The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-21

SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION
iCorreSpnndence of The MeSaNnxerN h

SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION
Correspondence Of The MeSscnger)
Fayetteville. n. c.. March 10.
Last evening The Presbyterian church
was crowded on the occasion OF the
opening session OF the North Carolina
Sunday school convention. where
beautiful devotional exercises were i'm
pressively conducted by Re~. Dr. c. :.
blackwell. OF Wilmington. Mr.. John
A. Oates. editor OF The Nerth Carolina
Baptist. made the welcoming address to
the delegates. and Fayetteville could
have had no more eloquent sponsor OF
its hospitality. His speech was n gem.
classic. rich In imagery. chaste and
esting matter Of the past history 81 the.
church The response by Or. Brad
shaw. OF High Point was graceful and
felicitoGs DR.. Blackwell then delivered
mastery discourse OF the authen~
ttcitys genuineness ana canon OF tn
Old and New Testament. beautiful
choir music added 10 the interest Of the
services. especially the renderings or
Rev. Eli Breese and Miss Bessie Cas-
ton.
AT this mornings session Rev c. A
G. Thomas. former pastor OF the First
Daptist church OF this city. gave a very
entertaining and forcible blackboard
talk which was followed by a call for
reports OF officers. President Crowell
who is a most admirable officer tho
chair. submitted his report. giving =
brief but clear statement or his work
for the year.
The presidents report was followed
by that OF Field Secretary Smith. Then
came the report OF Mr.. Parker: statIs-
teal secretary's report was then pre-
scnted by Mr.. II. A. Snow. of Durham.
with the following very interesting and
significant figures: There are In the
state. white-4.454 Sunday schools: 2e.-
SI4 teachers; 2IS.s97 pupils: total MEM
Jership S0s.s7l. Colored-i.s63 Sunday
schools; 1904 teachers: s3.737 pupils:
total membership. Tl.2fl. Aggregate
white and colored-5.sI7 Sunday
schools: 37.37s teachers: 342734 pupils:
total membership. 3s0.1I2. The last re-
port or the state superintendent shows
that there are In the state $751; ,s29 chill
iren between the ages Of and Il years:
4 careful estimate makes the number
within the same ages attending Sunday
school only 263.i05 SO that there arc
i06.222 children without the advantages
nf Sunday school training. The report
Of the treasurer. Mr.. ]. II. Weathers. u
Raleigh. was submitted. showing re-
ceIpts. S920.44: balance on hand. SiS.a.
There were pledges unpaid to the
amount of $307.i6: and on call OF
counties s232f6 was shown TO be re-
ceived. Mr.. a. Il. Broughton answered
for Wakes $122. and announced q SUBJ
scription Of SIS from Rev. Mr.. Johnson.
of Salisbury.
An able report was presented for the
executive committee by its chairman n
Mr.. -. B. Broughton. OF Raleigh. to the
effect that the Beacon" the organ oe
the state Sunday school. should he IS
sued regularly every month, with q
forcibie exhibit OF Its Importance: that
the committee place the remainder al
the income al the disposal OF the p-esi-
dent for correspondence and field work
that the great need for proper WORK =
fund to the amount OF at least $1,000
or LOCO. so that the state be diviced'
into four districts. and with this
amount such aid could also be given to
the Beacon" as 10 make fl q l6-page
paper.
| The remainder of the morning sessi0..
was devoted TO the eloquent and
matchless address OF Rev. Marion
La wrence. of Toledo. Ohio, who held
the large audience attentive and de-
lighted throughout. his subject being
The Demands OF the New Century IN
the Sunday School"
This afternoons session fs given 20
Organized Sunday School Work" by
Rev. Marion Lawrence: Chalk Talk
for Children" by J. II. weathers. III
Raleigh: repnrts or committees and
rther business. Tonight the president.
q. II. Crowell. OF High Point. speaks on
THE Renefaction in the SUNDAY School
Work.
There are present about go delegates
and visitors. and there is every indica-
ton that the convention viii he not
only pleasant but productive of much
good.
Mr.. J. A. King. n prosperous Giiies-
oie street grocer. sells out his business
to Mr.. L. c. Wooten. Nr. King wishes
to give his attention 10 truck farming.
Mr.. W. II. Smiths store near Cum
berlsnd mills has been robbed nj
considerable amount-belie.ed to be the
work of an organized band Of thieves