Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-05-14
W. Va. AT 0
First Sunday School Association 81
Importance to Report Quota
t57 New Classes.

The West Virginia Sunday school
Association is the first of Importance
in the whole world to report Its quo
Ia OF new adult Bible classes organ.
lied during the period set apart BY
the international Sunday School As.
ISOLATION for the adding OF five thou.
sand to the list Of the worlds classes.
A number OF minor organizations
have reported their quota within the
time limit, but for the most part
these have had but a few classes to
organize. while West Virginia, al
ready eleventh in the rank of the en-.
tire world, came to the front with 157
new classes for the time. The period
assigned to the w~ork~ended ut mid.
might Saturday night and over "a
hours ahead Of time West virginia's
report of her Euccess was filed with
International Adult Superintendent
w. G. Pearce at Chicago, the intelli-
gence being wired to him.
The work done by the West vir-
ginia association in accomplishing It's
feat has been truly colossal. When
the campaign was first started there
was a trifle over ten thousand organ.
lied adult classes In the world The
slogan. Fifteen thousand classes by
May /, 1870" was adopted, and ac-
cording to the rank of the assocla-
tons OF various states and countries
a number which should be organized
by each by May /, was determined.
At the time West Virginia had but
ITO chartered adult Bible classes, and
to her was assigned the task OF secur.
ing another 157. The task at first
view seemed hopeless. but with char
acteristics energy Secretary A. It. Ar.
mold. located at Wheeling, got busy
and the campaign from the start went
with a swing. In spite OF the fact
that many of the communities into
which the work was carried are re-
mote from the railroad, and the fact
that a very large portion of the
states mountain population Is not
highly educated. and not quickly re-
ceptive OF new ideas. the task was &C
compllshed and on schedule time.
Mr.. Arnold's work in completing
the Job has been of the most arduons
kind but with repeated trips through
ont the state for the holding of raj
lies, and continuous personal contact
with the leading Sunday school work
ers of the state, steady progress was
made from the beginning and IS each
day passed the task seemed to az
proach a successful completion. Every
rally held resulted in one or moro
classes. Rallies held In Huntington
we're so successful that the state ban.
ner for adult work went to Cabell
county. The convention held at
Charleston brought in others from all
parts of the state, and other rallies
held at Fairmont. Martinsburg, Berk-
eley Springs, Clarksburg, Belington,
and other points all brought results.
The total OF all the work was that
Mr.. Arnold in response to Mr..
Pearce's telegram OF inquiry. WAS able
to report that the charter to the 157th
class was issued. making a total Of
1886 organized adult Bible classes in
West Virginia today. The best part
Of the whole accomplishment in the
secretary's estimation. however, is not
so much that the number assigned has
been reached, but that the work Is
only fairly started in West Virginia,
and is now moving with such a vigor
and force that from being eleventh
in the list Of associations in the
world. this state is sure to advance to
the front and shortly assume rank
among the very first in the whole Of
the International Association.