Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-10-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION.
Full Report of the Convention Held
at Calmar last Friday and
Saturday.

Saturday.
The sixth district Sunday School
convention was held i'm Calmar Friday
afternoon and Saturday forenoon Oct.
23d and oath, 1896. Opened i'm due
form by G. r. Baker, president of the
county association. After brief song
service the topic, "HOw can we make
the Sunday School sessions more inter-
esting?" was opened in few pointed
remarks by Mrs. M. B. Carter, of Os-
sian, earnestness, fidelity, promptness,
life and conservation being the princi-
pal points mentioned. Mrs. Jacobs
followed with the thought that in Or
der to make the services interesting to
the primary classes, the lessons should
be presented in a simple story form,
that the young mind can grasp, and
illustrated the point with her own
boy Harry, about 5 years of age, who
told the audience of the creation in
clear and intelligent way. "How can
we bring the young men into the Sun
day SCHOOL," was presented in a for
chile manner by Rev. H. Williams;
higher type Of christian example in
the homes and more loyalty to Gods
word on the part of the parents would
tend to interest the young men in bet
ter things. In "How to study the
Bible" Rev. c. A. Parkin gave some
good light. Make it daily companions;
get all out of it that it teaches; read
nothing into it, leave nothing out, and
study it as Gods word. Miss Mary b.
Cutler, Of Decorah, gave an able paper
on "The chief aim of Sunday School
work, ;" which showed careful prepar-
alton and thoughtful study, and was
appreciated by all. At the business
hour District No. 6, was organized, en-
bracing Military, Calmar, jackson and
Washington townships. A constitu.
ton was adopted and the following
officers elected: President, w. L.
Keech, Calmar; lst vice-president,
Mrs. M. B. Carter, Ossian; End vice.
president, j. J. Haug, Spillville; 3rd
vice-president, l.. H. Lee, Ft. Atkin-
son; secretary and treasurer, Miss Cert
rude Kaye, Calmar. House to house
visitation was presented and adopted.
w. l.. Keech was appointed superin-
tendant of the work for Calmar town.
ship, Mrs. M. B. Carter for Military, L..
Fl. Lee, of Ft. Atkinson, for Washing
ton. The evening service opened with
song service. A trombone solo by w.
M. Mcdonald and violin solo by Miss
Mamie Thaler were finely rendered.
The feature of the evening was the ad-
dress on Character Building" by
Prof. q. A. Oliver to a full house, which
of course would result from the an
nOuncement of the name of the speak
er, for he captivated the audience as he
always does with his easy flow of lam
guage and vivid word pictures from
daily life to show what makes up a
good character. The Saturday morn
ing session opened with song service.
after which G. r. Baker presented
some good thoughts on convention
work from his own experience and OBJ
servation. 1.-THE Work and Response
bility of the Teacher" was presented
by M. j. Nicholson, who emphasized
heart conservation, and the teacher
Miss Emma Miller in an able paper re-
ferred to thorough preparation by study
of Gods word, prayer and the aid of
the holy spirit. Others spoke of fidelity
and the responsibility of the teacher IN
always being at her post. A. X.
Bailey on "What do you owe to the
Sunday School," said he owed the in
tiuence of words from his Sunday
School teacher upon his life, the bene-
fits of the study of the bible, place to
work for Christ and larger RESPONSE
bility i'm life. w. l.. Keech followed
tn a paper on the subject in which
espoke of the importance of the Sun
day School, the responsibility OF the
parents in attendance and financial
aid. "The little tots and how to teach
them," was ably presented and some
excellent hints given from practical ex-
perience by f.. j. Riley, Miss Theresa
Thompson, and Mrs. Grace Horton.
"The place of the Bible i'm the Sunday
School," was the next topic. Miss
Hattie Headington suggested ways of
teaching the child to commit scripture
texts, and Miss Gertrude Kaye in a
well prepared paper spoke of the i'm
pOrtance of the bible as the foundation
of our work. Mrs. Phoebe Lincoln
gave an excellent talk on temperance,
in which she presented some profitable
hints on the effects of alcohol aud mar
cotics, especially of cigarettes on the
body, mind and soul. The absence of
&. G. Wallace, field worker, was dis
appointment to all, and since the close
of the convention we have learned that
he was afflicted with his old trouble,
hemOrrhage of the lungs, and was
obliged to return home. He has our
sympathy and hope that he may be re-
stored to health and be able to do more
for the master. The convention was
: we'll attended and full of interest and
: profit to ALL 1t was voted to hold the
, next one at TT. Atkinson, at n time
named by the officers who constitute
the executive committee.
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