The Portland daily press., 1897-05-06

| one of them Two ASSOCIATIONS were
organized during the last year: tWonty-
six regular conventions were helu ana
four specials: the executive committee
held three meetings.; sixteen new schools
were organized in the county; Soso was
| raised for state work. He spoke In detail
of the work done by the executive COM
mittee. He referred to the helpful lnnu-
ence of the special field workers VINO
| visited the county during the year. he
urged further effort in that line the
coming year and better cooperation on
the part of the auxiliary associations
throughout the county. lie also men
| toned the fact that more money Is
needed to secure suitable instructors in
primary and normal work.
The annual report of the statistical sec
retary. L. NJ. Douglass of Portland was
as follows:
| Your statistical secretary, at his election
one year ago, started out with determi-
nation to find out just how many evan
celical Sunday schools we had in our
county and to get in touch with every
one of them. Thus far have been able
| to find out but 145. l behave, however,
we must have 100 at least. j have found
in some towns neglect to answer re-
quests cent out for information as to the
mum her of schools in town.
In the las schools reported, the various
denominations are represented as follows
Congregationalist, 4s; Methodist, 3d.
Free Baptists 1e; Union 10; Baptist, IL;
| Adventist, z; Friends, A Christian, q;
Presbyterian, l; undenominational
schools, II.
Sixty eight schools that have sent in
and an average attendance of 1858.
Tbirty-three have contributed to state
and county work.
This report was supplemented by the
exhibit of a, mammoth diagram, extend
ing above the pulpit nearly the entire
width of the church. 1t contained a COM
plete list of Sunday schools in the county,
| together with the names of the superin-
tendents and figures showing the men,
bership and average attendance at the
schools. The diagram, the handiwork of
| Mr.. Douglass, was comprehensive md
the lettering SO clear it could be read
from any part of the.church.
| State Secretary Millstt read reports
that had been sent in from the various
auxiliary associations. The Windham as
ISOLATION reported that it comprises
eleven schools, and that it holds three
conventions a year; Bridgton, nine
schools; Lake Sebngo association, seven
teen schools; Pleasant Pond association,
thirteen schools; Scarboro association,
nine schools; South Portland and Cape
Elizabeth association, twelve schools and
three conventions held ench year; Cum
berland and Falmouth association, eight
schools and four annual meetings. Those
association not reporting are the Var
mouth and Freeport association, the
Gray, New Gloucester and Falmouth
association and the association whose
membership is confined to the Sunday
schools Of Portland, Deering, Westbrook
and Gorham.
A highly interesting address was the
.schalk talk'' by N. S. Greet of Somer-
| Vile, Mass, with colored crayons he
covered large blackboard with emblems
that can be used to advantage in Illus
trating Bible lessons in the juvenile de-
partment of Sunday school work.
The election Of these officers of the
Primary Teachers union was announced
in the convention:
President-Mrs. Graham, Cum berland
Mills.
Secretary-Mrs Lewis Goddard, Deer
ing.
ing.
Executive Committee-Mrs. Porter.
Westhrook: Miss Boltonhouse. South
Portland; Miss Abbie Morton, Portland.
Rev. I. H. Stacy. pastor of the Saoo
| Free Baptist church, delivered power
full and convincing address on ''The Sun
day School an Evangelism and
Christianizer." He strongly urged the
wisdom of keeping the children in Sun
dny school and leading them in the path
Of right. The needs of careful pastoral
work, and of punctuality in the Sunday
school were especially emphasized. HI
also snid good word for the Inter
national Evangel, which has been adopted
as the organ of the state association. ant
which deyotes four pages every issue
specially to the Maine field.
! The Sunday School Times was repre-
sented at the convention by Mr.. ]
Arthur johnson of Philadelphia, who in
formed the delegates that it is the inten
ton of the publishers of that paper t,
furnish free sample copies fol- distribu
ton in all religious conventions il
Maine.
The question box, conducted by l. n
Halliday of Portland, was an interesting
feature His answers to the writer
questions submitted to him were brief
concise and convincing. 10 the frs
question, "How can we keep our youns
men in the Sunday schools" he replied
in substances; Make the Sunday schoo
attractive for them, and worth thei
whils to attend. Fix up place at th,
church for them to keep their bicycles
and don't discourage their coming tt