The Denver star., 1915-06-19
SUNDAY SCHOOL
CONGRESS MEETS
Religious Workers Got Royal
Welcome at atBirminghan, Ala.
THOUSANDS IN ATTENDANCE
Tenth Annual Gathering Of Influential
National Body Has Many Notable
Featurss-Ths A. F. Boy Cadets and
National Baptist Band Receive Big
Ovation In Street Parade

National Baptist Band Receive Big
Ovation In Street Parade.
Birmingham, Ala.-Five thousand
people witnessed the opening OF the
tenth annual session Of the Sunday
school congress, which was called to
order in the Sixteenth Street Baptist
church, this city. on Wednesday,, June
0, by Rev C. II. Clark, ID. D., of Nash
Vile, Tenn, chairman of the congress.
The formal opening took place In the
afternoon. while Birmingham's wei
come and cordial reception were given
at night in the presence OF an audience
that filed to overhowing the spacious
edifice.
Never in the history of the city has
the religious fervor reached such n
high degree as was evidenced begin
ming on June o, when the first special
trains began to arrive. In the language
of some on the streets. 'the pot boiled
over" today when special after special
pulled in. all of which We're met by
cheering crowds and enthusiastic work.
ers bedecked in the Sunday school con
gress uniform. white congress cap with
black visor. wearing badges and carry
ing pennants. representing some of the
organized classes or worded ''Sunday
School Congress
The finishing touches for the demon
stration came when the Sunday school
congress special arrived at the Union
station. The entire local committee
known as the central committee. which
is composed of the Baptist ministers
conference of Jefferson county and
Greater Birmingham. with the 800
singers, making up mammoth chorus.
two brass bands and waiting public
thronged the station to greet the ar
rival of the congress special.
Magnificent in its appearance was
the personnel making up the parade
which marched from the station to the
church. The National A. +. boy cadets
attracted the most attention. Soldierly
looking in their bearing. they went
through the streets to the tune OF Hail
the Baptist Congress" played by the
National Baptist band OF Nashville
which escorted the delegation.
Great is the Sunday school congress-
and valiant are the workers Of ne plan
for building front line Sunday schools
was Birmingham's verdict as enun-
ciated by the various welcomes extend
ed in the formal opening at the church.
Distinguished citizens and prominent
churchmen participated in the local
program which virtually turned the
keys OF the Queen City" of the south
land over for the five remaining days
which We're devoted. according to the
congress secretary. Henry Allen Boyd
to school OF methods, with general
sessions In the forenoon and depart
mental meetings in the afternoon.
These departments are under the
supervision of able conductors selected
from various states in the Union. AT
the general sessions there were twelve
topics discussed. but on some of these
subjects fully 100 persons spoke Not
over ten minutes was given 10 any
speaker to deliver his paper or speech
and not over three minutes were al.
lowed for open discussion
| The key to the congress. declare the
officials, is the Bible conference. which
opened every morning for one hou,
| anu nan Ioi lub SlIuN OF Iue
Bible by subjects and topics. Every
delegate at the congress was requested
to come to the conference with Bible II
hand. Every Sunday school worker
old or young. big or little. man or wo
man, who came with n message wa.
heard. This was the great desire OF
the Rev. II. Il. Boyd, D. d., the direc
tor Of this host that captured Birmfng
ham.
There was a Metoka and Galeds
night, devoted entirely to the demon
stration of the organized class effort II
Sunday schools Following this there
was boy cadet night. The taking o.
San Juan hill was graphically and pic
turesquely portrayed by the members
Of the A. f. boy cadets throughout tn,
United States, representatives of wllicl
We're here in the second annual en-
campment. Dunbar hotel was trans
formed into barracks. The tap of tn,
drum and the sound Of the bugle, Will
the steady marching feet Of many boys
brought military discipline under reli
gious influence and leadership.
The literary entertainment giveI
showed the talent that makes up tn,
Sunday schools throughout the coun
try. Glee clubs. quartets, singing asso
Citations, elocutionists. able divines ant
musicians Of note from the Unitet
states at large appeared on the pro
gram. Sunday, June 13, put the reli
gious idea In the forefront. Model ant
modern Sunday school sessions wers
conducted In seventytwo Baptis
churches throughout Birmingham b.
workers sent to take charge of tf1eS,
schools from the congress.
The mammoth street parade hat
nearly 5000 in line. The parade form
ed Mt the Sixteenth Street Baptis
church and marched through the bus.
section Of Birmingham on the nortl
side To the cOnRHSted SECTION On fil,