The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-15

in the state conventions ard the still
finer minute in the county and district
conventions. To these smaller conyen-
lions are sent qualified workers, either
paid or voluntary, who bring to the re-
mote or weaker Sunday schools knOwl-
edge of the best methods of working.
They expOund plans for the systematic
visits TO every home IN the district and
show how home classes may be formed.
1t is the object of the general association
to have this organization complete
throughout the country and the question
of how to obtain this is discussed at the
triennial conventions by men Of wide
experience.
According to a recent report prepared
by Chairman B. f. Jacobs Of the execu-
tive committee, the work Of organization
is considered thorough in 10 states and
provinces, good in 10 states and pro-
vinces and partial in % states, terri
tories and provinces, while Alaska,
Idaho and Nevada are unorganized.
Salaried workers to the number of 48
are employed but many more are needed.
st is a startling statement, - says
Mr. Jacobs, but l. 600, 600 Of the col
Ored children of this country are not in
q school of any kind and one-half the
children and youth of America do not
attend Sunday school. To enable the
executive committee to extend and i'm
prove its work we ask @25, 900 annually
in special contri buttons.
Another, and perhaps one of the most
interesting features Of the organization,
is the international Sunday school lesson
committee and its work. 1t is composed
Of Is mem bers, representing the larger
denominations, who are elected for terms
Of six years each. A new committee
will be chosen at the coming convention
which lends to it an unusual interest.
This committee meets annually and
selects the Sunday school lessons which
are studied every Sabbath by millions
Of scholars. For each week in the year
they select a certain number of verses
from the Bible, which form the basis Of
the lesson, and give to each selection an
appropriate title. To this is appended a
text from another part of the Bible, a
pertinent passage, which is called the
golden text. This material is first sub
mitted to the whole committee and then
given to the various publishers. When
the lesson is printed in the various
ways, it has a wide distribution. It
reaches the Sunday school scholar in a
variety of forms. 1t may be handed out
by the teacher in the shape OF a leafet,
or it may come as a supplement to a re-
lgjOus or secular weekly. The COM
ments and explanations of the lesson are
made by ministers employed by the diff
ferent publishers to do the work. The
lesson committee has arranged a course
that viii cover the Scriptures IN SIX
years.
1t is estimated that fully 90, 600, 600
copies Of the international Sunday
school lesson are used each Sabbath in
various parts Of the world. OF course
they must be selected to meet q variety
of demands, and the committee try to
make them generally acceptable. To
this end they give a hearing, before
making their selections, to the various
organizations, such as the Institute Of
Sacred Literature, the International
Primary Teachers union, the American
Sunday School union, the Lesson Writ