.W6 1898 Sunday School BV 1505 World's Convention 1898 : The World's third Sunday school convention ; ( APR 4 WZ ^ THE Mi ^G/CAl %^^ > [ WORLD'S XHIRE>- Sunday School Convention LONDON JULY IITH TO IGTH. 1808. AMERICAN EDITION With Pkuceedings of Preliminary Meetings on Board THE Steamship Catalonia. PUBLISHED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE — BY — W. B. Jacobs, 13'J La Salle St., Chicago. OKFICERS OF CONVENTION Proi-ibent: Mk. Kdwaiui Tdweus (F^ondon). r*tco=Prcsi5onts: MAityuisoK N'oa TH AMP ION iLuuclon). Count a. Von Bkknstohkk i Berlin ». Hon. S. H. Blakk (Ontario). Mk. J. J. Beli, (Minnesota). Mr. F\ F. Belsey, .l.P. (London). Mn. N. ]5. BHor(;HTo.\ iN. Carolina). Rev. H. VV. Hkown (Mexiio). Mr. W. Caki.son ( Stockholm i. Sir John Cuthuertson (Glasgow). Mr.W. M. Hartshorn (Massachusett.s). Mr. G. M. HiTC'HfocK (Victoria). BisHi ii- Thc uu'un (India i. S.vccutifc Committee: ^ I 7i air //I (in: MR. B. F. J.vcoK.s (U.S.A.) Mr. Kdward Towers (Enjrhuid). Mr. Chari.es Waters Mr. Ja.mes Tili.ett KKV. Rf)HT. Cm. LEV Kkv. D.\n/.y .Shee.n Ht)N. John WanamaivEr (U.S.A.) Mr. a. B. McCrii-i.is Mr. E. K. Warren ' Mr. S. p. Leet (Canada). Mr. T. C. Ikehara (Japan). Mr. Aug. Pai.m (Sweden). Mr. Arch. Jackson (Australasia) , Rev. Ur. Bi'RT (Italy). Prok. Fetzkk (Germany). Rkv. McCiREK; (France). (Enrolment Socvctavief-: PRof. C. N. Bknti.ev (H(i>loii). i Mr. .1. !•;. Fwinu a)!1). F.R.(_i.S. (Loudon). Stattf'tical Secvetarief : Mr. Ja.mes Tii.i.ki'I' (London). | Mr. J. B. (;itEK.\E (Alabama). Kecorbiucs Secretaries': Mr. W. J. Semei.roth (U.S.A.). ('/lie/ Secretarij. Mr. E. Rokkrtso.n iCunada). Mr. E. Nt>RRis (England). Mr. a. (^ra\v?"ori) (Scotland). Committee on Kei'Olutionf-: Mr. F. F. Bei.sey (England). Mr. LlUDIARl) Rkv. R. Cui,i-ey Rev. Danzy Sheen Mr. Purver Mr. I'ahi.ane (.Scotland). Mr. Bristow (U.S.A.) Mr. IsRAEt. P. Black Mr. N. B. BRoliiHTON Mr. M. C. Hazari.. Ph.D. ■' Mr. J. R. Pepper (U.S.A.) Mr. Stocks (Au.stralasia). Hon. S. H. Blake (Canada). Rkv. Dr. Potts PK(jk. Fktzer (Germany). Pastor Trtvk (.Sweden). Rev. H. W. Brown (MexicoV Rev. A. Jewson (India). Mr. T. C. Ikehara (Japan) The •VVoKi.DS Third SuNi>AY-st;HOoL Convention," long ;intici- pated and laboriou.sly prepared for, has come and Kone; and its delight- ful but transient experiences and association.s have quickly passed into the sphere of history and tradition. To assist, on the one hand, those who were privileged to attend the Sessions of the Convention, in recalling the ideas and impressions then gained: and, on the other, to supply a faithful, though necessarily im- perfect, portraiture of those great gatherings to the larger Sunday-school world without, the present Report is issued. In reference thereto, it is right to state that, while the various papers read have been printed directly from the MSS. of their respective authors, for the oral addresses the compositor has had to depend almost entirely on the reporters' notes — it is hoped with no serious sacritlce of accuracy. A ■' Worlds Convention " in the interest of Sunday-schools is no longer a novelty. Otherwise it might seem a fact worthy of note, that a multitude of gratuitous religious teachers, many of them engaged in .secular pursuits, should voluntarily undertake long journeys from many different centres, not without perils (as the record of the past month painfully discloses), with the one object of conferring together on the position and prospects of their unobtrusive work, and the best methods of extending and improving it. The contents of this volume will afford abundant evidence, not only of the far-reaching influence and almost unlimited adaptability of Sun- day-school agency, but of its continual reaching forth to new scenes of effort and new developments of plan and method; each and all pointing toward one supreme object— the winning of the youth of all lands to Christian discipleship and Christian service. The outlook of the Conven- tion just closed has been both hopeful and comprehensive, giving proof of vitality and progress in all directions. The spirit of fraternal union was dominant throughout, strengthening comradeships in the strife with ignorance and sin. The weary were refreshed and flagging energies were revived. And as like gatherings in the past have proved points of new departure in some special directions, so there is reason to believe that this also will be among the many benefits derived from the Conven- tion of 1898. Such is the earnest hope and prayer of those under whose superintendence its meetings have been brought to a successful termi- nation, affording new grounds for thankfulness and praise. W. H. C. 56, Olu Bailey, London. Aug II -It. 1898. THE AMERICAN DELEGATION. 0/, the CATALONIA. To charter ;i sloumer, though it be neither tlio linest iioi- fastest, is. the ideal way for a delegation to journey to a convention on a foreign shore. To Mr. W. N. Hartshorn is due the chief credit for this ideal ar- rangement with the Catalonia to take the American delegation to the World's Convention of 1K98 at London, England. Early on the evening of June 28th, 1898, Sunday-school workers from all parts of the American Continent were hurrying aboard the Cvinard Liner Catalonia at East Boston, and .soon all were located in their state rooms. Many arose early to witness the actual departure of the ship at live o'clock the next morning. Then for the first time did it become gen- erally known that neither our leader, Mr. B. F. Jacobs, nor Mr. VV. N. Hartshorn, nor any of the other vice-presidents and immediate helpers of Mr. Jacobs in the leadership, were to be with us on this voyage or in the World's Convention. There was great disappointment, ;ind we soon found we were " at sea " in more than one sense. The last good-bye was said, the last handkerchief was waved, soon the harbor pilot left on the pilot boat, taking with him our last letters and telegrams, dear America faded from view, and before long everybody was getting acquainted with everybody else in the good Sunday-school ship. We soon found we were not without a real leader. Mr. A. IJ. McCril- lis, of Rhode Island, the only member on board of the World's Executive Committee, called a meeting of those who had been appointed proxy members, and the American part of the Committee was promptly organized with A. B. McCrillis. Rhode Island, Chairman, and H. C. Groves, Florida Secretary, with the following other members; Prof. H. M. Hamill, Illi nois; John R. Pepper, Tennessee: C. D. Meigs, Indiana: H. S. Conant. Massachusetts: Rev. A. Lucas, New Brunswick: and W. J. Semelroth. Missouri. Members or proxy members of the International Executive Committee who were on tioard were asked to sit with the World's Com- mittee, and E. K. Warren, of Michigan, and W. A. Newcombe, of Maine, responded and aided the Committee. This Committee held daily sessions, apiiointed all the committees for departments of services and work on the ship, carefully considered all the points in the letter of suggestions from Mr. B. F. Jacobs, the Chair- man of the World's Standing Executive Committee, and President of the previous World's Convention, took action so far as the American part of the Committee could act, and planned for systematic co-operation at London to accomplish the purposes of the Convention. The Committee on the Catalonia was an exceedingly busy one, and Chairman McCrillis made it an effective one. Chairman McCrillis, Prof. H. M. Ilamill and W. J. Semelroth were delegated by the Comjnittee to meet the London brethren in advance of the American delegation to complete the final ar- rangements for the convention and the program. The Devotional Meetings. The Devotional Committcse consisted of Rev. Aquila Lucas. Chair- man; Rev. G(!o. O. Bachman. Secretary; Rev. Wm. Shaw. Fred. G. Este.y. and Rev. C. H. Briggs. D. D. Two services a day were held at tirst. at 10 a. m. and S p. m. When the other committees got to worlv. and the gospel meetings on the steer- age deck were inaugurated, the evening service was discontinued. Estey & Co. loaned the organ, and Biglow & Main Company gave the delegates each a copy of the splendid book, "Church Hymns and Gospel Songs. " Mr. G. Fred. Estey led, and made the singing exceedingly enjoyable. Mrs. Braker, Mrs. .Semelroth. and Mr. Estey sang solos, and added much to the profit of the meetings. The meetings were of strong spiritual tone, and were a blessing to all on board. The first night out, W. J. .Semelroth being called upon to read the scripture lesson, read the scriptural greeting from our beloved leader Mr. B. F. Jacobs, and presented the copy of his latest photograph which had been sent to the delegates, together with the Bothnia flatr. Photograph and flag were afterwards suspended in the cabin. The scrip- tures sent by Mr. Jacobs were Phil. 4: 4-9; Ool. 3: li>-17: and Eph. 3: 14-21. The leaders of the meetings were in turn. Rev. A. Lucas, Rev. M. L. Gray, H. S. Conant. Rev. G. H. ClarU, C. D. Meigs, Rev. T. C. Carlton, W. J. Semelroth, Rev. S. T. Ford. Rev Wm. Pearce, Rev. S. J. Braker, Dr. J. Robertson, T. C. Ikehara, Rev. W. P. Landers. G. W. Hinckley, and Rev. R. B. Woodbridge. Mr. A. B. McCrillis led the farewell meeting on Saturday night before reaching Liverpool, and it was another praise service in which not half who so desired could speak out the praise in their hearts for a safe voyage. On Sunday, July 3, Rev. A. M. Hubley read the regular service, and Rev. C. H. Briggs, D.D., of Missouri, preached a sermon of great Interest and power from the text "Of the increase of His government there is no end." The Devotional Committee did splendid work. The song services and Gospel meetings on the steerage deck were under the direction of Mr. C. D. Meigs with a different speaker each evening. They were blessed in that several were brought under convic- tion, onebackslider was reclaimed, and a widow returning to Ireland was. converted. The speakers were A. D. Craig. Rev. J. S. Braker, Rev. A. Lucas. C. D. Meigs, Rev. A. M. Hubley. Rev. C. H. Briggs. D.D.. Rev. E. W. Mullens. Key. L. B. Maxwell. C. H. Lanham. and Rev. T. C. Carlton. Sunday-school Work. The Committee on Sunday-school Work on the Catalonia consisted of H. S. Conant, Chairman: Mrs. Mary F. Bryner, Mrs. J. W. Barnes, Rev. J. B. Baker, Rev. W. C. Goucher, C. D. Meigs, and T. C. Ikehara. Thisv Committee arranged several very profitable meetings. The first day was an Open Parliament, another day Normal Work, another House-to- House Visitation and Home Department, and still another, the Teachers" Meeting: and the last. Graded Schools and Sunday-school Missionary Work. The meeting given to the Teachers' Meeting was gotten up Ijy Mrs. J. W. Barnes, and that on Graded .Schools by Mrs. Mary F. Bryner. Among the speakers during the week were Prof. H. M. Hamill, C. D. Meigs, H. S. Conant, Rev. Alex. Dight, Rev. A. Lucas, A. D. Craig. John R. Pepper, W. J. Semelroth, James Edmunds. Rev. W. C. Goucher,. Mrs. Mary F. Bryner, Mrs. J. W. Barnes, Miss Bertha F. Vella, Miss M. Blaikie. Israel P. Black, G. Fred Estey, Rev. S. T. Ford, and Rev. W. A. Hadley. This indicates an array of talent that could not fail to make the- week one of practical value to all the active Sunday-school workers. The Primary Workers. .Sixteen Primary Unions and Association Primary Departments were represented in the conferences of Primary Workers held on board. Re- ports and suggestions were heard from all of them. Tuesday afternoon, "Ways of Working in Unions" were discussed, and many good points were made. The conference was continued Wednesday, with a discussion of union plans, preparatory to arranging a conference with the English Pri- mary Workers. The third conference was one held with the Field Workers, Saturday morning, and the subjects of introducing union work and of organizing State Primary Departments made a most profitable meeting. The Primary Workers of America were well represented on the Cata- lonia, as the following list of well-known workers indicate. They repre- sent Unions or State and Provincial Primary departments. Miss E. A. Kingman. Brocton, Mass.: Miss A. L. Baker, Syracuse, N. Y. ; Mrs. M. F. Bryner, Chicago, 111. : Mr.s. H. M. Hamill, Jack.sonville, 111.; Rev. A. Luciis- .Sussex.N. B.; Mrs. J. W. Barnes, Newark, N. J.: Miss H. L. Shoemaker, Bridgetown, N. J.: Mrs. W. J. Semelroth, .St. Louis, Mo.; Israel P. Black. Philadelphia. Pa.: Rev. Wm. Shaw, Ocala, Florida; Mrs. W. Pearce, Las Vegas, N. M.: W. B. Wilson, Providence, R. I.; Miss Bertha F. Vella, Boston, Mass. ; Miss Maizie Blaikie. Lynn. Mass.: A. D. Mason. Memphis, Tenn. : Rev. Geo. O. Bachman, Nashville, Tenn. A number of Primary Lesson- writers were in the company; Mr. Israel P. Black, of the " Westminster Teacher '; Miss Maizie Blaikie. of the " Universalist Helper"; and Mrs. W. J. Semelroth, Primary editor of " The International Evangel, " St. Louis. ' ' Catalonia " Sunday-school. On July 3rd, the Catalonia Sunday-school was organized on board . with J. R. Pepper, Superintendent: H. S. Conant, Assistant Superin- tendent: W. J. Semelroth, Secretary: C. D. Meigs, Treasurer: E. K- ( 9) Warren. Ivibruriaii: and li. Freii Kstey. C,'hol•i^sler; and the foUuwint; teachers; Prof. H. M. Hariiill. Samuel Yountr, Alfred D. Ma.son, T. C. Jkehara, Janies Edmunds, J. H. Baker, Mrs. J. K. Sampson. Daniel Kiske. Mrs. J. A. Linville, Ucv. Wm. Peari-e. C. N. Bently. Miss Annie Gardner. Charles White, Mrs. J. W. Barnes. Miss Bertha P. Vella, and Mrs. Mary Poster Bryner. The last three, with Miss \'ella leadintf, con- ducted the Primary department. After the openinf; exercises. Hymns 'i'Zi. 328 and 332. and prayers by Rev. Wm. Pearce and H. S. Conant, the teachers took charge of the classes for a few minutes, marked the class books, and were then called to order atrain by Superintendent Pepper. Professor H. M. Hamill then taught the lesson, ttiviiit,' an exhaustive analysis and comprehensive out- line on the blackl)oard. The class collections were taken up, and the Treasurer, C. D. Meig.s, appealed for a subscription for Mr. Ikehara's work in Japan. The results are shown in the Treasurer's Report of ^^47.1.=) snbscrit)ed. Report of the School Attendance: Oftlcers o Teachers 17 Intermediates . . 72 Primary 28 Total 122 Fourth of July. The special Fourth of .July Committee was composed of A. P. Wil- liams, Chairman: A. D. Ma.son. Miss Carrie A. Bittlny, Rev. Wm. Pearce. Miss Annie Gardner, Rev. J. S. Braker, and C. D. Meigs. Captain Stevens decorated the dataloniu on the Fourth with about ii half-hundred different kind of fliigs. and at night set off (juite a lot of tireworks. During the day games were played and contests enjoyed. In the Potato Race, W. B. Wilson won. In the Ladies' Potato Race. Miss I. J. Milbury won. C. D. Meigs sewed the best buttonhole, and A. D. Mason the next best. James Edmunds made the longest "Hop, step and jump." In the Tug of War, Tennessee beat Indiana. A. D. Mason won in walking under the lowest bar. and Miss Mason and Miss Blaikie were a tie on walking under the bar. The Sailors Tug of War resulted in a tie, and the p^rse made for them was divided equallv between the crews. In the early afternoon, appropriate exercises were conducted, includ- ing scripture-reading and prayer. Hon. A. 1'. Williams. Prof. Hamill. Rev. A. M. Hubley.Rev. A. Lucas, and T. C. Ikehara delivered interesting addresses. Captain Stephens also spoke briefly. "My country 'tis of thee! " was sung by Master Erling Stockman, and afterwards also by the audience. " God Save the Queen," was sung as the flags were raised and ■entwined. Rev. Wm. Pearce read the scripture lesson, and Rev. E. W. Mullens offered prayer. The following witty poem was written by Mr. C. D. Meigs. lOditor of of "The Awakener," Indianapolis, and read by him. Uncle Sam and His Mother By Charles 1). Meigs. Indi.inapolis. Ind. Editor of " The Awakener. Some hundred and twenty years ago. When " Uncle Sam ' was a l)oy, you know. He and his mother got into a muss. That resulted in serious family fuss. His mother had tried to make him i)ay For her support in a liberal way: And when he declared that it was not right She concluded to spank him with all her might. So she drew him across her spacious knee. And applied her slipper so hard that he Saw such stars and felt such stripes As gave him a serious spell of the gripes. But little Sam was a sturdy chap, So he managed to slip from his mother's lap. And, though black and blue from his mothers shoe. He made up his mind just what he'd do^ ( 10) He would sever his mother's apron-strintr, And show the old ladv this one thing; That INDEPENDENCE was in his veins. And similar stuff was in his brains. His stern old mother was very sad. And as a matter of fact, she was very mad, It almost broke her dear old heart, For her wayward son to act so smart. She mourned the day he gave her the slip, And showed that he had grown too big to whip. Hut such seemed the case: and to tell the rest of it. Would show she decided to make the best of it. So she gave him a great big farm of his own (Because she couldn't keep it), and let him alone: Which was just what he wanted, and. twixt you and me. It turned cut that it suited him just to a T. Well, time moved on, and on. and on. And kept on moving just right along. Then moved some more and kept on still. A-moving along, as time always will. •JMeantime, Uncle Sam was doing his best On his great big farm far oft to the West; His fields were so fruitful, his crops were so great, That it would take a smart man to exaggerate The quantity, quality, value and taste Of the produce he raised on that farm in the West. While his flocks and his herds— well, permit me to state. Are entirely too numerous to enumerate. And to this truthful statement let us whisper another — He's been shipping his surplus back to his mother! Of course she pays for it well, as she should, But she doesn't object, for she owns it tastes good: And, if pressed tor an answer. I think she'd admit That it tastes all the better cause Sammy raised it. And it's beginning to seem, if we draw it quite mild. That old mother is feeling quite proud of her child. And Sammy 'r Well Sammy is full to the brim. And as proud of his mammy as she is of him. And I have a notion as big as the ocean. That the first thing you know, this mutual devotion Will lead Uncle Sam and his venerable mother To right otit in public embrace one another! For when, in the course of events, cruel Spain l^ermitted some villain to blow up the Maine, And trouble grew out of it, ever.v one knows The attitude Mammy took toward Sammj''.s foes. And the very same slipper which once felt so bad Is the identical slipper which now makes him glad: For mother won't use it on Sammy again, But, if occasion requires, she'll use it on Spain. And so it all happens that you and that I Are invited to celebrate Fourth of July Aboard British vessel, amid British crew— And the Captain will furnish the fireworks too! And we have a flag raising, the two flags combined, • Union Jack " and " Old Glory " together entwined. O long may they wave in the breezes together. In sunshine and shadow, in fair and foul weather. And whenever, on land and on sea, they're unfurled — May they preach the good gospel of peace to the world And goodwill to all men. The Social Committee. The Social Committee consisted of Rev. S. T. Ford. Chairman. Dr. R. S. Stanley. H. M. Bruen. Miss Helen M. Humphrey, and Miss Mary ( 11 > K. Schelky. ThisConiinillee interested quite :i numl)er in their deijart- ment, and abundant entertainment was afforded the delej^ales. Amonj; the special features were a spelling match, a mock trial, conundrum social, firand concert, and the "Catalonia Jubilee Sinfrers" givinj,' an evening of .Southern songs and humor. Prof Hamill, A. O. Mason. Miss Mason, C. H. Warren, Mr. Uruen. and Mrs .Semelroth rendered valuable service in these entertainments. Miss I. J. Milbury and Miss Bertha I. Collins give fine recitations, and Kev. C. T. Hayliss an interesting reading. Mr. C. H. Warren gave two sleight-of-hand performances that entertained and mystified everybody. Among those who gave the grand concert were Mrs. H. W. Watjen. Mrs W. J. Semclrotli. Miss Elizabeth Masoti. and Mr. McCubl)age. Dr. C. H. Spaulding, Kev. W. P. Landers, Rev. C. T. Bayliss, Miss Hertha 1 Collins, and Miss I. J. Milbury. gave fine read- ings and recitations. The "Catalonia Jubilee -Singers" who gave the .Southern songs and humor were Prof Hamill. C. H. Warren. A. D. Mason. Mr. Bruen, W. H Wilson, Miss Elizabeth Mason, and Mrs. W. J. Semelroth. All felt indebted to these friends for the splendid entertain- ments they provided. Another feature that was evidently enjoyed was the two editions of the "International Evangel," issued on shipboard by the editor at the re- ((uest of the World's E.xecutive Committee. There was much literary talent in the company of delegates and the numerous contributions made the.se manuscript editions (luite spicy and interesting. They were read in the social meetings in the evening. Among the good things con- tributed was the following poem by Miss Shoemaker: The Wail of the Woeful. Dediatted to the MaUonleHlx. By Miss Harhikt I.,. Shdkmakku My country, tis of thee. Steaming along at sea. For thee I sigh! Land of the solid ground. Land where no smells abound. Land where no fog-horns sound. For thee I die! How can the cheerful smile: How can they time beguile': Would I were home! What are their joys to me': .steaming along at sea. Woeful as I can be. Why did I come': Afire at Sea. A thousand miles from land, and no other ship in sight! First a slight odor of .something burning in the hold, then smoke begins to come up. The captain's whistle is sounded, that quickly summons the crew to duty as firemen. The response is instant; every man at his post. Some run the hose to the hold, as dense volumes of smoke pour out: and others begin at the pump, to send air down to the brave seamen who are lowered into the hold. The tight for life is begun. For five long hours there is an exhibition of bravery, of skill, of discipline.'such as is seldom seen. The smoke grows more dense; the tire is gaining, and its source is not yet reached! These are moment.s of anxiety. All canvas and ropes are re- moved out of the way of the life-boats. All is silence except as the captain's orders are heard in rapid succession. The men arc hurrying to and fro. but in perfect order; the discipline is superb. No one speaks, but all obey: skill and discipline are telling on the fire. What of the passengers': They are Cliristians: they believe in God upon the waters the same as on the land. Quietly the word is passed about. "The ship is on fire!" Many quickly but noiselessly gather on the upper deck overlooking the struggle, out of which shall come life or death. How strange! .Scarcely anyone speaks, nor does fear appear. It is faith triumphant. Trust, simple trust! Husbands and wives clasp hands tighter, fathers and mothers gather their lovedonesclo.se! Par down at the other end of the ship, husbands and friends are keeplngclo.se vigil over dear ones who are sleeping, fearing to waken and frighten, them, yet ready to act if the crisis comes. ( 12 I While the brave anil yet uncertain stru^Kle goes on down on the lower deck, from the brave company of God's own on the upper deck there is wafted out the soothing; hymn, and then all is silent again that every order may be distinctly heard. For hours we watch. Soon there is hoisted up and overboard the first bale of burning cotton, and we know the fire is reached, and we trust in God and the faithful crew to ex- tinguish it. Thus assured, again we sing " Praise God from whom all blessings How, " and follow it with thanksgiving to God, and three hearty ■cheers for the crew of the Catalonia. Bale after bale of burning cotton comes up as we watch until it be- gins to be toward morning. The tire had already begun on the ship itself, but the compartment is flooded, the flames are put out, the smoke dies away, the whole cargo of cotton is hoisted and piled on deck. Then we go down below and see how narrow was our escape from going down at sea. Those in the flooded and smoked state rooms are taken out and made as comfortable as possible in other places, and just before dawn we lie down to try to rest a bit. God is good. Thursday morning is at hand, and the hour of the morning prayer meeting is here. This time the cabin will not hold all who would attend and join in the praise and thanksgiving to God, for His care over us. About $300 are (luickly contributed, and later distributed to the crew as a slight token of appreciation of their brave and skilful work that saved our lives. The day is beautiful, and full of praise; the good ship sails on and on; we are nearing the farther shore. Some day we shall perhaps know our Fathers purpose in this experience. It, at least, brought all nearer to God. None who were there will ever forget the night of July 6. In the years to come the story will be told, and old men and old women then shall say, "I was there." and they will recall how the captain commended the passengers for their quiet behavior, that none of the crew were required to take care of fear-stricken persons, and so could all t)e kept at the tire. Surely those who came on the ('ataloiiiu must feel a new sense of consecration to our IVIaster, and, feeling that they have been " saved to serve," will ask as never before. "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Out of the tire cometh the pure gold. Tribute to the Crew After the tire the feelings of the passengers found expression in the following paper, which was adopted and delivered to Captain Thomas •Stephens, and a copy sent to the Cunard Steamship Company, and in the gift of the purse of about $300 to the crew of the Catalonia. The entire ship's company assembled on the aft decks, where the expression was read to Captain .Stephens and he briefly responded. Then the entire ship's crew filed past the table, where Mrs. Hamill and Mrs. Bryner handed them tickets good for two dollars each, to be received from the purser, with whom the money was deposited. It was a scene long to be remembered as the sailors passed by and were cheered by the whole company. The paper is as follows: — On board the Catalonia, July 7. 1898. To Captain Thomas Stephens and the Officers and Crew of the steam- ship Catalonia. Dear Sir and Gentlemen: — The hearts of all the passengers of the steamship Catalonia are moved, in the profoundest gratitude, to tender to you, and to all the officers of your ship, and to all the crew under your command, the sin- cerest expression of their recognition of their deliverance from the peril of fire on the night of July sixth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight. We know we owe more than we can tell or ever repay to the coolness, the fidelity and the valiant service of all. We would not fail to honor each to whom honor belongs. But you. sir. will always have the warmest place in our affection and in our remembrance, for your own assuring presence, yo' r occasional words of confidence and your ceaseless recog- nition of your great and grave responsibility. We are sure you feel with us all thiit an invisible Hand was upon the helm of your gallant ship, which sailed so steadily on, and that we honor the presence of Him "who was known in storms to sail. ' A finer exhibition of skill and discipline could not have been witnessed, and we were all calm in the confidence your discipline inspired. This memorial is an expression all too feeble of the gratitude every lip would love to speak, and which every heart most tenderly feels. A. B. McCrillis. C. H. Spauldinc. H. M. Hamii.l, J. R. Pepper. H. S. CONANT. ( 13 » "Catalonia" Resolutions. At the farewell meeting on the Culalonia, Mr. C. D. Meig.s. Chairman, B^ K. Warren, and H. C. Groves, as a Committee on Resolutions, re- ported the following, which was unanimously adopted; — Whekkas: Mr. W. N. Hartshorn, of Boston, chairman of the Trans- portation Committee, has, for more than a year, been devoting much time— and, for the past six months, has been almost incessant in his efforts— to makt' complete and satisfactory arrangements for this voyage to London, to the World's Third .Sunday School Convention, even slight- ing his own business interests to such an extent as to prevent him from attending the Convention himself, therefore he it Renolred: That the Kxccutive Conimiltee in particular and all the delegates in general acknowledge their obligation to Mr. Hartshorn, and with the appreciation of his untiring labor, hereby extend to him our sincerest thanks for all he has done so well, and keenly regret his ina- bility to be present with us on board the Ca/alonia. Resolved: That our thanks are due, and are hereby tendered to Messrs. Biglow and Main, publishers, for 200 copies of their new and most excellent Song Book "Church Hymns and Gospel Songs," kindly donated to the delegates, for use on board the Catalonia. ReKolred: That we tender our sincere thanks to the Estey Organ Company for the generous loan of a tine organ, for use on ship board, which added so much to the pleasure of the trip. Reaolved; That our thanks are also due, and are hereby tendered, to Messrs. W. A. Wilde & Co.. of Boston and Chicago, for the generous donation of a number of good books for the pleasure and profit of the delegates Resolred: That we extend a sincere vote of thanks to the Rev. Warren P. I^anders for his very polite and courteous attention shown to all of us at all times during this voyage with reference to baggage, trans- portation, hotel and other accommodations. Rexolred: That our voyage has been a most delightful one, and that we are much indebted to the many persons who have served faithfully and well on all the various committees appointed to arrange for devo- tional and social meetings and entertainments. To all such per.sons we lender a sincere vote of thank.s, and pray God"s blessing upon them all. News from Home. Karly on the morning of July SKh. we anchored ofl' Queeustown and the boats came out for the mail. We had been ten days without any news from America, and great was the crush of the delegates to the side of the Catalonia to get a newspaper from the Queenstown boat. But before the new.sboy could board our ship, a man called to us: "Cerveras fleet entirely captured and destroyed with the loss of but one American. " and the scramble for copies of Queenstown papers can better be imagined than described. The two small lighters or mail steamers were named respectively "Ireland"' and "America." One small party of delegates rode on the" "Ireland" over to another steamship, the Lucania. and the remainder of the way into Qiieenstown on the "America." The Liverpool Meetings. As the f;«/'rt/6i//(V< was late, the American delegates spent Sunday at Liverpool, and several of them spoke in two or three meetings. In a large mass meeting in the Y. M. C. A. hall, in the evening. Dr. Spaulding, T. C. Ikehara. C. D. Meigs, and Rev. L. B. Maxwell gave good addresses. Rev. A. Lucas, H. S. Conant. and Miss M. Blaikie spoke in the Mens Meeting in (ireat George Congregational t^iapel, at the request of Pastor Nut tall. There were 1,500 men present. Rev. A. Lucas preached in the same place in the evening. All the meetings were well received and evidently en.ioyed by the people of Liverpool. Arrival at London. The Catalonia was expected to reach Liverpool Saturday morning so the American delegation could reach London that day. But the ship did not reach Liverpool until early Sunday morning, so the Americans spent Sunday in Liverpool. Monday morning the train was taken on the I.,ondon and Northwestern Railwav. and the delegation reached London shortly before noon, July 1 1th, 1H98. After getting located in various hotels' the delegates hastened to the famous Sunday-school headquarters f)6 Old Bailey, where they were registered and given programs and badges by Mr. J. K. fJddiard and his corps of obliging co-workers. ( 14 I World's Third Sunday-school Convention. Indexed PrograiMme. Monday Afternoon, July 11th. 4 P.M. Reception of Delegates by the Committee of the British and For- eign Bible Society, at the Bible House, 146 Queen Victoria Street. London. pp. !-!♦> Monday Evening. July 11th. 7 P.M. Reception of Dele^'-aies by the Lord Mayor of London in the Mansion House pp. 16-'.;(> Opening of the Convention. FiKsT Session. Tuesday Afternoon. July 12th. 9 :20 A.M. Praise and Prayer— Roll Call of Dele^'ates— Addresses of Wel- come by The Most Noble Marquis of Northampton (President of the Sunday-school LTnion), Mr. Edward Towers (Chairman of the World's Convention Committee in London), and the Rev. John Clifford, M.A., LL.B., B.Sc D.D.