The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-23
UNIYERSALISTs IN COUNCIL
Novel Ideas on the Proper Books fo
Sunday School Libraries.

Novel Ideas on the Proper Books for
Sunday School Libraries.
The eleventh annual session of the
New York Universalist Sunday School
Institute was held in the First Univer-
salist Church of this Rcity on Summit
avenue, near Grand street, yesterday
afternoon.
There were enough delegates present
to comfortably fill the large audito-
rum.
The session opened with devotional
exercises led by the Rev. Abram Conk-
lin, of Brooklyn. After the reading
of the minute reports were submitted
from the various schools. The total
enrollments of teachers and pupils
were as follows:-Hudson, 1877; Nyack,
SO; New York-Second, 1870; Third,
1853; Fourth, 316; Sixth, ia; Mission,
$50. Brooklyn-First, 300; Second,
500; Third, 60; Fourth, 239; Fifth, 30.
Huntington, 80; Newark, 215; Heights
town, 80; Jersey City, 124.
NEW OFFICERS ELECTED.
There was no contest in the selec-
ton of officers for the coming year.
1t is customary for the president to re
tire after his first term, and the vice
president to succeed him. Ex-president
Stephenson Taylor responded to the
vote of thanks given him by the insti-
tute, and loosely returned thanks for
the unanimity with which he was re-
tired, amid the breeZe-like murmurs
of a congregational laugh. Vice-pres-
ident Henry b. Herbert, of New
York, was made president, and the
Rev. w. S. Grove, ID. D., vice-presi-
dent. The efficiency of Mr.. Louis
Ames, of Jersey City, was attested by
his reelection as secretary and treas
urer.
The Rev. D. NJ. Hodge, of New York,
addressed the delegates on the subject,
s'Under Which King?" He discussed
church membership, arguing that the
child should grow up as a Christian
and be baptized in the church with
out knowing himself to have been
anything else.
The Rev. l.. H. SQuires, of New
Haven, Conn, spoke on Theology in
the Sunday School, He said that an
attempt might as we'll be made to keep
God out of the Sunday school as to ex-
clude theology. A new theology was
coming, he said, and Universalists held
the magic key to the theology of the
future.
"To What Extent May Considera-
ton of Material Things Be Made a
Part of Sunday School Teaching?n
was the subject discussed by Mr.. E.
H. Cole, of Brooklyn.
PROPER SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOKS.
SIS the Library a Help or o Hind
rance in the Sunday SCHOOL," was the
title of a carefully prepared paper,
read by the Rev. A. Gunnison, ID. d.,
of Brooklyn. Even the dime novel;
said the speaker, with all its brutal
v~ulgarity, at least has the merit of
emphasizing vigor and strength. The
traditional Sunday school book, with
the story written for the moral, while
destroying all virility of character,
sets up a standard of pietism in place
of manliness, and gives as its ideal a
kind of invertebrated morality, which
makes religion a synonym for
effeminacy.
81 have more respect for the boy in
my own Sunday school, who handed
back his book to the librarian with
the remark, Give me something with
fighting in it, than for the other
boy, who, in a neighboring school,
in answer to the question of the
pastor, Which would you prefer
to GO to, the Sunday school or II Cir
cus?' demurely answered with a sigh,
THE Sunday SCHOOL,
THE library should have an ascend
ing scale of works of fiction, like the
Lord Fauntleroy, Little w omen,
The Boat Club Tom Brown and
Henry Esmond.' 1t should have
practical teachings of wisdom, like
Smiles and Matthews books, and
histories like Prescott's and Motley's.n
The Rev. Charles HI. Eaton, D.. d.,
OF New York, delivered an address on
bible Glasses"
The delegates were entertained at
supper in the basement of the church,
after which they listened to addresses
by the Rev. A. 7. Garfield. the Rev.
e. c. Bolles, d. d., of New York, and
the Rev. w. s. Grove, D. D., of New
ark.