Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-21

first convention there were nearly 250
delegates, representing Is States. Since that
time national conventions have been held
annually in the large cities of the country.
In 1875 the international movement began,
delegates being received from Canada and
other British provinces of North America.
The delegates represent all Evangelical
Protestant churches. The first international
convention met in Baltimore during the
second week Of May, 1876. There were 1853
delegates who represented 66,87 Sunday
schools. with an enrolment of 6,543,7 ,7O8
scholars and teachers. In 1878 the second
convention met in Atlanta, and others have
been held in Toronto in 1881, in Louisville
in 1884, and in Chicago in 1887. At the
Chicago convention the delegates reported,
for the United States, SO, 800 Sunday schools
with 9. 156, 727 scholars and teachers; and
for the British provinces 6,322 schools and
489, ,206 scholars and teachers.
WHY THEY COME HERE.
Last year, when some of the officers of the
International Sunday School Union were
crossing the sea, in the steamer Bothnia, to
attend the Worlds Convention, they dis
eussed the best place of meeting this year.
They concluded to hold the convention in
this city, because they believed that there
was lack OF interest in Sunday school
work in Western Pennsylvania. On the
floor of the Worlds Convention this city
was credited with only 70 Sunday schools
and 5000 teachers and pupils, and ID was said:
There are either no Sunday school workers
in Western Pennsylvania, or the people
there take no interest in the work, and Tor
that reason the convention will go to Pitts
burg and stir up an interest in the cause"
Sunday school workers here say the figures
given are badly misleading; that in ALLIE
gheny county there are 295 Sunday schools
which have over &c, 900 pupils and teachers.
Nevertheless, they welcome the interna-
tional convention.
The Sunday school, as an institution, is
venerable. The Presbyteridn Banner, of
this city, gives the following interesting
historical account of
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
According to Tertullian, Sunday schools
were established for catechumens, that is
for children and others needing elementary
instruction in the Christian religion, as
early as A. D. 1S0; and they fourished until
the sixth century. Luther opened Sunday
schools in Wittenberg in 1927, tor the bene-
fit of children who could not attend the
weekday schools. John Knox started Sun
day schools in Scotland in 1850; and in 1880
Archbishop Borromeo, of Milan, established
them throughout his diocese. About the
same time such schools were opened in
France and the Netherlands. In the sew
enteenth century the clergy at stated times
in some of the parishes of England cate
chised the children, and Joseph Alleine,
author of the Alarm began Sunday
school in 1868.
''In Roxbury, Mass, there was Sunday
school in 1874, and there was one in Ply
mouth, Mass, in 1880. Ludwig Hacker
opened school of this character at Ephrata,
Lancaster county, Pa, about 174O, which
continued until the building was taken for
a hospital during the war of the Revolution.
The modern Sunday school is generally ad-
mitted to date from 1881, when Robert
Raikes gathered on tine Lords Day poor
children from the streets OF Gloucester, En-
gland, and paid teachers q shilling each for
the instruction given on that day. The
children were brought together at 10 A. NJ,
and were taught two hours; then there was a
recess tor an hour, when they were taken to
church. At the close of that service they
repeated the catechism until 3 P. M. Mr..
Raikes published an accoun. of his work in
1888, which led to the establishment of
similar schools in the principal towns of
England.
IN SCOTLAND AND IRELAND,
SSOb1duu Ouuudy SCHOOLS III 1tOS, anu
Ireland in 1888. The London Sunday
School Society was formed in 1875, and in
16 years spent SIG, 900 in this work. The
change from paid TO volunteer teachers is
said to have been made by the Methodists
at Bolton, England, in 1876, and the Lon
don Sunday School Union was organized in
1903, to encourage voluntary teaching.
In 1885, Bishop Asbury-Methodist |
Episcopal-organized Sunday school in |
Hanover county, Va; and in 1890 Bishop |
W Episcopal-formed one in Phila- |
ielphia. The Methodist Episcopal Con- |
ference at Charleston, S. c., in
1870, resolved TO establish Sunday |
schools for whites and blacks. |
Katy Ferguson, poor negro woman, is
credited with opening a Sunday school in |
New York in 1898; and Mrs. Isabella |
Graham and her daughter, Mrs. Divie |
Bethune, who had seen the English Sunday
schools, opened one in their own house, in
hat city, in 1901. Samuel Slater, manu-
acturer in Pawtucket, r. l., established
Sunday school for the benefit of his opera
ives in 1897. The early Presbyterian min
sters OF Western Pennsylvsnia had catechet-
cal classes which met on the Lords Day
md at other times; aud Sunday school was
pened in Pittsburg, then q small place, in
300 %