— Responses: For America, Rev. Dr. Spauldinti (United States): the Hon. S. H. Blake (Canada); for Australasia, Mr. Stocks: for Europe, Professor Fetzer and Count Bernstorff (Germany): Pastor Truve (Sweden); for Asia, Bishop Thoburn (India): for Africa. Rev. W. H. Richards (Kimberley. South Africa)— Election of Ofticers and Appointment of Commit- tees pp. 20-48. The Work Reported. Second Session, Tuesday Afternoon. July 12th. 2 p.m. Song Service— The Work Reported: The Continent of Europe. Mr. J. T. Holmes (Hon. Sec. Sunday-school Union Continental Mission): Rev. Henry Collins Woodruff (United States); Japan. Mr. T. C. Ikehara (International Field Worker for Japan): India, the Rev. Richard Buries (Indian Sunday School Missionary) : Nor- way. Dr. J. Heimbeck: Italy, Dr. Burt pp. 49-73 Third Session, Tuesday Evening, July 12th. P.M. Song Service— Reports Continued: Canada, Rev. Aquila, Luca.s (New Brunswick): United States, Mr. B. F. Jacobs. (CSiairman of the International Sunday-school Executive Committee): The Col- ored People of the Southern States, Rev. L. B. Maxwell: The British Isles. Mr. F. F. Belsey (Chairman Sunday-school Union Council^. pp. 71-97 Grand Sunday-school Demonstration at the Crystal Palace. Fourth session, Wednesday Morning, July 13th. 10:30 A.M. Primary Unions and Summer Schools: Mr. Israel P. Black (Sec. of International Primary Union of U. S. A.)— Class or De- partmental Manatfement: Miss Bertha Vella (Massachusetts, U.S.A.)— Teaching; Mrs. J. W. Barnes (U.S.A.)— Questions and Answers: Mrs. W. J. Semelroth (St Louis. U.S.A.)— Infant Class Lesson: Miss Kevworth ( London. )— Blackboard Demonstrations; Mr. Arthur (Glasgow). Mr. E. J. Witchell (London). Mr. F. F. Bel- sey (London). Mr. A. W. Webster (London). pp. 98-12(i Fifth Session, Wednesday Afternoon. July 13th. 1 P.M. Concert by 5,000 Junior Scholars on the Handel Orchestra. Con- ductor, Mr. J. Rowley p. 127 4 P.M. Concert by 4.000 Senior Scholars and Adults. Conductor. Mr. W. P. Hunter p. 127 ( l.T ) Sixth Session, Wednesday Kvenin(;. .July 13th. •5 P.M. Delegates' Tea; Short Addresses: Concert by Polytechnic and People's Palace Mandoline Band. Conductor. Mr. H. M. Jenkins. pp. 129-134 The Work Examined. Skventh Session, Thursday Mornini;, July Hth. •if.'^'O .\.M. Praise and Prayer— Report of the International Lesson Com- mittee — The Uniform Sunday School Lesson System: Rev. Dr. Potts (Chairman of the International Lesson Committeei— The International Lesson System: the Rev. Dr. S. G. Green (London)— Daily Bible Reading Associations; the Rev. W. J. Mills (London). pp. 135-155 Convention Sermon. 12. (X) noon. Convention Sermon by Dr. Joseph Parker (City Temple) pp. 155-160 The Sunday-school. Eighth Session, Thursday Afternoon, July Wtn. 2 P.M. Song Service— Grading and Management: Mr. P. H. Bristow U.S.A.)— The Superintendent: Mr. J. R. Pepper (Memphis, Tenn., U.S.A.)— The Home Department: Mr. M. C. Hazard, Ph.D. (U.S.A.) Bible Study at Home; the Rev. Prof. W. T. Davison, D.D. (Wes- leyan College, Handsworth, Birmingham)— Bible Study in a Prep- aration Class: Mr. W. H. Groser. B.Sc. (Hon. Sec. Sunday-school Union) pp. 162-189 The Book, The Teacher, The Child. Ninth Session, Thursday Evening, July 14th. -5 P.M. Song Service— The Bible: Bishop Charles H. Fowler, D.D., (Methodist Episcopal Church, U.S. A.) —Teaching: Rev. Geo. Parkin. M.A., B. D. Principal, Primitive Methodist College, Man- chester)— The Child: Professor Hamill: Rev. Canon Fleming, B.D. pp. 190-206 The Work Extended Tenth Session, Friday Morning, July 15th. .9 20 a.m. Prayer and Praise— The Office and Work of the Holy Spirit: Rev. F. B. Meyer, B.A. (London)— Extension of the Work in Vari- ous Lands: Mr. Jackson (Melbourne, Victoria)— OrKani/.ed Sunday school Work in America: Mr. C. D. Meijrs (Indiana). pp. 207-229 Sunday School Training. Eleventh .Skssion, Friday afternoon, July 1.5th. -2 P.M. Song Service— Normal Classes and Institutes: Mr. A. Sindall (S.S.U. Council): American Normal Classes: Professor H. M. Hamill (Illinois) — Resolutions — Summer Training Schools for Primary Work: Mrs. W. J. Semelroth (St. Louis. T^.S.A.) pp. 230-249 Great Public Meeting. Twelfth Session, Friday Evening, July i.ith. ♦5 30 P.M. Musical Selections— Addresses by the Most Noble Marquis of Northampton; the Hon. S. H. Blake (Canada); Bishop Thoburn (India); Rev. Aquila Lucas (Canada); Count Bernstorff (Germany); Professor Hamill. U.S.A.: Rev. J. D. Lamont (Ireland) pp. 279-295 Saturday, July 16th. 9 A.M. Walking and Driving Excursions to Places of Interest in London p. 295 P.M. Garden Reception of Delegates by Evan Spicer, Esq., J. P., and Mrs. Spicer, in the Grounds of " Belair, " Dulwich. . p. 296 ( 16 ) THE WORLD'S THIRD SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION. PEELIMINARY MEETINGS. RECEPTION OF DELEGATES BY THE BEITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETT. In tlie afternoon of Monday, July 11th, a reception was lield by the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society at the Bible House, li6, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., at which upwards of 400 of the delegates were present. Liglit refreshments had been provided, and after partaking of these the delegates were conducted over the building through the warehouses, where were stored copies of the Bible in the many translations issued by the Society. The only printing done on the premises was also shown in operation ; namely, the printing for the blind in raised typo in Bell's system of various portions of the Scripture. In the Library were gathered together the Society's unique collection of the various printed versions of the Scriptures from the earliest date, as well as MS. copies of the Bible and palimpsests, whicii were inspected with the greatest interest. Another room was devoted to an exhibition of the 340 versions of the Scriptures, in as many languages and dialects, which are published by the Society. A meeting was afterwards held in the Library. It had been announced that Lord Kinnaird -would preside, but he was prevented from attending, and the chair was taken by Mr. Caleb E. Kemp, Cliairman of Committees of the Bible Society. The Rev. John Sharp read a portion of Holy Scripture from the 10th chapter of John, 14th verse, to the 21st verse. He then led the meeting in prayer. The Chairman : Ladies and Gentlemen and Christian friends, — It is my pleasant duty this afternoon in the name of the Committee and friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society to give you the heartiest welcome possible to this house. May 1 venture to say also B 2 World's Third to those whu arc here, wc were expecting that the meeting this after- noon would have been presided over by a man whose name is well known in all i)arts of the world and identified with Christian work and with the well-being of his fellowmen. I mean Lord Kinnaird. I have to apologise for his Lordship. I have reecived a nute from him, portions of which I will read. It says, " I am grievcid to say my partner has just died, and as I have to attend the funeral on Monday I cannot, I fear, possibly get back for the reception. AVill you please express to the delegates my great regret that I cannot be present to welcome them ? I hope the Convention may be a season of blessing to all taking part in it. If I get back before the meeting is over I will come in. Yours very truly, Kinxaikd." The letter is addressed to the Rev. J. G. Watt. It is a very interesting feature of tlie present day -wliich the facilities for travelling promote that wc can have on various subjects these world-wide conventions, but we can hardly imagine any event of more interest or of more sterling value to the peoples of the world than one in connection with Sunday schools. It is a sign of the times, these conventions, and it is a sign of our age that people are voluntarily interesting themselves in the wel- fare of the young and endeavouring to train them in rectitude of conduct and in scriptural knowledge, and altogether to bring them early under the influence of the Church. For many years I have been the unworthy president of the Sunday school in my neighbourhood, and it was with very great pleasure that I used to distribute prizes to the young people and to the best of my poor ability address them upon the interests of the Sunday school. And I want that the dele- gates who are here this afternoon should feel that in meeting the committee and friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society they are in every respect uniting friends and co-workers in the great cause of morality and religion. We welcome you most heartily. We desire that the Lord's blessing may rest on your Convention. We desire that the blessing may be very rich, that it may go into all the districts represented by you. We desire that what you receive at this Con- vention may be as a stimulus to you to press forward, if it may be, with increasing earnestness in seeking in your department the welfare of the young. We have opened to you the treasures of this house. We value the books in this lilirary and the vei"sions very much, and ■we think they are fraught with the deepest interest. But I confess that when I meet companies such as this it always seems to me that the greatest interest in connection with this house is the work that is carried on here. And I think I shall not be misunderstood in attribut- ing that which is passing in the minds of many delegates if I say I think it is the work connected with this house which is perhaps of the greatest interest to you. We have now between 300 and 400 versions of Holy Scriptm-e, and our object is, as you know, to place tho Scriptures in the hands of the peoples of the world in the tongues of the people. It Sunday School Convention. 3 seems to me that it is a very blessed work. At the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost the people heard in their own tongues the wonderful works of God. We are seeking to carry His message, written and printed, into the common tongues of the people. But there are various departments of the work. We sell, and we sell largely, editions of the Books of Holy Scripture in many countries of the world. It is a very important department of our business. Wo do not give the Scriptures away. We sell them, reducing the cost, it is true. We sell them under cost price. But we think that it is much better for the peoj^le to purchase them than to be a free gift. They are more likely to prize that for which they pay something. Then we distribute very largely through the missionary societies. All the missionary societies who come to us have their Scriptures free, and we only ask them to return to us that which they receive for the sale of them. And we supply very largely to the Church Missionary Society, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, the Wesleyan Missionary Society, the Baptist Missionary Society to a considerable extent, the London Missionary Society, and others. I make a little exception with regard to the Baptist Missionary Society, because, as we all know, they have a Bible Society in a certain form of their own. Now we have working also in the world of course other Bible societies. There is the American Bible Society, the National Society of Scotland, and I apprehend that many of my Presbyterian friends here are drawing their Scriptures from the National Society of Scotland, and I am sure that there are very many here who are drawing from the American Bible Society. A large portion of our work is supjilying Sunday schools with Scri^Dtures. We endeavour to live on the most brotherly terms we can, they ought to be brotherly to the highest degree, with all other Bible societies, and we very often apportion certain districts in which each may work. We desire that the Lord's blessing may rest upon our brother societies and upon our own. We desire that we may work harmoniously in this great and grand work of giving the Scriptures to the peoi^le. And I am sure, my friends, there ought not to be the slightest jealousy whatever upon the part of any religious society with regard to the progress of the work of another. It seems to me that if we are putting our societies and tlie glory of our own interests in the place of that honour which we should give to the Master, we are clouding our work. I long that we may get above all sectarian diiferences as we survey the great work of propagating the Gospel in various ways throughout the world, not that we should lose personally our denominational inclinations and preferences. I have mine and you have yours. But they seem to me to j^ale before that bright and glorious luminant, that of spreading the knowledge of Christ throughout the length and breadth of the world, that of bring- ing sinners to Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and the building up of our most hol]^ faith. Now I do not think that I need detain this very interesting company longer. I will again say that we bid yon the heartiest possible welcome, and desire that God's blessing may rest B 2 4 World's Third on your work and on you. I will ask the Rev. Dr. Wright to address you. Eev. Dr. Wkight : Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, — I should like to renew the welcome of this Society to you, delegates from all parts of the world. You have had a welcome given you in English — that imperfect instrument — hut as an Irishman I extend to you the cead miUe f< althe'ol my country — "a hundred thoiisand welcomes." Ladies and gentlemen, our blessed Lord among the many discoveries that He made in His revelations, not only revealed the heart of God to man, but He revealed childhood to the world. He placed a little child in the midst, and from that day to this the child has been in the midst. It is in the midst of the churcii, it is in the midst of the family, it is in the midst of society, it is in the midst of our poetry, and of our literature, and of romance ; and you and the child are placed in the midst, and it is expected of you that, as character propagators, you will propagate your character in the cliild that is committed to your charge. And how is tliat to be done? There is lust one way. There is one book, a book which is ever new. Time writes no wrinkle on its brow. And by means of that fresh book you interest the child, and the cliild takes your conclusions as its starting points in the young life. Your words to the child, if you bring care and truth to the study of the Bible, arc oracles to the cliild. Go forth with the truth that fills you, and produce the best character. If that is true, and I hope it is, this is tlie best place you can come to on coming to London in connection with tliis great world-wide Con- vention. Here the Bible is not only translated and sent out into all parts of the world, hut around you here you have the history of the stream down which the Bible light has come unto thousands. You have the tokens and evidence here of the battles won at the price of blood all round you on these walls. I think that coming with this object it is wortli while to take a survey not only of the way in which the English Bible has come to us. but of what wo are doing with the Bible. You are all aware that in the seventh century a cowherd at Wliitby, Csedmon, began to paraphrase the word of God. These were the first beginnings of the stream in the English river. But they were mere paraphrases. They were Saxon rhymes. It was not translation. In the following century, the eiglith century, came Eadhelm, the successor of Credmon, and he produced a version of the Psalms. That was a small beginning, but now we see great and wondrous results. By his advice Egbert began tlic work of translation, and he produced the four gospels in the Saxon tongue. Then after him came a great man, Bede, the Venerable Bede, whose tomb many of you will see yonder in Durham Cathedral before you return to your own land I hope. He began the work of translation, his Saxon boys copying as he translated. Ho loved the Bible, and upon that after- noon when looking out upon the red setting sun over the hills he continued translating the Gospel of St, John. It was a race and a Sunday School Convention. 5 figlit with death. And before death he dictated the last words of the Gospel according to St. John, and handed it over to his Saxon boys. That was a great legacy to leave. And, gentlemen, especially yon who are heirs to the Saxon tongue in tins land, will remember that Alfred devoted himself to the translation of tlie Bible also. He said he intended and hoped that the boys of his country should read the Scriptures before entering upon the hard business of life. His dying bequest to the country lie loved was the Book of Psalms. Dying in 901, he handed over the Book of Psalms to those who came after him. That is the story down to the time of King Alfred. But others trans- lated other portions of the Word of God. The whole of the New Testament seems to have been translated by somebody. We have not his record ; bixt he did his work, and there were parts of the Bible — Joshua, Judges, Esther — and these were in the hands of the people during that time. But there came a time when an arrest was laid on the translation, of the Word of God. Then came into this land the powerful and dominant race of the Normans, and with them came the domination of Rome, and a pause of three centuries was made with the translation of the Word of God. These were dark days, and yet God was working through them, because there was an amalga- mation going on, and a strange tongue came in and mixed with the Anglo-Saxon, because up to that time it was only Anglo-Saxon. And these Normans mixed with the British race, and produced that justice- loving people who have done so much since for the Bible. Then after three centuries of these dark years of the domination of the Norman and of Eome the great reformer rose — John Wiclif. John Wiclif came in ns a scholar into this work. He was a lecturer at Oxford in 1372, and then he was appointed rector of Lutterworth, and then he found that the doctrines of the Church were not in accordance with the Word of God, and that the morals of the people and of the clergy were also in antagonism with the Word of God ; and he found that the only thing to bring them back again was the pure Word of God, and he began the work of translation. Gentlemen, you receive the praise of the world for what you are doing with the Bible to-day ; but there was little praise for the great man who worked in those days. John Wiclif was brought here to Blackfriars Hall, somewhere near where you stand to-day — tradition says on the very spot where you stand, but I will not vouch for it. In Blackfriars Hall he was surrounded by ecclesiastics. The greatest of them called him '' that viper Wiclif." His books were condemned, and he was excommunicated very near the house that sends out daily 13,000 copies of the Scriptures. John Wiclif was hunted, but he died peacefully in his bed. But the dogs had their prey. They got the bones of John Wiclif, and they burned them into ashes, and they sowed the ashes in the little river, the Swift, that flows past Lutterworth Church, and the little Swift carried them to the Avon, and the Avon bore them to the narrow seas, and the narrow seas carried them to the wide ocean — a type of tliat Gospel which you, e World's Third ladies and gentlemen, are trying to impress upon the hearts of the children. Seventy years after the death of John Wiclif, one year after the birth of Luther, a great heroic Englishman was bom. The Bible, as wo have it to-day, is practically the work of William Tyndal. Tliere is no proof that William Tyndal ever saw a scrap of Wyclif s translation. "I had no man to counterfeit, imitate, neither was helped with the English of any that had interpreted the same or such like tilings, in the kScripturc before-time." He was also a scholar. He was at Oxford early in life. He there graduated. His mind was opening to the light of the truth. When he graduated he went to Cambridge in 1516, and there probably he met Erasmus. That was the year in which Erasmus produced this first edition of the Greek Testament ever published (holding up a copy). It was not the first which had been printed. A great bishop in Spain was bringing out, at tremendous cost, the Compluten.sian Polyglot. That was printed in 1514, but lie had so many arrangements to make with the Church of Eomc before publication that Erasmus got his out first, in 151G. But it was the first Greek Testament ever printed. Here is a beautiful copy ; it is perhaps as clean and beautiful a copy as now exists. That Greek Testament of Erasmus became the foundation from which our text flowed to our own day. We arc altering it now. Well, Tyndal came up to Bishop Tunstall here in London. He heard he was a great scholar. He wrote a play and brought it up, but he found there was no place for him among the revelries of the ecclesiastics of London. He found after a short time that there was no place for him in England, and he left England for ever; but in 1525 he brought out the New Testament. You will see, I hope, in the Public Library at Bristol, one copy, the only j^erfect copy of that work that now exists. Tremendous energy was put forth to prevent copies of the book getting into England. France, Germany, even Bohemia, Holland and Italy had the Bible at that time, but they were most anxious that the Bible should not get into England. Agents were placed at the different ports to prevent its entrj'. But the book was smuggled in in a hundred ways. This (showing it) is the Pentateuch by Tyndal 1530. How that got into England we know not. They were smuggled into England in bales of flax, in tallow, in a hundred ways they were brought in, and finally the Bishop of London prevailed on a man to buy up copies of Tyndal's work, and ho purchased those copies on the Continent and sold them to the Bishop. The Bishop burned them. The Bishop had what he wanted, Tyndal got the money he wanted, and the man who collected them got his price. Tyndal went on printing the books, and thej' came to England. But his steps were dogged. Attempts were made by every means to get him to return to England. He knew what he was wanted for ; and finally an English priest, Philips, followed him, made friends with him, lived with him, sponged upon him, borrowed one day 408. from him, and on that day betrayed him, and he was taken Sunday School Gonvention. 7 to Vilvordc and strangled and burnt. That was the reward of William Tyndal for the glorious legacy he has left us, but his work follows him after he ceased from his labour. Then, gentlemen, because I must make the story short, in 1537 came Coverdale, a different kind of man. Look at this version (showing it), translated from the Vulgate. That is the first edition of the Bible produced. That was printed on the Continent and smuggled into England. It would have cost any man his head to have brought that book into this country. That was in 1535. A second edition of the book was published on British soil. That was the first copy (showing it), and it was published at St. Thomas's Hospital. William Tyndal had a friend called John Eogers, and Eogers had received from Tyndal's hands the translation of the Old Testament as far down as the Second Book of Chronicles, that he had produced in prison. And he took what remained of Tyndal, the Now Testament, the Pentateuch, and down to the Second Book of Chronicles, and then ho took the remainder of the book from Coverdale and he produced this Bible. In this great Bible the great river of Tyndal's translation meets the stream of Coverdale's, and here is the book from which flows at the present time our English version. Bishop Tunstall erected a pulpit at the cross at the north-east comer of St. Paul's. Before that pulpit he made a fire. He preached from that pulpit, he and those that preached for him, and as ho preached against this wicked book he flung copies of it into the fire. People who were looking on, carelessly at first no doubt, saw preaching going on and were attracted, and when they found it was the book of God that was being burnt they inquired further into the matter. And the people with that wonderful sense of justice, for I think you will find the chief characteristic of the people of this country is the proper sense of justice, asked what it was, and there was a revulsion of feeling. And in two or three years after the death of Tyndal — you remember what his last words were, " May God open the eyes of the King of England " — only two or three years after that God did open the eyes of the King of England, and that very same Bishop Tunstall authorised the Bible, which was composed partly of Tyndale's version and partly of Coverdale's, and they were placed in the churches throughout the land. That is the history of the Bible down to that date. But I would like to point out one thing, because there is a Church at the present time that poses as the friend of the Bible, but has always been its bitter enemy. Here is Matthew's Bible (showing it). Perhaps that is one of the finest copies in England. There it is, a tall, clean, beautiful copy. How that escaped we know not. But when John Eogers brought out that Bible he was taken to Smithfield and burnt for his pains. He was the first martyr of the Marian time. Ngw I will show you how they dealt with some that they could not wholly destroy. They tore pieces out of them and put on little bits of pigment so as to cover what they considered against the interests of the Church. 8 World's Tliird Here is one splendid page, the beginning of tlio Book of Romans, a rather unsatisfactory book to the Church of Kome. (The page was quite blotted out iu red pigment.) But people wanted to know what was under the pigment. They searched and found something very unpleasant for the Cliurch of Korae. So mightily grew the Word of ( Jod and prevailed. Now, gentlemen, my time' is up, I think. (Go on.) I need not follow that line further. There is one of Tyndal's Bibles (showing it) — a very lovely edition. You see they illustrated the Bible at that time. The illustration in that page is tlie devil going about with a wooden leg sowing tares. We laugh at that, but that brought home to the child mind, and the mind of man perhaps, with a definiteness that the simple words would not perhaps have suc- ceeded in explaining. Then you know that a number of men ■were driven out of the country to Geneva and they produced the Geneva Bible, which became for three-quarters of a century the Bible of the English homes. It was at first divided into verses ; I w'isli they had not done that. That is the first edition of the Bible (.showing it) called the Geneva Bible. It is full of these illustrations. Now, gentlemen, I shall have to talk shop, for I want to tell you what we are doing ourselves, and I will try to do it in this way. This is the third great meeting of your world-wide Convention. Your first, as I understand, was in 1862, and a few minutes before you were here to- day my clerk kindly made out for me the number of copies of the Scriptures that had been put into circulation from that day to the present time, and I find that number is over 109,000,000 copies of the Word of God. I think you will understand better what we are doing from the next item I shall give you. When your great Con- vention first met the number of versions of the Scriptures produced by this Society was 1(J3. Since then 180 new versions have been added, so that more versions of the Scriptures have been produced in new languages since the first meeting of your Convention than were pro- duced during the whole eighteen preceding centuries. From that you see we are going on at a ratio of progress that should be satisfactory even to you. China in 1843 had less than ten converts, now there are over 70,000. Japan in 1872 had only ten baptized Cliristians, now in Tokio alone there are ninety-two Christian churches. India had not a single native Christian ; now there are over two and a half millions. Eighty years ago there was no native Christian in Burraah, now there are over GOO churches there. I might also toll you that at the present time there are over 100 committees sitting on translation and revision work throughout all parts of the world. Gentlemen, I must bring this to a close, though you tempt me to go on by your attention. You are engaged in a hard work, and so are we. Do not yield. You get iu rough boys from tlie street. We have hard languages to deal with and very angular men to make the transla- tions sometimes. But do not despair. May I tell you a little story which contains a parable. There were two frogs once. These Sunday School Convention. 9 dropped into a pail of milk. One of these frogs was a pessimist frog. He said, " It is no use at all to try to escape from this iilace," and dropped to the bottom immediately. The other had a hopeful mind, something like the hope that springs ever in your hearts, and he swam round and round and round and at last was seen sitting on a pat of butter of his own churning. Gentlemen, do not despair with the hardest child that comes into your midst. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not despair with us, and we were worse than the child. And with this book and you in the centre among these children you are doing the most Christ-like work, for that is just the place where He placed the child. I will just tell you now one other story. It is this. A man was dying some time ago. A friend called to see him. He inquired as to his condition and state. " No," the man said, " I am not a/raid to die. It is all right there. But I am ashamed to die." And, friends, that may come home to most of us. God has given us such a splendid opportunity in this world for doing good that if we do not do it in our many privileges we should be ashamed to die when the end has come. I fear I have transgressed my twenty minutes, and you are all so good that I would like to go on a little longer; but I must leave room for my successor. I would end as I began with a hundred thousand welcomes to you. I think I saw a good many American faces a few minutes ago. Wc are beginning to know each other and will know each other better. I do not care for formal treaties. A treaty is no stronger than the interests of the people who are bound by it. But I do want this union of Christian hearts, and I might tay I was going to proclaim the banns between the two peoples. But I will not do that. We are united already, and whom God hath joined together let no man dare to put asunder. The Chairman : I have had the pleasure of introducing to you one Irish gentleman, our Editorial Secretary, Dr. Wright, I have now the pleasure of introducing to you another Irish gentle- man connected with us as our Home Secretary, the Kev. H. J. Macartney. The Eev. H. J. Macartney: Mr. Chairman, Brethren and Friends, Dr. Wright has spoken to you, I need not say in eloquent terms about our work. My department is to speak to you a few homely words about your own work. God help me. You soon, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and^riday, will be in the deep waters of Sunday school truth ; and be it mine just to bring you to the ocean fringe. And here let me say that your platform is just like ours. The Bible Society platform is open to all comers, provided only they love the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in the volume of revealed truth. And your platform is open to all comers provided they love the word of God and are ready to toil for the salvation of children. Yes, these are the two bonds between us, brethren and sisters of ihe Sunday School Union. You believe in the Lord and you believe in the book. You believe not only that the Bible was inspired but you believe that 10 World's Third the Bible ia inspired and the Spirit of Crod, if I may say so, is to bo found within tliese sacred pages, the Spirit of God being the power of God unto salvation to every one that believcth. Now I am hero simply to recite my creed and aa I said I do not want to bring you into the profound de])th3 of to-morrow and the days that follow, but into the waters near the shore. And first of all let mo in one sentence celebrate the praises of this book. " Whence but from heaven could meu unskiile to the Convention, tlieir names being Mr. and Mrs. Kundi-ll, Miss Tower, and Miss Reeves. The area of the Temple was reserved for delegates and representa- tives. Visitors were admitted to the galleries. The musical arrangements were under the direction of the London Sunday School Choir, the conductors on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday being respectively Mr. William Binns, 3Ir. Jonathan Rowley, and Mr. George Merritt, G.T.S.C., and the organists Mrs. M. Lay ton, F.R.C.O., Mr. "W. F. Freeman, and Mr. Horace G. Holmes. The anthems, hymns, and songs selected were given in the printed programme. At 10 o'clock precisely the first session commenced. Mr. A. B. McCrillis, of Rhode Island, rose and said : On behalf of the American delegates, and in the name of all the delegates in fact, I move that Mr. F. F. Belsey, Chairman of the Sunday School Union Council in London, aud ex-President of tliis Convention, shall act as our Chairman to-day in the place of our absent President, ]Mr. B. F. Jacobs. (Cheers.) All who are bo minded will manifest their approval by a show of hands, or by some other sign. Tlio motion was received with unanimous acclamation signified by hand-clapping, which was the accepted synonym for what is techni- cally called " clieers." That mode of exi^ressiug approbation and applause was adopted throughout the Convention proceedings. Mr. F. F. Belsey accepted the call to the Cliairmanship, and at once gave out the opening hymn — " Christ for the world we sinsr." Sunday School Oonvention. 