The times., 1897-04-26
Eighth Anniversary of Society
of Religious Education.
READING OF ANNUAL REPORT
Congregational Church Crowded by
Generous Audience-AssOcia
Justice Harlan Presided and Testi-
fled His sympathy for the Cause.
The President Unable to Attend.


cises at the First Congregational Church.
The church was crowded by people inter
ested in the success of the ciety, and
when they were asked tocontribute So 900
to assist it in the work the society has
undertaken, they responded generously
The amount collected was not made known
last night, but viii be at future day.
When Gen. John Eaton, president of
the society, opened the exercises, there
were on the platform with him DR.. j. E.
Howard, president or Howard University;
Associate Justice j. NJ. Harlan, DR.. John
Gregory, DR.. S. N Newman, pastor of the
church; DR.. j. E. Gilbert, secretary OF the
society; DIR. T. S. Hamin, OF the Church
of the Covenant; Prof. A. +. Montague,
of Columbian University; DR.. G. II. Cory,
Justice Peele, Col Anderson, and Mr.
NJ A. Ballinger.
President Mckinley and several mem
bers OF his Cabinet were expected to be
present, and two pews near the platform
were reserved for them, but they failed
to attend Before the benediction was pro
nounced Secretary Gilbert said that when
he and Col. Anderson waited on the Presi-
he would be present, but that Saturday
evening he received word that IL was
doubtful if the President could be with
them, for he wanted to obtain all the
rest he could before going 10 New York TO
attend the dedication of the Grant monu-
ment.
After devotional exercises by Pastor
Newman, Gen. Eaton introduced Justice
Harlan as the presiding officer. III ac-
cepting the honor, the justice said:
II gladly accept, ladies and gentlemen,
the responsibilities, il there be any at
tached to this office. / am glad of this
opportunity to testify to my sympathy for
this society. 1t seems to me that it must
have the sympathy OF every man, whether
1t is churchman or not, because of his
love for his country; for we all know
that our country should rest on founda-
tion OF Christian religion" He introduced
Secretary Gilbert, who read the annual
report, which was, in part, as follows.
The American Society OF Religious
Education, whose anniversary we cele-
brate, was organized iii April, es9, re-
organized in April, S93, and Incorporated
last year under the laws OF the District OF
Columbia. The affairs of the society are
managed by two boards. The regents,
twenty -one in number, all residents of
Washington, supervise and direct the o1di-
nary work of the society, being assisted by
councillors, one or more eminent educators
in each State. The trustees, nine in num-
ber, are empowered to hold any property
which the society may acquire. and to adj
minister bequests made for specific objects
The object of the society is unlike that Of
any other. Its one textbook is the
Bible, which it handles, not apoIogetically,
dogInatically, or controveIsially, but edu-
cationally. 1t does not attempt TO defend
the book against the attacks OF infidels,
or TO answer the questions OF the higher
critics, or to settle those points about which
theologians have disputed for centuries and
will dispute for centuries 70 come.
Our Sunday Teachers Normal College,
the first department organized, presenting
two years course of study and practice,
closes its eighth year with total en-
rollment of DISC students, who are dis
tributed in all parts of the United States
Our Bible Readers Union, providing a
three years course of topical reading Of
the whole Bible, completes its third year
with / .491 enrolled readers. Our expo
sitions of the international Sunday-school
lessons, designed to exhibit the analytical
method of study, have been before the pub
lie since October, 1894, and have been
received with general favor, as is proved
by thousands of complimentary letters.
During the year these lessons have been
published in twenty-six secular papers, the
aggregate daily circulation of which is
7 ma n no
600. 900 lessons issued to the American
public.
Two years ago our board established a
department called Home Culture, the de-
sign of which is to promote the Christian
nurture of children in the family.
The college department seeks to-spro-
mote the use of the Bible as text
book in inst itutions of higher learning. 10y
calling attention of the faculties to the
subject
Our lecture course for the past year
presented three speakers; Rev. ]. i.
Smith, D. D., of Baltimore; Prof. ID. l..
Willis, of Chicago University, and Rev.
A. G. Rogers, d. D., of tins city, who
spoke ably on Biblical themes.
The society has conducted five con-
ventions during the year The first, held
in this city, was devoted to the considera-
tion of me thods. The other four, at
jackson, Tenn, Ocean City, N. J., Ashe-
vile, n. c., and Mountain Lake Park,
Md, were wholly given to Biblical in
structions. Best des these larger con-
vocations the Regents met four times
with invited friends to consider the de-
partments of the society's work.
I'm November last our Regents united
with the boards of the Central Union Mis-
sion and of the Union Gospel Mission to
establish Bible Training School in this
city. The purpose of that school was to
provide a system by which lay workers
gelists and teachers.
I'm October last Rev P. L. Groome, d.
D., was elected superintend ent of our
work in the Southern States.
I'm different capacities, as writers,
lecturers, and advisers, ninety-three schol-
ars have been enlisted in the society s W ork
during the year. OF these, twenty-six
have come into permanent relations, having
been elected fellows. To them will be
assigned during the coming year various
themes for original study.
1.-The total receipts of the society during
the year from all sources have been little
less than $4,000. With this sum we have
been obliged to study the utmost economy
in the administration of affairs, and To
leave undone many things which we have
desired to do"
Rev. DIR. Hamlin in an address on "Relig-
ious Education and the Welfare of the
Church." said Religious education is
the welfare of the church, and the
church's welfare can only be promoted as