The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-24
COMMITTEE NAMED ON
CHURCH UNION
Disciples OF Christ and Christian Con-
ycation Bodies May Discuss
Consolidation.
DIR. PEARtEs TELLING ADDRESS
1.-THE Importance of the Sunday
SCHOOL, Is Shown--Special Commit
tee Named to Study the Problems
OF the Country Church.

Norfolk. Va, Oct. ga nota BILE
Feature of the closing session OF the
annual convention Of the churches Of
the Disciples OF Christ, which ad-
journed on Sunday night, after a five
day session in the First Christian
Church of this city, was the appoint
n1ent Of a special committee, compos-
ed OF the president of the convention,
the Rev. George w. kemper, of Rich
mond; the Rev Chas NJ. Watson. pas
tor Of the First Christian Church. Nor
folk. and President ]. r. T. Hundley.
OF Virginia Christian College, Lynch
burg. to confer with representatives
OF the Eastern Virginia Conference
of the American Christian Convention.
looking to union OF these two great
religious bodies.
The matter was brought to the at
tention of the convention In resolu-
ton offered by one of the lay-dele-
gates, J. Frank East, n prominent
active in all religious work. and was
received with much enthusiasm and
hearty endorsement.
An effort will be ma de to have q
conference committee appointed by the
next convention of the Eastern Viz
ginia Conference of this body of re-
ligtous workers. to meet with the COM
mittee named above at as early a date
as possible. There are forty-two con-
gregations represented in this confer
ence. Rev. C.. II. Rowland. of Frank
In. is president of the conference.
The Importance of the Sunday School
Much favorable comment has been
heard today of the splendid address
on The Importance of the Sunday
school, delivered by DIR. w. c.
Pearce, OF Chicago, at the closing SEES
sion of the convention on Sunday
night. In his address DR.. Pearce de-
clared there woud be a grave crisis
In American affairs, Unless the church
taught religion to the children OF the
country, in the same proportion as
their intellect is trained by the State.
The Sunday school, said he, "is
neither the beginning nor the end of
education. but rather the dynamic OF
it
Summing up the accom- piishme
of the Sunday school. he said It help
ed Christian parents teach their chill
dren religion; It reached the lives OF
children whose parents are not Chris
tiens, and it reached and changed
Goddess communities. Illustrating this
last assertion he told how the COM
munity in which ne spent his child
hood, was completely changed from
one OF the worst imaginable into
normal. God fearing section through
the efforts of a single Sunday school,
organized and carried on by a few
college students.
Early Religious Teaching.
Without early religious teaching"
said he, there can be no Christian
conquest no advancement OF the King
dom. All evangelism would fail with
cut II. Eighty-five per cent OF the
Christians today are Christians be-
cause of their early religious train
ing. No reform work could be done
without II. We can never hold our
present reforms. nor make new ones,
Il we forget the children. All al
truisuo work is being done by people
who were taught religion in their
youth"
DR.. Pearce said that In recent
In discussing the great value OF the
Sunday school, this prominent busi-
ress man said: II have been a. regu-
lar attendant Of the Sunday-school
service OF the church for kxty-ave
years, and have served as superin-
tendent OF the same school for fifty
five years, II / had my life to live
over. 1t would be less business and
more Sunday school,"
one or the most impressive and
most helpful services OF the recent
convention was the Five O'Clock
Hour OF Prayer" conducted under the
Nuspicss OF the Christian Woman's
Board of Missions on Sunday after
room, under the leadership OF Mrs. F.
Wayne Long. of Richmond
Banquet of 'Orcle Girls"
The annual banquet of Circle
Girls was held on Saturday night.
with Miss Inez Fox. OF Richmond.
presiding. Brief talks were made by
Miss Agnes Miller on why I Am a
Circle Mem her'': Mrs. r. e. WATSON,
on Why You Should Be Circle