The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-06-11
Columbia County Annual Interdenomi-
national 8. =, Convention.

sociation met in the M. f. Church at
Catawissa on May 28th, and was
opened with a song service followed
with devotional exercises conducted
by Rev. G.. M. Klepfer, Of Catawissa.
President Low extended greeting to
the delegates, there being gocdly
number present Notwithstanding the
disagreeable weather. 1t takes some
thing more than rain to dampen the
ardor of Columbia County Sunday
School workers.
Mr.. Low said: "This is a splen-
did day. Showers Of course, but are
they not showers Of blessing to the
dry and parched earth ? We need
showers OF blessing in our hearts. Let
us look to our Lord for these showers
Oh, for sight of Christ by faith
How it lifts up and changes all our
desires
A. w. Spear, Statistical Cores
ponding Secretary, gave his report for
the coming year. The first compare
lively full report Of statistics was made
in 1888. Our last report shows the
number of people in the Sunday
Schools of Columbia County to be
1878 a gam of about 5000 in five
years. There are still however $4,000
persons in Columbia County who are
not in the S. S.
The roll of District Vice Presidents
was now called and majority re-
sponded with reports from their dis
tricts. These presidents assist the
secretary very much in furnishing him
with information regarding the schools
urder their care.
THURsDAy AFTERNOON SESSION.
After song service Rev. d. N.
Kirkby, of Bloomsbury, conducted
the devotional exercises. The presi-
dent appointed the following commit
tee:
Committee on nominations w.
r. Kocher, Miss Sue Dechant, Mrs.
|. H. Seesholtz, H. G. Supplee, L. A.
Remley, r. T. Smith.
Committee on resolutions Prof
R. Kocher, Miss Verne Jones, Mrs.
Thomas Fortner.
Committee on place Daniel Nc
Henry, ]. B. Nuss, J. c. Creveling.
Auditing Committee John Ewes,
A. A. Pealer, c. M. Laubach.
Prof. c. H. Albert was then intro
duced and opened the parliament
"How can the Col Co. Association
Help the Individual School ?" He
said in connection to this topic unless
we can go back to our schools next
Sabbath and give to members some
help that we have gained from this
convention then our visit has been in
vain. There was a convention of
farmers short time since at which
the people spent twenty nine hours
discussing the merits of horses, COWS
and hogs, and but twenty-five minutes
to the discussion of boys. The crying
need of to-day is to give more time to
the boys and girls. In 1895 $4,000
girls, between the age of IL and 16,
were sold to lives of shame in the
United States alone. This is in part
the fault of Sunday school teachers.
The Sunday school has in its hands
the care of the people of the COM
num-. We must make the Sunday
sci ool pleasant and agreeable. One
way is by thorough preparation. If
| go before my class unprepared it is
no wonder that it dwindles down to
zero. We must teach the children
to make a wise choice in this life to
choose righteousness. Every boy or
girl in our classes should feel the
benefit of what we receive at the con-
veltion. This is a mountain top
from which we can get a view of the
broad field for work in the valley
below. Next Sunday let us go into
the valley and make our schools feel
that we have been here and derived
some benefit. Quite a number of the
delegates responded to the invitation
to discuss the question, and several
gave instances OF times when they had
received help from the convention.
Rev. U. Myers, Secretary of the
Home Department Work in the
State, gave a talk on the Home De
partment. This is a department Of
the Sunday School organized for the
purpose of Bible study by persons
who cannot be in the Sunday School,
such as the aged, invalids, mothers
with little children and persons whose
employment will not allow them to
attend the Sunday School. By means
OF 1t many become engaged in study
ing the Bible who would not other
wise be interested in the work. The
plan of operation is so simple that it
can be used in any school, small or
large, AT the close of his remarks,
he presented a resolution to amend