Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-20
II Opening Of Worlds
S. S. Convention
the SundaySchool
As a Powerful Force.
Touching References to Late Ed.
ward VII Of England.

Washington, May 19.-President TAFT
was the central figure at today's ses-
sion of the Worlds Sunday School
Association now in convention here. Al
tonight's mass meeting, held in Con-
vention hall. which was surrounded by
q crowd fully as large as the 5000 with
in the big structure, he acknowledged
the Sunday school as a powerful force
in the mental and educational Gplift oil
xl,e world. Again and again his utter
.uces on this subject. were cheered.
1T is one of the two or three great
Observation-Disclosures he declared. flor
making the world better more moral
and more religious. AS the twig is bent,
SO the tree is inclined, and youth is
tile time to inculcate for results moral
and religious ideas. No matter what
views are taken of general ducatlon
we all agree, Protestant and Catholic.
and Jew, that Sunday school educa-
ton is necessary to secure moral up
lift and religious spirit"
AS President Taft entered the hall
tonight, he was greeted with the Chau-
tauuua salute of thousands of flutter-
ing handkerchiefs followed by hand
clapping and then by three hearty
cheers, The race question has invad-
ed the convention. Local Negro Sunday
school leaders are protesting because
members of their race are to be barred
from the mems monster Bible class
parade tomorrow.
Members of the local committee say the
Negro Sunday schools of the District of
Columbia have had plenty of opportunity
to join the Sunday School Association of
the District without taking advantage
thereof and therefore they have no right
in the parade.
Rev. DR.. F. B. Myer of England. presi-
dent of the association, introducing Pres
ident Taft declared that for the past 20
years he had prayed for the President
of the United States every Sunday after
prayer for the King of England. And
this" he added, lis a common custom
in England"
Rev. Mr.. Myer thanked the President
for the "noble cablegram which he sent
when King Edward died." Referring to
this, Mr.. Taft said:
THE reference to the death of the late
King and the feeling of mourning on both
sides of the world brings to mind how
much such convention as this means
in perpetuation of the peace of nations.
Our public school education" he said,
has only secular teaching with the
teaching of morality in general But that
is not enough. There are those whose
opinions I respect, who feel that it is
dangerous to have education at all I'M
less it is associated with religious train
ing. But this has not been found practi-
cal in this country. Therefore there is
need for Sunday school education
Tribute to the memory of King Ed
ward was paid by all the delegates.
Bishop Hartzell at the request of the
Rev. DR.. Meyer, president of the con-
ference. presented a message of SYM
pathy and coincidence to Queen Mother
Alexandra, which was cabled to Lon
don. The message was read and then
the assemhlagc rose and remained sill
emily standing fully two minutes. When
Bishop Earl Cranston of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church in Washington
made his prayer and referred feelingly
to the death of the King. the English
delegates. of whom there are more
than three score. were greatly af-
fecteG
The report Of the executive commit
tee showed that the worlds enrolment
in Sunday schools now is more than
25,000.oO0 students. more than 100000
teachers and more than 100000 schools.
The executive committee in its reports
refers to the relations between Pro-
testants and the Church of Rome in
these words: "a splendid spirit has
perinenated our relations one with an
other"