The Harrison times., 1911-10-28
Address to Sunday School Convention.

Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentle
men:
Permit me first of all, to acknowl-
edge the honor conferred on me by
the opportunity to be here at this time
as one of the speakers at this occasion,
the occasion OF Sunday School Con-
vention. | am not a public speaker,
in fact, never made a speech in my
life; but | am a Sunday School man
from the top of my head to the sole of
my feet. | must confess my inability
to make speech and my inability to
handle the question at hand; so it is
not for my eloquence nor for the en-
lightment that | might give on this
question that causes me to come be-
fore you today, but because of the inn
portance of the Sunday School to the
community.
If were discussing this question, |
would rather have it discussed from
this point; the importance of the Sun
day School to the church. May l pre-
face my remarks by saying that the
Sunday School is, today, doing a
work for good that no otner organiza-
tion in the community can do. In
this day of the strenuous life it seems
that the Fathers and Mothers of our
country do not take the time to read
and discuss Gods word to their child
rem This is day of societies, clubs
and lodges, and many, many parents
are forgetting the most vital thing in
the child's life, the slowing away in
their hearts and minds the precious
truths Of the word of God.
The importance of the Sunday
School to the community is determiu-
ed by the work for good which it ac-
complishes and the possibilities Of a
still greater work, therefore | would
like to present for your consideration
three great possibilities that the Sun
day School may and does accomplish.
First: Because through this agency
we may more nearly reach every crea'
ture with the gospel, would not be
understood, for one moment, as ur-
derrating the splendid work of the
other agencies connected with our
churches, such as societies, mission
bands, the young peoples leagues
and unions and all others, these have
done and are doing a splendid work,
but none of them, nor all of them put
together in my humble judgment are
comparable to the Sunday School for
reaching all classes and conditions of
society and giving to them the Gospel
Of the Son of God. In the Sunday
School there are no restrictions OF
age, class or condition. We begin at
the birth with the cradle roll, and
with the home department continue to
the grave. No pledge, no covenent.
the Invitation is that of the Master of
the great supper. Come, for all things
are now ready.
In the second place, the Sunday
School is the greatest of all agencies
committed to our churches, because of
the great opportunity to discover and
develope personal workers in soul
saving. II Is only necessary to give
this statement serious, sober
thought TO establish the fact in the
mind Of every one present, Think Of
your own church and its workers and
teachers where we're they prepared?
Not in the colleges, not in the semi
nary, Some Of the very strongest Bi'
bie teachers In all our churches are
without scholastic training, indeed
many, very many Of them are plain
unlettered men and women; but they
are soul.winners; they knew rue hook
and iIs teachings and they know how
to impart knowledge ~ others, They
have received the training from the
Sunday SCHOOL, aud the Sunday
School Ia giving to the churches IN
this way host of students aud train.
cd people hitherto unknown TO them
and discovering to a great many
young women the Masters call, and
they are entering upon his service.
In the third place, the Sunday
School is the greatest agency Of the
church in reaching the home and the
individual with knowledge of Jesus
Christ and his power to save,
Through the visits Of thousands upon
thousands of consecrated teachers and
workers into the homes and places of
business OF the Sunday School sehol'
ars of this country the story of the
Christ Is going and Ia this way, as In
no other, the world may more rapidly
be turned to God In saying this |
would not be misunderstood, do not
forget Gods ordained means nor his
faithful ministers, They are part
OF this great work, In fact, 1t could
not live without them But the truth
Is my friends, we are engaged In the
very remarkable work Of investing
ten per cent and taking out ninety
per cent. That sounds incredible ]
know, and yet the facts prove IT,,
Ninety per cent OF those received into
our churches today come to us Trough