Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-08
Sunday School Convention
At Auburn, Oct. 12-13-14
Promise of Important Event


The biggest event of the year in
the Sunday School calendar-namely.
the Annual State Sunday School
Convention is to be held Oct. 12-13-
IA, in Auburn. Greater efforts than
ever before are being made to make
this convention worth while. instruc-
ton in more departments of Sunday
School work is to be given, more
special features have been added to
the program, and a larger number of
noted speakers and instructors are
scheduled to be present. Plans have
already been under way for several
months, and the final details are now
being cared for.
The convention will be held in the
High Street Congregational Church
of which Rev. Milo E. Pearson is
pastor. The theme of the conven-
ton around which all instruction
will center is Christian Education
and Evangelism. Besides the general
sessions of the convention which will
be held on Wednesday afternoon and
evening. and Thursday and Friday,
morning, afternoon and evening. five
institute periods of one hour each
will be held, at which competent
instructors will present the latest
and best methods of work in each
department OF the Sunday School.
The speakers and faculty include
DR.. Raymond Calkins. Cambridge;
Rev. Herbert w. Gates. D. D., Bos-
ton; Miss Edith L. Thomas. Boston
| prn II IL
bert, Boston University; Rev. Char
les n. Arbuckle. D. D., Newton Cen
ter: Rev. Howard H. Brown, Angus
ta Rev. Will A. Brown, d. D.. Chi
cago; MISC Laura f. Craigen, Brook
line: Mrs. Viola V. Morris, Worces-
ter; Miss Susie p. Parker, Portland;
Miss Harriet Louise Perry, Portland;
Rev. Alex Henderson, Waterville.
The delegates will include the ex-
ecutive committee and the standing
committees of the State Sunday
School Association. together with
the employed staff of the Associa-
! ton. and the officers OF county and
! district associations. all pastors and
superintendents of Sunday Schools
and two delegates from each Sunday
school with an additional delegate
for each one hundred or major
fraction thereof; of enrolled mem
bers in excess of one hundred 1t is
believed that at least FIVE hundred
delegates will be present to attend
this gathering which may mean in
finitely much to the cause of relig-
ious education in Maine.
The State Sunday School Associa-
ton was organized fifty-two years
and is, therefore, one Of the oldest
associations in the country. Organ
lied Sunday School work first began
when stephen PaXon organized the
Cook County Sunday School Associa-
ton in Cook County. Illinois, in 1916.
The first county secretary in the
country was H. Clay Trumbull of
Hartford Conn, for many years edi-
tor of the Sunday School Times. He
began his work in 1856 Such work
| took on national phase with the
close of the Civil War and the re-
turn from the front of such lay
workers as b. r. Jacobs and
Dwight L. Moody, who had been
very active in the work of
the Christion and Sanitary Com
mission. Throwing themselves
into the work of bringing together
| the Sunday Schools of the country
for cooperative service, they soon
organized the State of Illinois and
| held conventions attended by as
many as 5000 delegates Pennsyl-
vania followed under the inspiration
of John Wanamaker and others. In
1869, the Sunday Schools of Maine
organized the State Association,
which has had an unbroken period
of service. Among the secretaries
that have served the Association,
are G. K. Halliday, H. l.. Lufkin,
and Wesley j. Weir. The present
secretary is Rev. Edward II. Brews-
ter, who is in charge of the plans for
the coming convention. Mr.. Brew
ster is being assisted by strong To-
cal committee of which Mr.. Willis
Trafton of the Dingley- Foss Shoe