The Telegram. — 1895-04-23 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONFERENCE. On Monday, the annual conference of the Somerset and Dorset branch of the Sunday-school Union took place at Taunton. A prayer meeting was held at 10 o'clock at Silver Street Schoolroom, and the conference commenced an hour afterwards in the same building, Mr. A.Goodman presiding.—The chairman having made stew realist-its, an excellentpaper on' Sunday-ec.hool Discipline,' was read by Mr. R. Rodman, of Sherborne. Discipline was of the highest importance and yet the most difficult to treat in the Sunday-school. Sundayschool discipline implied all rules, regulations, and plans for the management of a school, but there was also the work of carrying out those plans. Having dealt with some of these plans, he said they wanted enthusiastic teachers, who should thoroughly prepare themselves before going to their classes. The teacher who had something to say would be listened to. Everything should be dome quietly and quickly, and with promptitude. After going into HOME details he asked what did Sunday-school discipline require t Judicious leadership on the part of the superintendent was the first thing required. He must govern, not tyrannically, or there would be rebellion ; he must drive gently : he must be constantly planning for the good of the school, but must be open to receive sue. gestions ; and must have an agenda for the teachers' ' meetings, but not have the conclusions settled beforehand. He should be able to advise wisely and to reprove gently. There should be the hearty co-operation of all the teachers. There should be a sense of comradeship amongst all the officers k andjeachers, who should feel that they had joined a new brotherhood, and have a sense of loyalty to the school. They should make the cause of God and of their Sunday-schools their own.— In the course of the conversation which ensued Mr. Collins (Yeovil) said that every teacher should be a disciplinarian, and should be master of his own class. Mr. Bull believed in teachers' classes, and also urged all teachers tube regular in attendance, as, if the teachers stayed away, the scholars would do the same.— Mr. Clements, of Yeovil, thought teachers should pay greater attention to the devotional part of Sundayschool work, and should impress the importance of the hymns and orayers upon the scholars. The dismissal of the SundaylichooLv should not be c,. bloc. Luncheon was partaken of in the Memorial Hall Paul Street, and was followed by several speeches.—dr. W. B. Hebditch said that superintendents should be in their places 15 minutes before the service commenced. They ought to impress upon the scholars the duty of proper and reverent behaviour in places of worship. Ile did not now believe in too rigid discipline in schools. If the superintendents studied the individual character of the teachers, and the teachers studied the children, it would be a great advantage—Mr. T. Soutlieorube pleaded for the unruly boys, and remarked that teachers should try to be present at the morning services.— The afternoon gathering took place in Paul's Meeting Chapel and was presided over by Mr. T. Penny. Mr. E, Towers, deputation from the headquarters of the, union, read an able paper. entitled -SundaT-eichool Methods in Different Churches and Countries. Discussion followed the reading of the paper.—Tea was presided over by Mr. Davis (Yeovil) and was provided in the North Street Schoolroom.—A public meeting was held at North Street in the evening. Mr. G. B. Sully presided, and the speakers were Mr. E. Towers on' A A Successful Worker," the Rev. E. W. Bremner (of Stoke-aub-BaindotO on "A Tired Trachea Dream,' and the Rev. J. L. Thomas (of Wivaliszonibe) en "The School in the Home."  Stions—M an inquest, held on Monday on the body of Mr. Maxwell McArthur, .on of General McArthur, of Porlock Weir, who wag found on She nth of March lying in a barton on Greenway Farm, Taunton, with a bullet wound heisted hie right ear, a verdict was returced ol 'Suicide dur- lemmeary insanity,"  *rag