23 Prayer was oifered by the Kev. Dr. John Monro Gibson, of London, who asked God's blessing on the Convention, on Snnday schools in every part of the world, and on the American nation in particular, at this time of war and tumult, so that the issue might bo for the advance- ment of the kingdom of God. Mr. Belsey's Adduess. The Chairman : My Lord and my dear friends, — I am very thankful that it is not for me at this stage of the proceedings to anticipate the duty which will be far more eiEciontly discharged a few minutes hence by the President of the Sunday School Union, the Marquis of Northampton, who will, upoa behalf of our Union, bid you all a most cordial welcome to this Convention ; but I may express the very sincere joy I feel at again meeting you all and finding myself once more at a World's Sunday School Convention, assembled in this, I may almost say, historic building, tlie City Temple. I am sorry that it devolves upon me to preside at the outset of this Convention. We all deeply regret the unavoidable absence of our President, Mr. B. F. Jacobs. We had hoped that he, with that electric fire which he seems to import into every Convention he attends, might have been here to guide us and to bless us with his presence. Circumstances, however, have prevented his coming over, and no doubt we shall presently receive the assurance, expressed in his own handwriting, of his sympathy with our work and his regret at his absence. I may perhaps be allowed to congratulate our dear friends, who have just accomplished a somewhat perilous voyage, upon their safe arrival. We are all delighted, clear American friends, to grasp your hands ; and while we almost envy you the glorious oppor- tunitiesof the ten days' travel for happyunionand conference concerning your work, we rejoice to know that you escaped the perils attending that voyage. Your enthusiasm, how warm it must have been ! The spontaneous combustion which caused the firing of that cargo of cotton stowed in the hold appeared to be only the outcome of a combustion that was going on, I have no doubt, in the saloon and the cabin. We are all very glad to welcome you amongst us, after you have faced all these perils of the deep. But we cannot forget another voyage on another vessel. The four memorial wreaths, hanging on the front of the platform to-day, and inscribed with the names of Mr. and Mrs. Kundell, Miss Tower, and Miss Eeeves, will remind you of the four delegates who intended to bo with us and who would have been here but for God's mysterious will. But to our great sorrow they fell victims to that terrible catastrophe, the sinking of the Bourgogne. We grieve at that sad event, but we rejoice to know that amidst the confusion and the excitement of that dread moment, their spirits sweetly passed to the great Convention above, there to be for ever at rest with their Lord. We cannot but acknowledge with profound sympathy the heavy blow which fell on their relatives and 24 WorlcVs TJilrd friends on tlic other side of the Atlantic ; and, with your consent, we propose to forward at once to those relatives a letter of condolence in this most piiinful bereavement. Apart from that sad incident, we assemble, I trust, in circumstances of gladness and of thankfulness. We are glad to meet one another. We are thankful to the great God who has not only guarded us and brought us here, but prospered our work since the First Convention which assembled within these walls. We all regret the absence of the President, Mr. Jacobs; but wo shall have, no doubt, in the course of our proceedings, one testimony after another to the unfailing presence of the Divine Spirit, for I know it is tlie secret earnest desire of every heart that, above all human presence, there may preside over this assembly the Holy Spirit of God, that lie into every heart may breathe His own thoughts, His own purposes, and that, as the outcome of this Convention, wo may presently distribute ourselves to our various fields of work with hearts inspired afresh, with fresh love enkindled, and with a liolier determination that the cause of the Sunday school shall henceforward be a cause dearer to our hearts, and one wo will promote by our utmost efforts. My duty for the present moment is simply to call for the EoU of the Delegates according to the countries, which will be read by Mr. James E. Liddiard, the Chairman of the Keception Sub-Committee, to whom I feel that we owe a tribute of gratitude, for he has given himself unremittingly to the work of preparation for this great assembly. Without his valuable services, I do not know where wo ehould have been. His services we shall never forget. THE KOLL CALL. Mr. James E. Liddiard (Chairman of the Reception Committee) : The delegation appears to consist of 2300. The largest delegation is from the United States, being about, as far as I can ascertain, 250. Will those of our friends who form part of the delegation from the United States kindly rise ? (Ladies and gentlemen in various parts of the area thereupon rose, and were received by the Convention with renewed cheers.) The Canadian delegation I make out to be about 20, so far as I can ascertain; it may be rather more. Will the Canadian friends kindly rise ? (The responding delegates rose, and were received with cheers.) From far-off India we have 17. Will our Indian friends also kindly rise? (They did so amidst cheers.) From Australasia, 16. (Cheers.) From the various countries of the Con- tinent of Europe there appears to be 70, i.e. from Sweden, Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium. (Cheers.) The delegation from liOudon seems to be about 300. Will our London friends please show themselves ? (A large number arose amidst much laughter and clapping of hands.) From the provinces of England the total number appears to be 1500. A good many of them have not put Sunday School Convention. 25 i n an appearance yet, as a considerable number arc travelling to-day. (Those present stood, and the Convention cheered them.) The Chairman : Now wo know who's who (laughter and cheers), it is with very great pleasure I call upon the Marquis of Northampton to give to you the hearty welcome we all through him desire to ofter. The Marquis is here as President of our Sunday School Union ; he also sustains the office of President of the Ragged School Union. (Cheers.) He fills the office of our President, not from any mere vain desire to add to his responsibilities, but because he loves the work in which we are engaged, and his whole heart is in it. (Cheers.) There- fore, I ask you to give him the welcome which we so gladly accord to a Christian nobleman. (Cheers, i,e. hand-clapping and waving of handkerchiefs,) ADDRESSES OP WELCOME. The Marquis of Northampton : Ladies and Gentlemen, friends of Sunday schools,— It is my pleasing duty to come amongst you to-day as President of the Sunday School Union ; glad to welcome those wiio have travelled so far to join in this Convention. Before I say more, I feel that I must add a few words to what has already fallen from Mr. Belsey, as regards the shadow that overhangs the Convention owing to the death of four delegates on their way to London. Wo feel that the earth is poorer and that heaven is richer. (Cheers.) "We feel wo can hardly sorrow ; but with their relatives, with their friends, and with those that are left behind, we can offer our deepest sympathy (applause), and pray that the only Comforter may console them. ("Amen.") We trust that they, in their sorrow, jnay be aware that prayers are being offered up during this week for those who mourn the loss of some who should have been in our midst. I only wish I had great eloquence in order to worthily discharge the duty that is imposed upon me ; but I feel that even the simplest words will be sufficient for those who have come amongst us. It is a hard task to put into language all the feelings we have in our hearts and minds, when our brothers come from north, south, east, and west, to unite with us in London in the furtherance of God's holiest work ; for Sunday schools mean so much work. One cannot realise how much Sunday schools mean, not only for the children — God bless them — but also for those who have passed through the schools, and have found their way to the uttermost parts of the earth. (Cheers.) Sunday schools mean much to those who had benefited by what they have learned there, and who have been enabled to win the race to the heavenly goal; but what strikes me most is how much the Sunday schools may mean to those who have floated away from religion into the whirlpools of sin, and of evil doing, and cf evil loving, and yet whose drift to perdition may be stopped by the recollection, the 26 World'a Third memory, or the teaching they have received in the Sunday school. Much Ims been done in the past in and by the Sunday school, but tho necessity for these institutions has not ceased ; it is a necessity ever increasinj?, for I fear it is an undoubted fact that, as wo extend our systems of national education, we unfortunately decrease, amongst liundrcds and thousands of homes, the responsibilities of the parents. Not tliat I am opposed in any way to the system of States under- taking the upbringing and training of children, far from it; for I believe it is the only system we can adopt. But at the same time we must acknowledge that many parents feel very little responsibility as regards their children. Therefore the Sunday School Union exists not only to supplement the religious training in the home, but actively to take the place of religious training in the home when it does not exist there. As Christians and Protestants we are met to point out the necessity of Sunday schools, to thank God for His past mercies, and to pray for renewed blessings upon all the work done therein. (Cheers.) The 2300 delegates represent about 2,500,000 teachers and 25,000,000 children. (Cheers.) The first thought that strikes me is that the jsroportion is the right one, for it gives ten children to each teacher, which is not an excessive charge, to which he has to devote jiersonal training, personal influence, and personal attachment, all of which are absolutely necessary for the children. The mottoes which appear on the face of the programme and on the delegates' cards are remarkably well chosen for this Convention. " With one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel " is an apt text, for we are united together for tbe cause we profess to serve; we are striving together, not severally, but as one great whole, to do our best on behalf of God's cause while we are in the world ; we are striving for the faith of the Gospel, believing that God will bless all our endeavours, and leaving it to Him to carry them out for the further- ance of the Gospel. (Cheers.) The one true and only way in which we can win the children to Him is by being united, and I am glad to think that here, at all events, all sectarianism is absent. (Loud cheers.) We are nnited on one platform, for one cause, with faith in Christ, and praying together that His children might be properly looked after and properly trained. Then comes the second motto — " Uniting, ingathering, upbuilding." We are united, for uuion is strength, and we require strength to combat the vice and the wickedness of the world, which are the devil's delights and (iod's sorrows: ingathering human souls into the great Church of Christ, which, praised be His name, is large enough and comprehensive enough for all (cheers ;) upbuilding the Kingdom of God, that glorious kingdom of the faithful which cannot be moved or shaken, and which will last through all eternity. Sucli are the objects of the Sunday school ; for those objects we are gathered together in tbis great Convention ; and to this Convention, in the name of tho Sunday School Union, and in Christ's name, I bid all fellow-workers from all parts of the world a hearty and affectionate welcome, (Loud cheers.) Sunday School Convention. 27 The Chairman : There is no more venerated worker in the Sunday Bchool than our dear friend Mr. Towers, who will now address you. (Cheers.) Mr. E. TowEEs (London). As Chairman of the Convention Committee in Loudon, I have been asked to express the pleasure with whicli we greet you on this inter- esting occasion. Coming as you do from many lauds, and identified as you are with various sections of the Christian Cluirch, we give you all a hearty welcome to tliis sea-girt isle. (Cheers.) We recognise you as representatives of the two millions and a half men and women engaged in this grand enterprise — as ofiScers of the great Sunday School Army in all quarters of the globe — otRcers truly, for liaving responded to the Master's call, you have received from Him the Koyal Commission, " Feed My Lambs," " Feed My Sheep." (Cheers.) We have learned much from these great assemblies in the past, and those of us who were privileged to be present at the World's Conventions in London in 1889 and at St. Louis in 1893 have pleasant memories of tiiose meetings, while the records of the proceedings furnish valuable information and stimulus to those who seek for guidance in Sunday school work. (Cheers). As the direct outcome of the last two Conven- tions, we see the providential hand of God in the appointment of special Sunday school missionaries for India and for Japan. (Cheers.) What special result will follow from this Convention, it is not for us to pre- dict, but that it will issue in some distinct advance in the history of the Sunday School Movement, we have not the slightest doubt. For, as it has been wisely remarked, " What is the use of a Convention, unless it develops into something beside talk ? " As one result of this Con- vention we would venture to hope that special thought may be given to the children of China, and that another consecrated servant of God shall be commissioned to organise Sunday schools, and to encour- age the missionaries to develop the movement among the native Christians in that densely peopled country, as this is now being done in India by our esteemed missionary, the Eev. Richard Burges, and is about to be carried out by our friend Mr. Ikehara in Japan. (Cheers.) In the course of this Convention we hope to obtain a general survey of the work the world over, and to make such suggestions as shall secure a wide extension of the Sunday school system. If some of the time should be taken up in considering the technique of the work, we trust that it will not be to the exclusion of the greater' verities. We do not wish that all our time should be occupied in the study of the machinery only. (Hear, hear.) It rests with Sunday school teachers now, more than ever it did in the past, to endeavour to maintain the religious character of the Lord's Day, the cycle craze to the contrary notwithstanding (cheers); to stand by the good old Book as the revelation of God to Man — its enemies to the contrary notwithstanding; and to teach the need of a Divine Saviour for 28 World's Third sinners — any creed to the contrary notwithstanding. (Cbeer.s.) Tho Day, the Book, and tho Teacher must continue to 1x5 tlio cliannels through which light and life shall stream into the hearts and lives of the young. (Cheers.) We regret that some who would have been with us from across tlio Atlantic have been prevented by tho calamitous war. (Hear, hear.) "Wo miss especially the genial presence and loving spirit of our dear friend IMr. B. F. Jacobs, who is without exception one of the foremost Sunday school men of this century. (Cheers.) It is a somewhat remarkable coincidence that in tho year 1862, at a general Sunday School Convention in London, when our esteemed friend the Rev. J. H. Vincent, now Bishop Vincent, was present as a delegate from America, he referred to what was then the hour of tlieir national peril. Thirty-six years have elapsed, and that country is once again in tlie throes of a war to right the wrong— (cheers) — and we would take this opportunity of ten- dering to our American brethren and sisters our sincere sympathy with them in their national trouble, and pray that there may be given to that great country a speedy issue out of the present turmoil and strife. (Cheers.) It has been my pleasure to visit America twice, and on each occasion I have been touched by the number of persons I have met, who in some way or other desired to link themselves with the Old Country. One had a brother, sister, or relative in England or Ireland, another whose father or grandfather came from some well- remembered town in Scotland ; and each of them were hoping that they miglit have the pleasure some day of visiting the homeland ; a pleasure which, I trust, some of you have now realised. (Cheers.) Tho ties of kinship between America and tliis land are very close, and our symi)athies naturally go out to our brethren across the sea ; surely such gatherings as these will help to cement more closely a true union of the English-speaking races. (Cheers.) In addition to tho largo delegation from the Metropolitan and Provincial Sunday School Unions, we are glad to have with us representatives from our distant colonies and from India, and some of the devoted Sunday school workers from the continent of Europe, to whom we hope the visit to this country will prove pleasant and profitable. (Hear, hear.) In welcoming you to this great metropolis, we do not forget that London has been described as wealthy, worldly, and wicked. I am afraid we must admit that, as a great city, this description is not far from the truth. But, at the same time, we claim that London is pre- eminently charitable and Cliristian. In proof of this we have only to look around upon the numerous hospitals, asylums, and churclies, and to point to the many societies that exist for the extension of our Lord's Kingdom. Several of these great missionary and religious societies are represented at this Convention, and we welcome these noble workers, among whom are to be found some of the grandest citizens, and the most distinguished Christian pioneers of the age. (Cheers.) But we are glad to remember, on such an occasion as this, that the Sunday School Convention. 29 Sunday school affords a field in which all may find a place ; and in this connection we are reminded of the message of the prophet Elisha, " Thus saith the Lord, make the valley full of ditches ; ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water." "We have yet many ditches to dig, and the humblest teacher among the many thousands in town and village can help, if it be but to remove a spadeful of earth, for the inflow of the Water of Life, and thus prepare the way of the Lord. (Cheers) Relying upon the conscious presence of the Divine Spirit in our midst, and with that fervent charity which will cause each to esteem another highly for his works' sake, we would enter upon this Sunday School Convention, with the assured belief that the results shall be for the furtherance of His Kingdom, for whose universal reign on earth we pray. (Cheers.) Again, in the name of the Convention Committee, I give you all a hearty welcome. (Cheers.) The Chairman : In the Roll Call I regret to find that an injustice was done to a small but most interesting colony, as we did not note the presence amongst us of five representatives from Newfoundland. If our friends will rise in their jjlaces, we will give them that kindly welcome which is worthy of that great colony of dogs and fisheries. (Laughter and cheers, amidst which the Newfoundland delegates rose and received a hearty recognition.) THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE. Mr. James Tillett (Secretary of the London Convention Com- mittee) : On behalf of the American delegation and by request of the delegates from other countries, I present to you the following list for membership of the Nomination Committee : — England— Edward Towers, T. J. Cox, Jas. Tillett, E. W. Gover. United States— Prof. H. M. Hamill, C. D. Meigs, E. K. Warren, C. N. Bentley. Canada — Rev. Aquila Lucas. Australasia — A. Jackson. Sweden — Augustus Palm. Mr. Lucas was elected Chairman and Prof. Hamill Secretary of the Committee. I move the adoption of this list. Mr. James E. Liddiard : I beg to second the proposal. The motion was agreed to. The Chairman : On behalf of the churches of the United Kingdom and Ireland, an address of welcome will now be given by one whose voice is very familiar on this side of the Atlantic, and whose name, I am sure, is known in every colony and in every American State. (Cheera.) 30 WorlcVs Third The Kcv. Dr. John Clifford. Mr. President ami dear friends, — I have the honour to convey to you the greetings and goal wishes of the National Couneil of the Free Evangelical Churches of England and Wales, of which Council I have the privilege of being President; and I may add that its api^earance in this Convention is altogether a new feature, this being the first time. The Council represents nearly 2,000,000 members of churches in England and Wales, over 3,000,000 Sunday school scholars, and 400,000 teachers. It is an organisation which has sprung into cxis.tence with remarkable rapidity, and it is remarkable for its solidity, for its strength, and for its capabilities and usefulness, as it is for the speed with which it has taken shape and taken hold of the heart and conscience and affections of this country. It is, I believe, the pioneer of work of this sort which will very speedily take form not only in our own Colonies, but also in the United States, and, I also think, throughout the length and breadth of the world. Perhaps it may be very wrong in us to express anything in the shape of congratulation or surprise at such a manifestation of Christian unity ; yet it is, in one aspect — we ought never to be divided. (Applause.) We are only just coming to realise the Master's word and approximating the realisation of the Master's idea. Therefore, while we are exceedingly grateful for this singular and glorious manifestation of our Christian unity among the Free Churches of ■ tliis country, we nevertheless take f o heart the fact that we have been so long in drawing towards Christ's ideal and realising the answer to His prayer. These churches consist of Friends or Quakers, of Methodists in all their varieties, of Independents in their two wings, of Congregationalists and Baptists, and of Presbyterians, and also of the Salvation Army. (Applause.) So you see that it is a most representative gathering ; and it is undertaking tasks of great enter- prise and moment, on behalf not simply of the churches themselves, but of the churches through their Sunday schools, for tliese churches look upon these Sunday school teachers as a most important arm of their service, regarding them as being in the true Apostolic succession, and maintain that they have entered into the heritage, the spiritual and indefeasible heritage of the great Apostle Peter, as he received the words from the Master — our Master still living, ascended, and speaking afresh to us this morning — "Feed My lambs; tend, feed My sheep." So that this Convention is a gathering of the utmost im- portance and the greatest significance. We rejoice in it, we are antici- pating great things from it. Our Sunday schools are the field where we have reaped nearly the whole of our harvests. (Cheers.) Five- sixths, certainly, of the grain gathered into the churches of Jesus Christ in this country have been reaped in the Sunday school. (Cheers.) One of the great ends designed by such an organisation as this is . Sunday School Convention. 31 that the Sunday schoul workers uf the woild should be brought to march in line, and that the best things you have in connection with the Sunday school work in the United States should become the property of Old England. (Cheers.) You, in America, are a long way ahead of ns in this, as in so many other things, and the United States may rejoice in that ; but we wish to recognise our responsibility to come into line with you and to keep step with 30U. We mean to. (Cheers.) In my journey through foreign lands I found that the Sunday school which showed the finest equipment of all and seemed to have the best trained teachers was a school I visited in Honolulu (cheers) ; but it was of American creation. (Laughter and cheers.) We want not only your American creative faculty to inspire us in England, but that tlie best organisation in the world should be adopted in Germany, Austria, and the whole of Europe ; and so our Svmday school work throughout the globe shall be increased in its efficiency, and thereby its service to the Kingdom of God abundantly extended. One of the things which, in travelling about this country, I have discovered to be specially needed is some continuous and thoroughly organised system of training teachers. Our churches believe that all the Lord's people are prophets, but they also hold that a prophet may be improved by training. (Laughter and cheers.) Prophets can be trained, and prophets can be improved by training. Even deacons and elders can be improved by training. (Laughter.) If so, why should there not be the possibility of those men and women, on whom the Spirit of the Lord has descended, organising such a system of continuous training of the young life of our churches as that they shall come into our Sunday school completely furnished for every good work that the Sunday school demands? (Cheers.) I heard last week that the millennium had come to Boston — not our Boston in Lincolnshire, where we do not expect such things (laughter) — I mean Boston in the United States. Now it is exceedingly undesirable that the millennium, when it does come, should come in patches. (Laiighter.) We want it all round (cheers), and to bring the millennium all round we must certainly devote ourselves most strenuously to the task of winning the young in our towns, cities, and villages to tiie Lord Jesus Christ, and so get them in their early years prepared for the work whicli it is possible for them to render in connection with the Kingdom of God. (Cheers.) On behalf, not only of the National Council of Free Evangelical Churches in England and Wales, but of the whole of the churches of this country, the Anglican Churches, as well as the Free Churches in Great Britain and in Ireland, for I am sure, notwithstanding our various differences, none can look upon a gathering of such importance and of such a character and calibre as this is without wishing for it the abundant blessing of Almighty God. (Cheers.) In the name, then, of these churches, and especially of the National Council of the Free Evangelical Churches, I most cordially welcome the Convention to this metropolis, and wish for it the crownmg blessing of God, so 32 World's Third that it may issue in reproductive benefits througliout the gciierations to come. (Cheers.) " Come, thou fount of every blessing," having becu sung, Tlio Chairman said : I shall now have the pleasure of calling upon fiic-nds from different parts of the world to rt-spond to the addresses of welcome to which we have all listened with so much delight. First of all, I invite the American (hdegatcs to respond, through the Kev . Dr. Spalding, of the United States of America. RESPONSES. The Chairman : May I ask you to give the salute in the proper form ? Now take your handkerchiefs in your right hand, just passing one corner round the finger. Now, one to be ready, two to be steady, three to give way. The United States. The Kev. Dr. Spalding. Dear old England ! the wide, wide world salutes thee 1 the imperla daughter among the nations sits at the feet of her Imperial mother at this moment. AVe are proud and happy to respond to the cordial and felicitous words and welcome which has been spoken to us and spoken to those who have come hero. This great metropolis lifts once again its gates very high to welcome this World's Sunday School Convention. The greeting of last evening by the City itself through the Lord Mayor and tlie Lady Mayoress, the hearty and affectionate greeting of the Marquis of Northampton, and the warm, tender, loving cordial greeting of Mr. Towers, and the hearty words of Dr. Clifford, have touched a very tender chord, especially in the hearts of the American delegation. "\Vo were told before we came that we would have to go very slow with reference to any suggestion, when wo were in our new aflSnities at this critical moment of history with our brethren of Gnat Britain. But our brethren go a great deal faster than we can ever think of going, and if we keep uj) to them we will ride on the wings of the wind and make the clouds our chariot. If it shall be that history shall ever bring about in any form the consummation of an Anglo-American alliance it will be not only a political movement in the spirit of commercial interests, and relations, and alliance, but it will be saturated with the spirit of universal evangelisation. And at least the heart of that evangelisation will be the Sunday school. For we have come to learn across the sea as you have come to learn on this side of the sea that evangelisation without education is evapora- tion ; that education without evangelisation is enervation ; that evangelisation and education together mean emancipation. Sunday School Convention. 