Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-11-06
SUNDAY SCHOOLS HAVE A
FINE CONVENTION


ton of the Perrysburg Sunday
School Association was held in the
First Presbyterian Church, Sun
day afternoon and evening, No
vember 2. The excellent program,
printed in the Journal last week,
was carried out completely and
went with vim and enthusiasm
that has characterized all the pre-
ceding conventions.
DR.. w. HI. Pheley conducted the
opening devotional service and
keyed the audience to sympathetic
hearing and spiritual warmth that
was maintained throughout the
convention. The special musical
numbers, two from each Sunday
school represented, contributed
much to the enjoyment of both
sessions and deepened the fine
spirit of fellowship that prevailed.
President w. III. Rpose presided
and happily introduced the speak
ers, OF whom the first was Rev.
Perry c. Hopper, pastor of the
Third Presbyterian Church of To-
ledo. He spoke on the subject,
"The Place of the Sunday School
in the Community" and admir-
ably presented the outstanding
worth of the institution, as the
pioneer religious agency and the
chief binding force in community
life. He said it was the most i'm.
portant means for promoting and
conserving the moral and spiritual
education of our boys and girls.
He named three things as essen
tial to Sunday school efficiency as
follows: Better trained teachers.
heartier interest on the part of
parents and closer unity of effort
and cooperation on the part of the
Sunday schools as a whole.
Mrs. Mary l.. Simon, assistant
probation officer of the juvenile
court, and for years the teacher of
a large men s Bible class in the st.
Paul 5 NJ. E. Church. of Toledo
was then introduced to sepak on
"a Sunday School Teachers s Op-
portunitv for Social Service. :"
She spoke from a wealth of ex-
perience with the lights and shad-
ows of boy and girl life and the
weakness and negligence of par
entail care. 1t was heart-touching
message, poignant with pain in
parts, as one was made to feel the
appalling need for the protection
and guidance of boys and girls if
they are to develop worthy char
acter and love for the finer
things of life. Here was the Sun
day school teachers opportunity
and high privilege.
A brief business period followed
and Rev. w. H. Spybey, the Asso-
citation s director of religious edu-
cation, outlined a plan for union
teacher training class, which was
approved. The outlook is promis-
ing for class of 80 members to be
formed in the near future.
The evening session saw the
church filled with interested hear
ers. Rev. w. H. Spybey, pastor
of the Methodist Episcopal church,
conducted the devotional service
Whole-hearted singing, an up
lifting prayer and scripture re-
sponse from the audience prepared
the way for the stirring addresses
which followed. President w. H.
Roose then introduced Rev. O. D.
Swank. the new pastor of the
Evangelical church, who spoke on
Reconstruction in Character.
He told how the press and plat
form was making the word ere
construction" work overtime in
relation to industry, government
and all sorts of schemes for social
betterment. Without belittling
this emphasis he stressed the i'm
portance of character reconstruct
tion as the only rock foundation
for any permanent improvement
in social and economic conditions
Old human nature is ever with
us. Man, with his greed, selfish
ness and lust for place and power
must be changed. The old time
religion alone can produce the
transformation. Reconstructed
hearts by the grace of God is what
the world needs. All other good
and desirable results will follow.