The Republican journal., 1899-11-09


and radically reformed by two men who
were Sunday school workers there. The
Association not only plants Sunday schools
but elevates tn Sunday schools we have.
The best business men in the country are
now leading in the Sunday school work.
At the Sunday School Association in
| Pennsylvania, Heinz, the great pickle man,
sat on the platform with John Wanamak-
| en-
After this address the nominating com
mittee reported Mr.. Smith Baker of the
Willisron Street Church was elected presi-
| dent. Everyone felt that he was just the
man for the place, with his experience,
quick wit and broad views. The next adj
dress was by Prof. Hamil of Illinois, on "a
Mighty Power in the State. He said the
several denominations by working to-
gether along lines and methods common
and vital to all would do greater work for
the Sunday schools of the State than would
be possible for the denominations to do
severally for themselves. 1t was educating
the teachers in the Sunday school by giving
the counsel and experience of the fine
Sunday school specialists in all depart
ments of work.
The newly elected president, Rev. DR..
Baker, then spoke few words. He said
there used to be religious instruction in
the ma jority of our New England homes,
but ii is safe to say that at the present
time not more than one third of the homes
pretend to have any. 1t is not beyond the
truth that if three fourths of the youth Of
our land have any religious instruction it
must come from the Sunday school; and
unless they receive it in the Sunday school
they will not receive it at all.
Wednesday morning the leading address
was by Mr. Lucas of New Brunswick Oh
''Principles and Methods OF Organized
Sunday School Work." Here he empha-
sized the fact that each township should
have committees from the several societies
meet once or twice year, besides the
County and State convention, and also
have home department; for home reaches
out to individuals.
Thursday morning Prof Hamil spoke
on GLOW to Train the Teachers He
had a number of blackboard exercises
which helped to explain his ideas. He
divided his subject into three sections:
observation, book, and practice. A teacher
should never go before the class without
| having studied the lesson so that she
! knows just which part to emphasize the
most. There are a great many helps by
the best of Bible scholars. The lnterna-
tional Lessons are used at the convention,
and for practice he gave several illustra-
ii Ons. He asked members of the audience
to give any five Bible names, like Solo
mon, Joshua, Ruth, Paul, Stephen, these
to be named in their chronological order;
but few could do it at first sight. Another
exercise was horizontal line on the
blackboard each end marked G., repre-
senting the time between the Creation and
time of Christ. This line was spaced off
and with date and initial letter Of the
event in the Old Testament it stood for.
He emphasized the fact that the teacher
should ask questions that would draw out
the scholar as much as possible without
explaining it themselves.
There was a Question Box, answered by
Prof. Hamil and Miss Stock, the Primary
teacher. Several questions We're asked
concerning tie Temperance lesson. He
thought it advisable not to skip it, but
bring it before the class often and make
it as attractive as possible One question
asked was, is it best to offer money as
reward to children in Sunday school
work. Miss Stock answered that she
thought not. If there was any extra
money in the class not to give it to the
scholars but to the librarian for Sunday
school books.
Thursday afternoon Miss Stock taughta
class of little children the next Sundays
Sunday school lesson. 1t was wholly
black board exercise in colored crayons.
She made the Golden Text as attractive as
possible and asked them to repeat it after
her. She thought it we'll to assign some
Bible story or special work on the lesson
for each scholar the following Sunday.
She closed the exercise by a little prayer
which was repeated in concert by the
children.
On the whole the program of the Asso
citation was intensely interesting, and those
who usually attended said there seemed
to be more enthusiasm this year than
ever before, and they were favored by
most delightful weather.