Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-07
Report Of the Committee on Sunday
Schools,

Report Of the Committee on Sunday
Schools.
Facts: Reports ~" in hand from
$50 OF the Baptist Sunday schools OF
our State OF these not quite one
fourth are graded. One-fifth observed
Rally dly. More than ont-htlf OBJ
served Chldrens day. But only one
eighth had a teachers meeting ana
rne-twentieth a Normal class, while
one fourth had 4 Home Department.
and onc-fi:th Cradle Roll. And from
returns in regard to Decision day,
which We're somewhat indefinite, it
would seem that only one-SiXth OBJ
scrv.'l / Decision day. one of the very
most II omiSil.5 methods Of eVanSel-
ism.
From our minutes we learn that 30T
from our schools We're added To tho
| church by baptism. But these 307
We're from only 81 schools. leaving
more than tWD-tlirls Of our schools
from which th.rc were 10 additions to
| the churches Ivy baptism.
| The small number of schools which
| observed a Decision Day, coupled with
| the small number of additions, leads
us to think that many of our church,
cs still fail to realize how large field
for evangelism our Sunday-schools
| afford.
SuggeStions-'rO quote the words of
another. the matter Of tcacher-train-
ing is the very hcart-blood of the well
fare and future of the Sunday-school.
Besid" 1t other questions sink in
significance" Believing this your
committee would enter their plea for
Misunderstanding classes, especially
that form to which Professor Hamill
refers in the following words:
IF | have a training hobby it is
this. a class of picked young people in
every Sunday-school in training to
teach. All else. in its last analysis. is
a mere makcshift in solving the vital
problem of teaCher-training as it now
confronts the church. The utilization
> Of the teachers meeting is good if
there is nothing else at hand: the
formation Of a distinct and indie
pendent teachers training class is bet
ter: but the class Of young people IN
the SundaY-Schonl, under training to
become the future teachers of the
. school. is by all tokens the very best.
1t is the one way to grow a crop Of
teachers. Teachers meetings come
and go and cbb and flow Teachers
classes at best mend existing methods
Of teaching. The class in the school
strikes at the root of the churchs
need. All other methods are rcforma-
tive: this Is essentially formative
There is an enthusiasm. a docility
often a holy zeal. in youth. that com
pcnsatc for all other defects"
We thus emphasize Misunderstanding
because we have the full assurance
that this is the most effective means
for securing not only better officers
! and teachers. but also the most inteli-
gent evangelism. and the adoption Of
all Of the best Of the modern Sunday
school methods.
Your committee would further sug-
Gest deeper and more Widespread
appreciation of the following facts:
That the organization in the best
position to give assistance to our sun
day schools in their work is tn Maine
State sunday School Association: that
our schools can hest serve themselves
by cooperating heartily with it in its
plans for township. district and county
organization. and responding to its
= modest request for ut ieast two cents
per mcrh"r to carry on its work
Tn" EvanGclistir Committee Of tha
Maine Baptist Missionary Convention
as finally organized under the direction
of the committee appointed in tn.
public sessions Of the state convention
and as authorized by the Executive
committee Of the Convention has
pray"rfully endcavor a during the en-
tire year to dis charge the duties com
, mittrd to it, and presents the following
report and recommendations.
Many series Of evangelistic meetings
, have been held with the cooperation of
, the committee in which one pastor has
aided another-the pulpit Of the absent
, pastor being supplied by the commit
. tee. Under this plan meetings were
, held at Belfast. Presque Isle. Mechanic
, Falls. Mans"t. Second. Bangor Pulpit
: Harhor, West Hampton and Friend
+ ship. II has been the aim Of the COM
mittpe to stimulate work for which il
; did not itself supply the workers: and
many other fields including Caribou.
HoultNn. Buxton Center. Lewiston
have experienced marked spiritual
power. The meetings have been fruit
full in the quiCkenin- of the churches
and IN the inCathering Of new converts.
1t soon became evident that thar4
was need Of a worker who should do,
vote his entire time to this service.
Rev. j. f. Cochrane was called upon to
enter six months engagement begin
ming Jan. LIST. He has filed the en-
gagement with very painstaking. de-
voted and fruitful service He has
iaoored in Washburn. fremont, Winter