The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
STATE WILL FEEL CONVENTION WORK Sunday School Workers Have Formed Big Plans LEARNED MUCH WHILE HERE Before Another Sunday the Wheels of Progress Will Have
 Begun to Turn in
 Earnest.
LEARNED MUCH WHILE HERE
BY BURR BLACKBURN.


 The Sunday school convention. just held in Birmingham, the greatest on record, will have definite results. There are those who would not believe it, but there are fanatics who condemn before they see.
 When two thousand ardent workers come together for consultation, the state may expect something to be doing. Sel- dom has such d gathering been neces- sary to put on foot even the greatest political movements that have ever held Alabama in their grasp.
 People do not travel miles for the mere purpose of gab. Actions speak louder than words. There was time when the Sunday school was the nursery or the church. the place for children and women teachers. Then perhaps, a con- yention. would have had little significance But now in Alabama it is becoming the great medium for evangelical work.
 There was a great deal Of meaning behind the words of Governor Conner when he said: "I see in the action Of the legislature the influence of the sun day school. An army of 2O0O is just leaN- ing the entrenchments for an attack upon Alabama, with the determination or VIII ming the state for Christi
 In the first place there were several hundred superintendents here. They did not leave their businesses, go to extra expense. unless they expected to reaB proht. Most of them were the leau- ing business men of the state.
 And they have received what they came for. The possibilities and the means for good work have been supplleo them. Before another Sunday the wheels of progress will have begun to turn III earnest Within another month ihere will be at least twenty Sunday schools reorganized the old slothfulness thrown to the wind, and the graded school Will take it's place. Briefly the graded school, as explained by experts, contains
 A cradle rool. Children from birth to 2 years old. Managed by superintendent and assistants.
 A home department, for those who can not attend regularly. Managed by su- perintendent and assistants.
 Class for beginners. Children rom to . years of age.
 Primary grade. Children from to g years of age.
 Junior. Children from to 10 seais of age. .. to 17 years of age.
 Intermediate class. Children from 13 to F years of age.
 Young Peoples classes, and Bible classes.
 The wave of reform will especially strike these last two classes, as the lni- petus given the adult organized class was marvellous.
 Hundreds of teachers and pupils went home with the desire to organize their classes and there will be few churches in which something along this line will not be done The object will be to so conduct the class as to make it a pleas ure to attend and to use every member for some specific work. The organized class has president, secretary, treasurer and committees for new members, ab- sentees, social arrangements, devotional services, and anything that may be nec- essary.
 Organization was the battle cry of the convention and then personal service was added to it. One thing stood out plainly above the deliberations, which was that no institutional church IS need- ed to enlist enthusiasm, but merely to give all hands a task to accomplish.
 Expert and trained teachers, having specialized on classes of various ages will be more plentiful as a result of the conventions Dozens went home realizing their deficiencies and resolved to correct them.
 Already the day when Alabama will -be totally conquered for Christ is seen to have come closer by leaps and bounds The soldiers with their new armour and sharpened swords, are in the field, their onslaught has begun and they will win.