The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-19


Treasurer, (. A. Treadway Grand Rapids.
The reports of the officers of the Con
vention, Secretary, Treasurer and F. o.
and D. were received AID showed the
work of the church to be in healthy
condition. Several churches were be-
hind in quotas and special force was
laid on it's need of pressing the needs of
the missionary department of the church.
Fellowship Committee
reported as follows: Rev. G. E. Tucker
was transferred to Michigan from the
Pennsylvania Convention; Rev. F. 7.
Crane, from Maine, Rev. w. l.. Swan,
from Iowa, Rev. 1. L. Case, from Con-
necticut, Rev. T. w. Illman, from New
Hampshire. From Michigan, Rev. W.
L. Dickerman was transferred to Con-
necticut, and Rev. DIR. Fluhrer to New
York. Letters of admission through or
dination were granted the Rev. E. G..
Andrus and Miss Olivia j. Carpenter.
A letter of license to preach was granted
to William r. Madison, of Benton Har-
Dor.
The President appointed the following
committees for the session.
Auditing: Rev. Mr.. Sahlin aud Messrs. Wise
and McCulom; Missionary: Revs Messrs. 1llman
and Gibbs and E. L. Wise. Resolutions: Rev.
Mr.. Thornton and Mrs. Soule; elections, Rev.
Mr.. Sahlin, Mr.. Andrus and Mr.. Fish; religious
services, Rev. Messrs. Illman, Mortified aud Mr.
Crane unfinished business Rev. Mr.. Gibbs, f
A. Treadway and Mrs. Thomas. Nominations:
Rev. w. s. Goodell and Messrs. Park Mathew
son and Charles W. Garfield.
The Sunday School.
The general topic for the afternoon
was the Sunday School," This was
taken up by those who had specially as
signed subjects and afterward in a gen.
eral discussion.
The first address was by Rev. F. T.
Crane, of Charlotte, on "The Best Meth
cd of Organizing the Sunday school to
Make it Tributary to the Church." He
said: A church is just as essential to
Sunday school as minister is to the
church. Our object should be to hold
the boys and girls, who are growing up.
Why is it that the primary classes are
always larger than older classes? We
don't hold the young people. We must
attract the young folks even if we don't
teach SO much religion. Teach loyalty
among teachers and scholars. There is
wonderful force in loyalty to any cause.
What interests the people in church?
The fact that church does some good.
We want the people who never attend
and have no inclination, and the only
way to secure them is by personal solicit
tation. Children who can sing ought to
be brought up to sing in the Sunday
school choir. Everybody's mind is in
terested in something and the point is
to reach them in that way. There is
more interest in life such as we see about
us than in books. Teach people there
is religion in comfort, in art, in every
thing beautiful and good in nature. En-
courage every member of the Sunday
school to keep his engagements there.
Rev. G. A. Sahlin, OF Benton Harbor,
spoke on "The Extent the Catechism
Method Should be Used in Teaching"
$50 many older heads" he said, "are
not grounded in our faith and in
what we believe. that some chatechism
must be taught the children if they ever
learn it. 1t should not be carried to an
extreme. There is happy medium and
it can be made interesting"
DR.. w. S. Anderson, OF Detroit. read
very carefully prepared paper on "The
Best Methods Of Conducting Sunday
school," While he approved of the usual
methods, singing, service and lesson, he
thought there should be some special
exercises. He suggested that there was
need for better system of graded les
sons. Among the special exercises he
thought five minute address every
Sunday by some member of the parish
excellent, and the introduction of mu-
sic, readings and recitations. He was also
anxious to have some character study
llLTOQuC6u anu 5IUTl65 tOlu lrOu LILO lllo
of Christ. and advised the extensive use
of the blackboard in all departments of
the Sunday school.
Rev. w. S. Goodell. of Eagle, outlined
"some topics for adult classes" The
best topics, he thought. were found in
the Universalist confession of faith. the
history of the church, the nature of God
and Christ, and the biographies of the
great Universalist teachers. He would
try to instruct our people in the basal
doctrines of the church.
The miscellaneous discussion was
conducted by Rev. Messrs. W. L. Swan,
of Marshall, H. L. Thornton. of Lapeer,
HI. N. Couden, the: blind minister from
Port Huron, Miss Jennie Raven, of Mar
shall, Mrs. Clergyman and Rev. Mr.
Illman. of Grand Rapids.
These emphasized the living of reli-
gion every day, teaching Universalism to
the children, the value of object lessons
and the need of the catechism in the
Sunday school.
EVENING SESSION.
Occasional Sermon.