The Washington herald., 1908-06-18
AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOLS
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

To-day marks the meeting in Louis
vile. KY, OF the twelfth triennial Inter
national Sunday School Convention.
From the schools OF Canada and the
United States 1850 delegates Will attend.
and In addition 70 these there viii be
several thousand other interested workers
keenly anxious 10 hear the testimony OF
the past three years as shown in the in
ternational reports, The delegates have
been chosen by the State. provincial, and
Territorial organizations Of the two ua-
tons and bring into the convention strong
personalities IN which the best purposes
and highest interests OF their respective
localities have been htly crystallized. The
United States will have representatives
from approximately los, 900 Sunday schools
100000 teachers, and 11.5o0.O0O pupils.
Canada VIII have representatives. from
approximately 1900 schools. $500 teach
ers. and 100000 pupils.
This Is the age OF conventions. In
North America the Sunday schools alone
average something Ike 1900 conventions
year. with an aggregation OF 100000
workers present 20 compare notes and
make plans for better methods and sure
results. The Sunday school convention was
born OF the desire OF sUperintendents and
teachers 10 secure mutual aid IN the
work II is the only place IN the world
where all evangelical denominations OF
all ages and OF both sexes can meet on
terms OF perfect equality 10 discuss plans
for the evangelization OF the whole world.
IL represents every part OF the field OF
religious work. IL brings together the
leader of the most progressive city's
most progressive school and the worker
from thu remote rural places. who has
been hedged about by much Ignorance
and naTrowness, and each, may hear the
failures and successes Of the other and
place the acquired wisdom to his own
account.
The measure Of the Sunday schools
growth is found in the national. inter
national. and world conventions. When
In 1926. the second annual convention Of
the American Sunday School Union was
held. the report OF all the Sunday schools
OF the nation for the preceding year was
summed thus: Your auXiliaries report
ass teachers and 532 scholars as having
become hopefully pious since the last an
niversary." In all the United States
there were then 10000 Sunday school,
pupils. Is per cent OF the population
and in the world. 1.0SO.OO0. At the last
triennial OF the international body, which
was held in 1905, at Toronto, Canada, It
- Ill h~1
added since the preceding triennial. over
2.000 a year. against the 532 scholars
who had become hopefully pious' ir
1856. II also showed that 147 per cent
OF this nations population was enrolled in
the Sunday schools Of the evangelical
churches.
1t is now over century since Robert
Raikes gathered the neglected factory
children OF Gloucester. England. in 'Sooty
alley and. while the populace hooted at
Bobby wild Goose and his ragged regl-
ment." taught these unkempt little ones
to read q little. write a little. believe in
the Bible and Christ, and lead clean lives
He lived to see his ragged regiment OF
twelve boys grow into body OF a quar-
ter Of r. million boys and girls. men and
women; and could he have looked dowr
the years for a century more he would
have seen It as 1t is now-an invincible
army OF worldwide enlistment. marching
26, 900 900 strong toward the great goal Of
universal salvation.
Where the leaders Of the church and
state had opposed him in the first bitter
uphill years, the new century brought &c
his work not only tolerance. but the CO.
operation Of Presidents OF the United
States, chief justices, bishops governors
and educators Of prominence. The Arch.
bishop Of Canterbury bitterly opposed
the earlier Sunday schools, yet so great
has been the revolution Of sentiment that
no less than four Presidents Of the United
States-Grant, Hayes, Mckinley. and
Roosevelt-have sent special messages OF
encouragement to the Sunday school con-
ventions. Even John Wesley had his
doubts about these new Sunday schools
OF Raikes' at first, but optimistically
wrote: Perhaps God may have deepei
end thereto than men are aware Of. Who
knows but what some Of these schools
may become nurseries for christians"
Raikes paid his teachers at the rate OF
80 cents per Sunday. Modern statistieians
nave inquired In0L since 4clV, when ATneTl-
can teachers began giving their services
gratuitously, millions of dollars have been
saved to the Sunday school, and teachers
have been secured whose services could
never have been had on a monetary
basis. In 1897 a grateful Sunday schoo
union figured that its teachers were then
contributing. in their services. over $500.
600 annually to the cause. Now 1t amounts
to something like s2S.OOOOOO. A teacher
congress will be held during the Louis
Vile meeting. with the secretary of the
teachers training department In charge
and the influence OF their congress will GO
out TO benefit the other million and half
workers throughout the country.
The training Of teachers is one Of the
most important features OF the Sunday
school work OF to-day. Fifty-six associa-
tons have approved teacher training de-
partments and twenty-six others have
work on the same line. A large amount
OF instruction with reference TO the Sun