Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08
PHILADELPHIA, December Z
Special Correspondence of The Star.

- FIFTEEN million persons. perhaps
even a greater number than that'
= located in all parts Of the world,
are looking forward to the gathering IN
Louisville in June next of the lnterna-
tonal Sunday School Association. The
Importance of the 1908 gathering lies In
the fact that the lesson committee, or
the american end of it, will then be Sc
lected, and upon the men then named Will
fall the task of directing the Sunday
school courses of study up to 1916.
1t is a matter of great moment to the
whole Protestant English-speaking world.
for the International system, which Is
now used in over 5000 schools every
Sabbath day, Is the work of thirty
men, fifteen Of whom are selected by the
International Sunday School Association
convention. This method of Scripture
study was started In 1872, and has been
such a success that 1t will doubtless be
continued, as no intimation has been
given from any quarter that the coming
assembly will change 1t. In fact, the
world Is SO welded now to the present
method that 1t would be almost revolu-
tionary to attempt any other plan.
The American Sunday School Union,
which has its headquarters in this city,
has in preparation little hand book
that will be spread broadcast over the
United States early in the coming year
calling attention to the great convention
at Louisville, being a forerunner of what
Is expected to surpass any Of the eleven
international gatherings. The first was
held In Baltimore in 1876, followed at
three-year intervals by conventions In
Atlanta, Toronto. Louisville, Chicago,
Pittsburg st. Louis. Boston. Atlanta,
Denver and Toronto in order
The program for the Louisville meeting.
June IS to q, is not ready, of course,
but the committee is working haro on it.
w. N. Hartshorn of Boston Is chairman,
and with him are comforting Judge John
Sites Of Louisville, DR.. H. M Hamill,
Nashville. Tenn; N. B. Broughton. N. c.;
Justice j. ]. Maclaren. Toronto. Ont:
Dr. George R. Merrill. Minneapolis; DR..
Alexander Henry, Philadelphia, and Mar
ion Lawrence, Chicago These men are
of such ability that the six days of the
convention are certain to be full of In
terest.
A conspicuous place is likely to be given
to the report of the sixth lesson COM
mittee, which will practically complete
John Potts. DID,, of Toronto. Metho-
dist, is chairman Of the committee, the
other members being A. f. Schauffier.
DID,. Presbyterian. New York. who is the
dist, Denver; John r. Pepper. Methodist
South, Memphis: Prof. ]. r. SaLipey.
DID,, Baptist. Louisville: Prof Ira NJ
Price. Ph.D.. Baptist, Chicago; o. P. Gif-
Hemphill. DID,, Presbyterian. Louisville;
+. J. Patrick. DID,, Presbyterian. Winni-
peg: B. B. Tyler, DID,. Christian. Dem
Ser; Moshsi elm Rhodes: D;1'' Lutheran Gran
byterian. Protestant Episcopal. Montreal:
L. L. Shuey, United Brethren. Dayton.
Ohio; ]. s. Stair, D.D., Reformed,
DID,. Congregationalist, Hartford.
The British section of sixteen members,
chosen by the London Sunday School
Union. are Rev. Alfred Rowland. LII.
B.. Congregationalist chairman; w. H.
London: F. +. Belsey. J. P. Sunday
School Union). London: Charles Waters.
Baptist. London: Edward Towers, Sax
mundham. England; Prot. w. F. Adeney.
A. 8. Pea e, DID. Manchester: Prof. A. E.
CARVE (New Coll.). London: Rev. c. H.
Kelley. DID,, Wesleyan. London: Prof.
q. w. Green. MA. Regents Park College,
Union). London: Frederick Taylor secre-
tary Friends First Day Society, London;
Rev. s. s. Henshaw, Primitive Methodist,
Leeds; Bishop F. W. Warne, Lucknow,
India: Archibald Jackson. Melbourne.
To this committee came as legacy
Q well-defined plan Of covering the whole
Bible in a certain term Of years. This
is being done now for the sixth time.
The first period, starting in 1872, was of
seven years. and the Bible was studied
consecutively. alternating from the Old
to the New Testament every six months.
The second seven years was notable Tor
the Gospel OF Mark. The third seven
gave a year each to Matthew and Luke.
The course was then changed to six
years. beginning IN 1894, when twelve
logically of the life of Christ. The fifth
period was made biographical as evepS
one can recall. for 1t ended in 1905.
Now there are optional lessons which will
continue until 1911, though the commit
tee named at Louisville will at once start
on the course of study that will follow
then. The announcement Of the Ameri-
can Sunday School Union shows that in
about the books of the New Testament
and the last six in the older books of the
Gospel The odd part of the plan Is
that foreigners are in the majority on
are two and one-half times as many
use the International lessons in this coun-
try as In all the rest of the world.
The American Sunday School Union.
which is really the basis Of the interna-
tional body. introduced in 1924 the first
system of lessons. each consisting of
ABOUT dozen verses to be committed to
memory. an explanation accompanying
them. They were the same for all the
school. and for all the nation. The popu-
larity of this system brought about Jud-
sons and later Ffsk's Questions in three
grades. covering the gospels and acts,
Various other alterations were made until
1888, when the national Sunday school
convention approved the Union Questions,
which reached an edition of about one
million copies equal, IL was believed to
seven-tenths of the Sunday school pupils
then In the United States.
Another development came with the
formation of infant classes, easy lessons
being required, and these were printed on
attractive cards. Work was also pro-
vided for advanced Bible classes. The
passage of time brought about still more
books. there being lessons by Mcdowell
Tying. Breed, Parvin and Schapf, all of
which gave way to the International
Lessons. When the present uniform Sun
day school lessons We're proposed In 1872
the Union introduced them in all its
schools. Its system Of easy lessons for
youngest scholars continued to be called
for widely in rural communities, and as
revised are still used widely wherever
family religious instruction is maintained
Thus the Union, having introduced the
first system of uniform lessons for Sum-
day schools. has ever had an outlook for
improvements in Sunday school lesson
systems. and with the coming Of a new
committee may be expected to maintain
fits leadership.
But the Sunday School Union has de.
voted only q little of its time To the
lessons. 1t has been busy planting the
schools themselves. First 1t did II by
volunteer effort through 400 auxiliaries,
hut the trained missionaries bad -