The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-05-24
s. s. Association
Explains Bryan Letter

Sixteenth lnlefnaiiOnai NulIua'
School Convention TO be held at
Kansas City, Missouri June Pig.
authorizes the statement that the
popular protest against its action IN
withdrawing its invitation TO VIII
li-na jennings Bryan to speak is Que
10 Il misunderstanding OF the aclon
taken and OF the grounds for 1t. Inc
/! facts of the case are as follows: IN
December last, when preliminary az
Engagements were being made for the
convention. Marion Lawrance.
Executive Secretary of the Conven-
ton Committee, extended an invita-
ton to Mr.. Bryan to speak at the
convention. Mr.. Lawrance wrote:
The enclosed Official Call will APP
praise you of the coming OF what
we are confident will be the largest
and strongest Sunday School Con-
vention ever held in the world. We
are looking for about 5000 dele
gates. This delegation is repre-
sentative body made up from the
churches and Sunday Schools IN
every state and provence of North
America. Cuba, Newfoundland and
Mexico will also be represented and
there will be delegates from abroad.
I have come to ask you for one OF
the leading addresses Of that conVen-
ton. We are building the conven-
ton along broad lines and want the
very best we can get I do hope
YOU will find it convenient to be pres
ent with us on this occasion. Kindly
let me hear from you, together with
your terms for this service
To this invitation Mr. Bryan made
an indefinite reply, stating: While
[ cannot make definite promises, l
shall endeavor to reserve q day for
your convention" Again on January
18th, after Il second invitation from
Mr.. Lawrence, Mr.. Bryan made the
following reply: II will try to come
on the 27th of June and will let you
know as soon as l am able to fix the
date, but it will be some time yet
before my plans are completed" NO
further word was received from Mr..
Bryan up to March 22nd.
In the meantime geat events were
happening in the Sunday School
world. In Chicago, on February 16.
1922. The international Sunday
School Association and the Sunday
School Council, the two outstanding
Sunday School organizations Of
North America, were merged into one
new body,-The International Sun
day School Council of Religious Edu-
cation. This significant merger. the
elimination of several years OF nego-
tiations changed the whole situation.
1t involved the complete reOrganiza-
ton of the International Association
and its auxiliary associations
throughout the United States. 1t
made necessary extensive changes in
the convention program. 1t requir-
ed that the whole program should be
built around the education ideals,
policies and programs of the new or
ganization. In recasting the pro-
gram it seemed best in view OF the
proposed educational program for in
yitations to several Widely-InoWn.
popular speakers to be Withdrawn
The following letter. among others.
was written by the direction OF the
Program Committee to MIR. Bryan
under date of March End. some
time ago l wrote you in regard 10
speaking at the International Sun
day School Convention. Your last
letter indicates that you thought you
could be present and would let me
know later. For two or three years
the International Sunday School AS
ISOLATION and the Sunday School
Council have been planning berger.
Both of these bodies held meetings
last week in this city and the re-
port of the committee to effect the
merger was unanimously adopted Dy
both parties. AS result or TINS &C
ton, the entire program must be re-
cast. On this account am in
structed by the Program Committee
to withdraw the invitation we have
sent to several choice popular
speakers, yourself included. Since
YOUR two letters to me indicate that
YOU were not positive you could be
with us, hope it will not greatly in
convenience YOU To this Mr..
Bryan replied: while / had planned
TO 90 to your convention at Kansas
City, / am not at all disappointed by
the change, because l was coming at
sacrifice and / think can use the
time to advantage. You need not
feel at all embarrassed at having 10
withdraw the invitation"
There were no. further develop
ments until April 18th. On that
date the Christian Register of Bos-
ton without the knowledge or
authorization of the committee, car
ried a news paragraph and an edl-
torial, both of which contained mis-
statements. 1t said: William Jen-
nings Bryan was chosen by the Pro
gram Committee to speak. but the
committees report was rejected by
the Executive committee" This IL
untrue. The matter has never heen
before the Executive Committee. The
Register also said: His INT
Bryan's) medival views and his nos
tility to teachers was the reason
This also is untrue. These aliega,
tons at no time were made agalnsi
| Mr.. Bryan. The Committee planned
| the entire program in accordance
with the policy of the new organiza'