The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1884-07-31
A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.
PROCEEDINGS
OF the 7th Annual Session OF the
Pope County sunday school
Association held at sulphur
Springs, Appleton, Ark, July
10th and 18th, 1881,

The Association met, and Presl-
dent John C. Rye being absent, was
called to order at 10 o'clock a. M,
nv w. l.. Sibley, A song was sung
by the choir when Rev w. w. Wat
kfns read the Glst chapter of Isaiah
and offered up the opening prayer.
A temporary organization was ef
(ected by eecting w. l.. Sibley Pres
ident. and j. NJ. HenElc Secretary.
Hon. n. w. Kuhn then made the
welcome address, as follows:
Dear brethren of the Sunday School
Convention.
Another twelve months have pass
ed, bringing the time for our annual
reunion. and we have assembled for
the purpose of considering the past,
reviewing its processes, that We may,
in future, improve what is good in
our work, and do away with what IS
obnoxious / we have been earnest
" engaged in Sunday school labor,
we have certainly seen some wise.
and some unwise tendencies; wise,
because good and wise men and
women have honestly tired To pro
iect and carry on useful plans, un-
wise because we are none of US per
feet. so that our best schemes are sus
ceptibe, in time OF Improvement.
Let us then come together with
warm and hopeful hearts, and with
earnest desires to accomplish good.
Let us pray feryently too that our
deliberations may be presided over
by the great Author of all good; that
He will direct our thoughts and
words in the proper channel, SO that
our labors may not be in vaia, but
that each one during this session
may receive fresh impetus IN the
Sunday school work. We need fresh
encouragement. Adverse circum
stances sometimes arise that dis
hearten us, and gel low down in
spirit, and looking through gloomy
spectacles, we imagine every one
else is Just as ''blue" rs we are.
We are cheercd by cnlivening oc-
currences and what we think are
tokens of good, and depressed by the
absence Of apparent interest at
times, which things take place in
all our lives, individually and col
lcctively. We need steady flow of
consecratcd interest in Sabbath
school work. We need superinten
dents with holy zeal, determined
resolution firm as granite, against
which the waves OF faulL-tinding, OF
careless home tutorlng, or OF no.
tutoring shall beat and break In vain.
Men who are thorouhgly alive to the
great possibilities of Sunday school
work, and who look, not to the APP
plauses of men Tor their reward, but
TO the appreciation OF the great su,
perintendent on high, who, when all
men are gathered before Him, shall
say to those who have served Him ;
Come in thou blessed of the Lord /,
thou hast been faithful over few
things, will make thee ruler over
many. We need teachers to be
Christian, earnest, self denying Ia
borers. They must be wiling for
Christ's sake to forego the possible
pleasures that might accrue in leav-
ing the Sunday school to visit other
places. They must have the spirit
ual interests Of the pupils at heart.
must teach in the fear Of God, anc
must live from week to week with an
influence commensurate with the
teaching. We need that the profes.
sors of religion among the pupils be
awakened to the responsibility oil
their influence over The other stu
dents, so that no one IN the limits oi
the Sunday school can enter INTO
any sin without rcmorse OF con
science, knowing he is without ex-
cuse, having been warned by pre-
cept and example too. The Sunday
school is called the nursery OF the
church, we must care for the sprouts
and give them a good start that they
may become fruit bearing trees in
the garden of the Lord. Let us all use
the appliances, provide good litera-
ture, good music books and encour
age the singing, and let MS be prompt
in attendance and untiring in effort
and do not let us imagine that sun
day school can be run without mon.
ey. We must buy our own books
and papers, and buy enough OF them
unless, indeed, we are objects o.
charity and then, maybe some Other
liberal souls will help las.
And now, brethren, members o
the convention, we of Appleton arr
glad to have you with us; we wei
come you with ali our hearts; W.
welcome you To our hcmcs, to ou
affections, and We tust that you
stay may lie so pleasant as that
kindly memory thereof may NJ ont
little corner of your minds. Dn
ability is too meager 10 make dis
play, but we are truly sincere IN Try
ing 10 make YOU welcome. we d
hope that good will come to US IRON
your visit and we pray the blessin!
OF the Lord TO be upon us. ana ina
when we disperse, we may each on
carry with us hallowed memories a
christian association.
The President then appointed i