The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-12-11
State s. s. Convention.

10 year. III Is In no sense eunden0mlnatl0nal,
but rather interden0minatiOna in its spirit
and methods of work. While there are in
Michigan perhaps twenty-five different
evangelical organizations, a greater part of
which have their own Sunday School ma
chinery, way and methods, and each pur-
suing their distinctive lines of work with
true denominational zeal, there is never
theless, growing, deepening interest in the
state interdenOminational association with
its broader. all-inclusive plans. What are
those general plans, and what progress is
being made, are pertinent questions just
now. Michigan sustains an auxiliary re-
latiOn to the International association, in its
all comprehensive sweep. Your correspond
ent attended conference of s. s. workers
at Chautauqua last August. Twenty-One
states, four provinces and the Dist. Of Co
lumbia were represented by 80 delegates.
1t was there reported that every state In the
Union but one, Nevada, and every territory
but one. New Mexico, were organized, also
all Of British America. The organization is
reaching out into foreign lands. The 1875
McAll Mission Schools in France have fur
nished them weekly by s. 8. workers in
America the splendid pictures of the Provi-
dence LithOgraph Co., also 5000 sets of the
small class cards by the same Co. are fur
ant churches are being erected I'm Jerusalem.
200 churches and 27O schools are reported
on the west coast of Africa. Mission work
has started among the Jews. The Interna-
tional Association propose In 1892 to send a
couple of s. s. missionaries around the
world, securing such facts and statistics as
may be possible, and stimulate increased
activity in Sunday School evangelizatiOn.
The 7th International and I'd Worlds Con-
vention will be held In st. Louis in 1893,
time not fully decided upon yet. The
opening of the Columbian Exposition in
Chicago in 1898 will afford a wonderful OPP
pOrtunty to represent our Sunday School
work to the world. and to impress our civil
iZation and christianity upon the nations Of
the earth. With other states Michigan will
be invited to aid in securing fund suffi-
cent to erect suitable building on the Ex-
position grounds to be used for the holding
of gospel meetings, Y. M. G. A., Y. p. s.
Z. E., temperance and Alliance conferences;
normal and kindergarten class work; also be
depository of all sorts of maps, charts and
appliances known that are helpful to Sun
day school workers. 1t will be made also
distributing center of all kinds of religious
literature. We are able to report rs coun-
ties now organized in Michigan. Five in
the lower and four In the upper peninsula
are unorganiZed, but some of these are
reachable in the near future. About IS
conventions have been held this year In ~
counties, of which the secretary has attend
ed 65.
County and township organization is q
special feature of this work, as it must pre-
cede systematic and intelligent evolut on
of practical results. We'have organized six
county and large number of township as
sOciatOns during the year, and emphasize
the importance of this feature. One great
object constantly in view, is the planting of
new schools, and strengthening weak ones
Probably more schools have been organized
this year i'm the state than during any for
mer year, and remembering that we have
over 1000 school houses in the state and in
nearly 5000 of them there are no Sunday
schools, we can see the need of more in
tense missionary work." This thought is
intensified when we consider that our school
population is $4,000 and increasing at the
rate Of l0,500 per annum, and that nearly
two thirds of this number are seldom or
never seen in any of our Sunday schools
Many cities and villages are organizing for
''hOuse visitation" and grand good results
are accruing from this phase of work.
TO bring the interests Of the upper and
lower peninsulas into closer sympathy, and
favor more aggressive policy, the eX-cOm-
mittee will be enlarged to thirteen members.
three in the upper and ten in the lower
peninsula.
The work for the next year will embOdy
essentially the same plans as heretofore, viz:
Organization, statistical gathering, starting
schools, missionary and evangelistic work.
Two new features will be added. In order
to promote generous rivalry among the
Sunday Schools IN the state, it Is proposed
that each county in the state hold grand
Sunday School rally of al. the schools in the
county near the close of August next, and
to include addresses, music and a picnic.
The executive committee offer as rewards
two elegant banners, one blue, lettered in
gold and trimmed with gold fringe; the Other
scarlet, lettered in silver and trimmed with
silver fringe. The reward will be made al
tile next state convention, to be helG in Bay
CITY. to the two counties showing the high.
est excellence in their local work since the
last state convention The award will be
based on the most thorough county anu
township organization, and the largest per-
centages Of population of school age enrolled
In their Sunday Schools. Reports upon
which these awards will he given must be in
the hands of the state secretary OH or befOrt
Nov. LIST, 1892. and In church Q) No. anu
name Of townships in the cUdnty with list Oi
county and township officers (2) No. y,
county and township conventions held dur
ing the year, time and place of each. q,
Complete list OF Sunday schools i'm TN,
county. giving name OF school, denomina
ton, location. No. officers. No. teachers, No.
scholars and name Of superintendent. etc
Every county is requested to hold the "Raly
day" any way, whether it enters into tn,
competition or not. The second important
feature to which wish to call especial al
tentOn, and which We purpose to push, l.
what may be termed the Advance Move
ment," the object of which Is to stimulat,
and direct toward better things in Sunda!
school work In Illinois 1t Is known as tln
Loyal s. ). Army Movement. Expresse
simply. II aims tO secure better preparation
on the part Of the teacher, also Il,
) care piiii,,Iua @tuN
Ui the h-e>mI C nd,
uutRll> rom 81 D.,
\ ur,litsV tst 'dCu '-ld-
anu 10 each sc,lJ,at, =. ~-itli things a,,
to De learned by each scholar, a little SOME