33 I am satisfied as I want to bo, and I make the suggestion with all duo modesty from us as a Convention, that the century plant of history is the institution of the Sunday school. The century will close upon nothing which adorns it more than this one single institution. In an address a few days ago I heard a very significant collocation of names. I was impressed with them. There were five names which stood for so much, and altogether stood for so infinite a much. These names were Augustine, Luther, Carey, Kaikes, Gladstone. We are proud of the name of Raikes, and that it is placed in the category. I say it is a recognition of the relation which the Sunday school holds to all movements of great religious, and material, and social progress. One of our great senators, a sagacious statesman, a superb scholar, Charles Sumner, said, " If you would fortify the nation you must sanctify it. You must make it both citadel and temple." Why that was a sentence from Mr. Sumner's point of view which stands fittingly alongside the statement of your own great John Bright, that the institution of the Sunday school has done more for England's posterity than perhaps any other one institution. " The citadel and temple." Hold it up ! Look at it for a moment ! Let the light shine through it 1 What does it mean ? I see two figures standing this morning at the marriage altar. Who are they ? Holiness and humanity, arma- ment and altar, patriotism and piety, flag and Bible, We have come to see the relation of these great co-ordinates of history as we have never seen them before. We have been f.ir too much concentrated in the conception that the great supreme dominant thing was sacramental, sacerdotal if you please. But wo can know in the history of this movement as never before that the human Christ is abroad over the world and breathing into it His own holy flame. If we wore to look for a definition of history for the moment let it spring up at this Convention. I spring it at this great work. What is it ? It is time marching to the music and to the step of youth. That is what it is. There is something of the fire and the spirit of eternal youth. There is a picture with his lank form, scythe in hand, long beard, strident step, pursuing a little boy. And a little negro child was looking at the picture. His mother said : " You must close the book, for it is time to go to bed." Reluctantly he laid down the book. The first thing next morning he turned to the picture, and his clever little face lighted up with glee and gladness, and he said, *' He hasn't cotched him yet." If I understand the spirit of the noble words of the Marquis of Northampton this morning, they mean that we shall have no conception of anything that shall be a terror to childhood from which it shall flee except evil in every form, but that over the childhood of the world there shall brood the tender loving spirit of truth. There are three things— I hasten more than I would like — tLere are three things specially in connection with this Sunday school movement. There are Youth, Truth, Duty. And I believe these three things are the pillars of a great civilisation. Ynuth is the bread of D 34 World's Third history ; ywuth in tbu spirit of progress ; youth is the nursery of heaven : it is the breath of cternul youth which is upon the worhl. The next is Trutli. That eminent American hidy, Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer, says she went into a school a few weeks ago, and she fcjuud a depressed spirit there and could not comprehend it. She heard a little child sitting on the blwk of penalty weeping as though his heart would break. At a signal from the teacher two of the larger boys came and began to pull down the American flag which floated over the school building. Mrs. Palmer could stand it no longer, and said, "What does it mean?" The teacher said, " That little boy has told a lie, and the American flag cannot float over a building where a boy has told a lie." That is what our flag stands for ; that is what your flag stands for, truth. Then the final is peace. It has been in my heart, as I know it is in the hearts of this delegation, as I know it is Iq the heart of our great Christian world, that there might come out of this Convention one benediction that^ should guard the world. That is our prayer. It is our feeling altogether, and it is this benediction to the wide world. There is not a nation wc leave out ; there is not an island in the sea but we would touch it. "Wherever there is a human life let the benediction go. " The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his His face to shine upon thee ; the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." The Chairman : Chief among the most cordial feelings that recent events have proved to exist between the two great continents of England and America may perhaps well rank the warm loyalty that exists in that great Dominion of Canada, which has drawn them to us and has drawn us to them. We rejoice to welcome one of its most distinguished citizens here to-day in the person of the Hon. S. H. Blake, of Toronto, and he on behalf of Canada will respond to this address of welcome. Canada. The Hon. S. H. Blake (^Toronto). I thank you for the kindly words which you have addressed to the visitors from the frozen north. I think that we are so much one that almost the same delegate might answer for the northern and southern portions of the continent of America. And no people can feel greater regret this day at the absence of our beloved friend, Mr. B. F. Jacobs, than we Canadians do. I believe it is largely owing to overwork that he has not been able to be with us, and no man ever gave himself more freely to Canada than Mr. B. F. Jacobs. No convention with us seemed to be com- plete unless he or the late Mr. Eeynolds, our late field secretary, was present with us. Their names are inspirations, as are also these names that we see around this building — Charles Wesley, John Wesley, John Bunyan, George Whitfield — which have done as much for the old land as they have for the continent of America, names dear Sunday Scliool Convention. 35 to us, names beloved, names of men who have fallen in the Master's service, but who still live in our hearts and memories. And, Mr. Chairman, allow me on the jiart of the Canadian delegation to say that we mingle our tears with yours because of that event which we cannot sec clearly to-day, but which wo shall see hereafter, as having deprived us of four members of this Convention. We know, however, that underneath were the everlasting arms, and we know that the sea shall give up its dead, and though the poor frail body may be sunk God opened the sea gate of His heaven and gave them a glorious entrance. And, therefore, we sorrow not as those that are without hope. It is better. It is good for them to be there. And now, Mr. Chairman, it is suggested that the Englishman is cold and is distant and is repellant. We shall not take that character back to our homes. No warmer welcome could have been given than by that most appropriate one when they introduced us into the great workshop from which we borrow the only tool that we want — the Bible — in our work. It was most fitting that we should be brought to that book that never changes and that never need change, for it is the only book that furnishes the one remedy for the great world-wide desire. For we are all of one blood, and we all have the infection of sin and we must never forget. that our Blessed Lord in His parting words directed that they should teach that which "I have commanded.'' We never shall need a new weapon. We never shall need another sword. It is as ample to supply the needs of the nineteenth century as of the first, and of as many centuries more if the world should last. I thought what a splendid commentary upon our book was given yesterday when a friend said to me, " I want you to buy for one that is going to a certain examination some books of science." I said, " Haven't they got the books of science of seven or eight years ago when your child was at school ? " " Oh ! the books of science of seven years ago are useless to-day. You must get the new books of science if your child is to pass her examination." Thank God our book is always new. Verhum Domini manet. The word of the Lord remains ever new and ever old. We want no new book. We have no need for it. We know how amply it supplies all our needs and meets those of our children. And then what a warm welcome we have received even as the warm welcome was given, as the citizens of London held out their hand to us through the Lord Mayor of this great city yesterday. But, Mr. Chairman, how peculiarly pleasant it is to us this morning to be welcomed by those who are around — our fellow- workers of the churches of this great land. It is very grati- fying to us that this should have been given to us through Dr. Clifford, and through the representative of that great historical body, the greatest in the world, the House of Lords, through the Marquis of Northampton. I thank the Chairman for the kind words that he has spoken of the Dominion. We feel indeed as the children of the Queen, and we desire now to rise up and call our mother D 2 36 Woi'Ms Third blessed. For, indeed, there is nothing tiiat tlirilla mou more in the Conventions in the United States than tlio warm way that you welcome that great name throughout your groat land. "What is our motto to be ? Is it not " The children of the world for Christ ? " Is it not tliat we are to bring them into right relationship witli their God? For I maintain that no man and no woman cnn in the truest sense be in right relationship to the parent or in right relationship to the State until they arc in right relationship to God. If you have tliat, all is right. And we point to that other great name written on these walls, Oliver Cromwell. We want every child to bear away his molto, " Fear God and tlicn you have naught else to fear." If we can once get that reverent fear of God, all falls into the right and we become brave and true and honest and just. It is well that our State should undertake the education of our children. It is well tliat everyone should be given, as it is called, the three K's, reading, writing, and arithmetic ; but what we want them to have is the fourth R, religion instilled into tlie heart in order that they may know how rightly to use the education that is given by the State. Because we must bear in mind that if we give them tliat State education, and that alone, we are making them skilled, and we are training it may be for great evil. We are making it easier for them to work out what is wrong. Therefore, although we are here with our various thoughts, some believing in denominational teaching which I from my heart do not believe, and some believing in a little of the Bible and some in more, I believe we should all take our stand on the question. Is the teaching in the State schools to be Christian or is it to be non- Christian? It is not to be denominational teaching but simply the word of God taken as the great text-book, and the great object lesson presented every day to every child that there is a God, tliat He has given to us His Word, and that that Word of God gives light and gives life and gives strength. But with all our varied thoughts upon this, we are here met with the one thought whether the State does much or whether the State does little, God has opened to us a great door. God has given to lis great means, and God has given to us His Word, and He has given to us the thought that that Word feeds the soul, and while the body and while the mind may be otherwise taught that great real ever-existing portion, the soiil is not to be neglected. This is a great voluntary movement. The truth has been given, and our thought is that we must have this word — love, honour, respect, and pardon. I thank you for the hearty welcome, I thank you for the loving feeling. If there was naught else from these Conventions, it is enough that we are brought together, that we arc bound together, that we are united together, that Jesus Christ is uidiftcil as the central thoiiglit, and that we have been brought near to him. We are united in those bonds which never end. God bless and God help and God give great spiritual fruit from this Convention for Jesus Christ's sake, Amen. Sunday School Convention. 37 Australia. Tlie Chairman : Now we pass round to the very Antipodes, and we summon our Australian representative in the welcome person of Mr. Stocks, whose journey to the Conference of the Young Men's Christian Association has enabled him kindly to discharge the duty here of representing the Australian Colonies, Mr. Stocks ( Victoria). Christian Friends, — On behalf of Australia, with which are gathered many countries, speaking many languages, we thank you for jour hearty Christian welcome to those from the other side of the globe. Now in my country they are retiring to rest after the labours of the day; ours are beginning. I am glad that one from Australia is able to show himself to an English audience, because Englishmen and Britishers have somewhat strange ideas about Australia. I am glad to show that whatever we are internally we are not black externally. We are a country of much interest. The island of Australia is really a large continent. New Zealand and Tasmania, altogether forming Australasia, could just take in Europe. We also are a people of large ideas. I think, Sir, that that must run in the blood, because wo find our cousins across the Atlantic have also large ideas of themselves. Well, we in Australia have not only large ideas of ourselves, but we show by our acts that we deserve to have those ideas. Advance, Australia ! is our motto, and we do advance. Why, friends, many many years before such a thing was heard of in the British or American legislatures we had vote by ballot. We set them tiie example. They did well to follow it. Years ago we passed an Act legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister. I am glad to see the other day by the papers that our House of Lords has passed a motion for the second reading of the Bill kindly legalising the children of such marriages so that they can inherit landed property in England. Our Governor, Lord Brassey, and our late Orovernor of New South Wales, Lord Carrington, I am glad to say, were on the winning side. I forget the list of noble lords on that side, but I hope our honoured Marquis of Northampton was also on the right side, and we know that the right side is always our side. England looks upon London as the capital of the world. We look at Melbourne as the capital of Australia. Please don't tell New South Wales that, though, or else I may not be permitted safely to visit New South Wales when I return. Federation is in the air, and federation is our watchword in every cause that we consider for the benefit of the colonies. Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania have voted for federation. The others, we hope, will come in after- wards. Long ago — thirty years ago I think it is now — the three Presbyterian Churches united. We have no United Presbyterian 38 World's Third Church, no Frco Church, uo National Church— all are united— the Presbyterian Church and tlie Colony Victoria. Vigorous union is also to bo found in our Sabbath schools. We have our branch there of the Sunday School Union. We do what we can in what we call the bush, you call it the country. Persons take up the land for farms scores of miles perhaps from the centres of population, and there we find men and women who toil liard during the day gathering a few children about them in their own houses tiiere to teach the children the Word of Life. These are helped by us in every possible way by grants of books ; another way we help is by forming bush libraries. A small case of books is made up which is lent to one of these Bush Mission schools. After tlieso books liave been read they are returned, and another case is sent, the first case going to another centre ; and so we try to interest the children in religious literature as well as teaching them the truths of the Gospel. Mr. Towers thought fit to make an apology for London. Well, Dr. Clifford said that training improves persons — travelling also improves persons. If Mr. Towers were to visit Melbourne he would see that he had some need to apologise for the City of London. There our public houses by law are closed on the Sabbath day. No publican is allowed to sell any liquor excei^t to any one who proves that he has travelled ten miles or more on that day. Otherwise the bar is locked, and it is illegal to unlock that bar. So we do what we can to raise the population, raise their thoughts, raise their desires, teaching them that this is not their country, but that they must seek a better and a higher and a holier country. Therefore, on behalf of Australasia, I thank you again for the kind welcome that you have given to us. The very first person we met when we landed here from Melbourne was our Chairman. He kindly extended to us his hand of Christian welcome. And from other.-? since then we have found nothing but heartiest greetings and kimlly feelings. Therefore again, Christian friends, allow me to thank you, on behalf of Australia, for the welcome you have given us. Germany. The Chaiuman : I have now to call upon the representatives oi Europe, and first of all Professor Fetzer, of Germany, will say a few words to us. Professor Fetzer (^Germany). Mr. Chairman, President, and Fellow-Workers in the Sunday schools, — Hitherto all who have addressed us have been of one tongue, speaking chiefly the English language. I come to you as the representative of Germany to address you on behalf of the Sunday school work that has been carried on in Europe. It gives me great pleasure to attend this third World's Sunday School Sunday ScJipol Convention. 39 Convention, as I have had the honour and tlie pleasure to be present at the first which met in this room, and the second which met at St. Louis, as has been mentioned before, in 1893. The results of those Conventions, and the inspiration which all of those who attended them received from them, encouraged mc to come over here to attend this third Convention. And seeing the hearty welcome which wo have received, those of us who have come from far away, whether from Europe or from America, or from Australia, or India, or Japan, from that welcome I say I feel much more encouraged, and glad that I am here to speak to you, and to listen to what has been said to us during the sessions that may be held here through the next few days. Our work in Germany is in many respects widely different work from that which is carried on either in England or in America, owing to the fact that the religious condition and state of affairs is quite different from that in those countries I have just named. We therefore feel above everything else, that it is of great interest to us to come over here and learn from the friends that are far in advance of us in Sunday school work. I have had occasion to look into Sunday school work in the United States on different occasions, having spent there a number of years, and having visited it once or twice since I have been in Germany. And I always feel that the work there is quite in advance of anything that can be done or can be said of our work in Ger- many. One reason of this difference is, as I have already indicated, the difference of the State Church to the free churches, and the position that they take towards every undertaking that is entered upon by the free churches in furtherance of the cause of Sabbath school work. I might mention, without exaggeration at all, the various hindrances and the many obstacles that are put in the way of the small free church Sunday schools in different parts of Ger- many. They labour under difficulties in consequence of this of which you in England, much less those in the United States, have not the slightest idea. The children are gathered by our people into the Sunday schools here and there. Thank God, the Sunday school work is prospering. Sunday school work is increasing in spite of the obstacles and hindrances that are put in the way of the workers in the free churches. But it would prosper far more, and would spread out to a far greater degree in all parts of Germany, if there were not so many narrow-minded — I do not wish to say all of them, but some of tliem— narrow-minded State clergymen, who have the control of the public schools in their hands. They do a great deal to hinder the Sunday school work of the free churches. This is particularly true of Saxony, the land of Luther, but it is not only true there, it is true elsewhere, and we feel therefore that it is always necessary for us to come and receive something of an inspiration from you here at this gathering as it is assembled before us. Our work is carried on, inasmuch as we can do so, in about the same way that it is carried on elsewhere. The papers and maga- zines which we receive from England and America help us to get 40 World's Third an insight into the work as it is doiio in tlicse countries, and as far as it is possible wo try to adapt these ideas to the particular work of the Continent. We cannot accept all the ideas which are pre- sented to us in these papers, because not only of the difference of the language, but of the difference of the state of things, nevertheless, as far as we are able to appropriate them we do that gladly. Your magazines, as I have said, and your papers, have given us very much encouragement in many ways, and when wc arrived here to-day, as I may say, in larger numbers, I think, tlian nine years ago, we come here with the same purpose in view, to learn of those that have a greater experience in this work than we have, and we shall go back to our native countries to work among our people with the heart and a purpose of doing them more good, being encouraged by what we hear during the following days. ■yVe liave our Sunday School Union among the Dissenting churches that assembles every three years. There were not, I dare say, as large a gathering as there is here. There were only about forty or fifty of us ; but we were glad to see so many from different parts of Germany gathered there to consider the work of the Sunday school in. that land. What gladdened the heart of more than one person was the fact that, as the question was raised by one of those present, " How many of those that are now teachers, and at the head of Sunday schools, were converted during their stay in the Sunday schools, or as Sunday- school scholars ? " About one-half of them rose, and confessed that they had been converted while in the Sunday schools. And a further number rose when the question was put as to how many were converted before they were twenty-one, having, at the same time, come out of the Sunday school work. And I think there were two-thirds or more that rose and said : " We were all, directly or indirectly, the result of the work of the Sunday school." So you see. Christian friends and fellow-labourers, that our work in Germany is not in vain. We want to be encouraged by what we hear. We want to be stimu- lated by what we hear. We want to receive new ideas by what will be presented to us here during the following days, and we hope to go back encouraged and stimulated for the work that we are called upon to do. And we feel that if the Spirit of the Lord speaks. Ho has been asked to be with us this morning, and He will be with us during all our sessions ; all of us, from whatever region we may come, will go back saying, " The Lord has been with us. His Spirit has been resting upon us " ; and the work that is done will give a new impetus and a greater impulse to all the Sunday school workers in every part of the world. May God help us ! The Chairman : We have a distinguished representative of Germany here with us this morning, whose voice I know you will all like to hear. Those of us who remember the diplomatic circle at the Court of St. James's oome thirty years ago, will retain honourable recollections of the distinguished German ambassador of that time, Count Bernstorff. Wc arc very glad to have the Count Bernstorff of another generation aa Sunday School Convention. 41 ambassador of the Sunday school workers of Berlin at this Convention I will ask Count BernstorfF to address you. Count Bernstorff {Berlin). Dear Christian fellow-workers, — You must excuse me speaking. I only do it in obedience, as I am a kind of addition to the printed programme of this morning. But it is a great pleasure for me, as one who stands for tliirty-four years in Sunday school work, to address this great assembly of fellow-workers. And I am also very happy to give a testimony of gratitude to all the Sunday School Union has done for us in the years which lie behind us. Then let me express grati- tude for the reception which we met here, and which was also given to us last night. It makes always a great impression on us to see in the City of London, and by its first rejiresentative, such a testimony is given to this Sunday school work. Sunday school work was begun in Germany thirty-four years ago. The pastors were jealous of it, and especially the schoolmasters were jealous, because looking at the name Sunday school they thought it was in opposition to their work. They thought that it was their task to educate the young. But it was never the intention of the Sunday school to act as a substitute for the ordinary school. We know that the school alone cannot do everything for men, as they continue to be educated all through their life. There must also be one other instruction besides the influence of the school, and it is the influence of the Bible which is taught by the Sunday school. In some way the diiference between your country and the United States of America on one side and our country on the other has diminished, in so far as formerly here in England and also in America the Sunday school was necessary, because there were not so many public schools. I mean the public school system was not in such perfection as it is now. But since here in England the public schools have come to their present height, I think you will recognise that the Sunday school does not attempt, as it originally did, to take the place of the public schools- it supplements them. It is a place where the children are to be brought into contact with their Saviour. Now, we have not been able to give up the name of Sunday school, on account of that opposition against it on the part of the schoolmasters, because that name of Sunday school is one that is used in all the languages of the world, and I may say that the name of Sunday school is deeply rooted in the hearts of all those who have ever been connected with this work. We can never give up that name. But now I am happy to say that these prejudices have to a great extent vanished. It is diflicult for us to give exact statistics. I wanted to bring you data of our Sunday schools in the State churches, but it was not possible because we could not in the time given to us draw up exact figures. The data known to us are still the same which were mentioned in 1893 at the St. Louis Convention. But I 42 World's Third am convinced that the Sunday ecliool movement has increased since that time. And, speaking of the large city of Berlin, there is not one church without a Simday school connected with it. When the Sunday school movement began there were in Berlin only four children's services. In all the other churches there was nothing done for the children. Now there is not one church without a Sunday school, and in most parishes there are a great many more than one, because, besides tlie Sunday schools held in the churches, we have those con- ducted by the City missions and by other agents of home mission work. Therefore, we are fully convinced that this work will continue, and we trust that the Lord's blessing will ever attend it. Sweden. The Chairman : Wc shall now welcome another distant worker, Pastor Truve'. Pastor Tkute (^Sweden). Mr. Chairman, my Christian friends, — I am somewhat embarrassed to stand here before such a large audience as I have not spoken in your language for the last five years. I was presented as a Swede. That is true, but I have a mixture of American and English and Swedish in my frame. I was born in Sweden, and partly educated in an American University in that country. INIy first wife was an American, and my second wife was an English woman. (Much laughter.) I come here for three purposes, and I have three objects in view. The first thing is, Mr. Chairman, to thank you for all the benefits wc liave derived from the Sunday School Union in England. The Sunday School Union has helped us during the last twenty-five j'ears, helped us nobly and generously, and given us means to support some- times twenty missionaries, who travel north, south, east, and west in Sweden, and establish new Sunday schools. When I think of the work this Union has done in Sweden, I say it is not only Sunday school work, it is missionary work. Thousands have blessed God for having been brought under the influence of Christianity through this Sunday School Union. The second thing I wish to say is that I have come here to learn. Wc have adopted in the past many things from England and America with regard to Sunday school work, and we have come here as a deputation to gather fresh ideas from this Convention. I wish to express another thought before I leave, to tell you that we have had many great blessings during the last year, especially in our Simday school work. Whenever I have taken up my Swedish religious paper this winter, and looked into it, I have found that everywhere in Sweden, in Sunday school work, many have been converted. We have never had such a blessing in Sweden as lately. There has been a wonderful pouring out of the Holy Spirit, and God has blessed us greatly in our work. I hope you will not leave us Sunday School Convention. 43 when we need further help to continue our great work alone in that large country. I say large, because our poi^ulation is so scattered. I will not detain you longer. I am glad of the opportunity of saying a few words, and I thank you for the hearty welcome we have received as delegates from Sweden. India. The Chaieman : Perhaps no result of the Convention last hold in this building equalled in importance the mission of our dear friend, Dr. Phillips, as a Sunday school missionary to India ; but this morning we have one, who, I think, longer even than Dr. Phillips, and before his mission commenced, was identified with this noble work. And there is no memory in India more honoured in Sunday school work than that of Bishop Thoburn. I am glad to call upon him to say a few words on behalf of India. Bishop Thoburn (India). In responding on behalf of India to the kind words of welcome which have been extended to us, I think nothing could be more appropriate tlian for me in the iirst place to express our profound gratitude that India is represented here at all. And in this I probably express the feeling of many before me. When yon hear of what is popularly called a heathen country, you are not usually supposed to expect that anytliing could well come from it. India still ranks among the great heathen powers of the world, but there is a strong Christian element there, and I am very glad to say that India, including Malayia, is here this morning in the persons of the seven delegates, representing more than 5000 Sunday schools, and more than a quarter of a million Sunday-school scholars. "Well, this may not seem like a large working force, yet I think that when you come to consider your statistics you will find that the ratio of increase since the last meeting of this Convention has been greater in our country than in any other country represented here. Then you will bear in mind also that while our work as Christians is somewhat circumscribed, we speak on behalf not only of a great country, but of a great empire. With a single exception, India is the most populous empire on the face of the globe, and I am not sure that there is an exception. For China is falling to pieces rapidly. Now you must remember that we represent not only India proper but also the Malay Peninsula and the great islands beyond, including the Philippine Archipelago. Wiien you met at your last Convention there was no Protestant labourer admitted to that field. There is a Christian flag that waves at Manila this morning. Christian Sunday schools must soon be planted upon these rich and promising islands, and I think I give expression to the feelings of 40,000,000 or 50,000,000 of 44 World's Third people on the other side of the Atlantic wLeu I say that the flag which now protects the Christian preacher and teacher at Manila will wave as long as there is a Christian nation called America. (Loud applause.) In the last twenty-five years there has been a remarkable development of Sunday school work in India and Malayia. In the first place it has been discovered that the Sunday school has been peculiarly adapted to shield and command the children of our converts and the converts themselves. There was nothing new in discovering tiiat children would find the appropriate place for instruction and culture, in the best sense of the word, in the Sunday school, but the missionaries were a long while discovering that the great mass of their converts were practically but children in understanding, and that there was a most teacljable spirit among the young men and women of India and Malayia. So the Sunday school has incorporated in ils ranks a great many of these con- verts during the last five or ten years. There is another discovery, also of very great importance. It is this. The Sunday school in India, and I supi3oso it is true of China, is a powerful and most successful evangelising agency. In other words, we reach the adults through the children. If you come to any part of the great Indian field, you may find your Sunday school under a village tree, in a mission chapel, in one of the school buildings, or perhaps on some retired verandah. But wo have one thing. The children all learn to sing gospel hymns to native tunes. When these little folks, most of whom are boys, go up and down the village street and enter their homes, they are singing these blessed old hymns, some of them Moody and Sankey's translated, some put to tunes of their own. In the villages and in their homes they sing these songs, and so the villagers, the mothers especially, receive a privilege that they could not get in any other way. The mothers cannot join the village con- gregation as a rule, and are generally inaccessible to the missionary, But their ears are open to the songs of their children, and, as it has often been said, there is more doctrine sung to the people than ever is taught. Then we gather large numbers of these people into tlic Sunday school. The doorways and windows are usually filled with men who are called heathen. (Drop that word, brethren, so far as a great part of the people are concerned.) They listen very attentively to the lessons and to the addresses, and in that way it has been dis- covered that the Sunday scliool becomes a powerful evangelising agency. I was intensely interested when it was said that we were working for India and Japan and must do something for China. "When you come to hear the report from India you will see something of our wants. You must open your hearts. You must help us, and we will satisfy your minds tliat we need help. And now, as I take my seat, 1 wish to say that as God has blessed us hitherto, we are working not only in hojjo but in confidence. I have addressed Sunday schools in many places, sometimes iu marble Sunday Scliool Convention. 