The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-28
ENJOYABLE AND PROFITABLE
The Reunion ofSunday-School Teachers
and officers Proves Great Success.
Nearly Five Hundred Persons Attend the
Supper, and Many More Hear DIR. Gilbert's
Suggestions on the Training of Teachers.

The first winter reunion of the pastors, Sun
day-school officers, and Sunday school teachers
| of this city, which occurred yesterday, in the
| Y. NJ. G. A. building, was very en-
| joyable and profitable affair, and ipiti
ated . custom which promises to be con-
| tnued. The programme of the evening
| consisted of three features-frst, supper; sec
/ ond. meeting in the main auditorium, in which
/ addresses were delivered by DR.. j. E. Gilbert,
! and others; and third. social and "free ex
| change of greetings"
| The supper began at $50 O'clock. Members
of the Ladies' Auxiliary TO the Y. NJ. c. A. and
other ladies had been busy making preparations
for it during the afternoon. Among them were
Mrs. Miller, Mrs Paul, Mrs. Gilbert, Mrs. Full
| ton, Mrs. Taylor. Miss Enos, Mrs. Burford, Mrs.
Hubbard, Mrs Lilly, Mrs. Lecklider, Mrs Will
| Jams. Miss Cochran and Miss Ford. Quite a
| substantial repast had been arranged by 6
| o'clock, preparations being made to seat seven
| or eight hundred people. 1t estimated that
| about Eve hundred accepted the invitation to
| supper. among the number being several clergy
| men. The affair was entirely informal and was
very enjoyable.
At 7:30 napkins were laid aside, aud the COM
pany assembled in tho auditorium where, after
some devotional exercises, they were addressed
by Rev. DR.. Gilbert on .sThe Training of Sun
day-school Teachers" The speaker referred to
the great good which had been accomplished by
the Sunday-school and alluded to its origin, the
founder being Robert Raikes, Englishman,
who began by gathering in the waits off the
street and instructing them in the Bible. The
Sunday school, therefore. having become such
power, it was of the greatest Importance that
the teachers therein should be efficient. Then
they should be we'll prepared because of the
Importance of what they taught Notwith-
standing the widespread influence of the Sun
day-school, however. the great need of the times
was for work OF this character. T he present
generation of children to deter mine the
future character OF the Nation. But before the
Sunday-schools could be increased the force of
important even than that, these teachers should
be well prepared for the work.
There were certain qualifications which
every Sunday school teacher should possess:
First he should be spiritual-he should exenl-
plify the truths he sought to incnlcate; this
the pre-eminent requisite of the teacher. Sec
Thirdly. ne should be member of the church
in which he taught; ecc!esiastcal qualification
was necessary for the success of his
fact, ' professional , saon b besides
possessing all the aforementioned qualifca
tions he should know how to instruct. how to
readily grasped by the scholar. and make the
most lasting impression upon him. In this con-
nection Dr. Gilbert referred to the work of the
International Sundav-school Union, with which
he will probably soon associate himself The
object of the union. he said, was to educate
teachers for the Sunday school. It would. in the
first place, publish q series of lesson leaves for
teachers and these would establish what might
be called institutes in every city for the train
ing of young people for this work The pastor
of each church could select number of his
N 10 men hers nd
them TO the institute. They would there take a
course of six months instructions. AT the end
who had done the work successfully
would be given diplomas Then their pastors
would welcome them into the Sunday school
work by appropriate sermon, in which he
would close by saying to them: 81 hereby
authorize you teach in my Sunday-school."
This plan. DR.. Gilbert said, was not visionary.
remarkable success. The teachers who had
graduated from a school of this Kind proved to
be far more successful than those who had not
received such training. He hoped the method
would soon be tried in this city.
At tie conclusion Of Dr. Gibert's remarks.
Rev. DR.. Jefery. who was in the audience, was
the Young Mems Christian Association on gets
ting out such a large and handsome audience.
Now that I've seen how this thing works." said
he. 81 propose to have supper before my Sun
day evening sermon. Great laughter. 1. be-
lieve it's the only way to get the people out. If
l can't get them abstractly. I'll get them con-
per had been a complete success. and said if
they would giVs him another he would
make another speech
Rev. DIR. Rondthaler was called ND from among
the auditors He made brief address praising
DIR. Gilbert's method of conducting the Satur-
day afternoon classes
DIR. Gilbert then announced that he and Sec
rotary Douglass bad arranged for an entertain
ment At early date by orient :
alst by the of Won Finkelstein.
who would lecture on the customs of
the Orient. He then referred to the Saturday
afternoon classes of which DR.. Rondthaler had
spoken, and invited every one present to attend
them. Col. j. W. Ray suggested that the meet
classes could not attend them at the hour they
now taught.
Secretary Douglass said that he and the pas
tor of the church of which he a member
First Baptistl had about determined a
method of solving the question of Sunday night
audiences. 1t was to hold the Sunday-school at
$50 o'clock in the morning, instead of in the
afternoon, was the present custom in this
city. The children would be fresh in the morn
ing. and could remain after Sunday and
attend the regular morning service. In case
this plan was adopted. however, he said he
would suggest that the pastors boil down their
morning sermons little more. at which some
one in the audience yelled 1'Amen."
One of the great benefits to be derived from
this change, Mr. Douglass went on to say
would be that it would leave the afternoon open
for rest to those who desired rest and for
services little outside Of the regular routine of
their church work for those who might
want to so employ themselves. It would, for
hold Sunday afternoon services-something they
very much desired to do.
This closed the services in the auditorium an
the guests then collected in the parlors where
the remainder of the evening was spent IN
social enjoyment.