Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-01
EDITOR TO WRITE STORY
OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS
DIR. Christopher r. Blackall Re-
sents Report of His
Resignation
QUIT FOR BIGGER JOB

BY MLISS
Or Chrlstopher r. Biackall did not ro'
sign the chief editorHhip Of tho thirty-fiye
publications Of the American Baptist
Society, which position he has held for tho
past nifty years.
Indeed not However did tho rumor get
nbout2"
If II hadn't been for tho humorous nicl,
tho veteran editor gave to his eyelhHh.
I'D have gone away believing myself TO
have been entirely mlsinformsd. but some
peoples oyoaAhes are wonderfully cxpreH'
ayo and 30 waited.
Yes" said Doctor Blackall In the next
breath, 'Dr. w. Edward rafferty, is now tho
editor.in-ohief OF the publications. Ho
swiyoled around tantallzlngly in his chnir
and stared out tho window Of his office at
Seventeenth and Chestnut streets.
And 30 people have said that I re-
signed" he unused. They probably thought
that because wan eIghty-six last Septom-
her the work was getting too heavy for
mo" Ho laughed hearty. round laugh.
We'll. Isn't that funny he Bad," and you
know tho fact Ia that Just couldn't remain
editor-in-ohIef because t've got bigger
moro comprehensive work TO do hut
didn't resign. / merely rolinqulshcd the
duties OF that office TO accept the position
OF editor emeritus for llfo with which tho
American Baptist Society has recently
honorod me, 10 as 10 give mo plenty OF time
to do work that simply has got to be
done"
The work that simply has got to bo done
iB, indeed, big and comprehensive. II is
to write the history Of the Sunday School
movement In tho United States from tho
tbnh OF It's acorn stage to It's present
mighty oak proportions, The International
Sunday School Association, In recognition
OF the more than hfty years service that
Doctor Blnekall has given to the study and
organization Of the Sunday School has
branded" him hs the only han competent
TO perform the monumental feat.
Time was when the yonngster had to he
brlbod 20 get him TO 10 to the Sunday
school class. II was nm ordeal attended by
tears and proteatations. Now, ask any
modern Sunday school teacher, and she
will tell you tho children love Il. She will
also tell you, II she knows anything OF tho
history OF the work she IL engaged In. that
Or. Christopher H. Blackall In responsible
In large measure, for this change OF Rtti-
tude toward tho classes. The element OF
Individual interest has been introduced An
appeal to every age and class has been In
Jected Into the Sunday school scsslons--
Hand~piloH for tho klndergartners social
fortiyltles for the older set
~ believe In fitting the Sunday school
class TO the Individual, not the Individual 70
the class" Doctor Blackall said In explann-
tion.
Another interesting belief OF this inter-
esting man ID that Mary Atngdalene. whom
eyon tho dictionaries characterize M an un-
ehasto woman and whose very name has
come TO stand Tor all that is wicked In
womnnhood, was In reality good The
worst that can be said about her, In Doe
tor Blacknlls opinion is that she was rich.
For tho rest there is absolutely no Justlfica-
tion. he holds. and Is writing book TO vim
dicato her after her 1000 years of villa.
cation. Let him that IN without sin cast
The first stone,"'was undoubtedly said about
some bad woman, Doctor Blacltall is con
'lneed. but 70 have pinned II onto Mary
haEdaleng Is cruelty unfair.
This youthful octogenarlan, who has not
resigned and won't have IL said that no
has, was born In Albany and started his
career as bookblnder. II is his proud |
boast too, that he was the first man In |
Tho State OF New York to ming out the |
banner OF prohibition and that nj eighteen |
no was editor OF the New York Washing |
onian, one OF the FIRST papers 10 have |
- It's dominant ideal the suppression Of |
he sale OF liquor Later ne became a |
lrnetelng physician and was gurgeon In |
he army In the Civil War. Doctor Black |
III numbered all OF the famous evangelists
4 the last century among his friends lie /
ives Mt Narberth.