The herald., 1898-08-26
UNIvERSALIST MEETING
SEVERAL ENTERTAINING AND
INSTRUCTIVE ADDRESSES
EnglisE and American Sunday Schools
Compared by David Heap-W. A.
Spalding's Paper

in terest fclt by asking questions and par
ticipating in the discussions following the
presentation OF subjects at the morning
or what is known as the Universalist hour.
Much insight into the bel.efs and doc
trinss taught by the UnMversalists has been
gained by those attending this session, and
1t has not only been instructive and profit
able to listen to such able gentlemen as DR..
CongeH DR.. Harson. DR.. Sherman and
others in their elucidation and explanation
Of their doctrines at the morning sessions,
bus positive pleasure and privilege as
well.
David Heap in his paper this morning on
English and American Sunday Schools, a
Comparison and Contrast" first described
the conditions OF Sunday schools In Eng
land forty years ago, when it was the In
variable custom to teach the three RS.
Now, however, compulsory clauses Of the
education acts being vigorously enforced,
there Is little necessity for secular instruc-
ton in English Sunday schools. At the
present time there Is little difference as to
the objects sought by the American and
English Sunday schools. taking them sect
for sect. They both seek mainly to impatt
moral and religious instruction. One great
difference is, however, Immediately en-
countered when we come to consider the
status OF children chiefly catered for in
the two countries. Across the water 1t
would appear that the children or the
poorer classes are expected to attend Sun
day school, whereas in America members
of the particular church to which the Sun
day school is attached send or attend with
their own children. This difference in
classes involves also a difference In treat
ment. Children OF the very poor have often
comparatively poor manners, and since
they are unlikely to properly care for car
pets and costly furniture, they have for the
most part bare floors and hard benches.
Again, a stricter discipline is needed in
dealing with boys and girls who as rule
have little discipline at home. Hence We
find in England more Of business method
In Sunday school work than is observable
on this side OF the Atlantic. To be teacher
or a scholar in an English Sunday school
is no sinecure. Two sessions day are the
invariable requirement.
The speaker deprecated the offering OF
prizes for regular attendance and advo-
Gated a system Of visiting absentee
scholars. urging that all managers OF Sum-
day schools have great responsibility to
face In the matter of frequent unavoidable
absence and terrible Hardness.
The address on "Heredity" by Rev. VIM.
the convention. Notwithstanding num-
Der OF counter attractions-on the beach,
in the Presbyterian church opposite and
on Terminal Island-a comparatively large
audience was instructed and entertained
by the speaker. He said in part, the main
thought was that our inheritance OF mental
and moral character was not along the sin
gle line of family descent, but from many
families, since calculations show that
there must have been more than 1000 Fam
lilies living in the time Of Elizabeth who
are equally akin to anyone Of us alive to-
day.
Miss Elizabeth Jones charmed the audi
ence previous to the lecture by singing one
OF her finest solos.
The lecture was by W. A. Spalding on
problems of Gravitation." The lecture
was intently listened to and was master
ly presentation OF an abstruse and scien-
tific subject. The main features of the
paper were:
The problem to be solved Is the law OF
gravitation, which, said the speaker, acts
on every particle OF matter in the universe.
1.-THE nearest approximation which our
modern scientist can give OF the processes
by which 1t acts Is, that action Is propa-
gated by means OF vibrations in the ether,
an infinitely elastic, non-compressibie me-
dunn, in which all matter is immersed and
by which il is permeated. We know
that gravitation acts between the
sun and the planets and their
satellites; that light and heat are trans
mitted from the sun to the earth through
this interplanetary medium; that vibra-
lions OF light travel to us from the farthest
star in the armament, and we have no al
tentative but to attribute the same prop
critics OF transmitting vibrations to the
ether that lies beyond our solar system.
ut is conceded thai there is continued
electric action between the sun and the
earth, and presumably between the sun
and all the planets. This flow is con-
slant and presents an interchange OF force
between the great dynamic center Of our
system and OF all the bodies that swing
around it. The interpianetary ether is a
most perfect conductor OF electricity,
transmitting its vibrations with so little
friction that there is not enough waste
energy diffused in the ether to either light
or warm the interplanetary space. II there
be an incalculable number OF electric cur
rents passing between the sun ana the
earth what conclusion Is more natural
than that there should be a longitudinal
magnetic effect with each current; that
when the magnetic effects Of this vast
number of currents are massed together
they should form a power strong enough
to hold this world in its orbit about the
sun, and that magnetism and gravitation
are one original manifestation OF enereyY
ut is climax towards which science
has been tending for many years to resolve
matter into one original element, and that
element into one original manifestation.
which Is electricity. Magnetism and grayi-
tation are but different names for one
grand phenomenon, attributable to cleo
tricity as an antecedent and primary phe-
n omenon."
Program for Friday
o a. m.-The Undversalist hour; subject
"A Missionary Gospels" leader. Rev. A. A.
Rice.
2 p. m.-Lecture by Rev. John Snyder OF
St. Louis.
1880 p. m.-Illustrated lecture on ''The
Latest From the Heavens" by B. r. Baum
gartt, with sixty-five celestial views. A
telescope will be set up outside after the