45 temples, sometimes under a village tree, but I have not yet addressed a Sunday school where I did not perceive that the children listened intently and with interest and with enthusiasm. There is no religious pessimism in the ranks of Sunday school children, any way. Then, in the next place, I am addressing a class of people who, for want of a different name, we popularly call Sunday school people, men and women, many of whom have long since ceased to be children, except in a gospel sense, who are interested in Sunday schools, who believe in them and who work in them and pray for them; for we see their fruits and we remember these Sunday schools have moved the peoples by millions. Take them as a class they are not pessimists; there is a hopeful belief in the Christian Churcli universal to-day. You will sympathise with me when I tell you I have the utmost confidence in a great future for Sunday school work in Southern Malayia and the islands below. My own belief is that many people who are here will see the day when these islands will report their Sunday school children by the million. I think I shall live to see it myself. May God bless you, and bless this cause in whicli you are enlisted, and hasten the day when all the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ that He may reign for ever! At the suggestion of Mr. A. B. McCrillis, Rhode Island, the American delegates rose in their places whilst the Eev. Dr. Spalding prayed that America might be made equal to and discharge worthily her new responsibilities created by the American Spanish war. South Africa. The Chairman : The American delegates only rose while the i^rayer was being offered, but I am sure that prayer rose from every heart in this room. We are with our American friends in that. Now, last but not least, we shall hear a voice from the city of diamonds. We have to hear from Mr. Richards, of Kimberley, South Africa, a few words of response to the welcome. Eev. W. H. Richards {Kimherley). Mr. Chairman, dear friends, and fellow-workers, — On behalf of the Sunday school teachers of South Africa, I thank you heartily for the greetings given by you to us yesterday and tLis morning. And I feel quite sure, when I return to my distant home at the end of the year, and give my fellow Sunday school workers there my present impressions of these great meetings, that it will greatly inspire and encourage them, and send them on their great work with intensified earnestness in their endeavour to teach the children the knowledge of Christ. We have been reminded this morning that America is ahead of England, but that England is trying to catch America up. I am afraid I must admit that South Africa is behind England, but I can assure you we are trying to catch you up, and we mean, if possible, 46 World's Third to got into lino witli you in regard to Sunday school work. Our schools arc not largo ; wo could not point in South Africa to any- tliing like what I saw last week in a SoniersotBhiro village. Tlicrc I saw a splendidly equipped Sunday school, and the pupils of the school comprised one-third of the whole population of the village. The ages ranged from about three years old to ahout seventy. They had Sunday scliool scholars there of all ages. "We cannot point to anything like that in South Africa, I am sorry to say. We cannot get our adults to remain in the Sunday schools, except a few of them perhaps in the Bible classes. And then our juvenile popuUition is conii)aratively small. But then, sir, we are a growing country, and that, with many other things, no doubt will improve. "We are trying to improve our metliods of teaching. Eeference has been made tliis morning to the necessity of giving more facilities for training Sunday school teachers. AVe are recognising that, and considering how we can help the Sunday-school teachers in tliid matter. We recognise the supreme importance of training, if (lie teachers are in earnest and love the children ; but wo hold that the more earnest the Sunday-school teacher is, the more he will welcome anything tl»at may enable him to make that work more efhcient; and we believe tiiat training, not only in Bible knowledge, which is, of course, supremely important, but also systematic training in the art of imparting that knowledge, or the art of teaching, is scarcely less important. We believe that this would greatly help our Sunday school teachers to do a more efficient work than at present. And we are considering whether we can introduce some system of giving to our teachers this training which they and we feel they need. I suppose we sliould all agree that Sunday school work was never more important, never more needed than at the present time, and I think T may say with truth that there can be no place in the world where Sunday school work is needed more than it is in Soutli Africa, and that for two or three reasons which I can give you briefly. In the first place, speaking generally, we have not there, I am sorry to say, the same home influence and the same Christian homo religion which you have here. It is true I met in the pages of one well-known novelist of to-day recently this sentence, that England is the most unfamily country in Europe. Alas for England if this be true, but I for one do not believe it. England must be altered very much in seven years if that statement is true. But out there we do feel a great deal the want of home influence and religion. Whether it is the beautiful climate, or the outdoor life, or the unsettled character of population, I do not know, but we feel there is little home influence and consequently home religious influence. Then the education in our public schools is entirely secular. There is not even a prayer oflered in connection with the day-school. There is no reading even of the Bible, and I know tliat many good and earnest people think it is better that that slioidd be so, and I am not going to enter upon that question. But I say that if there is very little religious influence in the home, and Sunday School Convention. 47 no Bible teaching in the school, it throws an immense resjionsibility on the Church of Christ. And wo feel that the only way in which wc can meet the responsibility is to take up the work of the Sunday school, and to try and carry it on not only more earnestly, but witli a greater degree of consecrated enterprise and of common sense, and that is just what we are trying to do. And, brothers, I appeal to you to-day and ask you to give us your sympathy and your prayers in this work. We feel grateful to the Sunday school teachers of England — because wo are feeling to-day in South Africa the influence of their work here. We feel the influence and a great many other things from England wc do not want to feel, but I thank God because we feel the influence of the worlc of the Sunday scliool teachers, and tliat we do want to feel; and it will encourage us to feel more than we realised before that we are part of a great world-wide organisation and work, and that we are one with you in our prayers and in our endeavours, by means of Sunday school work, to win the whole world fur God. Eeport of Nominations Committee. Professor Hamill, Secretary of the Nominations Committee, moved the adoption of the Eeport of the Committee, which recommended that the following appointments should be made : — President of the Convention, Mr. E. Towers (London). Vice-Presidents : England — The Marquis of Northampton, London ; F. F. Belsey, London. Scotland — Sir John Cuthbertson. Canada — Hon. S. H. Blake, Ontario. United States — W. N. Hartshorn, Massachusetts ; J. J. Bell, Minne- sota ; N. B. Broughton, North Carolina. Mexico — Eev. H. W. Brown, City of Mexico. Germany — Count A. Von Bernstorft'. Sweden — Wilhelm Carlson, Stockholm. India — Bishop J. M. Thoburn. Australasia — G. M. Hitchcock, Geelong, Victoria. Chief Secretary — W. J. Semelroth, United States. Eecording Secretaries — E. Eobertsou, Canada ; E. Norris, England ; A. Crawford, Scotland. Statistical Secretaries — J. B. Greene, United States; James Tillett, England. Executive Committee. Chairman — Edward Towers, Loudon. England — Charles Waters, London ; James Tillett, London ; Kev. Kobert CuUey, London ; Eev. Danzy Sheen, Leeds. United States — B. F. Jacobs, Illinois ; Hon. John Wanamaker, 48 World's Third Pennsylvania; A. B. McCrillis, Rhode iBland; E. K. Warren, Michigan. Canada — S. P. Leet, Quebec. Japan — T. C. Ikehara, Tokio. Sweden — Augustus Palm, Stockhfilm. Australasia — Archibald Jackson, IMelbournc. Choice of members from Germany, Italy, France, and South Africa, was remitted to the new Executive Committee. The motion was seconded, and was agreed to unanimously. The Chairman : And now, Mr. Towers, Mr. President elect, may I, on behalf of this Convention, assure you of tlie joy with which we seo you assume duties of great importance, which wo know in your hands ■will be most ably discharged ? Mr. Towers : Dear friends, I will not keep you now. My heart is too full to speak, and I can scarcely yet say I have made up my mind on this question, but I thank you very sincerely fuv tlie honour you wish t(j confer upon me. The hymn, "We love Thco, Lord, yet nfit alone," having been sung, The llev. A. Knaggs pronouuced the Benediction, and the session ended. Sunday School Convention. 4& FIKST DAY.— SECOND SESSION. Tuesday Afternoon, July 12tu. THE AVOKK EEPORTED. The second session was held at the City Temple on Tuesday after- noon, the business portion of the meeting being i^receded by a service of song. The President of the Convention (Mr. E. Towers) took the chair. After the singing of the hymn : " Stand up, stand up for Jesus," the Rev. H. B. Macartney, B.A., oiiered prayer. The President: The Eev. Dr. Potts, of Canada, will move a resolution. The Kev. John Potts: To many of us in this Convention from the United States, Canada, and British North America, it is a very sad thing that we meet^without the person of our ex-president, Mr. B. F. Jacobs, of Chicago, and I rise to move the following reso- lution, which will be seconded by the " Honourable " F. F. Belsey, of England; — "That a message be cabled to our absent ex-president, Mr. B. F. Jacobs — 'Much missed. Convention gratefully remembers past splendid service.' " Mr. F. F. Belsey: On behalf of the English and European delegates, I second the motion. I know our dear friend and brother, Mr. Jacobs, is regretting his absence as much as we are. If these words be cabled to him, they may do something to console him, and also relieve us somewhat of the feeling of disapijointment at his absence. I have been referred to as the " Honourable," but I must disclaim any right to that title. When addressed similarly by my American friends, I always say, '• Well, I should like to know where the family estates are ! " (laughter.). As a plain layman, therefore, I beg to second that resolution. The motion was then put to the meeting, and carried with accla- mation. The Eev. Aquila Lucas (New Brunswick, Canada) then read the names of the Executive Committee which were appointed at the morning session. The PRESipEjrr mov^d that this be adopted, and it was agreed to. 60 World's Third The members for Germany, Italy, France, and South Africa would bo elected on the Committei; in duo time. The members already elected would act as corresponding secretaries of their respective portions of the world-wide field. COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS. The Pkesident : It is desirable that any matter which may arise of importance should not be considered iu the full Convention, but that it should be referred to the Committee of Resolutions, for them to bring the matter forward, and the Committee has buen chosen as repre- sentative as possible, so as to command the respect of the entire Convention. The names are as follows : — For U. !S. A. For England, Ireland, and Wales For Scotland . For Canada For Australasia For Germany . For Sweden For Iiidia . For Japan . For Mexico Mr. Israel P. Black. Mr. BiiiSTOw. Mr. N. B. BiiOUGiiTON. Dr. M. C. Hazard. Mr. Pepper. Mr. F. F. Belsey. Mr. LiDDIARD. Eev. Robert Culley. Rev. Danzy Sheen. Mr. E. NoREis. Mr. PUEVER. Mr. Parlake. Hon. S. H. Blake. Rev. Dr. Potts. Mr. Stocks. Prof. Fetzer. Pastor Tkuve. Rev. A. Jewson. Mr. T. C. Ikeiiara. Rev. H. W. Brown. TuE President: I will now call upon Mr. J. T. Holmes to give his paper on The Progress of Sunday School Work on the Continent of Europe. Sunday School Convention, 51 THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE. Mr. J. T. Holmes (Hon. Sec. Sunday School Union Continental Mission) : It is not my intention to give in the few minutes allotted to me a history of Sunday school woi k that has been well done by others in various sections, and thererefore without introduction I address myself at once to the main topic I desire to bring before you, viz : The Extension of the Movement. Beginnings are important, but we are not now at the start, we have come along the road of this labour of love for some thirty years, and rejoice that to-day we see it steadily progressing, and with God's blessing not only increasing numerically, but in usefulness, and attended by a spiritual prosperity. Unfortunately all our Continental friends have not responded as promptly with regard to statistics as we could have wished, and our figures are by no means complete for a comparison with those gathered in 1893, but such as we have show a steady increase. I quote a few examples omitting odd figures 1893. 1898. Denmark (scholars in) . Holland „ Italy „ Portugal „ Spain ,, Sweden „ 55,000 11,300 11,000 1,066 3,200 242,000 71,000 11,800 15,700 1,419 4,200 252,000 and I believe that when the totals come to be made up the increase will be found a substantial one. It, is also a pleasure to be able to record that the teachers and workers are appreciating Sunday school unions. I do not mean ours, but their own unions, — not perhaps on our lines, we do not expect that, — but they are realising that union is strength. Sweden has within the last few years consolidated her scattered forces and formed one union for the whole country. Norway works from two centres, but it is hoped that at an early date these will become one. The Italian committee meeting in Kome is working quietly and prosperously, uniting all sections of the Church in a splendid way of its own. I am glad also to know from the reports sent me that Sunday school literature both for teachers and scholars is increasing in circu- lation, and certainly some of the specimen magazines sent me do great credit to those who prepare them. So far I rejoice in these facts. e 2 52 World's Third I should like also to bear testimony to the very efficient and grateful help given to Sunday sckools by members of the Young Men's Christian Association. Quite recently has it been reported to us that in Bohemia they supply the best teachers, and I was informed when in Brussels that Simday school work in some cases would scarcely be possible but for such aid. In England wo know it is difficult to find teachers, but it must bo much more so in countries wheie the aims of the Sunday school are less perfectly understood, and where the confirmation age severs the connection of tho senior scholars — the future teachers — from the schools, but we are hopeful that this will be overcome as intelligence advances. But much as there may be to cheer us both in the excellent reports we receive from our missionaries and from the indei^endent testimony of friends, we ought not to neglect reviewing our work from time to time. The law of progress is the law of life, and the Continental mission work of the Sunday school has not yet reached that stage when the motto can be adoi)ted of " Rest and be thankful." I am glad, therefore, at this Convention to speak in the presence of not only my own countrymen, but of many peoples, and say that the problem of evangelising Europe is the world's great problem to-day. I say let it begin with the children. What a better world this would be if the heart of the great European nations were moved and quickened by the gospel of Jesus Christ. And so I appeal to my American brethren, and say let us join hands more closely than ever before in this holy crusade for the spread of the Gospel through the Sunday school. This is not a task set England alone, it concerns America as well — does not America realise just now the nearness of Europe in Cuba — does it not realise the nearness when the hundreds of thousands come to her shores from European lands seeking work and bread ? The cost of an ironclad annually would be money well and econo- mically spent in evangelistic work among the children. The work is truly international, and while both England and America have ever been to the forefront in carrying on Sunday school work, each in their own country — each for their own good — it would be selfish and cowardly now to say that having given our brtthien on the Continent a hint or idea, we must leave them to carry it out. That which has been done is but the starting-point fur fresh eflbrts and more organized labour, but it needs a very considerable increase of enthusiasm and support if it is to go forward. All honour to the many societies who have done tlieir little in carrying light to the dark places of Europe, but tho Church of Christ has never yet seriously set to work to carry the message of the Gospel to them. I have no formulated schcnTC to suggest to you as to how in- creased sympathy e:in be excited for Europe — it is enough for me to know that my near neighbours want broad, to move rae with compast Sunday School Convention. 53 sion towards them. But I will venture to point out one method by which I firmly believe a great evangelistic wave might carry this Sunday school work forward, and while I intend no disrespect to any churches, I say it seems hopeless in many cases to wait for churches establishing Sunday schools ; rather does it happen that churches grow out of Sunday schools. As an illustration of what I mean, I would point to that grand work in Paris known as the McAll Mission. At Dortmund, Germany, I have just heard of a mission school carried on with an attendance of 180 children — not attached to any church. Pastor Lecoat in Brittany is doing a similar mission work with Sunday schools supplying his services. Seuor Albricias at Alicante in Spain is a schoolmaster doing his little with his day pupils, and such others as he can gather in. There are many similar mission agencies I know up and down the Continent, but they need multiplying very largely indeed. These mission schools are less liable to persecution than an organized Church. I do not say they will escape; but the school will present a smaller target for her shafts, and the forbiddJDg and threateuings of priests, State clergy and schoolmasters will be un- heeded if the children can be gathered into comfortable halls or rooms and made happy. All this will cost much money and labour. The Sunday School Union has never yet attempted work of this kind. We have never sent contributions for the support of any one Sunday school ; but I incline to the opinion that it is worth doing if the work cannot be extended by other means. Our own grand Eagged School Union is another example of what I mean — the work was not the outcome of the churches as such — but it did and does still supply a great want. And Sunday schools can, I believe, be multiplied, and Europe blessed if those who have the means will supply them. The work must be aggressive, not in a i^olemical sense. Happily children need not be asked to listen to things doubtful when there are so many certainties ; but the opportunities for hearing must be multiplied in the dark corners of the great cities, it must go forward. The Continental Committee recently addressed a number of ques- tions to the secretaries of Continental Unions, and among them were these — (1.) Do you consider the work of a missionary agent the best method of extending Sunday school work ? and (2.) Can you make any suggestion by which the movement could be more efficiently helped, either in place of or in addition to the present plan ? To the first of these two questions the reply of our Union is typical of others, and I will give it in the words sent me. " I cannot but give an affirmative reply to this question. Our mis* Bionary is not only the living bond between our Sunday schools, but 54 World's Tldrd by his continual journeys through our country, by his many years of experience, he becomes acquainted with numerous people, and circum- stances of which he profits for the extension of Sunday school work. Ho is constantly in places y/here there are uo schools, and where teachers are not to be found lie is seeking elsewhere in the neighbour- hood to obtain them, and is often pleading the interests of those ill- favoured places and doing his utmost to obtain volunteers, and has already been able to start a number of Sunday schools." That ifl a good answer, and shows good work as far as it goes, but look at the answer to the second question. •• It is the want of money which prevents our doing more than is already done. The workers in the Sunday school arc not to be found among the rich and noble of our country. Repeatedly demands for support are coming to us, demands for assistance in hire of schools, travelling expenses for teachers, who are willing to give their time and strength, but tlieylack the means to make the necessary journeys. Unhappily our Union is not able to provide means. There is more work than money. Work enough for the missionaries." Part of a reply from another union to the same question says — " Constant applications come for an increase in the supply of lesson leaflets, Bible pictures, reward tickets, maps, and the like, which, at present, we are altogether unable to satisfy." Thus it will be at once seen that we have two tasks before us, not only to maintain the work which has been commenced, to foster and encourage it in every possible way, remembering that most of the Protestant Churches are small in numbers and not often very flourish- ing in means, but where, as I have already said, the strong desire that it shall go forward and be a greater blessing to the young of every land is strongly felt. In my opinion, it is the duty of the Church of Christ to take up tliis mission work as much as any other mission work, and to support it witli some fair share of its contributions for mission purposes. Both England and America have nearly 100 years start in front of the Protestant Cliurches in Europe with the Sunday school question, and if it is the duty of the strong to help the weak, it is our duty to try and bring about in otlier lands the like blessed results which have attended the work in tliese two countries. The Saviour's commission to feed His lambs, as I read it, was not in any way limited to those in the country where we happen to live, rather I say, in the words of the bairns' hymn : "I long for the joy of that glorious time, The sweetest and brightest and best, When the dear little children of every clinic Shall crowd to His arms and be blest." Sunday School Convention. 65 THE EEPORT OF THE FOREIGN SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. TheEev. H. C. Woodruff (of the Foreign Association of the United States) then read the following paper : — When our Lord had completed the work of feeding the five thousand Ho commanded His disciples to gather up the fragments. When the gathering was finished it was found that there were twelve baskets full. The fragments were the same in kind as the original loaves and fishes with whicli the miracle was begun, and they were vastly more in amount. The experience conveys a hint of the existence of fragments of Christian spiritual life ; the same in kind as tliat which is organised in great centres, and more perhaps in the aggregate amount than the more prominent bodies. Indeed, the truth which is thus illustrated is deeper than the illustration. For this is not a question of loaves but of life — of spiritual life. Each fragment is a spiritual germ possessing all the vital possibility of the central organism, and having the power of assimilation, of growth, and of reproduction. But, for develop- ment and fruit bearing, a germ needs favourable environment, and many of these fragments are in an environment as unfriendly to fruitful development as were the grains of wheat which were wrapped in the cerements of an Egyptian mummy. The true life of faith in Christ is present ; but it is devoid of experience or example which should incite or direct to Christian work. It is surrounded by in- difference or active hostility which would hinder or even deter its inauguration. It is often destitute of efficient equijiment for the per- formance of the most primary tasks. Whatever may be the deficiencies of Christian life in America, there can be no doubt that in certain lines of lay co-operation in aggressive activity it is exceptionally well developed. This is par excellence the contribution which we can make to that aggregate of Christian life which is the common heritage of the Church and of right belongs alike to all ; and we can hardly confer a better gift on the Church in our day and generation than to provide and diffuse an environment which shall be favourable to the development of these fragments and germs of spiritual life which are so widely disseminated, and either lie dormant or are germinating under circumstances of immense difficulty. For without this fostering care, or without the results which it is sought to attain by it, the Christian life of the individual or of the Church will be devoid of that complete happiness, usefulness, peace, power, and fruitfulness which it is the aim and purpose of the Master it should attain. Any one who can engage and direct an inert Christian in intelligent, pro- gressive, successful work for the Master for which he is fitted, or can become so, has conferred a blessing on that worker and imparted a new force to the agencies of the Kingdom. He has increased the 56 World's TJiird glory of tlio Master and made possible a progress 'wliicli is otherwiao unattainable. Life without exercise is as little apt to bo wholesome as spiritual life without work. Both the helper and the helped are assisted by that which makes work possible. All are alike blessed by the reflex influence of the work performed — the worker hardly less than the individual for whom it was wrought. If now we may leave the figurative and come to the literal, it was the conviction that there were many Christians who were unengaged in Christian work, that they were meant to be at work, that they would be benefited by work, and that the work would not be done unless they took their share in it ; that laid the foundation of the Foreign Sunday School Association. It is to reach even germs of life and provide an environment which will make their work tolerable, possible, and off'ective, which is its aim. I should Ije very sorry if the introduction tlius far should create any impression that our work is, or is intended to be, fragmentary in its nature. It has, both in purpose and practice, been carried on very largely with individual schools and workers. If on that account it seems to any one fragmentary, the foregoing considerations may pre- vent tliat feature from becoming a stumbling block. It is from the life thus fostered that we hope the organisation may grow, which hope has been verified. And work with individual schools may surely claim a sanction from a commission which bids its messengers carry the Gospel to every creature. Please, however, disabuse your minds of any impression that our work is in nature or practice fragmentary and unorganised. It would be too long a tale to enumerate tho different eflbrts which have been made in diff'erent countries. I must content myself with a bird's-eye view of our organisation and its metliods. Its working agency is a body of ladies and gentlemen who are banded together for the purpose of establishing and aiding Sunday schools in foreign countries. Our method, to describe it briefly, is to obtain the address of any actual or potential Sunday school worker and engage with him (it is quite likely to be her) in correspondence. A circular, descriptive of a simple but efiicient method of Sunday school organisation and conduct, is sent, and with it a letter full of warm sympathetic Christian enquiry as to tlie possibilities and difficulties of his environment. A correspondence is thus inaugurated which enables us to communicate the results of exiicrience in our more approved methods, and to assist a worker by suggestions, encouragement, and needed aid in making his work more efficient. Deep and lasting personal friendship has been the result of this interchange of letters, prolonged often through many years. Our work is done chiefly by correspondence, and, as we are a voluntary society, no one of tlie officers or members receiving any salary, the economy of our methods and their capability of indefinite expansion without material increase of administrative expenses are at once manifest. Our postage bill is not unnaturally very large. So Sunday School Convention, 57 much for tho discovery of the germ, now as to the provision of an environment. The first element is tho sympathy and fellowship conveyed in the correspondence itself. The letters we receive express surprise and delight at tho fact that Christian friends so far away should know of and care for the workers and their work. Earnest requests that we should remember them and their charges at the throne of the Heavenly Father occupy a prominent place among expressions of grateful appreciation of our work in tlie letters we receive from our corresiwndents. One almost universal feature of the dif3Sculties which confront Sunday school work in the countries under consideration is the dearth, amounting in many instances to almost utter lack, of suitable religious reading matter for children. We are not a publishing society ; but this need was so serious that we felt compelled to attempt a remedy. The want has been felt from the outset, and, though in some countries alleviated, it still confronts us. To meet it we have published or subsidised or supplied gratuitous subscriptions to illustrated Sunday scliool papers for children in six languages. In one country the paper has passed into the stage of self-support, and has become, I believe, a source of revenue for Sunday school extension. Elsewhere the papers depend to a greater or less extent upon us for support. The papers thus described are abundantly recognised in our letters as useful in the highest degree. They attract children to the school, and foster regular and prompt attendance. When carried to iheir homes they are read by parents and neighbours, who are often unreached or inaccessible by other agencies. We have felt compelled, alas, during the past years of commercial depression to reduce the number of papers with which we have been assisting our correspondents, and piteous are the letters we receive describing the eflect of this retrenchment upon their work. With sorrowful hearts do the children receive the tidings that there are no papers for them. Earnest are the desires expressed that at the earliest moment we may restore the work to the previous scale, and pathetic are the contributions which some send out of their poverty to secure the paper and aid us in our work. By the kind and interested helpfulness of a lady in Brooklyn, we have also been enabled during the past thirty years to publish transla- tions of standard library books in numerous languages. These books are intended to aid in furnishing libraries in difi'erent countries touched by our correspondence ; and a glance at the history of their publication will supply some idea both of the extent and the progress of our work. Tlieir usefulness has been abundantly recognised, their reading having been repeatedly instrumental in the conversion of souls, and in a number of instances the books constitute about all the library the schools have. The first book we translated was ' Christie's Old Organ,' which was so abundantly welcomed and blessed that it appealed to the benefactress mentioned, and was adopted by her for fi8 WorlcVs Third further puljlioaliou, auil gave its name to tlic fuml wliich she has kindly cslabllBhcd for tiiis i^hrasc of the work. The first issue was soon followed by au edition in modern Greek, and that in turn by editions in Japan, Syria, Germany, Portugal, Bulgaria, India, Mada- gascar, and Egypt ; while two editions, one in French and one in Flemish, have been published in Belgium, and two editions each in Hungary, Bohemia, Ceylon, and Spain. This work was so successful that it was decided to publish another book, and ' Saved at Sea ' was selected for that purpose. This has been published in Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, India, France, Japan, Oeylon, Belgium, and Egypt, with two editions in Italy. ' Angel's Ohrifitmas ' has been issued in nine languages, ' Sweet Story of Old ' in three, and is being issued in another in Syria, while 'Pilgrim Sticet,' ' Little Faith,' 'Alone in London,' and ' Lost Gip'have been published in from one to three languages each. To proceed from these principles and raetliods of our Society into any adequate presentation of the details of their application in practice would involve an immense elaboration of particulars which would far outrun my space and your patience. It would include Ihe history of indifference and opposition overcome, of information imparted and experiment urged until experiment blossomed into experience and bore fruit in conviction. It would be the story of obstacles yielding to patient and enthusiastic persistency rmtil a success and efiiciency has been attained which at first was deemed hardly conceivable. It would contain the humble testimony of many a soul which started out saying, " Who is sufScieut for these things'? " and learned the possiliilities and tasted the sweet reward of work for the Master. It would include the story of at least one who pooh-poohed the work at first, but became its enthusiastic advocate and representative. It would be tlie record of progressive organisation made possible by the enlisting and fostering of the elements from which it could grow. It would also tell of the nurture of work which, while efficient and faithful, has not yet reached the stage or the status which makes more advanced organisation at present practicable. It might also mention work cherished, which through imperfection of development or want of means, local or mis- sionary organisations might have overlooked. We have no desire to vaunt ourselves, or boast beyond our measure ; but, while recognising to the full all the work of others, I presume the statement might be hazarded, that if tlic history of a great deal of the work which is reported at this convention outside of England and English-speaking countries were thoroughly traced, it would reveal in some stage the counsel and co-operation of the founder of our Association, or of the organisation he has formed. Our work, while, as is evident, possessed of certain well-defined features, and far from disconnected scrappiness, is characterised within those limits by that llexibility which marks the very institution whoso extension we seek. Wc have done a work which has a distinctively Sunday School Convention. 