The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-08
IN ITS NINETY-SiXTH YEAR.
INDEPENDENT SUNDAY SCHOOL An
NIVERSARY CELEBRATED.

The Ninety-Fifth birthday of the
SchOOI-Hymns Were Sung and the
school Listened to the Report OF
the superintendent and the Ad-
dress of the Pastor at the Celebra-
ttOn-HandsOme Floral Designs
Were Admired by "A Large Con-
GreEafion-Nembe of the Chi
nese Glass of the school Presented
DIR. Fair With a Handsome Vase.
The ninetyffth anniversary of the Sun
day school of the Independent Presbyte-
rian Church was celebrated last night.
The lecture room would not have been ad-
equate for the accommodation of the con
gregation that gathered to witness the Gel
ebration and the church itself was used.
The spacious floor and gallery Of the aud
itorium were filed, and all were interested
in the exercises
The children of the school occupied the
seats along the central aisle. They
marched into the church singing the pro-
cessional Marching to the Kingdom"
This was followed by the hymn Guard
and Guide" The school had been care
fully trained. and its singing was excel
lent Capt. W. n. Nichols, to whom the
Sunday school is indebted for his assist
ance during The entire year, was present
with mis- cornet. and his splendid accom-
panlment added greatly to the success of
the musical feature Of the celebration.
The exercises consisted of prayer, hymns
nv he i'm ola N a
congregation, the report of the superin-
tendent, an address by the pastor and the
offering of beautiful flowers that aug
mented the vast quantity with which de-
signs were fashioned and the pulpit was
decorated. Responsive readings were
also had. the superb, sndent reading and
the school responding. y drop curtain
gave an excellent representation of the
ruined temple, and later the pastor ie-
fcrred TO it as an Illustration of what sin
had accomplished.
1t has been the custom with the indie
pendent Sunday school 10 bring flowers
10 its anniversary celebration. The teach
ers and officers of the school devoted some
time before the hour for the exercises to
the decoration of the pulpit and the space
Immediately under it, Both offer a fine
the dropping curtain exposed a magnif-
cent cross with great crown above. AT
the loot of the cross the individual offer
ings of the children were laid, each class
coming forward in its turn and The chill
dren deposting their flowers. A great pile
rapidly accumulated and formed mass of
beauty in which The foot Of the cross lay
buried
Another pretty custom of memorlalizing
MO- 1,-r .p he
anniversary to the next exists This is
done by hanging wreaths or other designs
upon the columns of the pulpit. child
of the class of which the departed may
have been a member comes forward at the
invitation of the superintendent, bearing
the memorial AZ this celebration de-
signs in memory of four little girls were
brought forward and put in Place.
The report of the superintendent, Mr. J.
S. Clay gas very encouraging and spoke
well for the progress of the school. 1t
showed thar the total attendance had been
S993, making an average of 176 for each
Sunday. Owing to sickness at the Savan-
nah Female Orphan Home the girls were
not allowed 10 attend The school for GER
tain period thereby diminishing the at
tendance.
The superintendent said: GThe faithful
and earnest prayers of the teachers have
ptGl DlSSStu Dy the dOQlllOn 10 our CnQTcn
membership of nine names from the schol-
ars of tie school"
OF the Chinese department Of the school
the superintendent said: THE Chinese de-
partment has been continued this year.
with an attendance of from eight to
twelve each Sunday. Good progress has
been made during the year and a great
deal of interest manifested. The superin-
tendent also spoke of the gratitude the
school feels for the gratuitous assistance
of Capt. Nichols during the year.
The pastor, Rev. DR.. James Y. Fair.
addressed the children. He told them of
the long life of the school and besought
them to continue their work earnestly and
faithfully in order that the adjunct of the
church might be perpetuated and made
a great Influence for good in the connnu-
nifty. He exhorted the members of the
school to so live as 90 be the marks and
models, with the praise of God on their
lips and the fear of Him in their hearts
DR.. Fair made a warm Acknowledgement
OF q handsome present that stood mon
the small organ. He called the attention
OF the congregation 10 it, a vase that bed
been presented him that morning Nv tho
Chinese class Of the Sunday school ana
expressed his gratitude to the class