The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-06-11

might, with a good deal of work, be
effected but it would probably require
continued efforts to keep it alive.
1t is fact known to the conyen-
tion that churches in laying out dis
tricts sometimes follow natural bound
aries rather than state and county lines.
A suggestion has been made by Rev.
Deavors and heartily approved by your
Secretary, that in consideration of the
fact that Centralia is so near to Ash.
land and the interests of the two places
being identical, that we open com.
munication with our State Association
and with the Schuylkill county Asso.
citation with view to transfer Cen
tralia and Conyngham from our county
to Schuylkill county.
And now to sum up-A majority
of the townships that are organized
need no help from the county and are
evidently doing good work, but the
Others need hel p and encouragement
and few of them will probably not
hold another convention without it.
An address was given by Rev. A.
Houtz. of Orangevile on the subject
OF "The International lesson system a
means of uniting protestants." 1t
brought all people together at the same
time-learning and instructing on the
same subject-make them all have a
common idea-a definite purpose. In
discussing this subject a number of the
members expressed an opinion that the
committee in preparing the lessons
seemed to loose $. ght of the church
festivities at the proper times. Thus
we might be learning about the birth
of Christ in July or his cruci6xion in
mid-winter.
A paper was read by Miss Hattie
X. Bidleman, of Bloomsburg on the
Subject of "Origin of the International
lesson system we give it as follows
The adoption of the Uniform Lesson
System by the Sunday Schools of this
country in 1872, will mark a distinct
epoch in Church history. This may
seem 10 some, to be an extravagant
statement, but perhaps by noticing
some of the results of its adoption, 1t
may not be considered as such. The
movement was opportune. 1t came
as something that had been waited
(tor) and hoped for. 1t could not have
earlier than it did, for the peo.
pie had not beer prepared for it. 1t GER
tainly did not come day too soon. The
Churches needed i. for their own sakes
and they also needed it, in order to
put forth the proper influence upon
the world about them. The spirit of
true scientific inquiry was beginning
imperatively to demand that some wor-
thier method of Bible study and of
religious teachings, should be pursued
in the Sunday School. The combina-
tion of influences which brought about
the Uniform Lesson System has dis
tinctly de6nedhistory' This history has
never been written, yet an acurate and
authentic story Of how this grand idea
came 10 be entertained and put into
practice, has been written. First it is
to be noted that it did not spring into
idea and operation abruptly. II had
a struggle for existence The Sunday
School itself is only recent institution.
We must wait year or two before we
can celebrate its first centennial. Robert
Raikes is accounted the founder of the
modern Sunday School. 1t is impossi-
BILE, to ascertain through whose mind
fitted the first thought of the possibil-
ity of gathering the great masses of
children into religious public schools
on Sundays. 1t has been remarked
that the Sunday School had its first
birth in Robert Raikes, and its new or
second birth in the inventive brain and
heart of j. II. Vincent and the i'm
petuous heart of b. f. Jacobs.
To find the very beginning of be-
ginnings is often very difficult thing
to do, and is sometimes found impossi-
BILE. The history of our Sunday School
during the first sixty years of our CEN
tury, can hardly be called brilliant. Yet
in looking for the beginning of this
most fruitful idea, we should not fail to
notice the preparations for it, and the APP
proaches toward it, made by the for
nation of those undenominationa and
national union benevolent organizations
like those of the American Board of
Commissioners, for Foreign Missions,
The American Tract Society, The
American Bible Society, The Home
Missionary Society, The Sunday School
Union and by no means least, The
Christian Commission, during our late
war. And it should be also said that the
publications of The American Sunday
School Union particularly its series of
Union Question Books, furnished some
very helpful hints. The Limited Lesson
Scheme OF 1875, deserves also to be
mentioned in this connection. Previous
ly the unlimited memorizing of Scrip
ture verses was the practice, amount
ing to a mania,such as now appears
incredible. But there then appeared ad-
vocates of limited lessons. A Scheme
of Select Scripture Lessons for Sunday
Schools was printed on cards, and
somewhat widely circulated. In 1926,
the committee of the New York, Sun
day School Union reported warmly APP
proving of the Selected Lessons, and
urging their general adoption. This
scheme contemplated course of les
sons running through several years,
and covering a wide range of
Scripture. This method was success
fully tried in many schools of
New York Phila, Boston and
Albany. Rev. Albert Judson was
then engaged to prepare a monthly
series of questions, on the lessons for
the use of the teachers. The next
year he published a question book,
known as The First Annual Course OF
Instruction. The American Sunday
School Union earnestly indorsed
the plan, and two years later
it was stated that they were al
most universally introduced, This
scheme contemplated a five year.
course of study, and each course to con,
sist of forty lessons. The whole to in
clude the principal facts and truths oi
the Bible. One grand advantage claim
ed for it, was, instead of the utter con
fusion of the previous method, thi
plan required every class to receive in