The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-15
CHRISTIAN WORKERS.
Two Thousand Delegates to Gather
In Atlanta.

t"A
Two Thousand Delegates to Gather
In Atlanta.
REPRESENTATIVES, of over q, 10000 SUNDAY
| school scholars will meet in Atlanta OF
| April q. There will be nearly 2,WW oeie'
! gates. and they will be sent there .
speak for the 1S5, 900 Sunday schools OF
North America.
This convention is the ninth triennia'
gathering Of the international organlza-
ton. The delegates are chosen on a pasls
of population. the number of delegates
being four times the representation al
lowed in Congress. Delegates will come
from every State n Territory in the
United States. the British North Ameri-
can possessions, Cuba. Porto Rico and
Hawaii. New York will have the largest
representation. IA, while cuba VIII nave
the smallest, sending two delegates.
The movement which in recent years
has developed into the international sun
day school Association originated IN Phil-
~adelphia, in 1882, when the first organiza-
lion, which embraced only the territory
of the United States, was formally per-
fected. Hon. Theodore Fr~elinghuysen, OF
New Jersey, was the first president.
Conventions of his body were held at
irregular intervals until 1875, when 1t
finally merged into the international sun
day-school Association. Baltimore was
the place in which this evolution occur
red.
Subsequent conventions of the Interna-
tional Sunday-school Association have
been held in Atlanta in 1878, in Toronto
in 1881, in Louisville in 1881, in Chicago
in 1887, in Pittsburg in 1890, in ST. Louis
in 1898, and in Boston in 1896.
Some of the most distinguished men in
the country have been identified with the
International Sunday-school Association
in times past, DR.. John Hall of New
York, Ex-Governor Alfred H. Colquitt OF
Georgia, Bishop John H. Vincent of New
York, General C. B. Fisk of New Jersey,
and others being among this number.
The last convention was in Boston and
LOO delegates were present. Nearly 2,eW
delegates are entitled to seats in the con-
vention, however, and It is expected that
$500 will attend the meeting in Atlanta.
The convention really begins on April q,
lasting through to the tw~enty-ninth, but
the crowd will begin to gather fully a
week before
The officers of the association are
President, S. B. Chain, of Boston; vice
president, John III. Green, of Atlanta;
treasurer, Mr.. Bailey, of Philadelphia
chairman of the Executive Committee, B.
F. Jacobs, of Chicago. Each State, Ter
ritory, province and island in the north
ern portion of this hemisphere is entitled
to one delegate on the Executive Commit
tee.
On April Is, before the regular conven-
ton assemblies, the Information Sunday
School Lesson Committee will meet. This
is one of the most important factors OF
the organization, for 1t is the committee
which selects, prepares and edits the les
sons studied every week by so many Sun
day school workers all over the country.
The present committee of fifteen was ap-
pointed at the convention of 1896, held in
fremont Temple, Boston. The member
had before them the task of selecting the
lessons of the entire Protestant world for
a period of six years, beginning in 1896
and ending with the close of 1905.
II the committee are thirteen men from
the United States and two from the Do
minion of Canada. From this will readily
be seen hi the initiative work comes
wholly from America and that the inf1u-
ence of his country is paramount in de-
termining the character of the interna-
tional lessons.
The first meeting of the committee was
held in Philadelphia, in February. 1897
After subsequent sessions the gen
eral character of the lessons was deter
mined upon, and the lessons for the first
two years were mapped out. After fnal
revision the printed copy of the lessons Ii
sent to the UNCONVENTIONAL and religious
publishing houses, the writer's VINO are
specialists in Sunday chool literature
in having the lessons in their possession
far in advance of the time for which tne
latter are arranged.
The sessions of the coming convention
will be held in the Atlanta Opera House
and a local committee has made elaborate
preparations to entertain the delegates.
Among the features of the convention will
be vocal music by a trained chorus mum
berlng several thousands of voices.
This convention will be held at an i'm
portant time. The closing of the century
has brought about many changes in this
hemisphere, and is crowded with events
that demand the attention of the Sunday
school workers. 1t is probable that Cuba,
Porto Rico and Hawaii will come in for a
large share of attention during h days OF
the convention.