The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-06
10000 PRESENT AT
WORLD CONVENTION
Sunday School Workers Set a
New Record
SOME OF THE FEATURES
Regarded as Most Cosmopolitan Gath
ering Ever Held In Americn-Fiye
Thousand Men In Procession
In Washington

cedented for its cosmopolitanism, unequal
cd In the magnitude of its constituency
and unsurpassed as a spectacle the
worlds sixth Sunday school convention in
Washington May 1924, marks an event in
religious history.
President Taft was not alone in ex-
pressing amazement over the size and
character of the convention. He looked
out over a sea of 5000 faces on the OPEN
ing night. while outside the convention
hall still larger number of persons con-
gregated, unable to enter. Nearly 24oo
OF the official delegates wore red ribbon
badges with the legend North Amer
lea" Some 800 others wore blue badges
bearing the names of more than so diff
ferent nations, as remote as China and
South America, Turkey and Australia
In addition to these, 5000 official and rep
rese NATIVE delegates from every state
and province In the United States and
Canada and from foreign lands, there
visitors. Sometimes three and four stimuli
taneous convention sessions were made
quate to hold the throngs.
A Great Spectacle
1t was a spectacular convention. The
great mems Bible class parade on the
Washington to the virility and masculin-
ity of modern religion. In order that
some members of Congress might march
in the parade, as they did, and that
others might witness it, Congress ad-
journed early on the day of the demon
stration. Torrential rains Immediately
preceded and followed the parade, large
~ reducing the ranks; nevertheless 5000
men in a hammered procession a mile
long marched down Pennsylvania ave
rue, and were reviewed at the capitol by
a throng of 10000 persons.
All these marching men belong to the
Sunday school, and the thought upper
most in the minds of many of the
SPECTATORS who lined the sidewalks was
expressed on one banner, Where the
men lead the boys will follow" A huge
mass meeting for men. with ringing ad-
dresses by the Rev. DR.. Homer C. Stuntz
and the Rev. DR.. S. Parkes Cadman, fol-
lowed the parade. At the same time
two big meetings of women delegates
were in session.
Another spectacular feature of the con-
vcption was great open air gathering
OH the east steps of the capitol. when
a multitude of people Joined in the sing
ing of Christian hymns.
Tho demonstration accorded President
and Mrs. Taft-whom the former intro
duoe ed to the cheering throng as the
real President'-stirred the nations chief
executive greatly. He declared his be-
lief In the fundamental importance of
religious training of the youth of the
nation through the Sunday school.
Met Under a World Map
The convention sat with a monster
n,ar of the world before its eyes. The
official button showed the globe with a
red cross superimposed thereupon. Part
of each day was given to Roll Call
of Nations The ends of the earth came
together at Washington.
Strikingly, the note Of international
peace resounded from session to session;
the depth of conviction upon this lsub-
ject which possessed the delegates made
the gathering worthy to rank among the
great peace conferences.
On the closing night of the convention
there was a tableau of rs children repro
ducing the picture which this convention
has made famous: THE Twentieth Cen
tury Crusaders" The children of many
ne lions gathered under the Sunday School
flag. At the same time delegates from
many lands-Corea, China, India, Japan,
Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, etc.-gathered on
the front of the platform and all sang
together to the one tune. but each IN
his own tongue. one of the familiar Chris
tior hymns that is sung the world around
The Worlds Largest Organization
The statistics of the convention We're
presented at this time, the flag OF eacn
nation being added to a display stand as
the f,1,,res from that land were given
The total showing Is 27,SSS, 40 members,
of whom above 100000 are found IN the
United states and Canada. This includes
2. 900 officers and teachers; the NUMBER
OF schools reported being Bose All ages
from octogenarians and other adults by
the million to infants on the cradle roll
and in the kindergarten department are
now found In the Sunday scnooI Inns
vast company is scattered over the hab-
table globe, the increase In non-Christian
lands being especially noteworthy.
convention a missionary occasion. Many
distinctiyely missionary addresses We're
made. The presence of several hundred
missionaries helped. So did the mission
arv and educational exhibit. The realiza-
tion that the agency which deals with
childhood is the most potent evangelizing
force contributed powerfully.
The widespread observance of world S
Sunday school day in more than 200 Ian
euaees and dialects, as reported to the
Convention by cables from various lands.
was a real missionary factor. Literally
thousands of sermons upon the religious
training of youth seem to have been
preached upon that day
$4,000 in a Few Hours
For the first time in it's history the
worlds association tried to raise a budget
for the expenses of the ensuing trien-
mum. The sum asked for, $75,OO0 was
ali secured in a few hours. This will be
used largely in placing field workers In
foreign lands to develop the Sunday
school idea and organization.
The convention sessions were too nu-
merous to be mentioned In detail. On
Sunday afternoon there were rs, and on
Sunday night over a hundred, all with
regularly appointed speakers from wide
area Convention hall holds 5000 persons,
and It was packed mornings as we'll as
evenings, and the simultaneous sessions
often overlooked also. Frequently the
convention broke up into sectional con-
ferences Especially notable among the
speeches were those of President Taft,
DR.. s. Parkes Cadman of Brooklyn. Hon.
John Wanamaker, Rev. s. M. Zwemer of
Arabia, Bishop j. c. Hartzell Of Africa,
Mr.. Robert E. Speer and DR.. j. Wilbur
Chapman. Rev. DIR. F. B. Meyer OF Lon