The Portland daily press., 1886-10-20
MAINE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Proceedings of the Second Day OF
the Convention
The Business Transacted and Ad-
dresses Delivered.

programme presented by the executive conl-
mittee was adopted as the order of exercises
for the convention.
The Secretary, Rev B. P. Snow Of Willard,
read and the convention approved the records
of the last annual meeting.
The following committee ON credentials
was appointed
| Revs. J. M. Lowden, Portland j. D. Emerson,
| Kennebunkport; c. Z. Bisbee.
| A telegram was read from Rev. T. {. Foth-
| eringham of St. John, President of the New
| Brunswick Provincial Association, regret
| ting his inability to meet with the workers
| of Maine as he had designed. He asked that
| the convention, as a record of greeting from
| New Brunswick, should read Titus iii, 10
| In the absence of the President, an excel
| lent substitute, S. j. Parson, ESQ.,, of Ben
| ton, N b., Secretary of the Association in
| that Province, was present and addressed
the meeting in words of greeting. He gave
| most interesting account of the Sunday
| school work being done in New Brunswick,
| where there is a live provincial association,
and, more, eleven of the fourteen counties
have good working organizations.
The roll of counties in Maine was called
| and showed that six of our sixteen counties
are organized. Much interest was expressed
| in county organization, and steps will be
taken to bring all the counties into line in
this important matter of organized work.
"The Laws of Teaching" was the theme
| presented by DR.. Hurlbut, in the leading ad-
dress of the session. The subject was ad-
| mirably treated with great wealth of ex-
| PLANTATION and illustration. DR.. Hurlbut's
| style of speaking was itself a lesson to the
| workers in the method of imparting instruc-
tion successfully The seven great laws of
| teaching are indicated by the following
| leading terms: 1, Adaptation; 2, Co-opera-
tion; 8, Defniteness; A. System; 8. Illustra-
| tion; 6, Repetition; 7, Variety.
| The discussion of the laws and methods of
| teaching was opened by Rev. A. I. Dunn Of
| Portland. Rey. Mr.. Wilson of this city and
others followed.
The question box was rich in inquiries,
covering the whole breadth of practical SUM-
| day school work, and these queries were
most instructively answered by DIR. Hurlbut.
| This feature of the session was full of life
and interest. and greatly enjoyed.
The chairman named the following COM
mittee on resolutions:
Rev. A. t. Dunn, Portland; Rev, J. NJ. Low
| den, Portland; Rev. E. NJ. Cousens, Cumberland
| Mills; Rev w.. F. Berry, Deering; Rev. l.. Rey-
nolds, Yarmouth.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Introductory devotional services were
followed by business session. Committees
were appointed as follows:
Committee on Finance-Chas. S. Pearl, Bangor;
E. X. Drummond, Esq, Watervile; H. W. Noyes,
On Si'isS Nominations-Rev f T. Bayley, Portland;
Rev w. M. Stanley, WaterViile; Rev. A. X. L.
Small, d. D., Portland.
On motion of Rev. d. w. LeLacheur the
convention resolved itself into a committee
of the whole on organization of the reOrgan-
lied counties. Following in the line Of this
action, the several county delegations were
called together and steps toward full organ
ization were taken in a good number of the
counties Androscoggin effected an organ
ization by the election of Rev. Geo. NJ
Howe of Lewiston as president and Rev. E.
c. Whittemore of Auburn as secretary.
Cumberland county decided to organize at
once and Rev. A. K P. Small, d. D., of Port
land was chosen pr esident, with A. G.
Dewey, Esq, of Portland as secretary.
Other counties made progress in this i'm
portant matter, and there is good reason to
hope that before this year closes every
county in Maine will be organized. The in
terest manifested in this question of organ
ization was most marked and hopeful.
Sunday School progress is to-day indicated
especially by desire for better teaching, and
this desire showed itself in the close atten-
tion given to the address of Rev. A. t. Dunn
ON Normal Methods in the Sunday School"
The subject was thoughtfuliy presented, and
| many valuable practical suggestions were
presented.
Five minute addresses were made by Rev.
| b. P Snow, Rev. E. NJ Cousens and others.
~ III
| to improve our Sunday Schools 1t was
evident that the members of the convention
were clear that much might be done. and
that much may be accomplished
la the Primary Teachers Conference"
the convention listened to the address of
Mrs. G. l.. Harris (Hope Ledyard) uf Brook
lyn, N. Y We can give but IL OF the
prime and sharply made points OF this ad-
dress.
We must be sincere in all eur teaching
Children will put up with quiet manner
better than with affected liVelinGSS. They
detect at once everything that is put on"
Do not find fault when the children are
restless or disorderly. Plan and pray for
preventing these evils in your class. Give
little rewards for good order, give little re-
ceptions or parties for your little people and
entertain them at your best.
Do not expect order for more than fifteen
minutes at time. 1t is not natural for the
little people to be still long at time.
Don't see too much; don't notice every lit
tie thing that is out of the way. BE very
courteous to the children; the have their
rights to speak and to sing. They love to
answer, and we should ask some questions,
| no matter how simple, which the youngest
| can have the pleasure of answering
| Be wise and impal tial in your treatment oil
| the different children and do be sure to do
| something to please and at the same time to
| profit everyone
1t is worth while to draw out the unattract-
| i've ones Little people are most hopeful sub
| jects to teach and influence; give them
| pleasant room, and pretty, easy. low chairs,
| comfortable, attractive; give them carpet
if you can, some pictures; have the organ
and the blackboard, with colOred crayons.
The little ones should, if possible, have
room of their own, but on review Sunday let
them come in with the other classes.
| Teach the children gentleness and tender
ness and encourage every manifestation tOf
these qualities in your classes of little peo-
pie.
Mrs Harris's method in teaching and in
structing the little people is this Find a
way or make one." Little children are not
hard to teach, but you must not use mixed
| Illustrations, nor say what is not true in
practical life, that is, what the children see is
| true.
You may, if you will, have great success
! in leading the children onward in knowledge
| and III ward in character and piety.
| The address was highly appreciated. 1t
was full of excellent suggestions for all
| teachers in public as well as in Sunday
| schools.
The meetings during the day were fully
| attended.
EVENING SESSION.
| The session last evening was attended by
an audience larger even than that of the
previous evening. The meeting opened with
a short devotional service, after which there
were addresses by Mrs. c. L. Harris (HOpe
Ledyard) and Rev. DIR. Hurlbut, who spoke
| in place OF the Hon. b. f. Jacobs of Chicago.
Mr.. Jacobs had sent a telegram announcing
that he would be unable to be present.
| Mrs Harris took as the subject of her adj
dress Sowing and Reaping," and spoke
upon the work of Sunday school teaching,
likening it to the preparation of the soil, the
sowing of the seed aud the raising of the
harvest. The speaker urged the necessity
of effort on the part Of the teacher to become
the friend and helper of the pupils. She
said that the seed should be sown, not in an
aimless manner, but that the portions of
Scriptures to be taught to different pupils at
| different times Shuuld he selected with refer