Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-16
BfrminghAm.

Another assembly of the Knights of Labor
 will shortly be organized in Birmingham.
 There are now five divisions in the towns of
 Derby and Huntington.
 Dr. Penney, with his wife and boy, has
 decided on European trip and will soon
 start.
 It is growing fashion this way for the clerical gentlemen to announce in the papers
 the subjects for thier Sunday efforts. These notices help the preacher to an audience that his work deserves, and give an opportunity for such as wish to be in sympathy with the sentiment to elect the man that will edify them the most
 It is reported that the present borough of
 ficials expect to show reduction of $2,O0O on the debt.
 A vacancy now exists in the board of edu-
 cation, Rev MT. Witherspoon having ten dered his resignation.
 The Methodist people are agitating some measure to reduce the church debt. This is l in the vicinity of twenty-five hundred dol l lars.
 The graduating exercises of the class of l 'S6 of the Birmingham High school will be held on Friday afternoon, March 26. in Ma than's hall
 Pierson, who has been on the road for Ly
 man, the Wheeler & Wilson sewing machine agent, since the strike, is now an attache Of the postoffice.
 Yesterday was the annual 'fgala" day for the Methodist people, particularly the Sun day school folks It has been the custom for years to set apart the second Sabbath in
 March as an occasion for the special study of
 foreign missionary work and contributions
 to the cause. It is an opportunity for all to familiarize themselves with the extent of the labors to convert the heathen and it is church pride to fill the contribution boxes to the rim. Every effort is made to attract
 those Ion the list' of the church as well as the needless outside. The idea reigns throughout the day that no fowres are
 too choice, no song can be too ably rendered, and no denial of time and convenience too considerable for service which has to do
 with the evangelization of the uttermost
 parts Of the earth. The people in the Meth odist society have quite a reputation for a successful expenditure of energy, and the public lrok each year for entertainment that is novel, interesting and generally supe- rior to preceding exhibitions. They are never disappointed and the festivities yesterday | certainly demonstrated two probabilities, that | it will be difficult for any church here to | surpass the Methodists in gener- | ous collections and that their resources | for instructing and inspiring their audiences are quite beyond being exhausted. The
 morning was devoted to the usual service,
 Rev. Duncan MacGregor, of Brooklyn, preaching with reference to the importance of mission work. At noon the children re- 1 hearsed their selections, and at o'clock assembled in the church, each class with it's teacher The house was filled to it's utmost
 capacity. A programme was followed,
 consisting of scripture selections l interspersed with choruses. As each class was called delegates went forward and repeated singly or in con- cert some verses or scripture selections bear ing on the missionary work. The superin- | tendent was assumed to be in charge of a ship which had been built on the altar plat form. The vessel represented a missionary | float, seventeen feet long and was extensive ly donned with the flags of the countries where stations had been established. The | collections in ethe- years have always been large, but this year the receipts surpassed
 the expectations of even the most earnest. The classes vied with each other in their re- ports, and the amounts rendered by some, | especially the infant divisions, taught the lesson that when there is a motive to save the pennies will Ee accumulated, even if there are sacrifices necessary. The ser
 vices in the afternoon were unusually inter- | esting. The children promptly and clearly spoke their pieces and the selections were apropos to the occasion. There were none ! who were not delighted with every feature l of the programme. March 15.