The Newtown bee., 1894-05-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK.
INTERESTING GATHERINGS.

hepreSe nCaClVeS or the C0nnecGicut Sunday School Association conducted two interesting meetings in Newtown on Thursday of last week, one in the after noon at Taunton chapel and second in the evening at the Congregational church. Considering that this is an especially busy season of the year with the farmers, the congregation that assembled in the even- ing was large one. The platform was prettily decorated with fruit-tree blos- sons and pansies.
 After praise service, in which help ful Bible promises were repeated, the meeting took novel shape in ''yes and a no" exercise on Sunday school work. This was conducted by Frank H. Bailey, of Danbury. Such questions as these were propounded, and various ones in the audience asked their reasons for their votes: Is the su- perintendent responsible for order in the school? Should gentlemen teachers be appointed for male classes and lady teachers for classes of their sex? Should the scholars be allowed the use of the quarterly during the conduct of the les son? The discussion which followed these questions proved very suggestive. and, though sometimes it was thought the course to be followed would depend entirely on the special conditions of the school, yet practically the audience were l as one in their opinion.
 Miss FloraLent of DaDbury then read a very thoughtful paper on Opportunities for Young People in Sunday school | work" These were some of the points made In this busy world, teeming with it's unsaved millions, we cannot afford to limit the age of Sunday-workers, all though it is the young people we want to enlist in this work for many reasons, chief of which is the church of the fu- ture is in the Sunday-school of to-day. The church is the tree, the Sunday school the branch, so the church needs the Sunday-school for the compl tion of it's being. There is no better development of the Christian character than. that which comes to the Sunday school work CT. He is brought into ths study of the Word, he learns by teaching it to others, he gains strength of character by the use of his powers. The vast majority of members enter the church through the Sunday school, and many of them are brought to Christ by it directly. Tie church's power is in it's living members, and these should be constantly recruited through the Sunday-school. It is not sufficient that the pupils be brought to
 he point of accepting Christ, for the work is only begun when the pupils arc converted. With joining the church be- gins the most important work of build | ing up souls in Christ. Thus the Sun. day-school becomes preparatory school, giving the lessons of truth | which, in after years, are to be infused by the Spirit and turned into living en- ergies of character.
 What unceasing, concentrated effort must be made, and it must be persona effort. We do not make the matter per sonal enough. but are apt to think there is enough without me; I am only one l Yes. but the Master calleth for you anG | says, 'Go. work to-day in my vineyard the harvest truly is great and laborer: few" You cannot afford to let other: gleam the golden grain which may bt yours for the reaping.
 You have opportunities for Sunday school work in your home; the begin nings of human life for time anC for eternity occur at home, the most eff fective school is home. It is in point oi time before all others and in point o. power before all others, for, years be fore the teacher begins to affect tht mind of child, he is under the power ful influence for good or evil in his home
 A child will for along time believe wha his father believes and love what hi: I mother loves in spite of all that th' school and world may teach. A word il
 behalf of the teacher may beget stron. faith in him, and this will give force t. his teaching.
 The lesson taught in the Sunday sehoo lean supplement and supply the lack o
 teaching in the home. Not all home are centers of religious power; there ar
 goddess homes, worldly-minded parent
 and unbelieving parents. For thes
 homes the Sunday school is. the onl
 substitute and often the only infiuenc in the training of childhood.
 The crying want of the present time
 that for accomplished teachers. W want better teachers and more teacher
 for rich and poor, children and adults
 A Sunday-scbool teacher must posses
 knowledge and know how to use it. W 5 can have no permanent theologics
 school for the training of Sunday schot teachers. teachers meetings will not if the want. and the best conventions leay
 something undone. The answer is to l found in the reserve class and the no
 mal class.
 , We must never try to take the boy or h of a boy to make him Christian; ratl 2 CT lead him the paths of faith in Got ITeach him the glory of hard service ft
 Christ, teach him to pray daily, to loy t the Lord as he loves his mother and be true everywhere ]; this is the higher
 aim of a Sunday school teachers life.
 w. H. Hall, state secretary of th Connecticut Sunday school association
 closed the meeting with an address C
 suThe Best Sunday School.'' This schoo
 he said, should be Biblical, educationi and evangelistic. He believed that mar
 of the methods used in the public schOo
 could be carried over into the Sunds
 school, such as the grading of the ch