Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-18
CONVENTIONS CLOSE.
Report Of Sunday Sehod Pfssfsss h
The Counties ef The S0is.


4
The closing session Of the State Sunday
school convention vas called to order yester
day At $50 in the morning, with full houss
and plenty Of enthusiasm despite the early
hour. The devotional service. occupied
about fifteen minutes and were followed BY
the business session Of the convention
The report of the secretary. Rev. b. r
Snow Of willard, was presented.
That the year has been one Of Sunday
,hool progress in Maine may be safely
claimed. As it should BE- gratefully Ackno~i- l.
edged. The county work has been greatly
improved in several localities.
Aroostook 10 the leading county this year
in the excellence Of its county meeting and
the thorough and capital gathering aud ar
rangement Of its statistics. II deserves the
special attention of this association.
Androscoggin has devoted baud of friends
of the Sunday school in its limits. Especially
We want to note before this convention the
grand move made In Lewiston aud Auburn
by the formation of the Superintendents'
Union. This organization has entered upon
lint of practical work ct once. We note
the grand general meeting arranged by the
Union last Monday evening the
largest church in the city-with . select
chorus of tfty to sing and William Reynolds
to speak for inspiration Of the workers aud,
at a crowded after meeting, to solve their
doub, and offer wise advice aud solace for
difficulties. This was, all in all, one Of the
best and most significant meetings ever held
in the limits of our State. This Superin.
tendents' Union will not stop short of
thorough working of the whole county and
region.
Cumberland. the Oldest and in many re-
spects at the head Of our list Of counties is
thoroughly awake. In the last two years
this county has come right up TO where il
ought to be and will do still more. The
Superintendent Union of Portland 10 the
strong lever by which we are lifting the
wholel county, and through this we are
largely operating through the whole State.
In Cumberland, township conventions have
been insugurated with promising results and
this movement will be pushed. We mean
to know fully and work thoroughly the whole
territory by township and school district ef-
fort.
Franklin is well organized and in right
healthy and vigorous working order. 1t has
adopted many and is all ready for more of
the best lines Of county effort. Knox, Lin
coin and Sagadahoc held at Nobleboro
good annual session. These counties may be
relied upon for advance in the year to come,
So. Oxford has good organization recently
formed, the Penobscot and Piscalaquis have
county organizations which can easily be made
very effective. York has many warm and
wise workers. 1t 10 certain this county con-
vention will do well for its territory the
coming year. 1t is confidently hoped that
all our counties will he put in working
order within this convention year.
The society makes the following recon-
me ndstions: A thorough and complete can
vass of the State for the facts and figures of
the Sunday school situation. That steps be
taken with promptness and vigor to secure
the organization Of the unorganized counties,
ard to bring together Sunday schools orkers
of the towns. That the association put it,
self in touch with the county organizations
by at least providing for the attendance Of
one Of its officers at every annual county
convention. That this association lend its
best endeavors to place Maine in the list OF
banner states in the next international con-
vention by aiding and stimulating the re-
manning counties to organize without fail
by June, 1880. . hat the State association
place in the field secretary or field worker,
whose forts, for the entire year or such
part Of it as is deemed wise, shall be given
to feasible work along the whole lire of
Sunday school effort.
The CO operation Of committees, executive
and financial, has been thorough and most
efficient in all the work Of the State. An
intense enthusiasm and well taken hopeful
ness characterize the Sunday school workers.
ELL
Smith Baker delivered a stirring address on
''How to teach the lesson The Rev. Dr.
gave the following hints concerning the
matter; !. Be on time, every time and not
sometimes 2. Teach joyfu,ly and not
from duty, or because you think you ought
to. Do it because you want TO and love to-
g. Teach enthusiast cally with all earnest
ness of soul. 4. Teach independently and
don't use the questions on the leaves wholly
Ask questions of your own. 3. Ask from
two to five questions about the last Sundays
lesson. 6. Teach overfowingly. BE full
of the spirit. I. Teach ignoranily. Don't
lecture the class. but draw out the knowledge
from the scholars by questions and don't tell
them. Dent ask question which
can be answered by yes" or no" 8.
Teach illustratively. Christ used simi-
les 9. Teach iDpartsIly. Don't skip
the dull scholar but give him some
question if but an easy one. 10. Teach
helpfully. Think up a point in the lesson
that will be an individual help to A b or G..
IL. Teach the Bible. don't teach Dickens.
l2 Teach parochially. Visit all your schol-
ars once year and have them at your house
as often at least. ID. Teach patiently.
Patience with the mschievous and uneasy
one. Hang onto the bad boy of the class
"A. Teach prayerfully. Pray for your
scholars and pray over the lesson. l5. Teach
believingly. Let them see that you thor
oughly believe all that you teach them to
believe" The address occupied nearly an
hour but the speaker handled the topics in
mastery manner and the audience listened
with much pleasure to the words Of the emf
nept speaker.
At this point the nominating committee
presented the following report. which was
accepted and adopted
President-Rev Geo B. Illsley, Bangor.
Vice Presidents i Rev. J. B. Jordan
Augusta; Rev W. r. Berry, Pennington !;
Rev. T. r. White, Bath.
Secretsry--Rev. b. p. Snow, Willard.
Trtasurer-H. II. Nevens, Woodfords.
Executive Committee E 8. Everett,
Portland; Rev. c. ID. Crane, Newcastle: Ira
q. Hersey, Houlton; Rufus Deering. Port
land; Rev Z. NJ. Cousens. Cumberland
Mills.
Finance Committee-E. r. Drummopd.
Waterville; II. II. Nevens, Woodfords; 4
s. Everett, Portland; Hon W. L. Dsggett,
Strong; J. II. Robinson. Bangor.
Your committee recommend that the sec
retaries of the county organizations be ap-
pointed BY the executive committee TO serve
as county secretaries Of the State Associa-
ton
The credeutisl committee presented the
following report
Number Of towns reported, 81
Pastors, II
Superinte ndents. ~
Teachers, 81
Scholars, 81
Total reporting, 28s
2Of this number the following are the re-
presensasives from the several denomina-
tons:
Congregational. 81