Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-11-19
Prominent Speakers Heard
at Closing Session of
the Synod
AN ADMIRAL SPEAKS
Enthusiastic Conference of Sunday
School Workers Of State Held This
Morning

! Richmond, Nov. 10 Concluding
services of the first annual session of
the Provincial Synod of Washington
were held last night in St James
Church, where the topic OF religious
education was discussed. and the need
Of such education in conjunction with
secular T.aching was enlarged upon.
The services were conducted by Rt.
/ Rev. Rogers Israel, D. d., chairman
of the Commission on Religious Edu-
cation. and the speakers were Rev.
Stewart u. Mitman, field secretary Of
! the Provincial Board; Rear Admiral
Charles II. Stockton, United States
: Navy, retired. president of George
Washington University. and Rt Rev.
! John Gardner Murray, DID,, Bishop Of
: Maryland and president Of the synod.
Mr. Nlitman talked of the 1pportuni-
ties presented in the educational field.
and Of the vast need for increase IN
the work; Admiral Stockton told of
the work which is being Zone in the
colleges and in other education in
stitutions and Bishop Murray talked
in powerful and persuasive manner OF
the responsibility which rests upon
the clergy for the religious education
of the people.
There was large audience present,
composed of clergy and laymen of the
Episcopal faith ard ofsmen who fci-
low in other creeds. but who are a.
vtaIly Interested in the general work
Of the Church Of Christ.
Mr.. Mitman, the first speaker. intro
duccd by Bishop Israel. spoke on THE
Field: lis Present Condition and Pros
uective Growth" He gaze statistl-
cal figures showing that the church
had not performed the task which had
been allotted il. and referred to the
number Of people to whom direct
appeal has not yet been made. He sand
that the field OF the Washington Pro-
vince consisted Of trelve diOceSeS. in
which there are 13.000.000 people.
Among this population there is trem-
cndous need. he said. for influence dir
ectsd through the Sunday schools.
though they had done well in 1913.
when $4,000 was received through
their sources.
"Thc aim of the Sunday schools.
he said. "is to occupy the whole field
adequately. In 1907 it was reported
that there were fourteen counties IN
Southwestern Virginia which were
without Sunday schools, Since that
time. however. conditions have i'm
proved. and the gospel is being
spread in that district through the
agency of the Sunday school. He
! said that the Sunday schools should
he strengthened. and that they should
be so directed that more candidates
for holy orders might be procured
from the boys. The solution of the
! problem Of the lack Of candidates for
the church. he said. depends in the
last analysis in the teaching force.
, Bishop Murray. president of the
! synod. spoke on "Tne Laborer; the
Responsibility Of the Clergy for the
Religious Education of the People
Of the Church" He had looked upon
The religious situation Of the day,
! and heard that loud clamor. which al
! leges that Christianity has failed,
as that supposed failure has been In
stanced and described by those who
believed that religion fell when Eu-
rome was filled with war and every ma
ton was batting against the other.
The synod ended last night, but q
Sunday school conference to which
all Sunday school teachers were in
vited was held in the parish house Of
| st. James this morning.