The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-16
OHIO sUNDAY-sCHooL CoNvEN-
TON.


TON.
In October 1866, the Ohio Univers-
alist Sunday-School Convention was
organized in the city of Columbus,
under auspices far more favorable than
the most ardent friends of the move
ment dared hope for. 1t has met reg
ularly every year since, and on last
Thursday and Friday, the Convention
assembled again in Columbus, to cele-
brate its twentieth anniversary. Al
though the attendance and the enthusi-
asm did not equal that of the first meet
ing, yet there was an earnestness and
determined spirit manifested, showing
that good influences had grown out of
this method of advancing our denomi-
national interests.
The number of schools actually rep.
resented was not much larger than
that of twenty years ago, but the report
of the corresponding secretary, Mrs.
A. E. II. Clark, demonstrated that Uni
versalist.Sunday-schools in the State had
doubled in number, and more. We
cannot occupy our columns with Stats
tics, but would remark that the Conven-
ton has been financial success. In
addition to meeting all expenses, dona-
tions to various objects, there is an
invested fund of $3.50, and the receipts
of the past year as shown by the Treas
urer's report, were $401,67. Of this
sum, however, were the assessments of
several schools in behalf of the Perma-
nent Fund of the Ohio Universalist
Convention.
The business session began at 10
A. NJ, Thursday, Mr.. William J. Littell,
first vice-president, taking the chair in
absence of the president, Rev. Andrew
Wilson, of Ravenna, who was unavoid-
ably detained. After prayer by Rev.
Harry L. Garfield, the usual prelim-
mary business was transacted. The
Business Committee appointed, con-
sisted of Mr.. Smith Thomas, Miss Kate
Nieber and Mrs. E. D. Smith. Rev. +.
K. BEEN, assistant secretary, assumed
the duties Of scribe.
Mr.. W. H. Slade presented report
in regard to the petition introduced into
this Convention one year ago, by the
Columbus school, regarding q catechism,
etc. He stated that the petition had
been presented to the State Convention,
and the methods were heartily recon-
mended by that body.
The Convention began it's afternoon
session with prayer by Mr.. Charles
Styer, formerly of Ohio, now of Indian
apolis, and always faithful worker in
behalf Of Universalism and the church.
Rev. G. E. Nash then delivered an
address on the topic: 'The Sunday
School indispensable to the Growth
and Perpetuity of the Universalist
Church" The address met fully the
expectations of the hearers, and our
only regret, is, that all professed Uni
versalists, whether ministers or laymen,
were not there to hear the statements
of facts, and arguments adduced to sus-
tain the proposition. The speaker said
one way to establish the value of the
Sunday-school, would be to imagine its
elimination from church instrumentali-
ties. The picture presented under such
conditions would not be encouraging.
Another reason why Universalist Sun
day-schools were indispensable to the
growth and perpetuity of the Univers-
alist church, is the lamentable lack of
faithful religious instruction and prac-
tical devotion in the average Univers-
alist home. If the Sunday-school did
not in measure supply this deficiency,
the question Of the growth and perpetu-
ity of the Universalist church would
be easily determined.
The remainder of the afternoon was
occupied with miscellaneous business
one important feature of which was the
explanation by Rev. G. E. Nash, why
the Normal class work which had pros
pered so well for two years, had sud-
denly ceased. The reason was that
Rev. E. F. Pember, who had been ap-
pointed to serve as superintendent by
the Convention at Flint-had declined
the position, and Br. Nash did not deem
it right that he should assume the posi-
ton of superintendent, and he had no
authority to appoint another.
Many regrets were expressed that so
promising movement for cooperative
study of the Bible should have such an
ending, and committee, consisting of
Brs. W. II. Slade, F. K. BEEN, and
Smith Spencer, were appointed to con-
slider the propriety of reviving the work.
On the second day the Convention
met at the appointed hour, and after
prayer by Rev. Abbie E. Danforth, and
other preliminaries, the topic for the
hour, viz: Importance of Thorough
Doctrinal Instruction in the Sunday
School," was discussed in paper by
Mr.. John Potter, of Flint, who present.