Evening star., 1899-03-24
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
Coming Meeting If International Convention
to Consider Them.
Scope of the Serie. for Three Years
Course Of stndy-WOrk of
Committee.

the coming meeting of the International
Sunday school convention at Atlanta, and
| in which the District win be represented by
some of its leading workers, is the fact that
| in that city and at that time will be Sc
1ected the Sunday school lessons that will
be studied each Sunday during three years
by not less than thirty million Sunday
school pupils.
The convention will discuss Sunday school
methods without humber, and it will take
some notice Of the fact that the United
States has additional territory in which to
plant schools over that which it had when
the convention Of three years ago met, but
by far it's largest function is the naming Of
the committees to map out the internation-
al lessons. These lessons are, as q rule,
chosen about three years in advance. This
long time ahead is necessary, because the
lesson scheme has to be submitted to COM
mittees in England, it having been found
wisest and safest to submit it for advice to
Sunday school workers in many parts Of
the world.
Just before the opening of the Atlanta
ccLvention, which begins the latter part of
next month, the committee will hold ses-
sion to hear suggestions about lessons to
be studied during the year 1902. When the
committee has heard all and has decided
upon one, an outline for the years course
is prepared by subcommittees. This is re-
vised later by the full American commit
tee, and sent to Great Britain for further
comment and suggestion.
Will Consider Criticisms.
The committee at it's Atlanta session will,
beside selecting the scheme for 1902 go
over again and consider criticisms that
have been made on the 1901 scheme. AS
soon as these have been passed upon the
1901 lessons will be finally turned over to
the denominational and other publishing
houses which issue helps on the lessons. 1t
IS not within the province of the lesson
committee to consider the Interpretation of
the passages chosen, or methods of teach
ing or conducting schools. The lesson
scheme for 1900 is now in the hands of the
commentators 1t Is to comprise studies in
the life Of Christ. but in several cases takes
up incidents from those being studied dur
ing the present half year. The 1900 scheme
takes parallel and related passages in the
record as given by the four evangelists.
The committee was chosen at the Boston
convention of 1896. and consists of fifteen
members, representing ten religious bodies
In the United States and Canada, with six
corresponding members in Great Britain.
To these have been added since 1898, one
corresponding member in Australia and one
in India. The chairman of the committee
is Rev. DR.. John Potts of Toronto, and the
secretary Rev. DR.. A. E. Dunning of Bos-
ton.
Scheme for 1901.
During the early years Of these inter-
national lessons the criticism was often
made that the schemes adopted were frag-
mentary. Against this suggestion success
sive committees have labored, the tendency
being steadily towardsthe synthetic presen-
tation of the Scriptures. For example, the
scheme for 1901, which will be finally
passed upon at Atlanta, carries the life of
Christ onward, and will continue it to the
middle of 1902. A connected account of
that life, from next January to the middle
of 1901, will be given. Suggested readings
will include nearly all of the gospels and
other portions of the New Testament which
relate the movements of Christ on earth.
In selections taken from the Old Testament
the biographical element will be made
prominent. Personality of prophets and
a more connected idea of the Bible story
than children have heretofore obtained.
From the middle of the year 1902, and until
the end of 1904 the international lessons
will be in the Old Testament.
Lessons and Methods.
The Atlanta gathering is one which has
to do not with extension so much as with
lessons and methods. For example, the
program, which is still subject to some
changes, takes up such subjects as the
Bible, the teacher, the child grading and
management of schools, spiritual power,
normal teachers, schools in cities home de-
partment primary departments and the
like Reports will be given of the worlds
convention, held last year in London, but
the attendance at which, from the United
States at least and to some extent from
other countries, was interfered with by the
with Spain. 1t Is expected that 1900
delegates will be at Atlanta.