The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1893-10-27

mediately after it the second worlds
Sunday school convention will meet and
sit till Sept. 8, and about the same time
an informal convention will be held Of
the international field workers in the
Sunday school line. OF these three the
first is the historic and important one,
and among its promoters are many of
the most noted religious educators in the
world.
The numbers given above are but a
round estimate from the known growth
Of the Sunday schools, but in exact fig
ures the last report showed 2,051 $40
teachers and 1s,026, ,916 scholars, grand
total Of 20,07s,505, of whom but q few
less than one-half, or $500, All, are in the
United States. Add the $50, 800 in Cam
ada, and 1t will be seen that considerably
more than half of all the Sunday school
attendants of the world are in English
speaking North America. In Great Brit
ain and Ireland are 1899, 1856 more, and
every other country is so far behind that
1t is not in it for comparison.
In truth, the Sunday school was from
the start and still is an English
institution, and whether it be decided
that the great liberality of thought and
progressive energy Of this great race, this
two nationed race, SO to speak, be the
cause or the result of Sunday schools, or
that each promotes the other, the fact is
equally suggestive and instructive. Ger
many comes next with 431,291, then
Sweden with 239, ,092, Holland with 1877
676 and Switzerland with SO,459, after
which the numbers fall off with surpris-
ing suddenness In all Austria there are
but 1881, in all Russia but 0,465 and in
all Spain but 6,400. Yet it is pleasant
surprise to read that Mexico and Central
America contain 10000 Sunday school
attendants and South America 1890
Wherever English is the language the
Sunday school is established as soon as
colony has children enough to form a
class, and next in this line are the speak.
ers Of German, Dutch and the Scandi-
nayian tongues. Even faroff Australia,
SO recently great country that old peo-
pie still think of it as Botany Bay, the
land Of exile for criminals has 457, ,720
teachers and scholars, while little New
Zealand, but yesterday the home of the
wild Maori, has 109,s72 Hawaii-Nei
Official name of the Sandwich Islands)
has 1888 and the English islands gener-
ally 10000.
1t should be noted that many sections
are omitted. Very few Catholic churches
sent In any returns, and large part of
the Episcopal schools are not included,
as theylare given different name. So
It iB believed that the total Of teachers
and pupils, In the world exceeds 2a, ,0OO,-
900. Still more remarkable is the fact
that OF the 100, ,575 places of meeting re-
portedthe United States alone has 1OS,-
IeSs, or neaEly three-ffths of all in the
world, ,krcome th country generally the
l.r,cIDalles ,dand room sssrp@aent,
rhsI sse the schools are often
se halls. In st. Louis are
IL mas peefs and pupils by the last
nip Oregf these will conYider the del
esr-sera;Gheir guests and lie guests of
the city.
st. Louis has devised and maintains in
great activityan original system of house
to honse visitation in connection with
her Sunday school work. Her Sunday
School union and the Missouri State as.
sociation are making thorough prepara-
tions to receive and entertain the visit