Smyrna times., 1899-09-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL REUNION,
INTERESTING EXERCISES AT THE METH,
ODlST CHURCH, SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
Addresses Made by S. II. Baynard of. VII.
mingtOn. and Rev. Chas. A. HiII.-
John II. fiOffecker Presided.

IOhh He hOilSSkeT freSl0eQ.
The main auditorium of Asbury
Methodist Episcopal church was fairly
well filled on Sunday afternoon, the
occasion being the Sunday School Re-
union exercises. During the summer
months the sessions have been held in
the morning, an hour before the regu-
lar church services, and the arranging
of Sunday School Reunion was done
with the purpose of creating more
united interest among the teachers and
scholars for the important work that
devolved upon them. For some time
the school had not been in as flourish
ing condition as the management
desired, and the question has be-
come very serious one with them, as
to how they should maintain enough
interest IN the school to keep the schol-
ars intact, especially the young men,
who, as soon as they begin to reach
manhood, leave the school.
An Interesting Program.
There was a good attendance on the
part of the scholars at the Reunion ex-
ercises, not to say of the visitors, who
went there to give encouragement to
the movement. The exercises were
presided over by Congressman John
H. Hoffecker, superintendent of the
school, and the following program was
entertainingly given:
Anthem, Praise Ye the Father" -. Choir
Singing, Christ is the Conqueror,"
..........-....... ..................S School
Prayer, "Offered by Mr.. Paul B. Jeffer
son, Memphis, Tenn.
Singing, Walking by the Savior" School
Responsive Reading of the Sunday School
Scripture Lesson.
Singing, Pm Little Pilgrim"
Concert Recitation-''T COMMANDMENTS
Singing. "One Thing Thou Lackest," -.
Address-Mr. S, H. Baynard, Superintend-
ent of St. Paul NJ. E. Sunday School
Wilmington, Del
Singing, Shiny Brown Seed" ,"..
Collection-Organ Voluntary.
Singing, Wonderful is the SAVIOR.
Observation-Disclosures. School
Address-Rev. Chas. A. Hill, pastor.
Report of Secretsry-Mr. Geo. NJ. Steven
Singing, Take up the Flag" " School
BenedictiOn.
Address to the Scholars.
1t was the original intention of the
committee of arrangements to have the
Hon. Charles B. Lore, chief justice of
the State of Delaware, to be one of the
speakers with Mr.. Baynard, but his
time had been previously engaged, and
the committee was unable to get any
one else. His place on the program,
however, was most acceptably filled by
Rev. Chas. A. Hill, pastor of the
church. Mr.. S. H. Baynard was pres
ent and gave some very appropriate
remarks. He was introduced as a for
mer Smyrna boy, who had gone away
from here, and not only made sue
cess of life, but was one of the most
prominent men of Wilmington. In
response, Mr.. Baynard said he re-
garded it a great privilege to be at
Smyrna. For over fifty years his fam
lily had been connected with Asbury
NJ. E. church. 1t was the place where
he had spent his boyhood days; had
received his early training in the Sun
day School and the connection between
him and the Methodist church at
Smyrna was very strong.
Referring to the origin of Sunday
Schools, he said any kind of a Sunday
School is better than no Sunday
School. There is no better training
school to help boy or girl for the bat
tie of life. The great question that
confronted the church to-day was
how to keep the boys and girls in this
training school. He did not fear so
much trouble from the girls, for they
. attend pretty regularly, but the boys,
the young men, as soon as they began
to reach maturity, think they are too
big for Sunday School and leave. He
very forcibly, yet amusingly, illus
trated his point by relating an incident
of little girl, who posing as teacher,
had as her scholars, a calf, kitten
and puppy. The story goes on, when
finally the "calf'' got too big, left the
school and broke it up. 1t was such
"calves" who grow ''too big" and
leave the Sunday School, that cause so
much anxious concern, and he directed
his remarks for over quarter of an
hour in an effort to urge and impress
upon all to stand by the right in build
ing up this important adjunct OF the
church.
Address to the Teachers.