St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-10-25
SUNDAYSCH0OL CONVENTION
Profitable Sessions of the Twenty Sev-
enth Annual Gathering of the State
Association.

mont was held in Music Hall Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday. Nearly 800 |
delegates from all parts of the state were
present, and some very profitable sessions
were held. Rev. George W. Morrow of
Randolph made splendid presiding Of
tcer, and Rev. G. L. Story of Bakersfield
is an efficient secretary. Every delegate
is enthusiastic over the splendid addresses
and the cordial reception given them by
the people of st. Johnsbury. We give
below running report of proceedings
Of the convention.
Rev. DR.. Edward T. Fairbanks in his
address of welcome said in part 81 give
you salutation. | am glad to greet you.
This little state lying among the green
hills is precious to all and especially to
those who are religiously inclined The
people of Vermont are not to take second
place in religious work Not only in the
church ediices but in the little country
school houses, sacred meetings and Sun.
day Schools are held and there the course
OF the child's life is shaped for the future.
The first Sunday Scnool convention
that was held in st. .Johnsbury was when
the two Marys met for the study of the
Bible 90 years ago. Since then there
have been three conventions held here, in
1870, 1873 and this present one. While
the term Sunday School is good, it would
seem better to call it the Bible School
because people assemble together for the
close study of the Bible. From very
small beginnings have come the large
Sunday Schools of our land. 1t is
noble institution but comparatively
little appreciated as yet. The Bible
should be considered and appreciated
more and more. Wherever the Bible
has been studied by the young people as
well as the older ones there has been
perceptible freshening and frightening of
the community. hope this meeting
w IN bS SlNuIiN hStl ny luC SOOu anu
value it may give to you all. In behalf
of the Sunday Schools, bid you wei.
come"
President Morrow on behalf of the con-
vention and the $4,000 Bible students
in Vermont accepted the words of well
come. He felt sure that all present
would receive much help from the meet
ings and carry away to their homes
much that would aid them in their future
work. The time when less quarterly and
more Bible should be taught in our Sun
dav Schools would be hailed with much
pleasure. A fitting tribute was paid Col.
Franklin Fairbanks who was vice pres
ident of the association and whose good
works shall ever be sacred to his memory.
What the world wants is men and women
who are ready and ever willing to speak
their convictions of truth and right.
The first address of the evening was by
Prof. Homer c. Bristol, principal of Yer
mont Academy, SaXtons River, whose
subject was "The Teachers Equipment"
He said by the way of a preliminary re-
mark that "he liked the term Bible
School in place of Sunday School and he
also liked the term Lords Day in place
of Sunday He then said that "A teach
er's equipment exists in a normal school
where the normal methods of teaching
the Bible are brought out. There is a
great deal OF teaching in Sunday Schools
that can hardly be called teaching at all.
What is teaching? 1t is to bring the sub
ject plainly before the class and make
the process OF getting the pupils inter
| aI la DA ,a +L,a,,
that makes them attain more of thought
and be more to the world. One must
have heart that knows God, that comes
near to His work, and is true Christian
in order to meet the requirements OF a
teacher"
There must be love for other souls, a
love of character in Others, love for
children, which must be deep for those
who are to receive the wordo God. One
of the most worthy passions is the pas
sion OF power for good over other souls.
While it is true that one who is nat
urally adapted to the work may teach
more easily, it is equally true that an
other who is not equally so, can cultivate
an adaptation for teaching that will be
as beneficial to the scholars. Every one
in the Sunday School should have young
heart and be with the flowing current OF
young life, then there will be no reason
why one cannot adapt himself to the
work.
The world is full of lessons showing
how much all should do. Don'tswallow
cut feed without mastication, meaning
do not merely look out the lesson as
given in the Sunday School quarterlies,
but study till the full meaning is acquired
from different sources, and thus be pre-
pared to give sermon if necessary.
A lesson is message gotten out of
some assigned portion of Gods word
fully prepared for the class. 1t is the
duty oil each teacher to pray, so that a
| Sunday SCHOOL, lesson studied with prayer
is more surely fixed properly in the
teachers mind. Bring truth out in
adaptation and eXhortation by studying
with some other person until everything
is plain, then one is ready for teaching.
Aim at specific things, and then there
will be specific results in the scholar.
The three specific things in the equip
ment OF teaching are II the equipment
OF souls, (2) the equipment OF adaptation,
and (3) the equipment of preparing
| lessons.
The next address down on the pro-
gramme was "The Constitution of Chris
tanity," by Rev. Norman Seaver, of
Montpelier AS he was not able to be
present on account OF sickness, Rev. DR..
Heath of the North church kindly CON
sented to speak in his place on "The Sun
| dav School the ChillrpniS Sanctuary ~