Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-07-12
SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC,
A Glorious Gathering of Young
Peopie-Feur Schools Well
Represented.

! AIi' fESN'A ~ ShhNAtoii t'tiiitN
was the birthday III American In
dependence more universally and
diverSitiedly celebrated in the
county than yesterday, In many
portions of the county entertain
ments we're given AMI the tastes OF
the most tastidiuus we're afforded
ample opportunity to crafty their
desires by celebrating in that man
ner best suited to their apprecia-
ton. We chose To celebrate with
the little folks at the Union Sun
day School picnic at Groves Chapel
and happy are we over the wisdom
of our choice. The picnic grounds
were in Il we'll shaded forest, near
Groves Chapel. \ nice arbor and
numerous barrels of ice water sur
rounding it underneath the arbor
was an organ and seats for the inn
mense crowd that gathered by 10
o'clock. The four Sunday Schools
of the immediate neighborhood, of
different denominations. united
to mingle their voices in song and
their hearts in the pleasure of a
Sunday School 18th of July celebra-
ton. And they made a grand sue
cess without an imperfection. At
about 10 O'Clock the various schools
headedby their superintendent and
other officers, marched under the
large arbor with banners and badges
indicating the name oftheir school.
The Grove Chapel school with it's
pupils, 2S2; Prairie View, "A; New
New Hope, 142; Salt River, 233,
making a total of 731, as reported
by the various officers. Mr.. Eu-
gene Jones, superintendent of
Groves Chapel school, received the
schools as they marched in with
appropriate words of congratula-
ton, welcome and paternal love.
The exercises were opened with
prayer by Bro. Edward Rutledge,
of the NJ. E. Church. Then came
some of the finest Sunday School
music by the children we ever
heard, with Miss Mamie Gamble at
the organ in a most accomplished
accompaniment. Speeches were
then the order of the day, and
songs by the hundreds of happy
voices were interspersed. Mr.. j.
n. Basket made the opening adj
dress under rather embarrassing
circumstances, while the immense
crowd of visitors, wagons and
teams, were being sandwiched
around within hearing distance,
but was we'll appreciated andheart-
lily received. Then short addresses
from various Sunday School work
ers of all denominations, among
whom were Bro. J. Ware, Bro.
Frank Mitchell, of the Presbyte-
rian Church, Bro. Edward Rut-
lege, of the NJ. E. Church, Bro. J.
w. Higbee and Bro. Strawn, of the
Christian Church. All of the
speeches were extemporaneous and
full of brotherly love, Christian
sentiment and Sunday School in
~terests. When dinner was an
nounced at u the vast throng of
several thousand seated themselves
on the green sward to as sumptu-
Gus a repast as eve gladdened the
eyes of a hungry multitude. Album
dance Of everything. Well never
blame the Methodist hereafter for
loving fried chicken. The dinner
was an honor even to hat hospit-
able neighborhood. After 2 hours
of social conversation, in which the
young gent and his lady love had
ample opportunity to freely vent
their feelings and express their ten
der emotions, the crowd was again
called together by song, with Miss
Gertie Williams at the organ in a
touching accompaniment OF a rare
and well selected children's song.
But there is an end to everything
and we must stop. We can'ttell all
the good things we had. Every
thing was good. Everybody was
glad to e everybody else and ev-
erybody was happy. 1t was the
grandest Fourth of July we ever
spent. South Wilson township
will feel the good results Of that
union picnic for years. We were
proud to see the young gentlemen
with their Sunday School badges
on. Audrain will have no trouble
to select good men for county,
State or national officers If her
youn men will all pattern after the
young gentlemen of South Wilson
in this respect. Several deserve
special mention but space forbids.
Mr.. Eugene Jones and his CO.
workers are certainly doing grand
work for the future good of our
county. This was a model Fourth
of July celebration. Not too re-
liglous; not too national; not too
sectarian IN party or church; not
too much of anything except dim
ner; no boom of cannon, harrass-
ing brass band; disturbing dance,
or the usual whirligig gambling de-
vices of the devil to detract from
pure, innocent enjoyment; no head
aches, blackened eyes, or remorse-
full regrets follow that grand day of
peaceful, respectable enjoyment,