Evening star., 1909-05-17
GREATGROWTHSHOWN
Adventist Sunday Schools in
World Number 3,747.
REPORT OF MRS. PLUMMER
Morning Session Of Conference De-
voted to It's Consideration.
COLLECTIONS 60 TO MISSIONS
More Than Million and a Half Con-
tributed Since Department Was
Established-Sunday Laws.
COLLECTIONS 60 TO MISSIONS

i Sss*SANSA~SS
Reports and consideration of the Sun
day school work Of the Seventh Day Ad-
ventists throughout the countries of the
| world was the order Of business at the
principal session Of the conference this
morning in the main tent Of the confer
ence camp near Takoma Park Md. En-
couraging details of the rapidly increas-
ing development along this line in the
past duadrennial period were submitted.
Elder H. w. Cotterell presided.
AS secretary of the Sabbath school de-
partment Of the movement Mrs. Flora
Plummer read the main report on the
subject showing great increases in the
numbers of children attending the
schools. and in the amount of moneys
contributed She stated that Elder James
White of New York had first conceived
the idea of Sabbath school in connec-
ton with the movement about fifty-seven
years ago, and the earliest school on
record was established in Rochester. N.
Y, in 1853.
One of the features of the school work
Is the fact that each pupil is required to
learn six verses of the Scriptures each
Sunday. In this way they soon become
accurately familiar with the Bible. es-
pecially those books wherein are found
the references upon which the Adventist
faith Is based Two publications are put
out by the sect for the study and use of
the Sabbath school. They are the Youth s
Instructor for the more advanced chill
dren. and the Little Friend for the young
er ones.
Schools Number STAT.
Mrs. Plummer gave statistics showing
the rapid strides of the department, which
has grown from a few odd schools. until
now there are in the world 3,747 schools,
with total membership of SS.S43 chill
dren. OF this number ,269 of the schools,
with 2o,O11 scholars, are in foreign lands,
and the remainder in this country. There
is home department recently organized
Of 400 members.
During the year 1903. according to the
report the children's contributions in the
schools was s1O4,917, Of which amount
$94, 500 was given to missionary work Of
the faith. Since the Sabbath school de-
partment was established more than
81, 5000 has been given.
In concluding her report Mrs. Plummer
urged a number of ways in which the
Sabbath school work may be broadened
and made more useful both to the chill
dren and to the spread of the faith
Among other things she suggested that
a manual or Sabbath school instructor
tablished for officers and teachers in the
schools and that the conference consider
the advisabilfty Of giving every dollar of
the school contributions to missions.
Following the reading Of the reports of
the secretary, a general discussion on the
question was entered upon by the dele
gates, and number of informal reports
on the work in various countries given.
Three new delegates to the conference
were admitted at the morning session.
ThpV A Rricfnl
pier of the Lake Union conference and
Prof. E. NJ. Cady Of the North Pacific
conference.
Sunday Laws Discussed.
Proclaiming modern civil government
an anomaly, owing it's existence to sin.
and out of place in the attempt to en-
force religious Sunday observance, Elder
j. O.. Corliss of California addressed the
Seventh Day Adventists' conference near
Takoma Park, Nd, yesterday morning.
The meeting was devoted to the depart
ment Of religious liberty of the Ad-
ventists' movement. Hundreds of visitors
with the delegates crowded the tent audi
torium.
After the observance of the Adventist
Sabbath Saturday. when all was of
religious nature. the services of yester-
day followed as those beginning the new
week, and the members of the sect
raised their voices in protest Of what
they believed to be infringement of their
Unborn rights because of the Sunday laws.
Elder Corliss. speaking on the funda-
mental principles of religious liberty, con-
demned modern civil government as an
outgrOwth of sin and in error in trying
to regulate religious duties of mankind.
He said that the law of God is all suf-
ficient, for 1t Is in the heart, but civil
law cannot be in the heart. Elder W. NJ
Healey. also from California, said that
civil government can compel outward OBJ
servance of-the Sabbath. but this is not
true Sabbath-keeping.
Conn.,, declared that true religious liberty
Is spiritual liberty, and the Sabbath be-
ing spiritual institution can only be
properly observed by the spiritually
Bend. Ind, made the statement that the
kingdom which God gave to man had
been usurped by Satan, and from this
grew the necessity Of a civil govern
ment.
Elder X c. Russell, chairman Of the
religious liberty. department. said that
the object of the department was not SIM
ply to oppose Sunday legislation. but to
spread the salvation to all men. Elder
Corliss, In conclusion. reiterated the fact,
saying that the AdVentists do not oppose
Sunday laws merely to prevent their
enactment, but to promulgate and pro-
claim the everlasting principles Of the
gospel.
Committee on Resolutions.
Members of the committee on resolu-
tions were announced as having been Sc
lected by the general conference commit
tee as follows: c. s. Sanders, chairman;
c. S. Longacre, A. c. Shannon, ]. S.
Wightman, ]. 0. Corliss. j. s. Washburn,
w. A. Wentworth, w. A. Hennig A. W.
Bartlett, w. 8. Using, ]. Vueileumier, II.
F. Schuberth and F. w. Field.
q OF
mony service at o'clock in the morning,
were held throughout the day yesterday.
The report of the Russiona Union con-
ference was read at the early session by
Elder J. Il. Boettcher. Elder Fl. X. Loeb
sack submitted the report of the Cau-
casian Union conference.
At the evening service an illustrated
lecture on Mission Work in the Heart
of Africa was given by Elder l.. r. Con-
radi. president of the European confer