The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-02-21
SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION
Progress OF the sunday school worhers at
Mahnnoy Uity.

MahauOy City, Feb 3t The annual con
vcutiou of the Schuylldu County sabbath
school Association now Ina progress here Is
the most sue, essful boz the history Of the
association in this region and the delegates
are enthusiastic I'm the work The sessions
are also well attended hv people who are not
directly interested iu Them but fud the pro.
ceediugs instructive
One Of the features of yesterdays session
was the address of Rev. ID. l. Evans. pastor
| Of the First Baptist church of Shenandoah.
who spoke ON the subject "How to Retain
Older -choars" as follows:
/ The subject implies that there is defect
| i'm the sunday schools machinery. IL is %
| very painful fact. that we have not been able
| 20 retain our young people iu our schools
/ and follow up our work there AS we wish
| OF the thousands who pass through our
/ schools, what lamcntuOly small percentage
remain with US aud are transferred TO our
churches. So many leave, and are lost sight
/ OF and are even forgotten by their teachers
/ know there are many and formidable diff
| liculties in the way of retaining our scholars
when they are disposed 30 leave us. About
/ the age of fourteen when young people enter
| upon the formation period of life, and when
| character becomes, as "A rule, moulded for life
| they often hayc 10 leave home TO learn some
/ business, or profession and 1t is sometimes
| the ease that they leave the town, or fllage,
I teuded school, and the teacher oft "a loses
| sight of them Or it they do not leave their
own locality, they get thrown into new
. scenes aud society form new acquaintauces,
/ and, In many instances, get eng ged and
/ engrossed i'm cumpaniouships that leave them
/ little time and less inclination h. attend our
| schools. Here comes the opportunity for teach
ers to follow up their work, 10y opening cor
/ respoudence with their scholars and follow
ing them with their counsel. prayers and
| sympathy. Many might thus be led TO iden-
/ lilly themselves with religious societies i'm the
/ places to which they migrate and the efforts
/ of former years brought to a most pleasing
and successful issue. Young people leave
our schools, not because they acquire dislike
90 the lessons { ught the truth inculcated,
/ but often 0i sheer rustlessuC-s and love OF
change and mischief may he wrought very
quickly, through want o religious decision
and moral restraint that the repentance and
[ reformation of the longest life may be pIw
erless 10 undo. l am afraid that in many of
our schools the young are allowed to abs mt
themselves, and altogether leave their elias as.
without any decided and persistent effort be-
ing made to retain or restore them 1t seems
to me that if teachers kept a correct register
of atteudances and followed up absentGts at
their homes in a kind and friendly way,
many who have become CarelCssy lost might
have been closely retained besides the
teacher by so doing would keep up a friendly
cooperation with the parents and be re-
garded as the true friend of the young people
in the home We need in all Sunday schools
r an efficiently conducted bible class into which
our scholars may graduate from the ordinary
classes. ] am really afraid that, in too many
instances, the senior class is only an
apology for what ought to be the connecting
link between the school and the church. We
greatly need men and women of large sym
pathies of deep piety burning with zeal
huugering and thirsting for the salvation o
their scholars, men and women of Intelligence
who by their social position and status in the
church, shall command the esteem and wiz
the confidence of our young people, and at
tach them teBaciously to their leadership
In many of our churches we have a vas
amount of latent power that might be used il
this direction. Bible classes led by devoted
| efficient christian mon and women would dc
much towards rolling away the reprOach nov
laid at our doors that we fail to retain oul
older scholars. In these classes the hiblt
should be read with reference to its man
design. To make known the Divine charac
ter and will is the design Of the Sacred
word, and it is most interesting 10 seek t
ascertain just what each portion contributes
to the one great ObieCt-what moral auC
] spiritual doctrines it especially sets forth
A strong curb needs TO be put upon the i'm
> | aginatiOn in prosecuting sICh an inquiry
= but. reverently, s0berly and prayerfully con
Quoted, it cannot fail to enlighUen, instruc
aud help to retain our older scholars Tn,
minds of their scholars that the high anC
proper use Of knowledge is to qualify mar
for moral action. Let every Sabbath schoO
teacher remember that the scriptures SHOULD
be studied daily The Sunday school teacher
should also keep his work constantly IN mind
Observation is useless without reflection Il
order 10 retain the elder scholars it is a self
Y evident fact that we want better rooms, a
well as better teachers for this work. w,
! need separate class rooms, clean and comfort
able, with chairs aud tables, pictures anC
. | flowers music aud warmth, so that the room
may be not ouly convenient and attractive
but have the appearance and air of home
The establishment of classes for instruction
in Christian evidences may also contribute
very largely to retain the older scholars. lie
them be instructed i'm the principles of Pro
testautism, and the Doctrines of Dissent
The work of the Sabbath school is not
failure, because our schools fail to retail
the scholars in so many instance
that, therefore, in all such instance
- the work is an ultimate failure For
as statistics recently published by tn
Sunday School Union show-among thos
who become converted in later life. a grea
many trace their first impressions for good t,
the teaching they received in the Sabbath
school. II is not failure, although we arr
prepared TO admit it is capable of very grea
] improvement. Let us be thankful for wha
has been done, and press to greater etficenc!
a and success. Above all let every effort b
baptized with earnest prayer for the outpour
ing of the spirit upon the works of GU
Is minds aud lips aud hands
/. Upon the conclusion Of Rev. Evans ad
II dress the theme was discussed by Rev. G.
Reed, Rev. H. H. Keiser and Mr. E. {
Reinhold.
Last evening the convention was continue
5, in st. Pauls German Reformed churcl
opening with a song service, after which Re,
Z Charles Roads, d. D., spoke on Jesus tn
Teachers Teacher" which was very int
esting and pleasing discourse Rev. j.
Boal, D. d., followed with a talk on "Revie
5, From the Desk By whom How long
How couductedW Rev BoaIs paper VIZ
discussed by Rev. John Huse Eastman an
Dr. J S. Callen, the latter Of Shenandoah.
& This morning at 9 10 O'Clock, the third sci
, sion Of the convention opened in the Presb!
D. teIian churcb with devotional service Of son
aud prayer after Inch Mr. J. S. Beck spok
on Historical Narrative and Spiritual Aspe,
Of Sunday School Teaching" Rev. /.
Schaetler was the next speaker and took fC
his topic Music-Its Character and Inhuen,
in the Sunday School" Rev. Charles Road