Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-09
Anniversary Meeting of the Society
of Religious Education.
THE AIMS And OBJECTS SET FORTH
Reasons Why the Headquarters Are
Established in This City.
ELECTION OF FELLOWS


Congregational Church. this city, beginning
with an executive session. on Saturday af-
ternoon last. and continuing with two ses-
sions yesterday. The object Of the society
is thus defined in the constitutions: ITO
awaken increased interest in the subject of
religious education; to engage scholars in
the study OF mans spiritual nature; to de-
wise improved methods of Bible study and
teaching for the home, the Sunday school,
the public school and the college; to collect
and preserve at the national capital infor-
nation OF all systems Of religious instruc-
tion."
Sunday school Teachers.
The session yesterday afternoon was de-
voted to the interests of the Sunday School
Teachers Club, an organization for the
training Of Sunday school teachers, the first
work undertaken by the society. There was
large audience, composed chiefly of 'he
teachers of the city. Chief Justice Brewer
presided, being introduced by the president
or the society, Gen. John Eaton. The regis
trars report showed the club had prospered
the past year. DIR. Gilbert spoke. Sixty
three new members were received.
The public meeting OF the society was held
last night. The audience was large and
seemed to be in touch with the speakers and
the hopes Of the society. The meeting was
addressed by President Eaton, Rev. Dr. j.
T. Gilbert, the secretary, and by Bishop
hurst. The program was opened with an
organ voluntary by Pro-. BiSchoT, and the
choir rendered Il Will Bring Thee Rest"
The devotional exercises We're conducted by
Dr. Newman, pastor of the church, and DR..
Chester, late pastor of the Metropolitan
Presbyterian Church. President Eaton an
nounced that they were disappointed in the
inability of Vice President Stevenson TO be
present and preside. but that he had a few
moments before received a note from him
stating that an unforeseen circumstance
had prevented him from keeping his en-
gagement. This. he said, was the first an
niversary of the society since its reorgani-
zation. He then proceeded to tell of the
purposes of the society and the neadfulness
OF that great end for which 1t stroVe-the
improvement of the methods Of studying
and teaching the word of God and the diffu-
sion of Bible knowledge. The perpe.uity
and the freedom of the church and state
rested on education. Training classes were
to be formed and improved methods intro
duced into the Sunday school, the family
and the college. In this way the ambition
OF the society might be attained.
Improving the Methods.
President Eaton talked of the perfection
Of the day school. of its progress and of the
energy and effort devoted to its improve
ment by the state. He then drew a COM
parison between it and the Sunday school.
TO the advantage of the former. He pointed
out the defective methods, and referred
SeHtly 10 lne O1tentlmeS incapacity of he
teacher As the teacher was, SO was the
SCHOOL The society was organized in In
dianapolis, Ind. unGer the influence of Rev
Dr. Gilbert 1t was reorganized one year
ago, and selected Washington as headuuar-
tiers, but did this with no view of govern
ment patronage and with no disposi.ion 10
Violate that principle that separated church
ana state Gen. Eaton spoke of the advan-
tdSeS winch Washington presented as the
headquarters for this work and sounded tbe
praises OF this city in glowing terms. He
referred TO the scientific libraries especially
tne one at the patent office. the diplomatic
library at the State Department. the med
zeal library at the Medical Museum. the
pedaSogic library at the bureau of educa-
others. "o
The Smithsonian was here. tn. N.t,o,a,
museum was here and the great SURVEYS.
the bur eau Of statistics was at hand Peo
pie or the highest culture and of national
1ame were here. The society felt the force
or the argument which brought so NAM
CONVEX tons to this city; they had chosen
the rational capital as Headquarters for
rnis society because Of the unequaled ad-
yantases 1t presented. Parenthetically
PRESIDENT Eaton eulogized Dr. Harris. the
commissioner of education as the greatest
educator Of the period.
For Bible Study.
Secretary Gilbert was the next sneaker
He told of the inducements which had led
to the organization of the society," II was
under the control of a governing council of
twenty-four, representing men eminent in
the highest walks Of life and representing
twelve denominations. He also stated the
need for improved teaching Of the Bible
1t was not to be taught as literature but
was to be taught for spiritual profit The
Bible was spiritual text book and the So
ctety sought to put that in the hands and
hearts of the people. This done and the
church would rise to greater spirituality
and the problems that now harass the
country would be solved. He spoke Of the
close relation between this society ana the
nation. During the past year they held
four convocations and would multiply In
the number next year to reach all parts of
me country. The influence going out from
these conversations could not be overesti-
mated. The society would establish rooms
In this city, where all the data documents
and statistics bearing on religious educa-
ton would be collected, preserved and
made available to the student.
This center would bear the same relation
to religious education as the bureau of edu-
cation does to that of a secular nature
He spoke of the immense value which the
city would derive from this collection. The
society would seek to train Sunday school
teachers, to put the Bible in the hands of
college students, to guide the work of in
struction by parents in the family and
provide courses of devotional Bible reading
for the individual Christian. Indeed, a
beginning had already been made by the
society in these four departments and new
and improved features would be added from
time to time. The Sunday Teachers Club,
which covered the teacher training work,
had now an enrolled membership of 9,4S0.
The Bible Readers Union, numbering near
ly one thousand members, presented
course of closet Bible reading three years
In extent. The College Bible Club, just
ganized, had gone into three western uni
versities. The Child Culture Club for fam
lily training of parents, would be given
largely into the hands of talented mothers.
Elected as Fellows.
To make the foregoing plans efficient the
council had recently elected a number of
prominent educators and ministers as
fellows. who would study the nature Of
man ard the various problems of re-
ligious education, according to a syllabus.
and meet annually to discuss papers there
on. These papers would be published in
the societys Journal. The names were
read to the audience as follows: Bishop
John F. Hurst, DR.. J. II. Carlisle, Dr.. T.
W. Jordan, Gen. John Eaton, DR.. John NJ.
Gregory. DIR. J. Z. Rankin, Dr. 8. l.. Eele-,
DR.. James f. Gilbert, Prof. John NJ.
Coulter. DR.. Edwin Willis, Dr.. John F.
Forbes, Representative William L. Wilson,
Prof. w. w. Grant, DR.. w. F. King. DR..
William Dewitt Hyde. Prof. l.. H. Jones,
Dr. +. 3. Palmer, DR.. John F. GOucher,
DR.. ]. B. Van Meter DIR. Charles w. Dab
ney. jr., DIR. Charles W. Risheld, Dr. VIM
T. Harris, DIR. J. w. Clokey, Rev r. e.
Neghbor. Prof F.. NJ. Gallaudet Gen. T.
]. Morgan, Representative Benton Nc
~ TarFFN