Daily Republican., 1884-06-06
Children'o Day.

Next sunday Will Do oDserVeu u
| Children Day In the Methodist Epi
copal churches In almost every part Q
the world.
1t was not until the year 1881 tina
Children's Day as an institution Of tn
Methodist church was fully inaugura
a ted q, but each year since then it has bee
: growing more important, and will prob
a ably be more generally observed thi
|. year than ever before.
The raising of a general educationa
, fund, and also of a Sunday schoo
, children's fund, was first proposes
in 1865, and in 1866, during tn
Centenary celebration of the Metho
dist Episcopal church, collection
for both these objects were taken up
In 1868 the Central Centenary Commit
tee suggested to the General Conference
the propriety of taking, in all the Sun
day schools, a collection in aid Of th'
Child.en Fund once year on a givel
day.
The same year the Board Of Educa
ton was instituted by the General Con
ference, and it was reported that thu
Children's Offering for Education,
during the Centenary celebration o
1866, amounted TO S56, ,674 40, and tha,
70 the General Educational Fund,
50, 1862, making total for that year
OF $65, S29.72.
In 1869 the Board Of Education was
chartered by the Legislature of the
State of New lorB, and in 1870 it was
proposed to the annual conferences tha,
the second Sunday in June of each
| year be cele brated as Children's Day
| he collection TO be given to the Chill
dren's Fund.
AT the next session of the General
Conference III 1872. the same PROPOSE.
ton was made, and after due consider.
alton, the following disciplinary rule
~aH enacted:
II is recommended that the second
Sunday IN june be everywhere observ-
ed as Children's Day, and that wher-
ever practicable, IA collection be taken
in the Sunday schools in aid of the
Sunday School Fund of the Board of
Education
In 1881 the EcumeniCal Council of
London, on the representation Of dele.
gates from the Methodist Episcopal
church, sanctioned the conception of
the objects and importance of an an.
nual Children Day, and mbodied in
its address TO the twenty-five millions
OF Meth"dlsts in The various parts OF
the world, the following precept
" Let one day in every year be faith
fully observed as Children = Day"
The money collected on that day is
used for the purpose of assisting and
educating worthy young men, who de.
sire to enter the ministry, and since 1873
the Board Of Education has disbursed
III aid of students not less than $S6, 900.
Especial pains will be taken this year
to celebrate the day in an appropriate
manner, az 1884 marks an important
epoch III the history of American
MethOdism. one hundred years ago,
when the Independence of the United
States was an established tact, Metho-
dism in this country was also permitted
by Mr., Wesley TO sever its connection
with the parent church in England.
BY universal consent and by the
action OF the General Conference, it is
proposed to celebrate the Centenary of
American Methodism by special reli.
gious exercises and benevolent contri,
buttons. AS this is an event of great i'm.
portance, it has been deemed fitting to
make an extraordinary effort to enlist
all the Sunday schools of the denomi.
nation, and as tar as practicable the
churches with which they are con-
nected, to unite in celebrating the day.
For the purpose Of creating greater
and IN response to a widely
prevailing sentiment, the Board of Edu-
cation has issued a historic Centennial
medal designed to be jointly ccmmemo-
rative OF the organization of the church
in l7Sl, and of the celebration of its
first Centenary in 1884. This medal in
size and appearance resembles q double
eagle gold piece, On one side it bears
the head OF Bishop Asbury, as repre-.
senting the Episcopacy of the church at
the period of its organization, and on
the other, that OF Bishop Simpson, as |
by seniority, the present
Board Of Bishops of the church.
This medal will be furnished to all |
persons, young or old, who will con-
tribute one dollar to the Children'sl
Fund.
E4tehslVe preparations nave Deen |
made by the church in this city for
. proper observance of the day, and the
Of the objects tor which it
was instituted. A program has been
consisting of three parts :
The Past, The Present and The Future
If the church, each consisting of re-
ponsive readings, recitations and
lymns. The churches will be decorated
with flowers, and the event uo doubt
i'll be one of the most interesting in
he history Of the church.