shpFt tAlk
ing. Twoor three boys and girls deliver addresses
Of Eve minutes each. After n suitable address the
collection Is taken by children. who carry the
boxes under instruction 10 20 slow and hold the
box long enough in front Of all 90 convince them
tha, something is certainly expected. II depends
upon preachers and snperintendents whether We
make children's Day success or not II can be
made ne day Of the year"
To show the Importance Of the work We need
only quote professor in one Of the theological
schools, who says, "Seary or quite half Of all ou
students this year are dependent on educational
loans for the means Of continuing regularly 10
their courses Of study" The president Of an Ini-
nois college said. "Thc little money have had
from the Board Of Education 60 distribute here has
done great good. would that We could have a
much larger sum this year. We have many wor.
thy Christian young men who are doing the bes,
they can for themselves. but they must be helped
in some way. And the presidentO Of East Teunes.
see University said in 1851, "During the past four
years We have had in our halls from ten 10 twenty
young men preparing for the ministry. Many of
them subsst on from so 20 SO cents per week. !
now really In distress 10 the support Of some
oG them. These are specimens Of the cases that
demand the sympathy and financial aid Of the
churches, aud n cause in which the children will
feel they have particular interest.
REv. W. L. BIEb.
We regret very much that our esteemed friend,
the Rev. Mr.. Bird. did not furnish us with the
above before the last "chiiiren's Day" eelebra-
tiOn. II might have had the effect Of materially
aiding this most worthy cause.-EBs. UxIox.1