The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-29

Yesterday. dawning bright and clear.
added to tho enthusiasm Of the con-
vention. which began its sessions In q
downpour OF rain on the day previous.
In the City Auditorium. Beginning at
o'clock with a song and prayer serv-
Ice led bv Professor E. o. Excel. and
Rev. d. II. McNeal. pastor of the Claw
ton Street Methodist Church. the
morning hours of the delegates were
spent in the hearing Of enthusiastic
reports from the general offlcers OF the
association.
On account OF the fatal illness ~ his
wife. George q. Miles. state President.
was unable to deliver his annual ed
dress to the delegates. General 5eers-
tary ID. w. Sims read his report. rs fol-
lows:
Report of General Secretary.
State Convention, April 27-19, loce.
First, / wish to express the 10y Of
heart feel at being privileged 10 work
with so many kind and thoughtful men
as those composing the State Executive
Committee. especially the chairman,
Judge Armstead Brown. and the Presi-
dent. Mr.. Geo. G.. Miles. with whom
I come in contact most
/ am grateful to the committee for
granting me leave of absence to ATTEND
the International Convention at Louis
Vile last June. and for allowing me
ten days to attend the General Secre-
tary's Conference at Chicago IN Feb
ruary. One member OF the committee.
Mr.. d. H. Mabury. personally paid all
my expenses on this trip. which was
exceedingly kind.
The Work I Have Done.
As General Secretary since October
LIST. the ONCE has required about one
third of my time; have attended thir-
ty-six county, conventions. eishty-one
Institutes. district conventions. and
other meetings; delivered 33S addresses,
Travelled 17.4s0 miles.
The Work I'm GenePnl.
The former faithful General Secre-
tary. Judge Joseph Carthel, remained
In office until October 1. Through the
summer there were Eve workers on full
time and expenses. While this ,neces-
STATED our expenses being more than
IN any previous year. much has been
accompiishelU Judge c. CaiDiel help
ed in sixteen counties and Mr.. Leon
&c. Palmer IN fourteen. Miss Minnie
Kennedy, the States valuable lady
worker, will make her report i want
to Introduce my, right-hand man. or
rather lady. Miss Erin Penn. who is
my secetary.
The valuable department superin-
tendents have done splendid work and
will submit their reports.
Last wear IOFIS-IOuf DdnntI COuH-
ties were reported We now have if
ty-nine and Macon and Dale, are up to
the Gold Star standard. Each county
In the State except Lamar has held a
County Convention. There has been,
according to estimates based on the re-
ports. 716 district conventions held.
which had a total attendance of 1925.
These district conventions almost with
out exception. have been held by the
Is Al - afn ruffhn9rf State
help, thus making It possible for the
State force to devote their time TO
county conventions and institutes.
A Suggestion.
I beg Of you to keep in mind and
work for the two all important issues:
First, How to increase the attend
ance in Sunday Schools
Second, How to win those who at
tend the Sunday School to Christ and
TO a fuller life of service.
MY desire Is that the convention text
BE We doors of the work. and not
hearers eniy." may have It's part In
shaping the lives OF the Sunday School
forces in our fair State.
How can we be negligent In doing
this work when God has said: He that
belieyeth not shall be damned" That
means our next door neighbor az we'll
as the foreigner or the heather, and we
know that eighty-fve out of every 200
conversions come from the Sunday
school. Then TO think Just one white
person in every ave In Alabama IL en-
rolled In any Sunday School.
(, The facts are 50 appalling. 'et us
beg God for wisdom. zeal and determi-
''Ro forward" and be doers ~ the
word and not hearers only. 60
Friends, I request when YOU pray,
will you remember not only your en-
pioyed workers, but the 994 volunteer
State and county officers. who are CIV
ing freely of their time and means for
Your servant.
d. w. Sims,
General Secretary.
Miss Minnie e. Kennedy, Field Secre-
tary OF the State association, gave a
splendid report OF the work In her de.
partment during the past year, the
convention recognizing Its merits with
the ChautauQua salute9
M. M. Sweat made the treasurer
report showing that the State assoc
citation was in excellent financiel con-
dition. That of the $4,000 pledged for
the work, S5,s7s.35 had been collected.
and that after the convention had con.
cluded its sessions, the treasury would
show a slight balance on hand. instead
Of the small deficit rather expected on
the part of the members of the osso-
citation.
Report of Executive Committee.
To the Alabama Sunday School Assoc
citation in Convention Assembled:
Your Executive Committee submits
the following report of the work done
during the past twelve months:
First. Sixty-six county conventions
have been held during the. year, the
only county falling to hold conven-
ton being Lamar. This Is the only
county in the State that has not had
help from the State force. Dates were
offered and weeks work would have
been given Lamar In April, but on ac-