The herald., 1895-09-27

out numerous laules anu proved very IN
teresting.
Bishop Warren came In at the close of
the conference session and those present
will long Der his kind. sweet, en-
couraging words ana the player for Gods
blessing upon those present.
The afternoon session was devoted to
papers ON the Sunday school question.
After singing a number OF hymns Dr..
III. Brodbeck, who is superintendent of
the largest Sunday school on the Pacific
coast, at the First Methodist church, Los
Angeles, and who acted as chairman for
the meeting, said in introducing the first
speaker, that 70 per cent OF the church
members come through the Sunday
school. The Sunday school is an insti-
tuition holding an important relation TO
the church. The future outlook for bet
ter Sunday school is more promising than
it has been at any time in the history of
the church. This is the first time that
the Sunday school has had place on the
general conference programme
Dr. f. A. Seymour of Los Angeles then
addressed the convention on the relation
of the church to the Sunday school, and
the relation of the Sunday school to the
church. The basis of all satisfactory dis
cussion is ineligible definition. The in
visible church OF Christ is a body OF be
levers regardless of sex or age. whose
chief object, TO glorify God, is mani
tested firstly by an experimental main
by persistent effort to add to their num-
bers from among the unsaved. The sub
stituton of any other motive than the
glory OF God as its paramount purpose
m ust of necessity reduces the church to
body OF unbalievers. or non-believers,
seeking their own aggrandizement.
The Sunday school is not so easy OF
definition, because it is not an event.
1t IS in fact an evol ltion. the result OF
varied experiment and wide observation.
Primarily the church school under the
theooracv was home institution, held
every day in the year for the purpose OF
instilling into the minds of the young
knowledge of God and duty. However
generally the practice NAV have been
abandoned, there were Lingering evidences
of its faithful observance early in the
| new dispensation. Lois was faithful! in
ths instruction Of her daughter Eunice,
and she to her son Timothy. of whom
Paul writes that from babe" he had
known the scriptures. During the first
centuries Of the Christian church cate
chetical schools were held probably on
week days to impart to young applicants
for the privilege OF church mem bership
an intelligent conception OF Christian
doctrine. But after the thru or fourth
centuries. record OF their continuance
ceases, and so far as we may Know for
thirteen hundred years they had TO pub
lie su 5stitute.
"In seventeen hundred and eighty-one,
Across the sea in Gloucester town.
The glorious Sunday school began.
We have heard sung to the echo in
| many convention in the years gone by.
And what a remarkable beginning! L o
the manufacture of so small an article as
a pin are we indebted for the inaugura-
ton of this movemenr. The multitudes
of children engaged in the great pin fac
tories of Gloucester. who on Sunday.
without the restraint OF work, iel! into
mischief and were in danger of falling
into gross sin, provided the printer phil
anthropist, Robert Raikss, with material
for the commencem ent OF an enterprise
| which now belts the globe we'll nigh i'll
every meridian.
In the days of the Wesleyan revival.
for the first time the Sunday school as
! sumeu a missionary aspect, reaching out
| beyond church homes and applicants for
church mem bership, to help the intellect
| uaily and morally helpless. The appli-
ances used and the knowledge impaired
were mainly secular, with an occasional
moral or religious supplement-. The ex-
| pertinent proving successful beyond ex-
| pectat;on, the church adopted il, includ-
| ing it among the instrumentalitiss for
effecting its great purpose. The imparf-
alton of secular knowledge having been
practically discontinued, the institution
| received the name SUNDAY school to dis
| tinguish it from the week day or essen
TALLY secular school
As it exists today the Sunday school is
not solely childrens' affair.
Wherever ten persons can be collect.
ed for thatIpurpose Sunday school shall
be organzed." Sunday schools are de
clared to be for 1.-THE moral and religious
| instruction of our children and for the
| promotion of Bible knowledge among all
| our people," The Sunday school thus
becomes the church at study and its une
| text book the Bible. The Obligation for
TO ne mr.
| upon the church. The material aid tn US
required should cover every detail of ex-
pense. ana this should be included in the
years estimate presented at each first
quarterly conference. The relation and
obligation is reciprocal.
If our pastors will comply with the
discipineing requirements to preach on
the sui ject of Sunday schools and the
rel gious instruction of children at least
once In six months" and If the Sun
day school committee Will as required
''aid thsir pastor and the officers of the
| Sunday schools in procuring suitable
| teachers and in promoting in all proper
ways the attendance of children and
adults on our Sunday schools and at our
regular public worship" we shall on
witness tho realization of our ideality..
Mrs. Moffat favored tho audience with
a vocal solo.
A mum Der of snort prayers were offered
for an especial blessing upon the Sunday
school and it's workers. The hymn
| Bringing in the Sheaves was then sung
and DR.. Brodbeck announced that the
second speaker on the programme. Rev.
| @. A. Westenberg of San Bernardino. was
| unable to be present, and therefore the
meeting would be Immediately turned
into the free parliament in which speak
ers would be allowed to discuss different
phrases OF Sunday school work. Among
those to speak were Rev. l.. NJ. Hartley
of San Diego, Professor J. H. Hoose of
Pasadena, i. G. Miller of Santa Bar bara,
Mrs. J. W. Cam pbeli of Los Angeles.
After the benediction the Injecting adj
journed.
The anniv ersary of the Woman's Home
and the Wo mans Foreign Missionary So
cieties was celebrated at the tabernacle
in the evening. Mrs. J. M. @. Marble
of Los Angeles presided. On the plat
form were Mrs. J. w. Campbell. Mrs e.
W. Caswell Mrs. +. A. Seymour, Mrs.
j. W. Van Cleve, Mrs. J. II. Umsted.
Mrs. G. r. Crow. Mrs. f. S. Woodstocks
Mrs. Alice Stalker, Rev. G. ". White,
Rev. E.. w. Caswell Rev. w. A. Wright.
Mrs. ]. w. Campbell read the scripture
lesson and Rev. Il. W. Caswell lead in
prayer.
The report of the Woman Home Mis-
sionary for the conference year was then
read by the conference secretary. Mrs. +.
W. Caswell. The report was full OF stat
stics showing marked increase during
the last year in both the number of So
cieties and mem bership. The total mum.
Der of societies now in this conference
is ninety eight, with a mem bership
of 1920. The amount raised during the
last year was $1549.39, $1100 of which was