Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-30
THOUSAND DELEGATES
SUNDAY SCHOOLS LARGELY REP
RESENTED IN CONVENTION.

Over thousand delegates from the va
Columbia assembled last evening at Mount
Vernon Methodist Church, on the occasion
of the opening of the thirteenth annual con-
vention of the Sunday School Association of
the District of Columbia The delegates
represented over a hundred schools and
membership of about 10000. Commissioner
Macfarland, first vice president of the as
ISOLATION, delivered a brief address of well
come, and was followed by w. w. MILAN,
president, who spoke on the work of the
Sunday schools.
A service Of song, consisting of several
hymns. opened the convention. Edgar Rob-
inson was the organist and James A. Nc
Elwee was director, and the entire assem-
bly, participated in the singing: Rev. Will
liam French Locke, pastor of the Mount
Vernon .Church. conducted the DEVOTIONAL
exercises after which Commissioner Mac
farland took the stand.
Address by Mr.. mcfarland.
Mr.. Macfarland said the convention rep
resented about one-siXth of the population
of the District Of Columbia engaged in the
study of the greatest book in the "world.
You represent BESIDES" he said. 1.-The
homes from which they come. There is no
interest more important than this. There
is more Bible study in classes and less in.
homes: the responsibility for Bible study is
put upon the schools by the homes more
and more. Yet the homes need the effects
of Bible study, and unless we have it in
practical living the state will soon suffer.
Our country was founded by men who be-
lieved profoundly in the Bible and our faith
ers, who were at least as good citizens as
we are acknowledged that they owed their
character largely to Bible study.
There is nothing to take its place and
If n should he Winad out tomorrow.
could easily predict the decline Of the re-
public. 1t is well that the state does not
support the church in this country. better
for the church well as for the state; but
the state can and must appreciate the
work which is done by the church and
without which the state could not live. The
Bible is the bulwark of society. You who
are teaching it without money compensa-
ton are doing the state a service which is
simply incalculable and which it could not
purchase for millions of dollars
Mr.. Millan's Address.
At the conclusion of his address, another
hymn was sung, and Mr.. MILAN addressed
the assembly. He said that Sunday school
work in the District of Columbia was never
in a more satisfactory condition than at
present. No startling events have hap
pened during the year but progress has
been steady and gratifying. The statistical
report to be presented during the conven-
ton, WILL he said. show Sunday school
enrolment above 1900, an increase of
more than per cent during the year. When
compared with the increase Of 2 or per
cent in population the advance is astound
ing; LOO conversions in less than 100
schools. The conversions represent about
10 per cent of the average attendance of the
schools reporting them. Schools holding
teachers meetings have increased nearly
30 per cent; schools having home depart
| h1r, rnar an
! In the general Sunday school field the out
look is promising Fifty thousand students
are enrolled in the teacher training classes
of the country. Organized mems and wom-
ems classes are growing. The interna-
tional committee has seven experts con-
stantly in the field, and the call, organize
new schools and improves old ones is heard
everywhere. Advanced ground on the tenn
perance teaching has Deen taken during the
year.
The twentieth century will not be old
when the Christian out of Sunday school
will feel lonesome and the Sunday school
outside the organized INSTRUMENTATION
! movement be conspicuous In Its ISOLATION
Twenty-six millions of people in the Prot
estant Sunday schools of the world are
bound together by the tie of the interna-
tional lesson system and are studying on
Sabbath morning the same Bible lessons.
The Concluding Exercises.
Singing of the hymn, THE Gates of Para
disc, Dy MIS-. OtiS L. o"Stt, loiic"c0
Rev. ]. F. Prettyman then read a paper
on Facts and Fads of Child Study to
| which all those present gave their entire
attention. 1t contained suggestions on the
subject of teaching.
Owing to the absence of Rev. Donald c.
Macleod, the prayer and benediction was
offered by Rev. Mr.. Prettyman. The ap-
pointment of committees was then in or
der. and resulted as follows:
Committee on nominations-W. j. Bower
man. c. A Baker, c. H. Butler, w. E.
Everidge and ]. r. Machersh.
Committee on resolutions-J. E. Niclol,