The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-06-11
COLUMBIA COUNTY SUNDAY SCHOOL
CONVENTION.


COLUMBIA COUNTY SUNDAY SCHOOL
CONVENTION
The Seventeenth Annual Convention
met in the NJ K. church at Catawissa
June end and 3rd., Wednesday and
Thursday of last week, with the Presi
dent, Rev. U. Myers in the choir, and
a representation of 10S delegates
together with pastors, superintendent
and district vice presidents, numbering
in all about $50. The address OF vel
come was given by Rev. A. M. Barnitz
pastor of the M. 4. church. A cordial
welcome was extended to all Sunday
school workers. He compared the
Sunday school to Archimedes lever
which should raise the world to God
This work like all great works is a
growth, and we are just in the begin
ming of it. We meet together to ex-
change views in order to devise means
and ways of accomplishing better work;
to arouse us from our lethargy and fill
US with enthusiasm. In the absence
of the vice president, Rev. w. II.
Galloway, who was to respond to the
address of welcome, Rev. w. II. Buck
of Espy, pastor of the Evangelical
church was called upon and echoed the
sentiments of Rev. Barnitz, and with
the wish that the convention may
be beneficial to all aud especially to
the people Of Catawissa, who have
given the convention such a cordial
reception.
Rev. E. s. Brdenbaugh, of the Re
formed church, Bloomsbury, opened
the subject of Especial Teachings"--
Teachings on Apostles ed, com
mandments systematic giving. Civ
ing is as essential as any other part OF
the work. Children should be so
taught in their youth. They should be
taught christian knowledge in order to
eventually bring them into the church.
The same teachings should be used as
that OF the church. Special teachings
should be adapted to the different
grades of scholars.
K. M. Tewksbury thought the child
rem should not be taught that giving
in Sunday school was the giving Of
aims, but the giving of necessity.
That we must have means for carrying
on the work, and some one must
pay the bills. If children were so in
structed there would be no drag in the
work.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
After the devotional exercises and
appointment of committees, the re-
ports of township vice presidents was
called. Of the twenty-five officers only
nine were present to report Two
townships were reported as having
held district conventions, but the vice
presidents were absent. A number of
townships were organized during the
past year
On account of the sickness of the
secretary, A. w. Spear, his report was
read by j. II. Aikman, we give it as
follows:
REPORT OF SECRETARY OF COLUMBIA co.
SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
Year ending June 1886. Your Sec
retary began collecting statistics early
last year, but at the time of our last
meeting they were found to be so in.
complete, that no statistical report was
then presented.
This work was continued during the
past year and your secretary now Of
fers as complete report, probably, as
the present state of the Sunday school
work in the county will afford.
No. of Sunday schools in Co. 129
No. OF teachers and officers 1868
No. OF scholars 1898
Total S. S. membership 9,S93
The per cent of Sunday school at
ten dance in our county is larger than
the average for the State, so il will be
seen that we stand above many of the
other counties in this respect.
There are few, if any localities IN
our county where new Sunday schools
are needed, but the crying need is
better Sunday schools.
There are many schools within our
borders where the International lessons
are not used and the old plan of read
ing from Testament is followed, fre.
quently without question or comment
A large number of schools are dor
maDt from October to May and in fact
there may be very few that have not
yet recognized for the summer. A
few cases have come to the notice of
the Secretary in which Sunday schools
are forbidden the use of the church
building and are therefore obliged to
use school houses instead.
1t was hoped that at this annual con-
vention it would be possible to report
all the townships of the county Or
ganized, aud TO accomplish this end
the Executive Committee, as will be
seen by the minutes of meeting of
Sept. 26, 1885, authorized the Secre-
tary to proceed with the work of town.
ship organization and directed him to
assist, when needed, in holding town
ship conventions.
Eight townships and two boroughs
have been organized since our last con
vention, viz, Berwick, Bloomsbury,
Catawissa, Franklin, Greenwood, Jack
son, Mitflin, Montour, Pine and Sugar
loaf. Eleven townships were reported
as organized at the last convention,
thus making 2l townships and bor-
oughs now organized and four, VIZ :,
Beaver, Roaringcreek, Conyngham
and Centralia remain unorganized.
The number of township cow ontions
held since the last county convention
is as follows:
Centre 2, Benton 2, Berwick 3,
Locust /, Briarcreek 3, Greenwood 2,
Fishingcreek 3, Main 3, Franklin /,
Madison |, Pine ], Miiilin /, Sugarloaf
/, Jackson 2, Scott |, Catswissa |,
Orange l, Bloom |. Hemlock /, Mon.
tour |.
Your Secretary attended 20 of these
MEETINGS aud in this work of town
ship organization travelled AS miles,
all except s miles of this with his own
conveyance.
And now the question will naturally
| a ri Hu bat or IN ha So