Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-26
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Of my personal experience In tne "ol z, or
at the outset will say that our Oons. oa
gational Sunday school WORK Is pios,a
enough, ! believe, to cover every oppo.
tunity of doing any form OF Sunoay sohoo'
work. ~, 1-,,or
In North Dakota no so-caiied oGlon
work has led to the development OF Con-
cregationaI church without the lnterVen-
tion NJ onr own Congregational SUNDAY
school work, or our Congre gatloDal noi 10
Missionary Society. More tnah lnis ~. no
representative of any Union worn nas
come to our superintendent OIL the n ILL
missionary work in the state anu sa,u onao
a church could be organized out Oh somo
Union Sunday school. There mas pech on
entire disregard of our work In inns re
snect. A UNCONVENTIONAL work Is lar ihoio
nermanent than any Union work can pe'
as it means the giving some one 10 iooh
after it permanently
In October, 1885, a lady and her SOD, a
how of about 10 years of age, were walk
i,a unon the streets Of Fargo when they
lot = voupg man, "a student in our Fargo
CoIlege The boy called out to the young
man in a saucy way, "Heilo, thereF Inc
vonng man stopped and spoke TO MIN
pleasantly. The mother made an apology,
saving. II hope you will excuse the con-
dnct Of my boy, but what could you ex
meet where there is no Sunday school?
indeed" the young man replied, Don I
Won have any? / know of man who is
interested In Sunday school work and
will speak to him about your case. Per-
hans he can visit you and organize sun
day school. p"
This Young man came and called upon
me a little later and asked me if could
NOT visit that community. ] told him that
| was very busy and it would probably be
two months before / could do 1t. but
would put it on my list and go there as
soon as l could
The last Sunday Of the following Janu-
airy | visited that field. | reached there
On Saturday afternoon. The first place
went to was the hotel did not tell any
one my business and / was an entire
stranger in the community. After getting
nv dinner waited around for little time
TO get some idea of what 1t was best to do.
found that | had not come any too soon
for starting Sunday school. was greatly
shocked mt the dreadful profanity [ heard
and the people did not seem to care for
anything good.
made inquiry after time Of the land
lord II there was anyone interested in
Sunday school work. He told me of a
certain lady whom he thought would be,
and added that he thought they needed a
Sunday school. went to see the leading
man in the town and he told me it would
be no use to try to start Sunday school,
- 4 htv,1- tn l.a
done. they might get a school for two or
three weeks. with half dozen children,
but that Wal all that could be done.
| visited the lady and found that she
was formerly member of the Presbyterian
church in the city OF Chicago. She felt
very badly that they did not have Sun
day school. She had talked with one of
their neighbors and they felt they must
have a Sunday school, and still nobody
could superintend it and they did not see
how they could possibly carry it on. l
told her that thought that she would be
the one to superintend the school She
was greatly surprised and seemed to feel
as though she could net do it, but / urged
her so strongly that finally she consented
l then canvassed the whole community,
called ON all the people, invited them to
come out on Sunday afternoon, got place
for the service, and on Sunday afternoon
had quite nice gathering, more than
expected. l told them about the need of
a school and what might come from it.
They agreed to organize one and we COM
pleted the organization ut this time, elect
irg the good lady upon whom l called
first, as the superintendent. 1t seemed to
her great undertaking. but assured her
that felt she could carry on the work.
In the evening had another service and
got quite goodly number out. preached
from the text, Not by might, nor by
power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord. -
We had very good meeting. At the
close of the sermon was very much sur.
prised to hear this rough hotel keeper say,
See here, can't you como AGAIN."
asked him IL he really wanted me to come
Yes, we will be very glad to have you
come" put it to vote and everyone, or
nearly everyone, voted in favor, so l made
an appointment for three weeks.
When l went back in three weeks /
found the school had gone On very well in
the meantime. They were growing To-
tercsted in it and continued to care for
tife ScHODl ZOE lHree iilOnUDS. WISHING 1t as
often as | could and preaching TO the peo-
pie, helping them in every way within my
power. The result was that the people
grew very much interested A number,
who had previously not cared anything
about Christian work, expressed the desire
to live = better life the Lord Spirit was
poured out in remarkable way there, and
the time soon came when felt we were
ready to organize church and we effected
the organization Of a church of % mem
hers. was greatly pleased with the deep
interest everyone took in the organization.
A number who had been very careless and
Indifferent, and who, rs they said, had
been living entirely without God and hay
ing no hope, took hold Of the work in earn.
est. The work continued to prosper.
| am sure the result Of this good work
will reach all through eternity. Young
people already are going out from this
Sunday school to our Fargo College and
other places to fit themselves for useful
ness in the world This modest, retiring
lady has proved to be an admirable super.
intendent; one of the very best we bave
in the state, and the last time visited
that school there were nearly 30 present