Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-01
ANNUAL CONVENTION
SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
MEETS.
Interesting Musical Selections and Ad-
dresses-Business Attend
ed To.

The First PRESBYTERIAN Church, John Mar
shall place. near c street northwest, was
comfortably filled last evening at the OPEN
ing session of the eleventh annual conven-
ton of the Sunday School Association OF
the District of Columbia. The program OF
the evening was begun shortly before
o'clock and included interesting musical
selections and addresses. Among those
who spoke were w. w. Milan president OF
the association. who presided; Commissioner
mcfarland and DR.. Kerr Boyce Upper.
pastor of the First Baptist Church of Phila-
delphia.
A service of song was Introductory to
the regular session. George A. Provost
acted as director on this occasion, and Mrs.
Eugene Byrnes presided at the organ. Fol-
lowing this part of the exercises Rev. DIR.
c. F. Winbigler, pastor of the First Bap-
fist Church, conducted devotional service.
Mr.. mcfarland was then introduced. His
remarks were along the line of welcome
and personal interest in the work of the Or
ganiZation.
You represent one of the greatest inter-
ests of the District said the Commits
sioner. You represent over one-siXth OF
its population. You represent hundreds Of
self-sacrificing men and women who are in
diligently and lovingly teaching the thou
sands in the Bible schools. They are teach
ing without pay in money the Indispensable
lessons of the greatest and best of books.
They are serving the state as well as the
church. No community can long survive
without religion. 1t must have spiritual
as well as intellectual life. We have the
best of secular education in our day schools,
but this is not enough. We must have re-
ligious education as we'll; and for this, as
things are. We must look to the Bible
schools.
THE modern Sunday school, such as you
represent, is well abreast of the secular
school in methods, while 1t has the pow
erful inspratio of religious enthusiasm and
the divine enlightenment John Marshall,
the greatest of chief Justices walked at
the head of Sunday school procession in
Richmond to show his appreciation of Sun
day school work. Many other great men
in this and other lands have taken part in
Sunday school work testified to their re-
spect for it. AS you know. here in the Dis
trict the list of Sunday school teachers now
include two justices of the United States
Supreme Court and many other men and
women only less prominent
This cite only to show that those critics
are mistaken who attack the intellectual
side of the Sunday school work. Even the
critics agree that on the spiritual side it is
the nursery of the church and the hope of
the country. Every one of US can CRATE
done, and as the representative Of the en-
tire community feel warranted in express
ing It's gratitude.
Presidents Annual Report.
When the Commissioner had concluded
President MILAN made his annual report,
In which he called attention to the fact
that there had been an increase of 2,331 or
more than per cent in the Sunday school
membership of the District in the past year.
The scholars now number almost 10000, &C
cording to his countiD {. Mr.. MILAN highly
commended the work accomplished by the
primary and home departments of the
schools, and dwelt on the spirit of harmony
which he said was manifest between the
different denominations represented in the
associa ton.
Miss Lillian Chenowith sang solo while
the offering was being taken up, after
which an address was made by DR.. Topper
of Philadelphia, taking as his subject 1.-The
Peerless Book" He told his hearers that it
took LOCO years to write the greatest of
all books, and spoke of the many different
characteristics of the authors. He went
on to show how the Bible, aside from it's
religious value, is means of education for
any who will study it's pages. He brought
out some interesting statistics about quota
lions from the Bible, saying that Shake
speare quoted it some 551 times.
After the address President MILAN ap-
pointed the following committees:
Nominations. S. Baker, Rev. G. H.
Butler, John G. lockwood, DIR. George C.
Samson and Major c. H Darlington.
Scott, A. E. l.. Leckie, e. L. Boorau and
Washington Topham.
The session concluded with singing,
prayer and benediction, the latter being
pronounced by Rev. E. B. Bagby, pastor of
the Ninth Street Christian Church.
The second session of the convention be-
gan this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, Mrs.
Weston Flint presiding. The program will
last until late in the day, and at 7.30 pm.
the third session will begin, when w. w.
MILAN will preside.
The convention will last until Wednesday
evening.