The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-24
Sunday School Celebration.

Sunday School Celebration.
The centennial of American Meth0disn
is being, from time to time, celebrated by
Methodist denominations throughout the
whole of the United States of America
not only in different ways by the churches
but very prominently by the Sabbath
Schools. On Sunday, July the Goth. the
school in this place had its turn. There
| were no church services morning or eve
ming the day was denominated, according
to directions from the Conference, 1.-THE
Children Day, and was literally given
up to them. The Church, under Mrs.
Marquis supervision, was beautifully
decorated for the occasion; Indeed, we
never remember to have seen handsomer
upon any occasion. The visitor was
scarcely prepared for the thing of beauty
that burst upon the eye, and chained it at
the threshold. Particularly beautiful were
the symbolical portions of the decorations.
Inanimate nature had been chosen in her
most beautiful tppes to embody the many
pretty ideas suggested by the Centenary,
and the result was truly artistic achiev-
ment. Perhaps the most striking was the
idea of Praise suggested by Canary birds,
suspended in their cages around the entire
circuit of the church, entirely, unembar-
rassed by their unusual position, and trill-
ing forth their songs as naturally. and as
|sweetly, as though they each swung in
their own particular window niche at home.
The three arches spanning the church at
regular intervals, each bearing an appro-
pirate inscription in gilded letters, added
greatly to the appearance of the whole.
Indeed, with the sweet chiIdrens' voices,
the singing birds and the delicious incense
arising from the multitude of flowers, enc
might have closed his eyes and imagined
he were attending service within the limits
of the Beulah Land itself.
The exercises Of the morning consisted
in singing by the school en- nsasse, and by
members of the choir, Miss Cora Turner
leading, and Miss Minnie Smithson pre-
siding at the organ, and in responsive SER
vice between the Superintendent and the
school. Mr.. Sinlthson delivered the Cen
tenary sermon in language adapted to the
understanding of the smallest child present.
yet interesting to all, choosing for his text
the words. "A little one shall become a
thousand, and small one strong nation. =
He commenced by defining the Cente-
nary, and proceeded with the history Of
)IIethodism, its Struggles, its achievements,
its champions, from the time of its birth
hour in the heart of John Wesley, stu
dent of Oxford College, up to the time
when he stood there ready to assist, with
the bright faces before him, in celebrating
its existence through one hundred hazard
Gus years, and it's increase from $4,000 in
1854 to 100000 in 1884 in the United
States alone. He concluded with the re-
mark, that in spite of the fact, that the
occasion was being celebrated so brightly
and cheerily the sad thought would force it,
self upon him, that ere another Centenary
would roll around. the tiniest member, even
of the Infant class, would have lain in his
grave, long dead, and forgotten, The SER
vices were furthur celebrated at 4:30 in the
afternoon. AS in the morning, the church
was filled to its utmost capacity. The
little ones'' had possession Of this hour.
The programme was adapted to suit them
particularly, and from the speech of the
veriest dot in Baby Thoughts, " to the big
boy who delivered the s'We lcome Address"
was successfully and promptly carried out.
The singing was especially enjoyable-was
as a whole, finely selected and we'll rem
dered. But particularly the four boys in,
"What must it be to be There, y sustained
their several parts admirably, and in 1.-TWO
Little Hands," by the Infant class, the
solo, by little Helen Snapp, was sung with
a voice Of remarkable compass, though
with thoroughly childlike earnestness and
simplicity.
Quite unique and pretty was the Motto
Recitation, each class furnishing the in
itial letter of the first word in their re-
spective verses until there was formed in
snowy daisies upon a background of green,
in the rear of the pulpit, the sentence,
What hath God wrought
The address of the evening was brief
and happy retrospect of childhood and
Sabbath Schools many years ago, by the
Rev. A. A. Eskridge, his subject. Re-
miniscences of Methodism. We have
never attended a more interesting Sabbath
School entertainment, and are loath to ad-
NIT that we will never behold another just
like it.