The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

The Sunday.school Union OF Chicago
and vicinity met in monthly session in
Ryder chapel, Woodlawn Park, on Thurs
day afternoon and evening of last week,
OF the members present at the session,
Englewood furnished %; Woodlawn, 20;
st. Pauls, 7; Church of Our Father, 7;
Blue Island, 7; Church of the Redeemer.
a; Oak Park, 2. Joliet, Sycamore, Elgin,
Ravenswood and Aurora were without
representation.
At the afternoon session an address
was given by Hon. Willard Woodward,
of the Church of the Redeemer, on Mis-
sionary Glasses as q means Of increasing
the Sunday-school." A paper was read
by Miss Mary Straub, of Woodlawn, on
the following subject: "What should be
done to establish mission schools in diff
ferent parts of cities and towns, among
the unchurched?" These addresses were
followed by brief discussion. The
Sunday-school lesson was taught in the
hour from to 6, by Rev. Florence E.
Kollock, of Englewood.
THE EVENING SERVICES.
There was larger attendance at the
evening session, which began at 7. The
hour previous was devoted to basket
lunch, which was so successful that here
after the Union will adopt that plan.
The President of the Union, Hon. Sam
uel Kerr, presided and introduced as the
first speaker, Mr.. J Fl. Swan, of st. Paul's
church, who presented the subject
" The Need and Value Of Definiteness in
Sunday school instruction" Mr.. Swan,
after some Introductory remarks, said
substantially: ST believe in detiniteness
under all circumstances. don't know
of any place in this world where inde6
niteness is in place, unless it is when a
man is in tight place." He further
said: Are we not somewhat neglectful
of this important matter in our Sunday
school teaching? We don't forget that
on Easter Sunday it is the duty of the
hour to make religious impressions. We
remember that this is the occasion suita-
BILE for church membership. We do not
forget in our church that we like to have
the children sing and make their re-
sponses in good order, but we sometimes
forget more important things.
81 believe in defiuiteness in Sunday
school teaching as we'll as in everything
else. I would not have the Sunday
school teacher simply teach the profess
sion of faith in the regular article form,
that and nothing else. We may present the
declaration of faith and say to the chill
dren every Sunday, We believe that the
holy Scriptures of the Old and New Tes.
taments contain revelation of the char
acter of God, and the duty, interest and
final destination of mankind This will
not always be followed by definite re-
ligious impression, unless the matter is
explained and illustrated so that the child
can comprehend it. There is an igno-
rance, almost an alarming ignorance on
the part of many of our Sunday school
pupils in regard to doctrinal points.
There is nesd and possibility of instill-
ing into our children the first principles
OF religion from almost the very begin
ming.
at is directness we need; it is direct
ness of speech, directness of doctrine that
comes out of a heart that is full and over
flowing with love.
az believe that little children can
grasp certain things when presented to
them in familiar form. Itwould be hard
for them to understand how the planets
move and how the earth revolves around
the sun; but we might say this to the
child: God is right by us day by day.
He walks in our daily paths. When we
lie down to resign ourselves to sleep he
never deserts u.s. The apostle said,
when was child spake as a child,
but when l became man put away
childish things Let us think of this
When was a child / spake as a child"
Mr.. Swans thought was that we might
take the great truths of religion, such as
the existence Of God, and the revelations
of his will contained in the Scriptures and
make them familiar by illustrating them
in such manner that the child may COM
prehend them and be filled with their
spirit, and thus teach without formal doc
trinal teaching. Yet it would be definite
teaching nevertheless. In this way Chris
tian education and Christian influence
might be secured.
Mr.. Charles Oaverly, General Agent of
the Publishing House, was present and
made the second address of the evening.
he congratulated the Union on its organ
ization and success in the past year. He
gave some recolleetions Of the early his
tory OF the Boston s. 8. Union, and spoke
OF his experienoe in that nroanizatioD He