Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-05-14
Special REFLECTOR Correspondence.


church of Harrington yesterday after
noon with some fifty delegates at tn,
opening session.
President Dewey being absent OF
account of sickness, Prof. B. F. Nihar
of HeringtOn was selected as presiding
officer and has proved a very efficient
and pleasant chairman.
The opening praise service was led
by Miss Cook at the organ and was a
fine method for creating harmony al
the very beginning of the convention
The first regular topic. Personal
Benefit from the Sunday SCHOOL, was
a personal experience meeting and
about twenty oDe-minute addresses
revealed the fact that this was to be a
working convention.
Then came adjournment for dinner
and the good people of Herington more
than fulfilled their promise to "care
for all who came" They added to a
most cordial reception Of delegates,
warm-hearted hospitality and bounti-
full replstS The afternoon and even
ing sessions were so throDged that
many had to stand. All returned to
afternoon prayer service in mood to
praise from the heart.
Mrs. E. o. Stricken read a very
carefully prepared paper on Temper
ance Training in Sunday School. s"
1t was new, bright and clear and
and showed great sympathy with
the question of dealing with the chill
dren in fair and parental manner.
The discussion which followed could do
nothing but call attention to,her beauti-
full thoughts and sensible methods.
The topic, The Teacher Before the
Class" should have been opened by
Prof. W. w, Reed, but he did not
appear and so left the others who were
to follow at IA great disadvantage as
the theme Attention" had been as
signed him.
Supt. c. ID. Wood followed on I'm
terrogation as a Method of Teaching"
and his analysis of this method was
admirable and marks him as hard
thinker and honest worker.
Prof. Nihart followed on "Method
of Teaching by Illustration" aud gave
the convention valuable information
gained from actual experience in teach
ing and experimenting. His use and
abuse of the method was most admir-
able and truly philOsOphic. Clear,
accurate and penetrative in both
thought and method of expression.
Prof. Nihart must be model instruc-
tor in any school. The discussion led
by Rev. Ford and DR.. Blayney was
full of ideas as to the application of
the several methods to the various de-
partments of Sunday school work.
Rev. Ford has had much experience
in the work of securing and impressing
the best methods of teaching so that
his address was intensely practical and
timely. DR.. Blayney called attention
to the danger of being mechanical and
therefore wanting in sympathy and
heart power, and pleaded for the devel-
Opment of personal power and influ-
eDce and devotion as superior to any
set method or art in dealing with
souls.
The work of the Sunday school union
was then presented by Supt. Wood
and showed an unexpected amount of
work needed in the county as well as
large amount already done. This
union has done a grand work and
Supt. Wood is certainly fruitful and
hard worker as shown by his report.
After a recess for enrolling new del
egates from afternoon train and to
become acquainted and shake hands
all around, Rev. Seabrook was re-elect-
ed and without a moments notice
agreed to fill the vacancy caused by
the illness of Rev. J. A. Bright, who
was to lead mass meeting for chill
dren. And by the way, that same
Rev. SeabroOk is one man of thou
sand as a leader of thought and its
application. And he did lead that
mass meeting to a blessed season of
devotion and conservation, He takes
to children just as naturally as a boy
does to marbles and holds them as
magnetically.
1t was a rich treat and went far to
atone for the disappointment and sor-
row caused by the announcement of
the sickness of the general superin-
tendent who bravely tried to do his
duty by starting but had to be taken
fIom the depot to bed by his friends.
He is very poorly and suffering
severely.
The evening song and prayer service
was led by DR.. Blayney and was a very
precious meeting. A fine orchestra led
the music and were fine performers.
Then followed the great nine act
theological drama of the occasion and
it was a rare good fortune that saved
the bold chance of such a theme for a
S. S. convention.
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