59 pioneer character, vindicating the adaptation of onr methods for fields whicli, for one reason or another, societies liave not thought the time ripe to enter. For years we have been aiding Sunday school work and workers in Spain, Portugal and Japan by the publication of a " Child's Illustrated Sunday School Paper " which has reached a circulation of thousands, and a weil-sustained correspondence, or both. You will have observed that our goal is the increase and improve- ment of voluntary lay religious work and workers in the difi'erent countries touched by our correspondence. We are brought by the prosecution of this designMnto correspondence with the native Chris- tiana of nominally Christian countries in which little or no denomina- tional missionary work is done, and where |lay activity is still in equipment and experience (and even as an idea and conception) far less develojjed than it is with us. We have also the pleasure in countries which are yet the field of missionary effort, of lending a heli)ing hand both to natives and to those missionaries who find that in the overtaxed appropriations of their respective boards, the interests of Sunday scliools, because of the multiplicity of demands, are liable to be imperfectly provided for in proportion to their value and their adaptation. Our work has therefore these three distinct features which need to be recognised if it is to be thoroughly understood. It is Pioneer, and Independent, and Supi^lementary or Co-operative. I have thus sought to set forth the spirit and outline of otir work. It is an outline which, we must confess, has been very imperfectly filled out. The prolonged and unparalleled financial depression througli which we have been lately passing, has made its influence felt upon workers both at home and abroad. But as we look out upon llie field and note the amount which needs yet to be done in the awakening of the nations to work in this flexible method of self- evangelisation, we hope that with returning prosperity a valuable work may yet await us worthy of our highest consecration. A slight indication in this direction has been seen in aid which a special dona- tion from an interested friend has enabled us to undertake this current year in Bohemia. But work accumulates much more rapidly than means for its performance, and we must still wait ; yet we wait in hope of a returning and progressive fruitfulness. THE NEED FOR ORGANISED WORK. I hardly need argue in this audience the need of some organisation whose work it shall be to engage in the oversight of the special interests of Sunday school work in foreign countries, if those interests are to receive adequate attention. Imagine the results in lands where the Sunday school is already recognised, established, embodied and rooted, if one may so say, in the religious life, if Sunday school societies, secretaries and conventions were to be abolished, and the interests of the institution were to be left to the supervision of the 60 World's Third usual and regular gatherings of the Church ! And if such a course would be lamentably disastrous in the green tree, what can we antici- pate in the dry, wlierc the institution is comparatively unknown, and can hardly be said to have won its Bpurs — if, indeed, it has made suflScicnt progress in equipment to have any sj^urs to win — and carries on its work with imperfect acquaintance with methods, and in the face of indifference which often passes into active hostility. So let me, as I close, remind you of the illustration with whicli we set out. The germs of Christian life which it has been our pleasurable task to seek out, and foster and train in their vitality and fruitfulness are, as you may have noticed, widely diffused over the surface of the world. I like to think of our correspondence in connection with that custom by which tlio Jews of Jerusalem announced to their brethren in Babylon the moment of the rising of the Paschal moon. They had no teleplione ; telegraphs were still in the future, and a long time would elapse before the swiftest-footed runner could bear the tidings. And so they selected a number of prominent heights each in sight of its neighbour, and on each they erected vast piles of inflammable material, and as the watchers on the first peak caught the light of the rising moon, he set fire to his pile, and as the next eastward saw the mounting blaze, he too set the torch to the mass which he had accumulated ; and so from peak to point across the plains the light flashed on its message until the gleam of the last bonfire was seen by the watchers in Babylon, and the Jews by the Euphrates knew that beyond the Jordan Judca was keeping the Passover. So as I think of the workers whom we have been endeavouring to stimulate and succour, each in his surrounding darkness and discouragement seeking to hold forth the word of life, they seem like beacon lights which, while dissipating the darkness around them, flash each to his neighbour the tidings of the rising of the Sun of Eighteousness. From correspondent to correspondent from France to Portugal, to Spain, to Italy, to Germany, to Bohemia, Moravia, Belgium, Bulgaria, down the valley of the Nile, on to India and over to China and Japan, and then with a bound to Mexico and the sister republics of South America, the light flashes on. And when the sun is risen in fulness and glory, when the kingdoms of the earth are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, then in the midst of it may be more conspicuous agencies — I dare hardly suggest tlic fragments exceed them — it may bo recognised that these obscure fragmentary forces have also performed an appreciable share in the hastening of that day, a share which shall receive from the Master the welcome " Well done." " For not by eastern windows only When daylight comes, conies in the light ; In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly. But westward look, the land is bright." The hymn " To Thee, my God and Saviour," was here sung. Sunday School Comention. 61 The President : I have now the pleasure of calling upon a gentle- man whom you will receive with very great interest, and to whom you will give a Chautauqua welcome, because he is going to a new field, just as Dr. Phillips did from the 1889 Convention, Mr. Ikehara of Japan, who will now address you. Japan. By Mr. T. C. Ikehara (Tokio). International Field Worker of Japan. Mr. Chairman, members of the Convention, ladies and gentlemen, — It is no common pleasure, I assure you, to be present at this memorable gathering and be permitted to say a few words upon the cause I love so much. My pleasure is all the keener, when I realise the fact that in the annals of the World's Sunday School Conventions this is the first time the work in Japan has any representative. I trust, ladies and gentlemen, you have followed with interest the progress of the Gospel of Christ in the Island Empire of Japan. Ever since the introduction of Christian faith in that land only a few decades ago, marvellous achievements were accomplished, and only a few years ago the number of Christians reached 40,000 in round figures. Then we cried out in ecstasy of joy that the Empire of Japan will soon become a Christian nation ; but we know now that our congratulations were premature, and all our great expectations were not to be realised. The reaction against Christianity set in. The progress of the Gospel was marred, and now for a few years the statistics show no great signs of improvement, and we are still the same 40,000, among the entire population of 42,000,000, a proportion of one in every 1050. It pains me when I read from time to time on the pages of maga- zines, the organs of Buddhism or Shintoism, the boasting words of their ring-leaders, " We have now completely checked the invasion of a destructive Christ religion," or " we are now in position to root out the Christianity from the land." I know too well that the love of our Saviour has taken a deep root iu the hearts of Christians in Japan, and that nothing can in any way separate them from it, and yet my heart is grieved beyond measure as I look on that far away field of Christian enterprise, and see that we are but now holding a position of defence after so many years of successful and aggressive warfare. I have a younger brother, a zealous preacher of the Gospel, whom I had the profound satisfaction of leading to see the Nazarene, through a Sunday school in which I was actively and successfully engaged, though I was then a mere lad of fourteen. Both he and I, as well as many Christians in Japan, would gladly lay down our lives to restore the once progressive condition of our missionary eiforts, and free our fellow-men from the superstition and prejudice by which they are surrounded, 62 World's Third Among the forces united to counteract the influence of Christian missions are : — 1. The followers of Confucius who have no definite places of meeting, no definite plans of extending their doctrine. A few of them meet whenever and wherever they choose to study together the Ethico-political teachings of their sage. They have no organi- sation and they exist in groups, consequently there is no way of ascertiiiniug the number of these moralists. Wc know that, however, their influence is enormous. In all the i^ublic and grammar schools throughout the empii-e, the books of Confucius are taught as the basis of moral education, and yet strictly speaking the Confucian code of morals is not a religious system. 2. Shintoism, with its 190,803 temples and 14,829 priests form a very formidable obstacle to our work. They are sub-divided into nine separate bodies, each distinct from the others in its conception of the gods it worships. They have no idea of their own strength for they make no definite demarcation between believers and unbelievers. Besides these nine there is one sect which is classified as another branch of Shintoism, and its teaching is very harmful to the morals of the people, and yet it claims the following of some G,000,000. Buddhism is the strongest and gi-eatest enemy. Among the Buddhist priests there are men of keen intellect and foresight, and they have made a careful investigation of our organisation and adopted some advantageous plans. They have established private schools of all grades, women's societies, lectures, systems of assemblies, magazines and newspapers, and Young Men's Buddhist Associations. They are very aggressive in their endeavours, and make all sorts of plans to extend their influence over the entire land. The twelve sects of Buddhism very widely differ in their teachings ; but in their efforts to counteract the invasion of our faith they are one. These twelve aro again subdivided into 3G distinctive religious bodies with 4G high priesis, 200,490 instructors, 52,994 priests, 10,989 theological students and 108,330 temples. The followers of Buddhism numbering about 15,000,000, are very zealous in their superstitious belief, and it is a common occurrence for followers of the Hongwanji sect to make a pilgrimage to Kyoto and devote to the temple all the money saved up during a lifetime to the last penny. The Eomau Catholic Church in Japan has now 52,792 adherents, and the Greek Church 23,850. Amid these counter-forces our Protestant missionaries and |Ualive workers representing 30 missionary organisations have planted 885 stations, and best of all, wherever they went they established Sunday schools which, according to statistics collected this spring, shows 901 schools, of which about 100 were in Tokio, and 35,033 scholars, a gain of til sciiools and 4409 scholars over la»t year. The number of scholars thus given, however, needs an explanation. In the Sunday schools of Japan the number attending each school Sunday School Convention. 63 varies materially. In some schools we find only half-a-dozea scholars, •while a few schools have two or three hundred each ; but on the whole the school attendance is extremely irregular, and in the figures just quoted are included a large number of those who have attended only two or three Simdays in a j^ear. This irregularity of attendance is due oken word, can there be real blessing among those who are addressed, bo they young or old. SPECIMEN LESSON TO A PKIMAEY OR INFANT CLASS. By Miss Keywobth. Mr. Jas. Bailey (Southlands Training Colleije, Battersea), who introduced Miss Keyworth, said: It is a most happy commencement of the proceedings of this part of the programme to-day that we have had so delightful and ingenious an application of the blackboard exercise such as wo have just listened to. I shall not, of course, make any remarks on that head. I want, however, to say a word or two in regard to the lesson we are to have, and in the first place as to tho difficulties of it. The first difficulty is that of enabling everybody to hear, and the next — which is hardly less — is that everybody should see. It is extremely difficult to arrange matters so that both the face of tho teacher and the faces of the children shall be seen by the audience. It can only be a sort of compromise that I would ask my friend Miss Keyworth, at the risk of not having so able a command of the class as she would if she stood with her back to the audience, to stand at the side so that the difficulty shall be as well overcome as the circumstances admit of. Secondly, as to the lesson itself. Miss Keyworth is anxious that I should explain to you that she did not put herself forward in any way as presenting to you a novel and superior teaching, but we applied in our difficulty to several teachers, but they all shrank from what is really an ordeal to a lady, the giving of a ksson of this sort in a room so large and to an audience so numerous. At our very earnest request Miss Keyworth has kindly come to show you an ordinary lesson, a lesson which experience has shown to be of value. I believe you will see evidence that both experience and skill are displayed in our Board school and other Day school arrangements for the Scripture Sunday School Convention. 119 teaching of children, and we hope it will convey to you some idea at least of how the application of it may be made successful and satis- factory in your Suiiday school teaching. If anything occurs after that I have to say a word or two in-explanation, I shall be glad to do it ; but wo will just proceed with the coming lesson. Miss Keyworth then took a class of tweuty children, boys and girls, from the ages of four or five up to ten or eleven, most of them being of the younger ages, through the International lesson for the following afternoon, Elijah upon Mount Carmel, 1 Kings xviii. 30-39. She said she had expected to find the children rather older, and once or twice during the lesson regretted the absence of a blackboard. Then in graphic language she told the children how the people had been worshipping idols so long that they had forgotten who the true God was. Elijah felt that it was necessary to show them the power of Jehovah. She described the api^earance and conduct of the prophets of Baal and of Elijah, the building of the altar, and the various incidents that mark the passage, drawing from the class by questions the meaning of an altar and its purpose, and noting the surroundings, such as the pillars supporting the room, its height, the numbers of the audience, and so on, as illustrations, and to give an idea of the various points she wished to impress upon them. For instance she drew an imaginary trench around the platform on which the class were seated and by questions as to how '" mother lights the fire" brought home clearly to their infantile m'nds how great was the faith of the prophet in causing the water to be poured over the sacrifice and the woud, and how full was the answer which was vouchsafed. She also showed how the flooding in water left no room for any suggestion of trickery on the part of the prophet, and told them that it has been said tliat the priests of Baal had one of their number concealed beneath their altar who at the right moment was to set fire to the wood thereon, but that he was by accident suflbcated. So adopting the pictorial method of treating the subject in homely anecdote, by question and answer, and by illustration, she kept the close attention of the class and of the audience, and brought out the lesson that the side upon which Elijah had placed himself was the strongest, and tliat it is to God we must trust and to no other. The Chairman : Mr. Witchell is a well-known operator on the blackboard and a fellow-worker. He has agreed just to give you some notion of the system he adopts. Blackboard Demonstrations. Mr. Witchell (London). — I want to be in the position of a very ordinary teacher, one of those teachers who say that they cannot do anything on the blackboard. I believe that where there is a will there is a way, and I want to humbly submit to you a way of illustrat- ing next Sunday's lesson even if you cannot draw. 120 World's Third Now in giving this lesson I should ask a class of children or tell them tirst of all that we are going to talk about two altars. Of course you need to explain what these two altars mean. And I should put down just tlieso words T. H. E. It is very possible that your class might do tlie same, or a scholar in the school might write that T H E and then T W O uiuleineath. Of course all the little children could spell tliat. And then the word ALTARS underneath— THE TWO ALTARS. Tlien I sbould just draw the two altars so (drawing on board). You will see that is just a rough outline of an altar. I am doing it very roughly, the rougher the better ; for children, you know, are accustomed to rough drawing. When they see a circle and another and two or three straiglit strokes they know what it means. It is their representa- tion of a man. It is clear enough to them. Now let us draw just tho same altar again (drawing it). They were not so very largo and they were roughly built. That is roughly built. Then I should explain that one altar was put up FOR GOD (writing it over the altar), and this one FOR BAAL (writing over the altar). Of course we should question as to who Baal was, the repre- sentative or special idol who was worshipped at that time; and then I should question as wo go on, and put it down as I proceeded, to that they should gradually see the development, and afterwards see tho Icir^son I wanted to teach. I should tell them about the chullengo which was so ably described just now, and question " How long are you going to be on Baal's side ? You cannot be on Baal's side and on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ. You must choose a side. How long will ye halt betweeu two opinions?" I should write on either side of the word TWO, so as to make it. How long will ye halt between TWO opinions ? Then I should describe the wonderful story of the answer brought by tire, and you know the people declared their opinion that " The Lord He is God." And that gives us our golden text (writing it upon the blackboard). Now, having gone tlirougli the lesson, I should suggest that this might be brought home to our scholars' hearts, and I would do that in this way. I would say that we too must offer a sacrifice — that is, we must give our lives, we must give our thoughts and our desires to one or tiic other. We cannot serve God and serve Mammon. Well, now, what is the seat of life ? Tlie heart, and so I should draw the outline of a heart around each altar. You will understand by putting that around each altar you have a picture brought down to the little ones very olearly, and we ask " Is it for God ? Is it for Baal ? " Of course we speak of Baal and we explain. We show that Baal represents tills world, and the worship of sin, the worship of idols, the worship of pleasure, the worshij) of anything that is against God. God on the one side, the world on the other. Now we come to this. If the Lord bo God follow Him. Show your scholars that the Lord He is God ; and therefore our lesson will close with this FOLLOW HIM. I think we could all draw this, friepdg. Sunday School Convention. 121 Mr. F. F. Belsey : Well, now, so far as the work I want to show you is concerned it just rests on this principle of how to use the blackboard Sunday by Sunday for the teaching of our International lesson. And I want just to show you, by the little sketches prepared here for next Sunday's lesson, how by the lielp of coloured chalks any one with very slender powers as a draughtsman may produce a lesson which will help the children to grasp the Scripture truths we are trying to teach. Here is a little sketcli for the ordinary lesson of next Sunday. I need not go through the lesson, because that has been already so ably done by the lady who took those children through it. But in order that the children may grasp the lesson I draw the two altars, one with a B over it and other with J, Baal and Jehovah. Presently we shall, use these two altars on the other half of the board. It would have been infinitely easier for the lady who taught the lesson if she could have pointed to the altar with the bullock cut up upon it and with the water around, as we have it here. Under the first two altars I write the word " waiting." Then on the other section of the board you have two altars again, and underneath the word " answer." See how God by a lightning flash (indicated in drawing) from above sends the answer and convinces that " the Lord He is God." A very capital way of impressing the lesson on the children's mind is to have a verse containing the point of the lesson put on the board, and that with some of the letters left out, merely the first letter and the last of certain words being given and leaving the children to guess the words. They always do it, and it amuses and interests them, and they feel a pleasure in putting the verse together with teacher. In this case I write the verse : — On C:irmel's height Elijah's prayer Brought down the wondrous fire. Thus, Lord, may Thy good Spirit's flame My waiting heart inspire. Very often, repeating this same lesson, I have had two other sketches in order to illustrate the spiritual teaching. First of all, I have had the open grave of the Lord Jesus, showing how God sent down the answer and restored life to that great waiting Sacrifice. And I have had sometimes a head with the cloven tongue resting upon it to show how the Lord sent down the Pentecostal fire on His waiting servants. And so we can give the spiritual application of the Old Testament lesson by using sketches, and so enforcing it upon the children's minds. The blackboard helps us to look at the lesson and to get the children thoroughly to repeat the words and remember the truths you have taught them. We will take the monthly review (showing picture). At the end of the month you want to get the children to fecall the facts and ths 122 World's Thml truths that have been tati^ht them. And the way in whicli the blackboard helps to do it is by first of all putting on the initial letters of the lesson titles " E. C" " Elijah at Carmel," &c., i)ointing out the meaning. Then you put the first two words of the golden text, and you get the children with the help of these two first words to recall the golden text and give it. Then I get a little picture in the centre of each of the squares set apart for the different Sundays reminding them of the central fact of the lesson. (For the following Sunday the sketch represented the two altars with a figure of Elijah raising his hands to heaven. Over the sketch were the letters E C, and beneatli the words " and when." Similar little suggestive pictures and first words were supplied for each of the other four Sundays.) Then, having thoroughly questioued them upon the facts of these five lessons, I put together a little verse which will help tliem to keep in their minds tlie lessons of the month. In this case it is — We've seen a king his kingdom lose And traced Elijah's course, His faith aud flight and efforts brave God's honour to enforce. They sing that over, of course filling in the blanks left as I have already said. That deals with the five lessons of tlie month. Then we come to the quarterly review. Major Wynne : Where do you get these verses from, Mr. Belsey ? The Chairman tapped his forehead significantly. You can all do it if you try. If you don't happen to find a little verse, if you are not able to make verses, you may put down the four or five lesson-truths just in prose one under the other. You can just write down on the blackboard the truth of each lesson without making the lines rhyme. Now you come to the quarterly review, when perhaps the blackboard is of the greatest possible value. The idea is that the board is in a revolving frame, so that you can use both sides without inconvenience. That is easily done. The board may be j^laced eitlier on a pillar or in a frame, so that you can turn it round and use both sides. If you will fancy these two boards are just one fixed in a frame you will be able to follow the idea of the quarterly review. You first of all put down the initial letters to all lessons, thus W.'C. (woman of Cana), K. J. (Resurrection of Jesus), and so on, saying the words. Then you put opposite each one of these titles the first two words of the golden text — I need not give them, because you will remember the last quarter's. Then you coiue to the problem of hpw to connect all these twelve lessons and make them a body of truth to be thought of all together. You have been looking at them individually in your monthly review. You merely examined the children on the individual lesson. Now you want to get them further. It is a marvellous tiling that golden text for Review Sunday. I Sunday School Convention. 