The Portland daily press., 1889-05-02
THE suPERINTENpENTs' UNION.
A Pleasant Meeting at the Second
Parish Church.

The Portland Superintendent Union held
a pleasant meeting at the Second Parish
church last night. After exercises in the
auditorium, social hour and collation. was
| enjoyed in the church vestry. The exercises
given in the following programme occupied
but an hours time, and, although brief. they
were entertaining:
| Organ Prelude. NV. G. kimpaii
Mrs HaiiocI, Mrs. Farley Mr.. Hail and Mr.
| Merrill.
Prayer. Key. >. M. fIost
Grestin iion MelcheT
fastors Greeting Rev. +. 4: bayi ICY
%ddress Rev j. B. Thomas. D. b.
| HYMN ............. ..."Blest be the Tie"
Benedictlon. .................R Rev. j. G. Wilson
| Social hour and collation..
| Mayor Melcher said 1t gave him great
pleasure as Mayor of the city to extend
hearty greeting to the Union. Because of
such meeting and such body of workers
we may look for prosperity. Mr.. Melcher
| said that as teacher In the Free street Bap-
tist church he was glad to be able to wear
the badge worn by members Of the Union
and was proud to be engaged in the same
work. In closing he babe the Union God
| speed in their work.
Rev. f. T. Bayley said he did not wish to
detain the audience or occupy the place that
could be better filled by somebody else But
as representative of the pastors of the city
he thought he could say the hearts of the
pastors were unanimous in extending
hearty greeting to the Superintendent
Union. He said he was of the opinion that
all pastors were becoming more aware of the
necessity Of the development of the lay ele-
ment. He rejoiced in the association and in
the meeting convened. Mr.. Bayley referred
to the Importance of reaching the young
with the word Of God. This work the Sun
day school teachers can do better than the
pastors.
Mr.. E. S. Pencil said the meeting was the
largest one of the kind that had ever as
sembled in the city. The Union is vast
help to the Sunday school superintendent.
Mr.. Pennell introduced Rev. j. b. Thomas.
ID. d., who spoke of the work of the Sunday
school teachers, comparing it to the parable
of the sower. He said it gave him great
satisfaction on the first night OF the second
century of the existence of the Republic to
speak to such an assembly.
1t is no Insignificant office to which YOU
have been appointed. The sower goeth
forth to sow. The seed is the word that
falleth into the heart. There can be no
converted man without first the converting
word. The work must begin with planting
the seed in a single heart. We ought to
thank God that we have been appointed as
teachers of little children. The seed may
fall by the wayside, or on shallow ground, or
among thorns. Don't expect too much. We
don't prepare the soil; we don't prepare the
seed. Our responsibility, therefore, is COM
paratiyely slender. All we must do is to put
the seed into the soil. The seed is the word
of God; we must get this into the soil. 1t
may seem little thing TO get sentiment of
the Lord into the mind of little child. ALL
mistake not. The word of God has power.
He will take care Of the seed If we will
plant it. Be content with what God has for
us to do. We are to do the sewers work.
very pleasant social hour was spent, and
the collation. was a delicious one