The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-21

citation is this year suggesting to the
Sunday schools Of the State that the
governments appeal for food ccnser-
walton be observed, and that all pu-
pills in the State be asked to give
gifts for worthy enterprises instead
OF expecting to receive gifts from the
Sunday schools.
FOOD CONSERVATION
The suggestion is made that all
candies and sweets be dispensed with
at the Christmas festivities. There
are approximately 10000 Sunday
school pupils in the State. Candy and
sweets to the amount of one-half a
pound are usually given to each pu-
Ipil in Sunday schools where gifts
are given. If this practice be abol-
ished, the schools Of the State will
effect direct saving in sugar of
ne arly 10000 pounds, 1t is also sug-
Sested that even oranges and apples
may be restricted with profit.
THE TRUE CHRISTMAS IDEA
This restriction will give every
school an opportunity to teach the
pupils Of the State the real meaning
OF Christmas, which is to bring their
offerings to the Sunday school at
the Christmas time and bestowed
them upon some worthy institution
or enterprise.
DEFINITE OBJECTS
The Sunday schools of the State
will find many worthy objects where
gifts of money, clothing ana eatablcs
will be found much needed. Il is
suggested that the various denomi-
national orphanages and other phas-
es CT work will be splendid objects
upon which to center the attention
&C the pupils for this occasion. some
lof the denominations are making
ether suggestions, and the schools OF
these denominations are urged to
make the Christmas occasion one of
large giving to these works. There
are many institutions and places, in.
ter-denominational or undenomfna-
tional where gifts may be bestowed
with fine results. The Florida Chill
Idren's Home Society; the many hos
pitals; the Associated Charities:
Prison work; Salvation Army homes;
missions and many other places can
be made glad by the gifts of the
schools.
ARMENIAN AND SYRIAN RELIEF
Christmas has been set aside by at
least thirty denominations as a day
when special emphasis should be
placed upon destitute and horrible
conditions existing among war
stricken Christian lands. Unless
America responds to the appeal Of
the starving, unhappy people, they
must soon perish. So the thirty de-
nominations which compose the pres
ent Sunday School War Council of
America" have requested the Inter
national Sunday School Association
to cooperate in this great move. AL
ready literature is issuing from the
Office of the Florida Sunday School
Association and from the various
county Sunday School Associations
asking that as many schools as pos.
sible consider this great benevolence
at Christmas time. Additional infor-
melton can be secured from the State
office. or from the county officers. or
from the Armenian and Syrian Re.
lief Committee, Madison avenue.
New York. N. Y.
R. c. Weidler, general secretary 0.
the State Association. in a recent in
terview, said: Never perhaps in the
History of the Sunday school forces
OF America. and certainly never in
Florida, has there come such q largo
appeal as this. More than 1000 wears
ago the hills of Palestine echoed
with the clad songs WELCOMING tbe
new Christ. Today those same hills
r'sound with walls of anguish and
sorrow. Millions of Armenian orJ