123 never liiiew it fail me yet. It is a kind of string on ■which yoii can thread these lessons and bind them like a necklace around the children's memory. That swing board will enable you to do what is most desirable. You can just confirm in the children's memory these lessons by turning the board round and just giving them the title, and making them give you the golden text without seeing the words, then giving tiiem a golden text and saying, " What lesson does this belong to ? " And so you can just get the title and the Scripture verses tlioroughly remembered and given. The children I have been in the habit of teaching, the whole church being crowded, have given them in one voice. Let us try last quarter. What is the golden text for Review Sunday? "Keep yourself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." I write the string review verse on the blackboard, breaking it into its pieces. Sometimes it will break into four pieces, or you may only get two. To-day it naturally breaks into these three : Keep yourselves in the love of God — looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ — unto eternal life. I look at my twelve lessons, and I say, how do these lessons all arrange themselves on that thread? First of all I say, '"What lessons have been teaching the children how to keep themselves in the love of God," and I take my lesson and say, " He will not love me if I do not forgive. My lesson about 'forgiveness' teaches I must forgive." " The Marriage Feast." If I want to make myself happy in His love I must be clothed in the garments of the Saviour's righteous- ness, or else I shall not be able to sit down at the banquet of eternal love. I must be clothed, I must be " watchful " — I have drawn a man in the doorway watching for his master. I must be watchful against sin, against evil. I must remember the " Last Judgment," seeing how I can help others. TJien the " Lord's Supper." If I attend that rite which our Lord prescribed that will help to keep me in the love of God. And so these five will show me how we are to keep ourselves in the love of God. We come back to the second division. " Looking for the mercy — of our Lord Jesus Christ." I find there are three lessons that beau- tifully unfold that section of the golden text. Here is the " woman of Cana " following the Lord and His disciples, crying for mercy and finding it, although at first He seemed to reject her suit. Then we see " Jesus condemned," bearing all the punishment of sin. Why ? Because His heart overflowed with mercy and the desire to save poor sinners who, realising their sins, seek Him as the fount of mercy which can never run dry. Then when I see Him on the cross, " crucified," I see the death of mercy, I see the lowest point to which His love and goodness shall lead Him, and so with this lesson I can see the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I will try with the help of God to be kept by His grace. We must say a word about that keeping yourself. While I am 12-4 World's Third just feeling it is my duty to keep myself in His Love, if I do liroak down, if here and there I trip, what a blessed thought I can go to the Saviour, whose mercy abounds to poor sinners, and ask Him to restore my soul. So that my lesson shows me I can not only keep myself in the love of God, but if I find I am falling I can come again to the fountain opened and find mercy and love. Then eternal life. That is the glorious end. And here I have two lessons, " The Risen Lord " and " The Resurrection of Jesus," and the open grave of the Lord Jesus drawn on the blackboard to enforce the blessed truths we have been teaching. Here is the tomb with the stone rolled away, and behind it is arising the glorious sun. I look at that open grave, and think that in this grave I have the hope of everlasting life. God accepted the sacrifice made for me. He sent down the life like the fire on tlie altar and raised Jesus Christ. And as I look at the open grave I feel I have the hope and pledge and promise of eternal life. Then as I think of " the Trans- figuration " I feel something of the glory of that new life. I see the grandeur in which Moses and Elias appeared, and something of the coming glory of that eternal life. Then as I see "the triumphal entry" I think that the Lord and His saints will triumph for ever. We look at the golden text and see it beautifully linked in all these twelve lessons, not like twelve windows side by side, but all gathered together in one glorious structure in one building. We see all this in the perspective by the help of that review lesson. The Chairman : Our dear friend Mr. Webbter, who has done such service to the Union in the workhouse schools, is here, and he has some illustrations you will be glad to look at. They are most interesting. Mr. A. W. Webster (London) : Dear friends, I cater for the teacher who has made up his "mind long ago that he can never stand up before a class and do any sketching. The value of eye teaching cannot be emphasised too much in fixing truth into the child's mind. You all have bills for anniversaries, you have newsagents who would be glad to give you a bundle of bills to get them out of their way. Use the scissors and jjaste. Here are some words just made by cutting letters out of ordinary bills, and pasting them on paper. Let us suppose I was going to give a lesson on Prayer. I would cut the letters out and put them on a blackboard, remembering that the gradual process of development is of exceeding value in getting the interest and attention of children as they proceed. So I put one strip on the blackboard at a time. I would ask the children to spell the word prayer to begin with and put it on the board. Then I would put other words on the board in the same way as I went on to unfold the lesson I wanted to teach. It is of considerable importance that the principle of association of idea thould ever be borne in mind with your teaching. Here is a lesson on symbols. We will suppose we are going to teach a lesson on the Lord Our Redeemer. You can cut a cross out of a piece of paper like th^t; this (showing it) is the back of a letter. Nobody is eo poor Sunday School Convention. 125 that they cannot get a piece of paper like that. Cut it out and attach it with pins. Every time a child sees a cross he will be inclined to recollect the lesson by the association of ideas and the points you have tried to fix in his memory. So you go on. A circle is a symbol of perfection, and so on. There are a few things here, for instance, for class purposes. A blackboard cannot always be found for class purposes. But teachers who can't print, who cannot do anything in the way of drawing, might use stencil plates. Here is a lesson I used in a small meeting of a Junior Christian Endeavour. I took the word " Christ " as the word I was going to speak upon and stencilled it. Then I wrote these words with my stencil plates, " He is mine." Then first of all I got the children to remember, " He is my inspired Saviour and Teacher," and so on (using stencilled words). It is something to catch the child's eye and something to fix the truth in the child's memory. I have here a great variety of things, small paper flags, for instance. A good many of you know perhaps sufficient about sea-faring matters to talk about the international code of signals, and how it is compara- tively easy to get scriptural facts to fit into many of these things. And beyond the fact that the flags can be used on the blackboard, I have a mast with string, and get a boy to help me, and I can keep the attention of the children and fix the truth very effectually in this way. I will just give you one simple example of what may be done — we have not time to go beyond an idea. Suppose I am going to give an address at the Band of Hope or some week night meeting, I would take, say, the Union Jack, and instead of showing it all at once I would make my points in this way. Tlie Union Jack is a composition of three different flags. There is the English flag of St. George, the white cross on a blue ground (pinning it upon the board). Then comes the Scotch cross of St. Andrew, and it is very easy to fix a spiritual truth out of this. In order to form the complete flag, of course I go into details. We have simply to take this cross and show how the flags of England and Scotland were united ; and then when Ireland comes into combination that forms the Union Jack. I will only just hold some of these things up. They are shapes of finger- posts, gates, and so on, cut out of cardboard. I want to show that you can give successful lessons this way to half a dozen children round your knee. Of course I am supposing you are not able to do anything upon the blackboard. Then I have a collection of pictures cut from all sorts of periodicals, which I often find very useful. The Chairman : There were just three omitted points in what I was Baying. First of all, I hope you understood that as you went from picture to picture, you questioned in the review exercise on these particular lessons, and showed how they fitted on to that particular part. The next thing I ouglit to explain is that you can in an orelinary class follow the same principle. You do not want a black- board, pieces of cardboard will do in its place. Here are a number, but I will not detain you. This (showing one) was the first black- 126 World's Third board lessou I ever gave. 1 wanted to teach the children the connection between faitli and works. I drew that big tree. I said, " What have I drawn?" I was very much relieved when they said, " A tree, teacher." I said, " Look at the tree and tell what these are?" "Boots, teacher." Now mark the words I wrote over them, "Faith Roots." "What are these?" "Branches and Fruits, teacher." Mark the words I write over them, " Works Fruits." Then I wiped out the upper part of the tree and asked, " What have you?" "Nothing but an ugly stump, teacher." Then I showed them that " faith roots " without " works fruits " is only an ugly stump. Then I wiped out tlie roots and the trunk and said, " What have you ? " " Branches and fruit," was the reply. " What will become of them ? " " They will wither and die." " Why ? " "Because they have lost the roots and the trunk." "Don't you forget, there will be no ' works fruits ' which will bud and blossom and ripen without ' faith roots.' " Thus the same principle of eye teaching is just as available in a little class of your own as it is in the big school-room with a large blackboard. Mr. Witchell has one other good idea which lie will just put before you, and then if any friend here has blackboard notions we shall be glad to have tlicm. Mr. Witchell : I am not speaking on behalf of myself, but I got a friend to give an example of what he adopts at our London training class, or when you haven't a blackboard or even a piece of paper. You may not have that (holding up a picture of hunds), but you have these (holding liis hands up with the palms towards the audience). You have five fingers. Now this friend writes Bible lessons, and he holds his audience of young children at the Sunday evening service by these five fingers very well indeed, so I understand. He takes a word from the lessou having five letters. He would select from the lesson for next Sunday the word ALTAR. He gets the children to eay what is an altar. " Now," he says, " we are going to talk about an altar, and that is the text for the lesson. He talks about a king. "The king's name was ?" "'A'hab." " The next letter is L. What does that mean? 'L' aying the altar. Then the next the ' T ' esting time ; then the next, ' A ' nswer by fire ; and last, ' R ' eturning to God." So having gone through the lesson, he gets the children to read to him and to answer questions connected with the words set apart for each finger. That is one method you can use in your class without any blackboard or picture. Here is a black- board I made myself, and I have others here. It is simply a piece of paper stuck on cardboard. I use these for the class. The Chairman: May I just say one other thing. You will find on this table almost endless specimens of blackboard illustrations drawn by Mr. Witchell from little designs I have given him from time to time. There are designs for some hundreds of lessons, blackboard designs for your international lessons. It is just to let you see how every lesson can be illustrated from the blackboard, and how you can help in ttaching by its means. Sunday School Convention. 127 SECOND DAY— FIFTH SESSION. Wednesday Afternoon. • JUNIOR SCHOLAES' CONCERT. In the afternoon a concert by junior scholars was given on the Handel Orchestra of the Crystal Palace under the direction of the London Sunday School Choir. The immense space was lighted by the bright faces of over 5000 happy Sunday school children who, conducted by Mr. W. J. Rowley, sang very sweetly a programme of part songs and choruses which very effectively showed that amongst its other good works the Sunday sehool was a very efficient training ground in the matter of vocal music. The music was very carefully rendered and great attention was given to the conductor by the children. The most popular item of the programme proved to be Challenor's " Sweetly Sing the Children," which was encored. The rendering of " The Village Blacksmith " was also nearly perfect. The singing of " White Sails " (A. L. Cowley) was also most excellent, greatly to the satisfaction of the composer, who was present. Then there were the customary but always fresh, quaint and picturesque movements in unison of fingers and programmes, and an ''Exclamation Song" with actions which met with great favour. Mr. .1. Rowley was the conductor, and Mr. W. F. Freeman presided at the organ. A feature of the concert was the arrival of the Marquis of North- ampton and a number of the principal delegates attending the concert, who were received with great cheering and the waving of handkerchiefs, whilst the flags of America, Germany, France and other nations represented were waved from the centre of the platform. The waving of the flags also accompanied the hymn "Blest be the tie that binds," which was then sung by the choir and the entire gathering. ^ SENIOR SCHOLARS' CONCERT. Later in the afternoon the Handel Orchestra was again occupied by 4000 senior scholars and adults, and by the Crystal Palace and London Sunday School Clioir orchestra who accompanied. Mr. George Merritt and Mr. David M. Davis were to have conducted, but the former 128 World's Third gentleman was Unfortunately unable to be presebt owing to illness, and his place was taken by Mr. W. P. Hunter who proved a most efficient substitute. Mr. Horace G. Holmes was the organist. The concert commenced with the singing of the grand Old Hundredth psalm, special emphasis being given to the glorious tune and the no less glorious words by the first verse being sung in unison ; the second by sopranos and altos only, and the third in harmony. The various numbers were most successfully rendered from beginning to end, but it miy be mentioned that the singing of " See what love" (1 John iii. 1) was marked with great pathos, the *' Good night, beloved" was remarkable for its tenderness, and " Light and shade," and the " Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem," wns given with great spirit, the choir evidently enjoying the emphasis which forms a strong point of the music. " God of the Nations," " A Song of Peace." in which the well-known " Anvil Chorus" from "II Trovutore" has been utilised, received a well merited encore, and " Ye Mariners of England" would have been rep<'atcd had time permitted. Sunday School Convention* 129 SECOND DAY.— SIXTH SESSION. Wednesday Evening. The sixtli session was also held at tlie Crystal Palace, when a large number of delegates sat down to tea in the Grand Summer Dining Koom. This proved to bo a very popular gathering, and a great many were compelled to find accommodation in a room adjoining. Mr. W. H. Groser, B.Sc, Hon. Literary Sec. Sunday School Union, presided, and after tea said : Friends and Fellow-workers, — I have been piazzling myself why I am here except as a delegate, or whom I am going to represent. I certainly cannot represent the Sunday School Union, for that has been done over and over again. Neither caa I represent the Council of the Union, because my dear friend Mr. Belsey has been doing so in height and breadth and length and depth. So that all I can do is to represent the four secretaries of the Sunday School Union. We have two " travelling " secretaries who happen to be away at the present time, one in South Africa and the other in the south of England.* I should very much like to have presented them to you, but in their absence I am sure you will allow me on their behalf and on behalf of Mr. Tillett, who is here, to accord as hearty a welcome on the secretaries' part as you have heard from other representatives of the Council. I should be very sorry indeed if any serious inconvenience has been caused to any of our friends by reason of the inadequacy of this room to contain all who have favoured us with their company. The fact is our country is painfully small, and I have felt I really ought to begin with an apology, because we do not seem able to accommodate as many as our hearts and minds would easily find room for. Very cordially do we welcome the somewhat remarkable association of brethren and sisters met together here at this present time. Like Jacob of old, I find myself between two bands, one a delegate band and the other a very musical band. You have been listening to the strains which have been participated in or promoted by the one band, and I hope that much gratification has been imparted to the other, especially while hearing the fresh young voices of some of our English Sunday scholars. We have a notion that they can sing, and * Mr. Joseph Edmunds and Mr. Chas. Robottom. 130 World's Third that the Loiukm Sunday School Choir has clone noble work. Although we are two bands ui that sense, the two become fused into one when we call to mind the Sunday school idea. For this musical represen- tation is also a Sunday school representation, and so we are essentially one as associates in one great work. And therefore we can feel to-night something of that comradeship which I think, after the experience of a great many years, distinguishes the Sunday school agency almost more than any other form of Christian activity. Go where we will, we meet with a cordial and brotherly greeting, and feel that we are fairly entitled in the Church of Ciirist to bear the name of the United Service. I trust, ladies and gentlemen, tliat the gatherings of this week will tend to make that comradeship more real, more deep, and more enduring, and that the eflbrts of my friends the Convention Committee, to accord you not only a welcome but so far as possible to make you feel at home with us, will furtlier strengthen the links of that golden chain which unite the Anglo-Saxon race the wide world over. Mr. J. Barnard : Ladies and Gentlemen, — On behalf of the Executive Committee and Musical Council of our choir I wish to convey to you our feeling at meeting our American and our Colonial and ioreign delegates to-day. No words of mine, no language which I can command, could convey to you anything like the feeling which fills our hearts towards you. One of tlie principal objects of our organisation is to promote unity among Christian brethren of all denominations free from any sectarian bias— and you may imagine how we felt while carrying on this work in London and the suburbs and the country, to think that to-day this bond is to be extended to those brethren across the sea, whom wo love so much, and wliom we are glad to meet on these common grounds of Christian brotherhood. I want you to be impressed with the idea that America has always been the outwork, and the Colonies and our bretlu-en on the European continent have always had our sympathy. It is not tlie first time we have been in touch with America. In the year 1880 we had our American brethren. Some of these, when they got back to New York specially deputed a delegate to return to England to ascertain the lines on which we work the musical association, and they established one in New York. Whether it is in existence now I do not know. We carried on a correspondence for some years ; but you know Sunday school workers have no time for fancy correspondence, so it dropped. We have done musical work in Australia and New Zealand although we are of London, and I am sure we are very glad to meet you to-day. I have one word more to say, and that is towards my immediate colleagues. This is the only opportunity I may have of saying it as they are jiresent here this evening. I have to th.ank tliem for their loyal and hearty co-operation. No band of men and women could Lave worked better than they have. Tliey work well and loyally to Sunday School Convention, 131 one end, the main demonstration of that you have seen at the Mansion House and also to-day, and we hope to give you further proof at the Queen's Hall. I thank you all, and assure you how glad personally I am to be here to-day. I feel it one of the proudest days of my life. The Chairman : Professor Hamill has crossed the Atlantic with his brethren and sisters, notwithstanding the thunders of war. We rejoice to see them here, and we pray that we may not have mistaken those faint gleams, though they be but faint, which seem to brighten the dark cloud with hopes of returning peace. Professor Hamill : Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, — I have not very carefully made a study of human anatomy, but I can see now the wisdom of Dame Nature in locating the organs of sustenance near to those of sound, therefore I esteem it a wise thing on the part of the committee of management that you have this interim of harmony, perhaps not so refined or aesthetic as that which it comprised and which in a little while will follow after. I have nothing to say upon the technique of music. Coming from a far western land which in a hundred years has had to bridge its rivers and run its lines of steel from shore to shore, build its great cities and transform nature and put her into service, you cannot expect our fair young republic so soon to have taken upon herself the graciousness that inheres in the music of our motherland. I feel somewhat like the Arizona justice of peace in the matter of music, who, in the matter of law, advertised himself as prepared to adjudicate matters with rouglmess and despatch. If I had been asked two weeks ago if there was anything special to be learned in music in this old world metropolis of London, I think, true to the instincts of the average American, I should have been ready to disclaim any purpose or disclaim any wish on the part of the 300 delegates who came with out volume of sound across the Atlantic and safely have reached your midst. But I beg to say with the memory of the magnificent music of the afternoon, a massing of harmony in such fine and yet splendid proportion, that we take off our hats in the presence of the musicians of this great city — and when an American takes off his hat I want you to understand it is tlie very best thing in the way of compliment he can do. _ You know, Mr. Chairman, that sometimes in the history of the family the son or the daughter, with waywardness which seems unfortunately peculiar to youth, leaves the old family home, turns away from the wisdom and experience of the mother, and then, after a while, when cares have pressed upon her and the burden of maturity has fallen upon her, the daughter comes back to the old home, lays her head in the old and well-accustomed lap, speaks her words of regretfulness at turning away from the wisdom of the mother. So come we into your presence to-night, a daughter returning to the mother and to the motherland, and, laying our most gracious tribute at your feet in memory of the sweet voice that will be borne to K 2 132 World'8 Third our Western Continent, and will linger even as a dream in oul" hearts. Do you know there is a beautiful legend of old that illustrates the sense of tlie speaker as to the value of these harmonies, so near akin to the harmonies of heaven. For is it not your own great bard so dear to us who has said that — " The man that hath no music in himself. Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils." There is a universal language, and it is that of music. There is a language which will survive the matchless Anglo-Saxon tongue> coursing around the world the tongue of the conqueror in generations gone and to come. And yet there is a language which will survive that, and it is the language of melody and harmony, that great gift of God to us when He turned us out of Eden as a reminder of the Eden into which He shall permit us again to come. That old legend is like this. The crafty Greek went out upon his wanderings for twenty years, and by-and-by his ship coasted past the islands of the sirens, who were wont to lure to the shore and over the hidden rocks the passing voyager to his death. Ulysses, the crafty Greek, stopped the ears of his sailors with wax, and caused them to bind him to the mast, and so, wlien the strains of music came from the island of peril, his sliip sped on its way in safety. There came another sweet singer, Orpheus, favoured one of the Gods, with his golden lyre, and with his ship he passed the fatal island. Instead of stopping the ears of his men and chaining himself to the mast, he took down the lyre given him of Apollo, and played most delightful music upon it. And the music of the sirens was as nothing to that of Orpheus, favoured singer of the Gods. Tiie nation, the people, the city that ignores tliis gift of heaven, divine music, divinest of tlie muses, is like Ulysses the Greek, chaining himself to the mast of duty. 'J'he nation, the city, the society that does honour and gives emphasis to this, most favoured of the languages of heaven and earth, is like Orpheus with his golden lyre, who needed not to chain himself to the mast of duty, iiut strings its lyre and gives forth the sweetest chords and charms both men and angels. The Chaiuman: You have heard, Ladies and Gentlemen, of the regretted absence of one of our conductors, Mr. Merritt. I can very fully enter into his feelings of regret and disappointment, because my own experience was of a like painful character at the gatherings in 1880 and 1889. I therefore sympathise very keenly with my friend Mr. Merritt. You remember how the Scottish spearmen filled up their ranks at Floddeu ; and so it has been in this case with regard to the music. " Each stepping where his comrade stood, The instant that he fell." Sunday School Convention. 133 And now, liaving listened to those delightful and sympathetic words from Professor Hamill, may I call for a few from Mr. Rowley, the conductor of the junior school choir, to which you have listened, I understand, with very great pleasure. Mr. Rowley : Fellow-workers in the Lord's vineyard, — As con- ductor of the junior concert of the London Sunday School Choir, I have a message to the delegates from the various parts of the world. That message is short. You cannot find better ground on which to sow your seed than the hearts of the cliildren. You cannot find better seed to sow on that ground than God's word, when wedded to good music, such as the words and music that you laave listened to to-day. The tliousands of children who sang in the concert this afternoon have learned the grand words of Longfellow's " Village Blacksmith " by heart ; and these words they will never forget. And so with a dozen other songs and hymns, each of tliem telling more or less of the sympathy of their Saviour, and the tender and longing compassion of their Father. They will remember those words to their dying day. It is a seed which is bound to bear good fruit to the honour and glory of God. You will emulate, no doubt, in the countries to which you go, something of the spirit that has moved us in the getting up of this concert, and you will in the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand, for thou canst not tell whether it will prosper for this or that, or whether they shall both be alike good. This is my message to you, friends. I have a word of apology now to give from the President of the Tonic Sol-fa College, Mr. J. Spencer Curwen. He told me he was very sorry he would not be able to stay this afternoon as he had a very important engagement in the City. Besides being tl;e President of the Tonic Sol-fa College, he is, as you know, one of our own Vice- Presidents. The Chairman : I am sure you will be pleased to hear a few words from one who represents the great Art of Teaching, and is able to appear as a theorist and actual practiser of that art, I mean our friend Mr. Bailey. Mr. Jas. Bailey (Southlands Training College, Battersea) : Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen, — You have done me a very unexpected honour in calling ujion me. It is the only uncomfort ible thing that has been done to me, and has given me the only uncom- fortable feeling I have experienced this day. But I am glad. Sir, to have the opportunity first of expressing, on behalf of a good many connected with the Sunday schools of London, and I may say also, in a liumble measure, of England, the great debt of obligation which we owe to the founder and the promoters of the London Sunday School Choir, and those who have carried on this great matter of Sunday school music. If we could conceive the eifect of taking music and singing out of education, either the education connected with the day school or the education connected with the Sunday school, we should, if we could 134 World's Third reali8(j it, staud appalled at the effect wliicli would be the result of that disastroua circumstance. For there is no practical educator who is not thoroughly convinced of the extremely valua1)le handmaid which music, the art of singing particularly, is in all intellectual and in all spiritual engagements of children. Wliat the music is to the army — at least in its inspiring efl'ect and the clieerfulness which it gives in time of peace, and the vigour which it gives in time of war — nuisic and singing are to tlie art of teaching, whether in the day school or in the Sunday school. And I do not believe anything could more admirably illustrate to the general observer what advance has been made, say in the last twenty-five years, or more than that, in the art of teacliing and in the power of the Simday school as well as in the jxnver and in the practice of singing. I suppose that every teacher and every superintendent must be very conscious of the wonderful (lifli'erence there is in teaching children to sing in the Sunday school to-day as compared with what was the case some twenty-five years ago. And it is of course due very largely indeed to the training which the children get in their day school. But, Sir, it is always a delight to me to feel that the jwwer vi singing — as well as the art of communicating knowledge — is, in some of its most eflfective and valuable forms, as represented to-day in the day schools of this country, due very largely indeed to the Sunday fcchools. 1 feel strongly, as has just been said, as to the immense value to these dear children of this, that in the process of preparing them for this most delightfully rendered concert to-day, they have learned two things which to many of them — let us hope to most of them, to all of them — will be not merely lifelong memories of the utmost possible delight, but lifelong influences of the greatest possible value. That is to say, they have had infused into their lives the charm of the power to sing, and the skill which is acquired, the delight which is given, each will have its own higher and holier influence. I am delighted to have heard the very graceful and eloquent words which have come to us from America, and I feel too that it is something which we as English teacliers may be proud of, that the exhibition of to-day has won from a gentleman, evidentl}' so well able to appreciate and give expression to it, the very high encomium — not too high, I am quite sure — which has been rendered to the value of the singing. I thank you. Sir, for the opportunity of saving this. The Chairman : My friend Mr. Towers has a brief intimation to give, after which we shall adjourn. Mr. Towers: I am not going to make a speech, though I am strongly tempted to say something about music. The very highest tribute that could be jmid to our festival was that from one of our friends, who said it was worth crossing the Atlantic to listen to, and I can believe it. We are sure our friends who have taken such trouble in connection with the concert will feel that it has been thoroughly appreciated by all our delegates from town and country Sunday School Convention. 135, and from abroad. That is some consolation to tlioso who have worked so hard. At the suggestion of Mr. Towers the meeting sent a telegi-am to Mr. Merritt, expressing heartfelt sympathy with him. The pro- ceedings then terminated. Later in the evening the Polytechnic and People's Palace Mandoline Band, consisting (if one hundred instrumentalists, gave a performance in the concert room, Mr. B. M. Jenkins conducting, and with this, what might be appropriately termed "a day of music," was brought to a close. 136 ' World's Third THIRD DAY.— SEVENTH SESSION. Thursday, 14th July. A MEETING for praise and prayer was hold in the morning between 9.20 and 9.50, conducted by the Rev. E. G. Gange, of Eegent's Park Chapel, London. The hymn was sung — " Come, thou desire of all Thy saints." The 100th Psalm was read, and prayers were oflered for the wide extension of Christ's Kingdom, for direct gospel teaching in every Sunday and day school, and for the accomplishment of true brotherhood in Christ Jesus. "Come, Holy Ghost, and through eacli heart," was the next hymn, and then Count Bernstorff, of Berlin, led the meeting in prayer, the devotional exercises concluding with the song — " Closer, dear Lord, to Thee." THE WORK EXAMINED. At 10 o'clock, the President (Mr. E. Towers), announced the hymn — " Father of mercies, in Thy word," and this having been sung with devout feeling, the Rev. Dr. J. Lawson Forster led in prayer. The President : We have already expressed our regret at the absence of Mr. Jacobs from this Convention, but we have present with us this morning a gentleman who, to a very considerable extent, represents Mr. Jacobs; and I am going to ask Mr. A. B. McCrillis, of Rhode Island, kindly to preside over the Session. Accordingly, Mr. McCrillis took tlie chair, and at once called the first business. Sunday School Convention. 