The times., 1894-09-07
shiawassee County Sunday School Rally

AS briefly mentioned in last weeks paper,
which was printed while the exercises were
yet in progress, the rally day parade and
the exercises following were highly success
full The conditions for successful parade
were good, except for the heat, and very
dusty condition of the roads everywhere.
The latter doubtless kept great many
away who would have come from the more
remote parts of the county, and from the
dusty condition of those who did come from
distance, they can hardly be blamed. The
streets over which the parade passed We're
well sprinkled the night preceding the rally,
an act which took away much of the dis
comfort of the march.
As announced in the programs, the
schools formed for marching on Ball and
East and West Main streets and at about
eleven o'clock were ready to begin the
march. Lieut.. Van Epps acted as chief
marshal. He was well assisted by other
members of Company G, and all being
mounted and taking careful interest in the
march. added greatly to the precision and
smoothness with which the parade was con-
Quoted. The boys look well mounted.
When the parade began, the different
schools marched in order to Main and on
Main to Washington streets, where each
school fell into its place and the entire
column was completed at this point. From
this corner the march took place as an
nounced. to Oliver, and east on Oliver past
the reviewing stand to the grove. Among
| in good force and carried banners with the
names of the schools on them. Other
schools which were well represented but
did not carry such banners, would swell the
number to over thirty, and Secretary Rey-
nolds, who is well acquainted withlS. s.
workers from all parts of the county, thinks
there were scattering representatives from
at least twenty more, making total of
about fifty schools which were in part rep
resented in the parade. A careful estimate
of the number marching gives a total OF
nearly 1000.
Among the striking features of the parade,
were class of young men from the M. Z.
school, marching with various military
movements and having four sets of fours in
line; still larger body of young ladies
marching in similar style, part of them in
the form of cross; and large class ol
little girls, the foremost of whom carried 8
high banner from the top of which large
number of ribbons were draped back and
held by the members of the class following
A large number of the older members of the
Baptist chool rode in carriages, many thus
taking part in the parade who could mo-
have walked the entire distance. Nearly
all of the infant classes were provided with
wagons or drays which were gaily trimmed
One wagon, labelled 'ambulance" and filled
with baskets, bore the text, 81 go to pre-.
pare place for yon." Nearly every cas.
in the line of march carried one or more
banners with notices or scripture texts or
them and the whole effect of the parade wa:
both pretty and inspiring.
On arriving at the grounds by the Emer
son school, the line was broken, and the
grove was filled with hundreds of scattered
picnic parties and family groups, who pro-
cee1ed in short order to satisfy the craving:
of the inner man, which had by no mean!
been lessened by the march. Eating rest
ing and visiting took up some time, but a
half past one the call to order was sounded
and the program commenced. A platform
for the speakers and singers had beer
erected and an organ also secured to assis
in the singing.
After the invocation and selection by
the band, the audience, led by the singers
upon the platform, united in singing ''Cor
onation," making the woods ring with thi
grand old hymn. Louis Flickinger CAV,
the address of welcome in most happy
and hopeful vein. Among other things
he said:
at is privilege of a lifetime to address
such an audience as this, and appreciate
the fact that 1t is no small honor to welcom
this large company on the occasion of this
Shiawassee county's first Sunday schoo
rally. 1t certainly is credit to our city
as well as an honor to her citizens, to enter
tain you, the representatives of the Sunda
schools Of Shiawassee county.
The few moments allowed by the com
mittee for the address of welcome, woul
hardly afford time to extend an approprst
welcome to this large company, were 1t no
for the fact that Owosso is known far an
near for her hospitality-the name itself i
a synonym for hospitality, and the YER
atmosphere breathes it.
1t Is estimated that there are In the worl
today $50, 900 Sunday schools, and in roun
numbers 2,5OO,0oO teachers and officers
and 23,0O0,00O scholars, making vas
army of over $4,000, 900, the largest arm
under one banner anywhere In all the eartf
So we welcome you because you are pal
OF this great army, whose object is spreadin
the light of the gospel, and the upliftin
Of humanity. We welcome you for tn
principles you represent, your loyalty