The morning times., 1896-06-14

|
opened for the discussion and study o
Sunday school methods in the Metropolitan
Baptist Church. on r street, between
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets northwest
have been largely attended by the friends
OF the Sunday schools. together with thu
100 delegates representing the several
schools in the district.
Those who have attended have been
greatly edited by the splendid papers
Oh Sunday school woSk and by the very
excellent addresses made by the pastors
who have been in constant attendance.
In response to the address of welcome in
behalf OF the Sunday School Union. de-
livered Friday night by DR.. Frank j.
Webb. lie referred to the large class OF
young colored people in this district who
need the helping hand of the church and
Sunday school. and suggested way of
going about the work to obtain the best
results.
One of the interesting features about the
convention is the music. which is very
much better than that usually found in
conventions Of this kind. A well selected
choir of mixed voices, under the direction
of Prof. 7. l.. Furby, renders some OF the
very best church and Sunday scnool music.
The organist is Miss Sadie j. Robinson.
The musical program vii, be especially
elaborate this afternoon and evening at
| the Closing sessions.
COMMITTEES AND THEIR WORK
| There are committees TO care for every
branch of work connected with the man
agement of the convention. and with the
progress OF the business as it is performed
at each session.
The chairrnen of the several committees
appointed previous to the assembling OF
the convention are as follows: Arrange
ments, j. A. Hamilton; resolutions, j. l..
Love; program, j. L. Nell; press, T. l..
Furby; credentials. j. W. Wright; finance,
W. ID. Jarvis; ushcrs E. W. Gordon;
statistics. j. l.. Jasper; decorations, Miss
NJ. l. Throckmortun.
The exercises Saturday afternoon in
| cluded the devotional services led by Mr..
A. J. Hamilton. Miss NJ. r Bowen read
paper on Mission Work in Sunda y Schools
a paper on Methods in Sunday Scboo,
| Work. was read by Mr.. c. II. Thomas;
a paper on Model Sunday Schools was
read by DR.. C. W. Childs followed by an
address by the Rev. James A. johnson.
The presentation of these papers was
interspersed with music and some dis
cussion by the delegates.
| The paper, Relations of Pastor to
Sunday School, which was TO have been
read Friday evening by Miss q. A. Dawson,
will be read this afternoon.
| The session last night was not so largely
| I,
but the meeting was continued with the
| same enthusiasm that charact erized the
| previous sessions.
| The evenings exercises began with a
BRIEF devotional service conducted by
| the Rev. d. f. Wiseman. Before the first
paper OF the evening was read a committee
of nine, consisting of Messrs. Herbert,
Neill, Morton, Hayson, Bryant, Maxfield,
Ruffin, Coffee and Turner, was appointed
| In fhp
eOlored churches of this District in the
coming International Sunday school con-
| vention 10 be held in Boston. After the
| committee had retired the Rev. James
Chestnut read very interesting paper on
Benefits to be derived from the inter
| national convention"
REV. CHEsTNUT's PAPER
| The speaker first congrat ulatcd the SUD-
day school people of this district upon the
| very successful convention now in progress
and said it was long step in the right
direction 10 hold again after many years
convention OF this kind. The Rev. Mr..
| Chestnut said the District was entitled TO
eleven delegates, aD5 that there would be
delegates from every State i'll the Union
and from outside countries nd the provinces
| 10 the number OF 2,S96.
The advantages to be desired from the
| international sunda school conv ention were
indeed numerous, and he pointed out the
several modes Of procedure i'll the con-
ventioD Which would be of inestimablc value
TO the delegates for new thoughts. new ideas
would be established there. In this Con-
ventioD the ablest ministers and the best
Sunday school teachers congregate and i'm
( port the knowledge they possess to others
/ for the benefit of schools everywhere.
| Several minutes were taken up in dis
! cussing the Rev. Mr.. ChestDut's paper, and
among those who participated in the discus
( sion were J. l.. NeiIl. Rev. w. j Howard nd
Mrs. Layton. The choir sang an appropriate
selection, and Miss NJ. L. Jordan read
paper on Grading Sunday Schools
| She advanced the idea that all children
even those of the same age, did not pos
sess the same capabilities. The teachers
should determine as far as possible just
how much the pupils could understand of
| the lessons taught. and according to their
knowledge or to their capabilities. they
were to be placed in a graded department
the same as children are taught in public
schools.
This paper was well received and drew
| out good deal of discussion, in which
Messrs. Jasper, Briscoe, Mirth, the Rev.
Mr.. Brown. and Miss Ware and Miss
Geary participated.
KINDERGARTEN METHODS.
Miss S. +. Dyson was introduced after
music by the choir, to read a paper on
Kindergarten methods in Sunday schools" !"
Her address was along the lines of that
read by Miss Jordan. She said much de-
pended on the teachers, for they were
to very great extent responsible for the
care and habits of the young. They must
be carefully trained in the ways of truth
and right and made to understand that
the right way was the Lords way.
Discussion also follow ed this paper,
after which the Rev. S. ]. R. Nelson
talked on How to increase the member
ship of Sunday schools" Mr. Nelson's
address was full of timely suggestions,
valuable, too, for many Sunday school
teachers have been placed in a position
when they were compelled toaskthemselves,
what can do to Keeping pupils in regular
attendance?" Teachers must be careful
to make use of the very best plan to teach
the children and to interest them as far
as possible in the lessons of the Sunday
school.
The lesson for today was the subject of
considerable thought, and remarks about
the lesson for June 14-Flag Day-were
made by Mr.. James L. Neill.
The folio wing resolution, introduced by
j. A. Hamilton, was adopted:
Resolved, That this convention return
thanks to The Washington Times and other
papers which have given US such cordial
support, and for publishing the reports
of this convention
The nominating committee reported the
names of Mr.. W. ID. Jarvis and A. j.
Hamilton as delegates to the convention, and
Miss NJ R. Bowen aud Miss NJ L. Jordan
as alternates.
The convention will be brought to
close tonight. The regularly printed pro-
gram will be carried out this afternoon, and
grand mass meeting will be held at 7:3O