The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-07-30
CONTEST
Between New Church And
MIIlwOOd Bible Schools
Very Close, The Former
Winning By ia Points

MHiWOO0, July Iy-Sunday, July 2S,
closed q most interesting contest be.
tween the Bible schools OF MilIwood
and the New Church. The contest be.
gan the first Sunday in May and has
been marked by q keen spirit Of com.
petition. resulting in the building up
OF each school in numbers and deep.
ening Of interest in Bible study.
Another feature has been the regular
and enlarged church attendance.
While one school must lose in point
Of numbers to the other, yet both
schools have profited so largely that
each one may easily be said to be the
winner. The New Church made the
larger number Of points. making a to-
tai Of 6342 points, and Millwood 6lss
points.
The average attendance of neither
school at the beginning of the contest
reached so. The contest running
through May, June and July increased
the average attendance for the New
Church to 66 for May, 80 during June,
and 1876 during July, while Millwood
made an average attendance of ga
for May S5 for June, and 151 during
July The offerings in both schools in.
creased in about the same ratio as the
attendance.
The things believed by many impos-
Cihla hayA
but far over-passed. At times near.
ly every person was on time, and all
but very few stayed for church or So
cial meeting following. Several times
in both schools every person made an
offering. No one person deserves all
the credit for such splendid work in
the very midst of the summers exces.
sive heat and storms.
The superinetndents were busy; rare
ly ever was teacher absent and near.
ly every member of both schools was
committee of one at work. The
whole community has been stirred II
not transformed into wide-awake
Bible school people.
Just q word to those who may be
inclined to be q little skeptical as to
the permanent results, and the an.
swer ,<oaS5s&tasEk ff0lAi, ne ABooK
of Books, when in Christ's time 1t lik-
ened some who came and heard to
"thorny ground" some to "stony
ground" and some even to the beat
en- wayside."
The issue is clear. II honest sowing
of good seed was rejected in His day,
1t may be rejected and scorned by
some now, and the loyal and true min,
lister. superintendent or Christian
worker. need not be blamed for 1t
These two schools, one village
church with many of its members
from the country, and the other pure.
ly country school, have demonstrate
ed what can be done in any communi.
ty. The New Church and Its Bible
school have come out of discour-
aged, almost hopeless condition during
the past six months. Perhaps the re-
vival conducted in February by Evan
gelist Henry w. Schwan of Danville
was the beginning of vision of their
larger usefulness. The membership
of this church dwindled to about 40.
During the meeting 35 were added in
Is days, and the whole church set to
| work. Every member of the church Is
In the Bible school and nearly as many
more. Henry w. Schwan has been
pastor at Millwood during the past
year and half and at the New Church
since the beginning Of the meeting
last February, Mr.. E. G. Smith Is the
superintendent at the New Church.
and Mr.. w. H. Humbert at Millwood.
A union picnic will be the final event
Of the contest. Five other schools have
been invited to join In this clos.
Ing celebration. The picnic will be
held on Saturday, Aug. Bird in Mr..
White Elliotts grove near Pipesville.
The program for the occasion will be
of unusual interest. The basket din.
ner at 1880 will be served on one
large table, to no doubt over 900 peo-
pie.
A ball game is arranged between
several schools for 10 a. m. and anoth.
er for the afternoon. Various other
games of competition are also on the
program.
The Union Grove school will bring
its orchestra, a male quartette and
other vocal organisations will furnish
music. Address by visiting ministers
and friends, and very interesting fea.
ture will take place when the losing
school will present the winning school
with beautiful banner with fitting
ceremonies by committees appointed
by each superintendent