St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-01-21
Essex County Sunday School Con-
ventiOn.

The Essex County Sunday School AS
sociation held a successful convention at
Lunenburgh last week Thursday. The
day opened stormy and bad travelling
prevented all the expected delegations
from coming. Only the country towns
Of West Concord, Guildhal, South Vic
tory and Cranky were represented.
From outside the county Hardwick and
Lancaster were represented Rev. Byron
F. Gustin of Guildhall was expected to
open the services, but not being present
Rev. E. F. Blackmer supplied.
After singing by the congregation an
address of welcome was given the Wis
itors by the pastor and responded to by
the president of the association, F. T.
Forsaith of West Concord.
The Hon. F. D. Hale opened the after
noon discussion, presenting the question
"How can Bible study be best promoted
in the home" He spoke of the variety
of subject matter contained in the Bible
and of various means and methods of
study employed. The more pupils there
are in the Sunday School the more study
of the Bible there will naturally be in the
home. The Sunday School workers have
mighty influence in the home in virtue
of the interesting nature of the Sunday
School exercises. He laid especial en-
phasis on the entertaining of an intense
interest and definite purpose in Sunday
School work, closing with the expression
of living hope, feelngly expressed, that
the Word might be indeed "a lamp to
our feet and light to our path"
Rev. F. F. Lewis of Hardwick spoke in
the interests of normal work, empha-
sizing the value of intelligent experience
in teacher. Touched some fine points
in memorizing and also in geography,
history and biography of the Bible.
However the Bible is studied we must
find and teach Jesus Christ and teach
him from personal experience as well as
from intellectual knowledge.
Reports from schools were next given.
A tabulated statement gathered from
eighteen schools by the secretary which
was reproduced on large blackboard
by the pastor, revealed the tact that
about Sa4 per cent of the people in Essex
county were members CT the Sunday
School, fact imposing great response
ties on the Sunday School and the Sum
day School workers. e'-7
Reorganization was effected by con-
6rmation of the work of nominating
committee appointed by the president.
The list OF officers confirmed is as follows:
President, F. T. Forsaith; vice presidents,
Lunenburg, Rev. w. ]. Mcneil, Guild
hall, Mrs. F. A. Hannafcrd, Concord
Corner, Mrs. George Howard, South Vic
tory, Mrs. Myra Lunnie, Cranky, Mrs.
M. A. Wilson; sec and treas, Miss Lotto
Barnard, Lunenburg; executive commit
tee, F. T. Forsaith, Miss Lotie Barnard,
John Cole, E. F. Hobson, E. F. Blackmer
The evening session was opened with
excellent music on organ and violin by
Mrs. Sherman and Alden V. Vance. Later
in the programme they rendered gloria
in splendid manner. Rev. F. F. Lewis
spoke upon the educational possibilities of
convention work, giving significance to
discussion of vital principles. displays of
literature, reports and examination
papers, and then brought to the front
the primary department. He further ex-
pressed himself upon the rendering of
suitable music, which he intently appre-
ciated. After singing Miss Jennie A.
Sisby rendered "The Other Wise Man."
a beautiful reading from Van Dyke. The
audience which nearly filled the church
listened attentively to the graphic de-
scriptions OF the varied scenes in the life
of the other wise man as he passed
through various vicissitudes in search of
the Great King. 1t was an elocutionary
effort finely done and greatly pleasing to
all present. A thoughtful paper on "In-
termediate Work" by Mrs. P. F. Mars
ton of Lancaster, N. H., was practical
and helpful, illustrating some of the many
ways OF batting the gospel hook with in
cidents in history, biography and other
departments Of knowledge weaving all
upon a spiritual warp in the construc-
ton of the glorious fabric of Christian
labor for Christian character. Rev. w.
]. Mcneil gave an interesting essay on
the Prepared Teacher" He divided
them into two classes, the defective"
and the effective" teachers, showing
that the difference lay largely in the
equipment, purpose and energy OF the in
dividual.
A collection was taken which amounted
to defray all the expenses of the conven-
ton not met by the school apportion-
ment, leaving small sum in the hands
of the. treasurer.
Mrs. Mcneil spoke in the interests of
primary work, emphasizing mastery of
details in the preparation of the lesson,
as a requisite for interesting the little
ones. The talk was finely illustrated and
proved helpful stimulus to all. Gov
ernment of the class was merged in one
word interest"
The pastor spoke briefly on the line of
Character study as an impulse to Bible
study" using as the main point the per-
feet character OF Christ and pointing out
the tact that that best character was at.
tainable inasmuch as Christ was Gods
best gift to man.
The president spoke appreciatingly OF
the welcome extended and the interest
manifested by the people, after which the