Arizona republican., 1914-09-26
PEARCE THE MAN
 AND HIS IDEA
Sunday School Worker Who Gave up Law Prac- tice to Organize Adult
 Movement to Visit Ari- zona Association and Talk

conVeneS at Prescott on October ?. 8, 4, and will be W. c. Pearce, who is the associate general secretary of the International Sunday School as- sociation and one of the greatest Sunday school workers in the world. MT. Pcarce was originally a lawyer but went from the practice of law into active Sunday school work un- til now his position is recognized in every country in the world where Sunday schools are held. He is a most active man and some idea of his life may be found from the fol- lowing sketch published recently in Sunday school publication unde' the title of From Law to Sunday school"
 w. c. Pearce, associate general secretary, dean of the training school, and superintendent of the adult divi- sion of the International Sunday School association, is lawyer by profession, and has a habit of as certaining the law governing propo- sitions he is obliged to work out
 He analyses the question, searches for and gathers evidence, and sum- marizes his proposition in such thorough, forceful manner that men and women alike, after hearing him. agree that he is entitled to a favor able verdict. That is why there are over 10000 organized, registered adult Bible classes shown on the records of his department in the of- Ice Of the International Sunday School association in Chicago. most of which were organized since 1905.
 The development of the adult Bible class work is an interesting story. While MT. Pearce was general secre- tary of the Cook County Sunday School association, between 1900 and 1905, he discovered a number of Bi- ble classes in Chicago churches that were in a flourishing condition. It occurred to MT. Pea-ce that if the same principles that were being ob- served in these classes were observed Tn all churches, men and women could be enlisted in Bible study ey- erywhere. From time to time during a period of six months he held per sonal interviews and group confer ences with the leaders of these clas-- es to receive their testimony as to The value and principles of their work. Each of them testified that men and women were interested in Bible study and especially so if they had definite share in the responsi biIity of conducting the class busi- ness. At the next annual convention the leaders of adult classes in Chi cago were called together and organ lzed the Adult Bible Class division of the Cook County Sunday School as sociatlon. The delegates present lis- tened to the evidence presented by MT. Pearce, realized that it was a strong argument and definitely un- dertook to introduce the work in their own churches, and to organize a statewide campaign.
 In the spring of 1903 about sev enty-five adult Bible class leaders of Chicago chartered special car and attended the Illinois Sunday Scboo, convention, where they introduced a movement to establish classes for men and women throughout the en- tire state of Illinois. In 1905 MT. Pearce was a membe- of A specjal delegation from Chicago. which, at the international convention held at toronto, presented the adult Bible ciass work as a proposed interna- tiohal activity, It did not take the business men on the international ex- ecutive board long to recognize the value of this new plan. resoIutior presented by MT Pearce was adontad autiorizlng the international execu- tiVe committee to make the organ izeo adult Bible class work a definite part Of their program They readily recognized that here was a chance .o widen the scope of the Sunday school business. Mr. Pearce at that lime nao charge of the International ieacher Training work, but in 1907 was called to superintend the adult Bible class work in addition Tn, adult class work grew rapidly and in lsOS the International committee iouhu II necessary to ask MT Pearca To give his full time to the adult "ork and released him from the teacher training work.
 m 1911 MT. Pearce was elected dean of the International Traininy School for Secretaries and FielG workers, and in January. 1e12 bo was called to become the associate general secretary. Since that time no has continued to hold the three nosi tions.
 Tn the course of a year MT. Pearce travels from 10000 to 50,0OO miles into every state and province of the united States and Canada making many addresses and attending p,.nv conferences.
 The magnitude of the Internationa, sunday School association may he to some extent appreciated when oon- sideration is given to the fact that tnere are 173,459 Sunday schools in the field with 1,SO0,0OO teachers and officers. and an aggregate memher- snip Of more than 100000 persons
 The association holds annually an proximately 10000 conventions. many conferences, issues tens of thousa nds or leaflets, all in the interest of mak- Ing the Sunday school wor,, of North America efficient. It has three watch words organization. cooperation evangelization.
 REPRESENTATIVES,