Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-02


it is believed that many others, duly ac-
credited representatives, did not report
their presence to the committed"
After the reading CT the report, Mr.. AL
den, on behalf of the committee, presented
President Bristow with a handsome badge
made specially for him.
The report of the treasurer. Mr.. ]. H.
Lichliter, stated that while there was a bal
ance in the treasury Of about $50, the as
sociation was in debt to the extent of a
little more than $3.50 caused by the recent
Eouse-to-house canvass.
DIR. WoOdruns Address.
After the transaction of all the routine
business of the convention, Rev. DIR. H. c.
Woodruff of Brooklyn, N. Y, president of
the Foreign Sunday School Association.
made an address on Sunday School Work
in Foreign Lands
DR.. Woodruff said, in part:
The work of the Foreign Sunday School
Association has been aptiy termed a mis-
sion of love to the children of other coun-
tries This phrase briefly describes the
nature and reason Of our work 1t is a
labor of love, no officer or member of the
society receiving any salary. 1t has for its
field the children of other countries, ard
seeks to convey to them and their teachers
the blessings of Bible study and Sunday
school work whose very familiarity with US
causes them to be overlooked We seek by
aiding and extending Sunday schools
abroad to stimulate voluntary lay labor in
countries where until comparatively recent
years Sunday school work has been largely
unknown. and where even now its nature is
crude and its possibilities undeveloped and
unrecogniZed With the exception of Great
Britain and the United States orr field Is
literally the verdi
The organization is society of letter
writers. Its work is carried on by CORES
Ponaence. The method in its germ may be
very simply described. The address of any
rehaole Christian man CT woman is Sc
cured from any Trustworthy source 1t
may be some one who is already at work
or one who Is willing to be set at work
aions sunday school lines This address is
given 10 some member OF the appropria. e
subcommittee into which the society is
divided printed circular, in q language
likely 10 be understood is mailed GcScrib-
ing very simple method of organizing and
conducting Sunday school, With this
circular there is sent letter of warm
Chr-stlan sympathy. inQu:ring the condit on
ana prospects of Sunday school work in his
vicinity. 10 this letter comes d reply stat
ing s!S hopes. needs and desires and a cor
res poHGence is thus inaugurated which ac-
quaints US with the demands anu difficultie;
oi his work, and qualities us by sympathy
suggestion. and where possible and neCdC;i
material assistance to make his work nossj-
bic CT increase its efficiency Ry these la,-
tiers We are brought into very intimate re-
lations with these devoted workers only
one remove from the pleasure OF personal
intercourse. In more than one case warm
and tender friendships have sprung IN he
tween the correspondents.
Distinctive and Unique.
This correspondence has been carried on
for long series of years 1t has been con-
Quoted With miss onaries of different
boards. to whom in their distinctive Sun
day school work we have been happy to
Il go oh
welcomed With warm appreciation. But
we bave also had an extensive correspon-
deIce with the native residents of nomi-
naily Christian countries which has been
distinctive and unique. The condition OF
things revealed by this correspondence is.
an answer TO the question with which W..
are sometimes met: What is the need of
your work? If these countries desire Sun
day schools why DO they not have them?
And II they do not want them, why try to
supply them? The question is asked often
hippantly ard specifically. but also earn
eSty. and creates a barrier to interested
cooperation in some cases of persons in
terested in the progress of the kingdom of
God in the first place, entire partial
want OF acquaintance with the possibilities
of Sunday school work prevents earnest
Christian believers from personal and prac-
teal participation in them. a correspon-
dent wrote us some time ago of her new
found joy in Christian work, and her case
unknown, unfamiliar. unrecognized and is
therefore not regarded with the sympathy
which it receives in this country. There is
q Widespread want of any sense of respon-
sibility to engage in it. In many cases
there is met great Indifference, and in
many more even active hostility 20 its pro-
Gress. Add to all these the consideration
what would even in this country be the
fate of Sunday school work IL no individ-
uals or organizations devoted themselves
q interests need
some specially fostering work in aid and
extension of Sunday schools abroad be-
&C mes obvious. if their progress is not to
he injuriorsly retarded and their blessings
missed.
Great Dcarth.
I'm almost all foreign countries there is
great dearth of apparatus of the SIM
plest kind upon which the work depends
so much for its delight and success in this
country. This dearth arises in large meas
ure from the novelty of the work, and
yet more from the poverty of the workers
to whom it would be inaccessible If 1t ex-
listed. In hardly any feature is the chasm
between the position of Sunday schools
in this country and Great Britain and It's
condition in almost every other country
more markedly indicated than in this. 1t
is not merely that suitable rooms are want
ing, but even Bibles and hymn books are
scarce, and suitable religious reading for
children is wanting. There is also a large
lack of that esprit de corps and increase
of skill and wisdom which are secured in
this country by conventions and similar
gatherings. AS a consequence of all these
causes, while the Sunday school is well
coined by the faithful worker and vindi-
Gates its efficiency where tried, even I'M
der these depressing conditions, there
is great need in many cases of aid and co..
operation If it is to exist and attain rapidly
any worthy degree of efficiency. 1t is our
aim to reach and minister to this necessity
We do not seek to establish schools which
shall be our schools in the sense of look
ing to us permanently for their support.
We seek rather to stimulate native Chris
tians to voluntary effort to develop their
sense of responsibility for Christian work,
to bring them to self-support and to in
duce them to become as soon as possible
helpers to others: in word to increase
the volunteer spiritual agencies of, the
Countries touched by our correspondence
To accomplish this aim, however requires
in many instances at present considerable
help, continued often through a series of
years.
Reading Material.
"Allusion has been made to a dearth of
reading material suitable for children In
order to remove this obstacle to our work