National Republican., 1883-01-23
suNDAY-scnooL INSTITUTE.
Preliminary Meeting Last Night-Addresses
by Rev. Drs. Rankin and Barrett and
nIessrs A. IL. Nelson and John IL. Wright.

by Rev. Drs. Rankin and Barrett and
DIessrs. A. II. Nelson and John IL. Wright.
Last night the Congregational church was
filled with friends of Sunday school work.
To-day the regular session of the Fourth
Sunday. school institute will commence and
continue until Friday evening. Last night
was preliminary work, Sunday.school mass
meeting. The union was organized about two
years ago in the place Of the Sunday.school
Superintcndents association, which in its turn
was organized about four years ago. These
institutes have been made more and more in
tercsting every year.
The meeting was opened by Rev. DR.. Ran
kin, who, with Rev. w. A. Bartlett, of the New
York avenue Presbyterian church, and Mr..
A. II. Nelson, president of the union, occupied
the pulpit. Mr.. Nelson then briefly stated the
condition of the union and the character Of
the institute. "IhCre are two words" said
he, "that represent the Sunday-school insti-
tutc, study and work We come together
to study the word OF God, that we may the
better do the work on which we are engaged.
The Sunday-sChOOl union is organized to
help Sunday y-schoOl teachers to do this work.
Elsewhere Sunday school institutes have long
been established, are doing an inestimable
work, and are accordingly valued. But prior
to 1873 there was nothing here of the kind.
In that year was formed the Sunla school
superntendents' union, which, however, did
not meet the requirements of the case, and in
1850 the Sunday-schoOl union took its place.
| That union has also grown, and to-day has q
broader scope. They hold meeting every
Monday at the Young Mems Christian asso-
citation building, where essays imparting val
liable instruction are read, This is the fourth
institute we have held, and glance at the
programme will show its character"
After prayer by Rev. DR.. Rankin, Rev. Mr..
Bartlett made q long and interesting address
on the importance and the dignity OF tho sun
day-school work The religious instruction
of the young has ever been regarded as Of the
highest importance. Socrates said that virtue
could be taught, that mems morals could be
cultivated That was Pagan philosophy.
Christianity much more earnestly insists
upon this work. And the Sunday school is
the nursery of the church. Anything that
improves and advances that work should be
encouraged
After very interesting discourse Dr. Bart.
lett ceased, and Mr.. John b. Wright gave some
statistics about the progress of the Foreign
Sunday-chOol association, of which he is
| president. By its means over two hundred
| thousand children are in Sunday schools in
Germany, and the work is equally progress
| ing elsewhere
The programme for to-day is as follows:
First session, afternoon, first normal hour
"The Church and the Sunday School," Rev
| j. l.. Hurlbut; address, Mrs. NJ q. Kennedy
of Philadelphia, Aim in Primary Teaching
Second session, evening, address, Roy. j. h.
! Hurlbut, "Iho Teaching For To-day" ad.
dress, Dr. G, II, BlacSall, Conduct of the
Sunday School"
! Mrs. Kennedy will hold reception for
primary teachers only in the study of the
| pastor.