The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-06

citation has opened new year OF
activity in it's work in this State.
The year 1915 showed remarkable
increase in the volume of business
transacted over the previous year.
The reports of the General Secre-
tary and the Office Secretary reveal
ed the fac. that the magnitude OF
this work had assumed proportions
undreamed of by most persons. Dur
ing the year just closed, General
Secretary R. C. Weidler travelled in
the interests of this cause, more
than $4,000 miles in this State,
while the Office sent out and re-
ceived more than $4,000 pieces of
mail matter. The General Secre-
tary made 3O5 addresses, speaking
to more than $4,000 people. Eight
cen county conventions were held,
and 1923 institutes and 255 other
meetings. Twenty-one counties were
embraced in this work.
The State convention at Miami,
recently held, was in many respects
the greatest gathering of Sunday
school folks ever held in the State.
More than twice as many delegates
registered as ever had attended
similar meeting.
Many radical changes were made
in the policy Of the association and
its work. General Secretary Weld
Ter, who had resided in St. Peters
burg, was asked to move to jack
sonyille and have direct charge of
the office. This he has done. The
Office, which is located at PIP Laura
street, is being equipped with new
books for a circulating library.
These Sunday school books will be
available for any person wishing
the same who may reside thin the
bounds of Florida. A reading table
Is also provided, and all the latest
magazines and periodicals are al
ways to be found there.
The motto adopted for the year
by the association is: HELPING
EVERY SUNDAY SCHOOL. The as
ISOLATION, being the only organiza-
tion in the State whose purpose is
to help every school, purposes this
year to so push the work that there
will not be one Sunday school in
any of the counties where organized
work is being done that will not be
touched by the influence of the or
ganilation The purpose of the as
ISOLATION is many-sided. 1t works,
of course, through and with the de-
nominations, seeking always to
help each denomination in it's in
never organizes new schools.
1t also seeks to inspire the teach
higher ideals, by magnifying the
great work of the teacher. 1t thus
directly pushes it's influence through
the teachers into the hearts and
minds of growing boys and girls,
helping thus to develop better citi-
zens. fathers and mothers. This is
best accomplished where the best
county organizations exist.
The association likewise acts as a
clearing house for all the good meth
DDS of Sunday school work. Being
part of the international Sunday
School Association, it is always in
touch with the most modern and
improved methods. Immediately
these are found it passes them on tc
the Florida field. Not only that
but in a reverse way it gives kline
of telescope view to the Florida
schools, so that they may look out
into the great field of North Ameri
ca, and through the Florida Sunday
School Association become directly
acquainted with all that transpires
Of value on the continent.
But it has even a larger field Of
usefulness. This lies in the work Of
cooperation. 1t is the only or
ganization seeking directly to secure
united action on the parts of the
different religious bodies in strictly
religious work. Each denomination
has its particular field of labor Blu
there is community interest, {
county work and state duty which
can only be done by cooperative eff
fort. And this effort must be or
ganized. This is where the Florid;
Sunday School Association finds it
fertile field.
But again, it does even more.
gives every individual an unrestrict
ed channel through which to hell
others. The great movements of tn
modern day are toward philanth
ropy. An organized county in tn
Sunday school work offers an or
ganization wheseby amy Christian
worker may absolutely be in touvl
with every Sunday school person il
the entire county, while of course
the State organization offers thi
privilege in the much larger sense
The association is thus able to &C