The Portland daily press., 1896-05-11
FOR THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The Eight international Convention to
be Held In Boston in June.


Something About the History of the Move
ment-Prominent Men Who VIII
Take Part-some Features of the Pro
gramme.
The eighth International Sunda,
School Convention, which is also the 3Otl
national, will be held in the new and beau
tiful fremont Temple. Boston, June %
&c. 1t is trienniai gathering and repre-
sents l4o, coo Sabbath schools of tbs
United States and the British provinces
with their millions of scholars and teach
frs.
1t is low some 81 years, May, 1875
sincs the first International convention
was held in Baltimore, though the first
national was held some ~ years earlier,
on October 3, 1882, in Chatham Street
chapel, New York city. AT the oonven-
ton Hon. Thomas Frelinguysen of New
Jersey was chosen president, who thus at
the inception of the movement gave 1t
the influence of his distinguished name.
Rev. George A. Peits, D. D, also CT New
Jersey, had the honor of being chosen the
president of the first international con-
vention.
From these two starting points the
movement has gone Oh increasing in
power and magnitude. The Sunday
school ever since its origin, has always
besu source OF especial strength among
the English speaking people. 1t is indeed
one Of their crlwns. In England 16 years
ago, the royal family, the archbishop of
Canterbury, and other dignitaries Of the
established church, with the lord mayor
of London and other distinguished
civilians, celebrated the establishment Of
the Sunday school in Great Britain. Here
in the United States with its simpler
democracy, tho leading clergymen, men
Of all denominations, and the most
famous of our public men have been al
ways foremost in furtheribg its interests.
Indeed some of them are teachers of Bibls
Glasses of the Sunday school.
a glance of the history Of the Sunday
school convention movement reveals the
names of such clergymen as DR.. John
Hall, Dr.. Stephen Fl. Tying, DR.. Atticus
H. Hapgood, Bishop John Fl. Vincent,
DR.. George @. LorimeE. DIR. A. b, Dun
ming, DR.. J. e. Broadus. President W.
r. Harper. and of such laymen as ex-
Governor James A. Beaver, Penn, ex-
Governor A. b. Colquitt, Ca, Gen.
Clinton B. Fisk, N. j., Hon. Lewis
Miller, Ohio, Hon. S. H. Blake, Canada,
Among the cansecrated women devoted
to the success of the cause are, Miss
Frances E. Willard, Mrs. Lucy Rider
Meyer and Mrs. ]. S. Ostrander. At the
first national convention in New York
220 delegates were enrolled while about 10
times that number will gather in Boston
IN june thus indicating how rapidly the
interest has grown. Besides it is expected
that with the 1900 delegates will come
5000 friends, so that the representation
can safely be put at 5000. But this num-
Der will not begin to represent the actual
outside attendance which will be as man ,
more during the sessions. AT that con-
tSHtlOa eslSO IL otnbCo WCI0 ICDIGSolt0tl,
about one-half the Union, but delegates
at this convention will come from almos;
all the "A states now under the stars and
stripes, thus showing how wide the in
terest has spread.
To the third international convention
the lamsnted and martyred President
Garfield sent communication express
ing interest and sympathy with the
work. and TO the 9th International con
vention Queen Victoria THANKED '"ThG
International Sunday School convention
for their kind congratulations.
The work of the Sunday schools like
the work of the conventions has grown
to be more complex in these ca years as
witness the fact that at the convention oil
1882, rs questions vera submitted to the
intsrrogatory committee to be sont broad,
cast over the land Ter the Sunday school
workers every where to answer, Today
the lnerest tyro engaged in Sunday school
matters can easily ask twice that number
and not theD exhaust what be considers
TO be vital questions. it IS nevertheless
hoped that the delegates and friends who
attend the coming convention will come
prepared to learn a great deal concerning
everything pertaining to Sunday school
work. Many leaders in this branch of
church work will be present. Among
those who will be prominent may be
mentioned the following: Mr.. B. F.
Jacobs Of Chicago who has bcen in the
from the beginning and whose
great work has been instrumental in Its
growth and prosperity. He is an inde-
iatigable worker ard nothing touches
him SO closely as tho proper religious
tanning Of the boys and girls in thu Sun
day school.
Mr., Dr.. Wolfe of ST. Louis is another
whose earnest labnrs for the success OF
the convention held in that city was SO
fully appreciated and who was able to
say ut the close Of the sessions that on the
comlnituee's books were
found places of entertainment for 800
more than thesnulnber it has been our
pleasure to receive.
DR.. A. j.. Dunning is one of the Vigor-
Gus and Jealous men to be heard at the
convention. AS editor and proprietor OF
tie Congregationalist, and as q Bible
scholar he has been enabled to add much
to the development of this convention