The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-08
AT BETHANY PARK.
Election of Officers of the General Sunday
School Association.
Sracial Ia tha JndiapoDoj;s Torrn.J

Election of Officers of the General Sunday
School Association.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
BETHANY PARK, Aug. THE proceedings of
the G. A. S. S. A. reached the eliminating
point of interest last night and to-day. The
feature Of last evening was the lecture on "Un-
denominationalism, and the three great aids
to that end: The Sunday-school, the Y. NJ c.
A and the Womens Christian Temperance
League.
This morning the devotional exercises were full
of the spirit and enthusiasm of the conventions
work S. S Norton, of Logansport, presided,
the principal speaker being r, R. Pritchard,
whose remarks tended to inspire the Sunday
school workers with cheerfulness and courage
The threatening weather, together with the
old settlers meeting at Gosport, prevented
large neighborhood attendance, but there was a
select audience, representing over dozen
States. In the afternoon Knox p Taylor held
the close attention of the audience for an hour
and half with his Sunday school institute
work
The General Sunday school association elected
as president A. r. Benton of Indiana; vice. pres
ident ]. H. Harding, Missouri; corresponding
secretary, w. H. Drapier, Indiana; treasurer
F. NJ Green, Ohio Executive committee: K
P. Taylor Illinois; P. 81. Duncan, Kentucky
Elias Sias, Michigan
A very great interest conferred in the address,
Temperance and Childhood by j. 81. CARR
son. editor of the Christian Evangelist, of ST
Louis. He said: 1t is quite in the limits of
sober truth to say that the temperance move
ment is the greatest social and moral reform Of
the age. 1t has to do with the sources whence
flow most of the evils that af1ict our country
and people. Its success would do more to
mitigate human sorrow, prevent lawlessness
f1ah $50
Of health on the faded cheek Of wronged woman
hood and promote the happiness and welfare of
our race, than the realization of all the princi
pies enunciated in the political platforms of the
two great parties of the day. Any and every
means should be used, therefore, to further on
the movement which holds such vast benefits
to mankind. The relation of temperance to
childhood cannot be oyerestimated The battle
field of the Republic is the cradle of American
childhood If we could win the battle in few
years with legal voters, and failed to train
the children right it would have to
be fought over again in few years
Bull Run taught the United States that the put
ting down of rebellion was not a holiday task,
which crowd of patriotic citizens could accom-
plish with hurra The temperance cause has had
enough Bull Runs to teach the nature and
strength of the enemy. Now, as never before,
are Christian parents and teachers beginning to
understand that childhood is the battle-ground
upon which the great conflict is to be decided
The politician who shuts his eyes to plain facts
and vainly imagines that by trampling under his
feet the growing temperance sentiment of the
country, he is paving his way to popularity with
the masses, will wake up some day to find that
the light which now gilds the east and illumines
the hill-tops has flooded the plains and val
leys and with the flying darkness his con-
stituents have fed from his support,
and are rallying under the banner in
scribed "God Home and Native Land y
What is needed, then, isaclear recognition of the
fact that in the present state of our civilization
a correct knowledge Of the effects of alcohol on
the human system and on society, and of the
moral principles involved In the effort to abolish
its use should constitute an essential part of the
education Of every boy and girl; and second, a
more effective and systematic method of impart-
| ing such instruction. By the Anglo-Saxon love
1 of home and of liberty; yea, by the Christian
| estimate of childhood and freedom, let me ap-
| peal to this assembly for more determined, in
| tellgent and systematic effort to educate the
| children in a knowledge of the danger Of strong
! drink and the blessings Of temperance. This
involves first, thorough system of home train
| ing; second, that there be made place in our
1 Sunday school system for temperance in
struction; third, the time has come when tenn
| perance people must insist on introducing a
scientific textbook, such as that of DR.. Richard
son, to which allusion has been made
/ into the public schools of this country
| On what ground can this Just demand be o.
| posedl VIII the advocates Of strong drink con
tend that children should be kept in ignorance
about that which constitutes so large and inn
| portant business in this country9 Will they
| acknowledge that they are afraid to have the
| light turned on this question: We are not ask
! ing that the children in these day schools be