Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-06
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
SET j. 6. RECORD
Friendly Rivalry Between At.
Ianta Bodies Results in New
Attendance Marks.

Atlanta is Witnessing a Sunday school
battle which has begun to attract the
attention of the entire country This
city shelters each Sabbath DAY two of
the largest If not THE largest. sun
day school classes in the entire coun-
try This distinction has been brought
about entirely through the efforts of
the members of the Sunday schools of
the Second Baptist and the First Chris
tian churches
Three weeks ago the Christians came
to the Baptlsts with the gauge of bat
tie in the form of def that within
thirteen weeks they could outstrip the
Baptists in the number of new Sunday
school members secured and at the end
Of that time have the largest Sunday
school congregation Of any similar
body in the United States-not barring
any denominations. The def was at
once challenged by the Baptists. A
plan Of combat was mapped out. \
system of points was arranged The
Baptists already the stronger as to
Sunday school attendance. were handi-
capped so points-the sum to be taken
out of the Batpist total when the con-
test would naturally end thirteen weeks
hence
Work on Point System.
The contestants fixed up a schedule
about as follows: New members
counted ) points; members on time. ,
points; members in seat at 9: 50 a. M,
point; members staying to church. .
points.
Then the merry war was on. The
first Sunday the Christians showed a
distinct gain over their Baptist rivals.
The second Sunday the Baptists turned
out more even showing Last Sun
day the Baptists reported 142 new
members While the Christians gloated
over 1853 new faces.
The Baptists reported 100 persons
present at the Sunday school session.
The Christians proudly pointed to the
attendance record of 971.
What next Sunday will bring forth
is problematical. Both sides are comb
.ing the highways and the byways for
members. Children who have never
seen the inside of any Sunday school
room are being bundled UP Sunday
morning and taken to the services. Men
and women, boys and girls. matrons
and fathers are all taking part in the
early morning services-something they
never did before in the course Of their
lives.
Work Producing Good Results.
This battle is not waged over any
cause saVa from, tho most frio,5 H. IT.,
it, said DR.. White, pastor of the Sec
ond Baptist church. today I'VE are
just friendly rivals-that is all. AL
ready the campaign has proved fruit
full. We are reaching into homes which
never knew the real meaning and help
of a Sunday school before. We are
touching people who will largely bene-
fit by association with the Sunday
school work, and already in our efforts
to get new members we have discov-
eerd that many people are being kept
from the Sunday schools by a lack of
the necessities. of life-I mean clothes.
in some instances. These cases would
never have been brought to light save
for this campaign. and l thank God we
started it,"
The campaign still has ten weeks to
run What those weeks will bring
forth yet remains to be seen.
However, it will undoubtedly place
Atlanta right to the fore in the eyes
of the religious world as the war for
Sunday school members will probably
put the Second Baptist church and the
First Christian church among the ban
ner religious organizations in the Unit
ed States so far as Sunday school at
tendance goes.