The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-02
ARE AN EVIL.
Rev. DIR. Williams Attacks Sun
day Schools.
They Tend. Towards Heresy, He
Declares.
APPENDIX TO PICNICS.
Says the Worst Teachings in
the United States
Are Those in the Name of God
at Sunday School.

New York June 2.-AH the church
world will be interested in the astonish-
ing attack made last night on the value
and usefulness of the Sunday school by
the Rev. DR.. Pelham Williams of Green
bush, Mass. at the regular meeting of the
Church club of the diocese of Long Island
in Brooklyn. It was so vigorous, so direct
and unequivocal that the listeners were
for time spellbound by astonishment.
The meeting was held in the Brooklyn
Bank building, No. Clinton street.
Brooklyn The presiding officer was Silas
NJ Giddings, president of the Brooklyn
cipaI directors of the great parade of 50,
GOO children a few days ago.
after he had arisen to his feet to discuss
the subject of Sunday. schools, which was
first sentence created the utmost amaze
ment.
DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THEM.
~ II do not beiieye in any Sunday ~, school
said ne. My idea is that Sunday schools
to experiment with the souls of the chill
dren of other persons. They are totally
haps. that l was in error until l reeog-
nized that had the backing of eighteen
centuries of experience. during which
the church prospered, and long before
these blinkings came into existence
The expression did not seem quite clear
to those who were listening. but DR. VIII
Hams, raising his voice and becoming
n rHr officials ia on the uses5snes
Sunday schools for spiritual good and that
they had hung their heads with shame.
With hand uplifted and throwing into his
words all the force he possessed, he ex-
Il have been called the annihilator of
Sunday schools, and 1 am proud of the
States are those in the name of God under
the roofs of Sunday school rooms
CALLS IT EXPERIMENTING.
the general Sunday school systems of the
Protestant church throughout the world.
pr pre- sa The Tst Was fRa 9' the G Porton
Of the Catholic church to which the
authority. and that in that authority
coming down from st. Paul no aIIusfon
of God referring to Sunday schools The
teachers, ne said, are ignorant of the du-
ties which they are called upon to per-
You would not permit" said Dr. VIII
your neighbors to practice new doctrines
on dog. but you would turn the souls of
experimental upon"
ALLEGES INCOMPETENCE.
Secondly continued DR.. Williams, 1.-The
meaning. but incompetent as teachers.
This, may remark, is no Sunday school
story, but 1t is true. In the dark cen
turtles of Sunday school teachings-and by
that I mean the time in which this insti-
tuition has. existed-the children have
than in the centuries gone by.
arnUsements to religion. The modern Sun n
day school simply is appendix to pic
ments. The Sunday school is destructive
to the church People have an idea that
is no necessity for the church.
The Sunday school has done much to
destroy the respect of parents for their
be asserted that parents do not feel OBJ
ligated to see to the personal training of
school, and they receive no training at
SAYS TEACHERS ARE FIIPPANT
Another important point is that Sun
day schools teach irreVerence. Teachers
are frivolous and fippant because of their
Ignorance and out of the commentaries
of dissenters mold the minds and souls
of the pupils and Undue them with heret-
zeal IDEAS
The speakers remarks were received in
silence The first person to reply was H.
H. Pike. superintendent of the Sunday
school of St. Georges church. Manhat-
tan. where 2 400 children attend He made
lowed by Mr.. Giddings, who said he was
amazed that any man in this age could
and numbSkulls.
Il consider" said he that have seen
| had encountered the illustrious George
The. Rev. Dr. Lincoln rector of St. Bar
Bushwick avenue. Brooklyn followed Mr.
Glddlngs- His first sentence was as Wig
orous as anything put forward by the
clergyman from Massachusetts. There
are three kinds of hes-lies, lies and sta
BY this time the meeting was in a mild
uproar- The Rev. Dr. Henderson. assist
ant rector of st. Thomas. said he would
when the Lord sent the Apostles abroad
70 preach there were no religious insti-
tutionS. and that about finished the most
charitable session of churchmen who
came together to discuss a religious peda-
gogy which has been a recognized institu-
Reformation.