137 REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMITTEE. Eead by the Eev. Dr. Potts {Canada). The fourth series of Bible studies, under the International Lesson System, will be completed with the close of the year 1899. The fifth Committee, chosen at the International Convention in Boston, U.S.A., in 1896, consists of fifteen members, representing ten religious deno- minations in the United States and Canada, with six corresponding members in Great Britain. To these have since been added one corresponding member in Australia and one in India. This Committee still includes two brethren, honoured and beloved, who were appointed when the system was first adopted and have served on every committee since, — Mr. B. F. Jacobs and Rev. Dr. Warren Randolph. Of the remaining American members, one was appointed on the second Com- mittee, two on the third, and two on the fourth. All these have served continuously since their first appointment. Eight were chosen for the first time on the fifth Committee. The task is great, to lead and unify the Sunday schools of the world in the study of the Bible. No merely human eflbrt could succeed in doing it. The fact that many millions in many nations — and a constantly increasing number — for more than a quarter of a century have united in this movement, is unmistakable evidence of the favour and guidance of God. The principles first adopted continue to characterise the Inter- national Lesson System. Substantially the entire Bible is to be surveyed during a course of six years. One and the same lesson is to be chosen for each Sunday for the whole school and for all schools. The work of the Committee is confined to the selection of Scripture passages and Golden Texts, giving to each lesson a suitable title. The interpretation of these selected Scriptures is left entirely to lesson writers and teachers, thus furnishing as a uniform basis for study the simplest outlines, with the largest liberty to individuals and to deno- minations. The Committee in its plan regards first those who are not able to select wisely a course of lessons for themselves. These form a very large proportion of those gathered into Sunday schools for the study of the Bible. The Committee also welcomes and considers carefully the suggestions of those who are able to select lessons for themselves and to help others in doing this. While these general principles have been adhered to by every committee, steady progress has been made in the evolution of the lesson system. At first the lessons were tbree months in the Old Testament, alternating with the same time in the New Testament. Through experience the Committee was led to devote longer unbroken periods to each section, following continuously the unfolding of Jewisli 138 World's Third histoiy, of the life of Christ and of the growth of tho Christian church. Yet the lessons were necessarily episodes, incidents, and precepts, and the connection which made the successive lessons histories and biogra- phies depended entirely on lesson writers and teachers. The fact that the Scriptures do not contain histories, biographies, and continuous discourses as thcsu terms are now understood, made the work of lesson writers peculiarly open to criticism as fragmentary, and the reason for this was often charged to the lesson Committee. Each successive course, however, has traced more accurately and continuously than the preceding courses the succession of events and the progress of revela- tion in biblical history. The Committee has endeavoured to make the connection more plain by selecting, in addition to the text to be printed, connected readings, and parallel passages. The next course of lessons, beginning with 1900, is to cover six years, two and one-half of them to be given to the Old Testament and three and one-half to the New Testament. The first year and a half will be devoted to studies in the life of our Lord selected from the books of the New Testament and chronologically arranged. "With these studies will be joined suggested readings which include nearly all the Gospels, and other portions of the New Testament which relate to the events of our Lord's life on earth. In the selections from the Old Testament, as well as the New, especial emphasis is to be laid on the biographical element, making prominent the characters, deeds, and teachings of patriarchs, kings, and prophets, of Christ and the Apostles. The Committee believes that by placing foremost the personal element and by it interpreting the historical, the greatest interest will be awakened among all classes of Bible students. The continued success of this system depends largely on those who prepare the lesson helps. The demands made by millions of teachers and scholars have called into the field an increasing army of interpreters whose labours have immensely advanced the scholarly examination of the Bible from every point of view, as well as the popular study of it. The Christian world has not yet come to the full appreciation of the service rendered to Christianity in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, and the impulse given to it for the coming century by these devoted men and women, the most of whom have held the respect of Biblical scholars, and many of whom have themselves been eminent scliolars adapting their work to popular needs. The Committee have always welcomed their co-operation, and in recent years have increasingly availed themselves of it. Tho joresont Committee invited lesson writers and others engaged in preparing and teaching Sunday school lessons to present to it, at its first meeting, criticisms, and suggestions. This meeting was held in Philadelphia, on March 17tli, 1897, and was largely attended. In a conference of several hours, the advisability of separate courses for primary and advanced classes, the general outlines to be followed, the titles, the golden texts, and other important topics were extensively discussed. A number of prominent Sunday school workers, unable to Sunday School Convention, 139 be present, sent written communications, some of thorn of much value. Following this conference tlie Committee adopted a general outline of a course of Bible lessons for six years, and adjourned till November, when tentative selections from the Gospels for the year 1900 were made. The Committee's method of procedure as now adopted is as follows : At the last annual meeting in March of this year a committee of three was appointed to malie selections from the Old Testamtut and a similar committee to make selections from the New Testament. The work of these committees is carefully considered iu detail by the entire Committee. When a course of lessons for a year is pro- posed, copies are placed in the hands of corresponding members in England and in other countries for examination and suggestions. These suggestions may cover all points, from changes in texts or memory verses to the possible rearrangement of the entire course. Copies are also furnished, for private use only, to a number of Biblical scholars and students inviting similar suggestions. These are all placed before the Lesson Committee, and the list of lessons finally issued is the result of the combined wisdom of many students of the Bible in many parts of the world. The Committee in its sessions has found very valuable assistance in the co-operation of the corresponding members in England, whose suggestions are usually incorporated into the final draft of the lessons. The Committee has devoted much time to the consideration of the question of selecting different texts for dilferent grades of pupils, primary and advanced, in addition to the regular course. It has carried on an extensive corresijondence, and has examined many plans which have been placed before it. It has recognised important advantages which might be gained by the use of some of these plans. But it has not tlxus far found such general agreement on any plan as would warrant departure from the uniform system of one lesson text for all. It has endeavoured to select such texts as would admit of as extensive gradation in treatment as lesson-writers might think desirable. If essentially new methods are to take the place of those which up to this time have had preference in the Sunday schools of the world, their worth can be shown only by experiment. The Committee cannot adopt radical changes, as yet untried, which affect many millions of people. But we regard with interest all efforts to improve Sunday school teaching, and seek to incorporate into our work such methods as are proved to be valuable, and calculated to make more tfScient the study of the Bible in the Sunday schools of the world. We welcome friendly criticism. We have i^rofited by some criticism which seemed unfriendly. We have listened occasionally to some which seemed to be based on lack of information, and which demanded of us tasks which we were not appointed to perform. We have neither sought nor received any other reward than the consciousness of having 140 World's Third done, to the best of our ability, the work to ■which we were called, and the evidence of wonderful results from the united prayers, labours, and sympathies of many millions of the cliildren of God with whom we count it a great privilege to be joined. AVe are grateful for the loyal support wc have always received from those who have called us to this office. We thank God that He has bestowed such abundant favour on the International Lesson System tlirough these four courses of study of the Bible. We unite with all Sunday school workers in the prayer that the century on whose threshold we stand may witness the saving knowledge of the Word of God accepted by the whole world. For the International Lesson Committee, A. E. Dunning, Secretary. Dr. Potts next read a paper on '* The Uniform Sunday School Lesson System." THE UNIFORM SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON SYSTEM. By Kev. Dr. Potts, Chairman of the International Lessons Committee. The Sunday school is in the front rank of the spiritual forces of the age. The growth of the Sunday school institution has been marvellous. Think of its magnitude to-day and a generation ago. Think of its efHciency to-day and a generation ago. Then faulty in helps and equipment generally ; to-day, while much remains to be done, the Sunday school may be said to have partaken of the general progress of the age. Try to grasp its development from a single school to the World's Convention, and what lies between tliose extremes of organisation. The Sunday school is not perfect yet, less perfect in teaching than in any other department. Our teaching material must be considered. It is not like public school teachers, all of whom must be certificated as to qualification before they are permitted to teach. We are not prepared to require this in our Sunday school work. We must aim at a high standard, but always gratefully accept a largo class gifted with sanctified commonsense, who have the seal of Christ's approval upon their work. The Word of God is supremo in the Sunday school. Let it ever be so. The Uniform Lesson System is tlie centre and bond of tlie various organisations from the township up to the International and World's Convention. To break up the system would be to disintegrate the international and, therefore, the world-wide Sunday school work. The motto of the Uniform LesBon System is^one lesson for all the Sunday School Convention. 141 ecliool and for all schools. If not that, as near to that as can be reached. Grading, of course, there must be, but could not that be done in lesson helps, in exposition, and in teaching ? I. The Uniform Lesson System has stood the test of time and experience. It has passed beyond the stage of the experimental. Witnesses as to its efficiency, adaptability and educational value are many and worthy of all credence. The history of this system has been the history very largely of the Sunday school's greatest progress. Its adoption marked an epoch in the advance of tlie Sunday school cause. Before the adoption of tliu Uniform System, where was the Sunday school as to Bible study ? In many instances there was not uniformity in individual schools ; in some cases each teacher selected his own lessons. This was done without helps of any kind, at least comparatively so. What did the school exercises mean ? Why, reading, little less and little more, unless where there was a teacher of unusual character and ability. II. The Uniform Lesson System has unified Sunday school teaching, and yet has honoured denominational interpretation of the Word of God. Tliis is true as to Topic and Text — the same central thought, the same general outline and illustration, and the same Golden Text surmounts the whole lesson. Is not that a great thing to have achieved ? AVhether you enter a Presbyterian, Baptist, Congrega- tionalist, or Methodist Sunday school, the same Scripture is read and taught. At the same time each Lesson is prepared more or less from a denominational standpoint. Denominational conviction is not a trifling matter. Our entrance into Christian life was largely effected by its agency. We have been nurtured and taught, we have been fed and feasted on truth as conveyed to us through the channels of church life and association. The Uniform Lesson System is broad as Christianity, and it reaches our schools through modes of doctrinal exposition which are most acceptable to us. Each denomination has its own Lesson writers. III. The Uniform Lesson System has provided for average classes taught by ordinary teachers. The Sunday school is not a theological college. Its teachers are not tutors and professors in divinity. Its scliolars are not candidates for the ministry. It is composed of average young people, and it is taught by Christian people who have spiritual life and a fair knowledge of tlie Word of God and the plan of salvation. While all this is true, the system is capable of the most advanced study and teacliing where in select Bible classes, composed of either students or of specially intelli- gent people, it may be proper to discuss the higher aspects of truth. The history of the Uniform Lesson System has meant a more syste- matic study of the Bible. There is a more comprehensive knowledge of the Word of God than ever before. Surely this must be attributed 142 World's Third to more expository preacliing, and to the systematic study required by our Interuational Lesson System and to the invaluable Aids which it produces. We must try more and more to avoid the hand-to-mouth plan of many teachers. The best qualification to teacli in detail is to know the lesson as a whole ; therefore all around the lesson should be known to teach the lesson well. IV. The intellectual, or educational benefits of the Uniform Lesson System are many and great. The Bible is both a revelation and a literature. In either or in both lines it has its difficulties of interpretation. The Sunday school and tlie pulpit have to deal with the Bible more as a revelation than as a literature. Nature and the Bible in their simplicity and profundity have lessons so simple and so easily learned that they are like kindergarten or object lessons, while at the same time each has subjects so complex, mysterious and profound that they require sages on tlie one hand and saints on the other, rightly or approximately to interpret tliem. The Bible must be studied with great thought and care and prayer, and then we need the aid of experts if we would know and be able to appropriate much of its treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Here lies the great value of Lesson writers. We find two classes of writers in the expounders of the Uniform Lesson System— the purely intel- lectual and critical, and the eminently practical or exi^crt class. Each has a value of his own, but both are best for teachers. The eminent Biblical students and higlily intellectual class bring up out of the mine great nuggets of golden truth which enrich buth intellect and heart ; the expert teacher of teachers mints the gold and sends it forth into Sunday school circulation in size and form adapted to the capacity of the various departments of our scliools. The Uniform Lesson System has created a Biblical literature of great value to the cause of truth and to the general edification of the Church, as well as tn the special qualificati(jn of Sunday school workers. All this would be largely impossible in the absence of a uniform system of lessons. To-day the best Biblical thought of the age is at the disposal of both teachers and scholars, and almost without money and without price. Think, then, of the helps it has developed of a pictorial and normal class kind. Artists and normal class instructors have become a necessity in the intelligent prosecution of Sunday school work. Looking at the Bible and Sunday school work from an intellectual standpoint merely, the Uniform Lesson System has been a great educator for two-thirds of a generation. But for this system the great majority of teachers would be but i)0()rly qualified to expound and illustrate the Word of God. If we rise to the highest conception of Sunday school work, which is (he spiritual, we see the immense advantages accruing from a proper interiiretation of the Word of God as il reveals the divine purpose concerning the salvation of mankind. Sunday School Convention. 143 V. The Uniform Lesson System has been a great object lesson as lo tlie oneness of Protestant Christianity. Tlio Church is one in the sense of uu army being one. Tlie Church is divided in the sense in which an army is divided — companies, regiments, battahons and brigades. There are good people who dream of organic union, but it is only a dream. I am not sure that organic union would be an immixed blessing. Nor does the prayer of Christ for His Church require that. Unity, not uniformity, is the desirable object to be attained. We may be distinct as the billows, but one as the sea. I look upon the operations of the Sunday school world as indicative of a great evangelical alliance uniting all sections of the Churcli around the great text-book of our common Christianity. And is there not something sublime in the thought of all teachers of the Sunday schools of nearly all the denominations preparing and praying over the same passage of the Sacred Word, and then all the classes being- taught the same each Lord's Day ? VI. The Uniform Lesson System has an international as well as an interdenominajtional influence for good. We who belong to the Sunday school organisations wliicli are inter- national are not less citizens and subjects of oiir own respective nation?. While we stand for our own nation and institutions and flag, we are agents to aid in the fulfilment of the prophetic words uttered by the angel of the Lord, "Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace, good will toward men." Just in proportion as the Sunday school honours the Bible, the Sunday-school workers and friends must cultivate the spirit of j^eace and fraternity among the nations of the earth. VII. In the outlook of the Uniform Lesson System, the home depart- ment must bo considered. The lesson system has found of late a new sphere for its operations. It has been a power in the home as well as in the Church, but in the home department of the Sunday school it will possess a greatly multiplied power. Already the home department has achieved great success, and it is only on the threshold of a career which has in it possibilities of untold good. The home department has enrolled many who could not go to the Sunday school, and such persons shall havu all the benefits of the uniform lesson system in its varied and enricli- ing illustrations of divine truth. Standing here and looking back over the history of this Institution, and especially back over the history of the Uniform Lesson System, may we not tliank God — should we not thank God — for its glorious results in Bible study ? This Institution has had at its disposal the rich and ripe Christian scholarship of a great army of earnest and consecrated workers, foremost in the field of Biblical exposition and illustration. What of the future? The century is dying, and it has a great account to render, but another and greater century is about to come into existence. The twcntienth century shall be wonderful in com- 144 World's Third merce, wonderful in science, wonderful in literature, wonderful in philanthropy, and wonderful in the furtherance of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wliat sliall be the attitude, what shall be the equipment, and what shall be the consecration of the Sunday school hosts of the Lord as the twentieth century dawns upon us ? What organisation is equal to the Sunday school in the enlarging and building up of the Redeemer's kingdom ? Our constituency is largely made up of children and youth. Our business is to save and train the children and youth for Christ. How rich the field ! How hopeful the outlook in the light of prevention, in the liglit of salvation, and in the light of reward! How blessed is tlie work of winning the young people for Christ ! From the platform of this Convention, called the World's Conven- tion, I ask myself, What shall be the future of this Sunday school organisation ? Its aim is world-wide, \U text-book is world-wide, its blessings are intended to be world-wide, and to its world-wide workers I would say, " Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, nnmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." The Chairman : I have now to call upon our greatly honoured friend, Dr. S. G. Green, to read a paper. THE INTERNATIONAL SCHEME OF LESSONS. By the Rev. Dr. S. G. Green (London). Iteaunotbe nece.ssary, after the lucid and most interesting statement tliat we have heard from Dr. Potts, to occupy any more time with the liistory or details of the International Lesson System, nor with a general defence of its principles. I would rather recall the audience to the ideal we liave in view, and ask whether there are any lines of action by which it may be yet more effectually realised. A main purpose of the scheme is that our scholars, and, I may add, our teachers, may gain a comprehensive and adequate knowledge of Scripture as it is, — in its diversity as a manifold literature extending through many ages ; in its unity as a development of redemption, and in its order as a progressive revelation. There are some who would prefer the order of a creed or of subjects, as rearranged by theologians. After full consideration we prefer the historical, the divine method of revelation. It was a remark of Richard Cecil at the beginning of the century that the great preachers of the past brought their observations to illustrate Scripture ; " we of the present," he said, " are more in the habit of bringing Scripture to illustrate our observations." For us, the teachers of the young, we hold the ancient method is the best; and our lesson course, whatever its merits or defects, is framed according to the method of the Bible. Yet the attempt is made under unquestioned disadvantages. The teacher has, say an hour and a Sunday School Convention. 145 half a week — an hour and a half at most, intruded upon and broken by many incidental engagements — to introduce the scholars to this wonderful literature ! The ditficulty has to be fairly met. I know of no more effective plan for this purpose than that the best minds in both hemispheres, devoted to the task of instruction, should bend their energies to the task of selecting and arranging what in Scripture is of highest value. In your Sunday schools you can only eflfect an introduction to Scripture lore — such an introduction as will on the one hand convey great lessons of saving truth, and on the other will open the way to further and deeper knowledge. To read the Scriptures with your scholars, — that is, to read such fragments of Scripture as the time at command and the scholars' capacity will permit, — is of great importance ; but still more important is it to teach them how to read the Bible for themselves. For, humiliating as the fact may be, it is nevertheless true that the art of intelligent and profitable Bible reading is one that multitudes even of Christian people never attain. The popular ignorance of the Scriptures is something portentous. Partly, I think, the cause may be found in the miscellaneousness of pulpit texts, and the way in which contexts are disregarded. The old saying is : " You cannot see the forest for the trees ; " may we not find a parallel here : " You cannot see the Bible for the texts ? " Last year, I read in an Americaiu publication, " the President of a well known college gave an account in the Neiv York Independent of an experiment which he had just been making in his freshman class, with a view to testing the knowledge of tlie Bible possessed by yoimg men entering college. There were thirty-four members in the class. He wrote out on the blackboard twenty-two extracts from Tennyson. Each one of these extracts contained an allusion to some Scripture event, or Scripture scene, or Scripture passage supposably familiar to everybody. The young men averaged about twenty years of age. They were the sons of lawyers, teachers, doctors, preachers, farmers. They had grown up in well-to-do homes, and more than half of them were church members. What was the result of the experiment ? Nine of the thirty-four failed to understand the quotation — ' Jfy siu was as a thorn among the thorns that girt Thy brow.' Eleven did not know what was referred to by the ' manna in the wilderness.' Sixteen knew nothing about the wrestling of Jacob with the angel. Twenty-six were ignorant of ' Joshua's moon,' and twenty eight of ' Jonah's gourd.' Twenty-two were unable to explain the allusion to Baal ; one thought that Baal was a priest, who put Christians to death. Nineteen had apparently never read the idyll of Kuth and Boaz. Eighteen did not know the meaning of ' Egyi^tian darkness.' Twenty-four were unable to write anything about ' Jacob's ladder.' Sixteen could not explain what was meant by ' the deathless angel seated by the vacant tomb.' Thirty-two out of the thirty-four young men had never heard of the shadow turning back on the dial for Hezekiah's lengthening life ; one of them, trying 146 World's Third to explain the matter, thought that Hezekiah stopped the sun. Oht? young man explained the mark set upon Cain by saying tiiat he was a farmer and had to work hard. And so it went on to the end." A similar story, no doubt, eould be told of many a group of young Englishmen ! — Yes, it may be said, Imt all this relates to the Bible on its literary side. Are tliere not deeper meanings and spiritual trutlis that may be effectually gra.sped, even by such as may miss the point of all such allusions? Happily it may be so; yet the way to the deeper meaning and spiritual truth is, after all, through the letter, well studied and adequately understood. The Divine order in com- municating truth is not to be undervalued ; and those will be wisest unto salvation who can fall in with this order, and so interijret tlie great history aright. That history, we know, is now to a greater extent than ever in the crucible of criticism. Old and young are loosely told that it is discredited in many a vital part by modern research. Our sense of reverence, our instincts of devotion, our grati- tude for the blessings of redenii)tion, are up in arms as against some strange profanation. But, it is to be feared, men sometimes strike out blindly. I have heard invectives against modern theories and tlie higher criticism, which have evinced the most jirofound ignorance :,s to what that criticism really is, iu process and result. The whole question is far too large for discussion now. Only let us assert tlie principle, for it lies at the very ground of our International Lesson Svstem, that it is of prime importance to present the Bible history, with its gradual unfolding of the great salvation, and as illumined by prophecy, psalm, and epistle, in the OUi Testament and the New, so that every teaclier may apprehend it in its order and significance as one mighty scheme of truth. What we are trying to do, then, is just tiiis, to secure so far as possible a knowledge of Scripture, not only in separate portions, but as a whole ; having respect to three things — first, the relative import- ance of the different parts of tlie Bible ; secondly, their comparative intelligibility to the young ; and thirdly, the amount of time at the teacher's disposal. But here a serious diificulty meets us. We must have respect to the proportion of truth. Ou tiie one hand, tlie Old Testament is a much larger book than the New, and on the other the New is by far the more intelligible and practically important. No scheme could be endured that would begin at Genesis, and go straight through t') Revelation, deferring to the end of the course that which the learner most needs to know, as the very foundation of spiritual life. Hence the peculiarity of our scheme is such, that while the historical order is strictly followed in the Old Testament, the Gospel History is repeated, from time to time, tliroughout each six years' course — in different aspects — now by way of a " harmony,'' now by the study of individual evangelists; each method, it is conceived, having its own separate value. Or, to come for a moment or two to details: Instead of the six years' course — which, by-thc-way, I am inclined to think still Sunday School (Jonvention. 147 too long — let us just, beginning January, 1884, take the five years' lessons ending next Christmas. Divide the series into twenty, each occupying a quarter of a year. Now, of these twenty quarters, eight (including the first six months of the course) are occupied with the Old Testament, twelve with the New ; and of the twelve devoted to the New Testament, eight are given to the Life and Words of our Lord, and four to those of the Apostles, iucluding not only the Book ot Acts, but select illustrative readings from the Epistles. Moreover, of the eight quarters occupied with the Gospel Historj', four, consecu- tively, have been spent in considering a carefully-arranged scheme formed by a harmony of the Four Gospels. After an interval of six months, given to the earlier Old Testament history, from Genesis to the First Book of Samuel, teachers and scholars returned to the Gospel History as given in Luke alone, which book occupies six months more. There was then a return for half a year to the Old Testament ; the Second Book of Samuel, and the First of Kings. The whole of the year following was taken up by the history of the Christian Church, as narrated in the Acts and illustrated in the Letters of the Apostles ; and those of you who spent the year 1897 on this series of subjects will be able to tell whether you were not able to make them deeply interesting, even fascinating, to the young people. Then, in the present year 1898, you returned once more to the Life of Christ ; this time as contained in Matthew's Gospel alone. These lessons yoxi have just completed; and, for the rest of the year, you will be con- sidering the deeply-interesting story of the Hebrew monarchies, as narrated in the latter portions of Kings and Chronicles, with prophetic passages from Isaiah and Jeremiah, carefully selected on account of the cross-lights that they throw upon the events and personages of the history. An examination of any five, or seven, or more consecutive years of the course would bring out corresponding results, as to the proportion- ate arrangement of the Lessons. Take, for instance, the fifteen years ending with the close of 1898. Divided into sixty quarters, we find almost exactly the same proportion. That is, there are thirty-five for the New Testament and twenty-five for the Old ; and of the thirty-five, twenty-two are occupied with the Gospel History, and thirteen with the Acts and the Epistles ; six months altogether of this time being devoted, I confess, to the Epistles alone — i.e. the last quarter of 1886 and the last quarter of 1893 ; and these parts of the series have no doubt required much skill to adapt them to the teacher's purpose. I remember many complaints at the time of the difiiculty of these particular lessons. " How can we make them interesting to the little children ? " And yet, considering what those Epistles have been to the Church of all time, considering also the simplicities of holy teaching which are found among their deepest and most mysterious utterances, this very moderate allotment of time may seem not altogether out of place. Now in a scheme thus constructed what are the drawbacks? L 2 14B World's Third Unquestionably this, chief of all, that a course which is tolerably complete for the whole course of years cannot be equally so for the individual scholar who may enter at any given point of the series. Much might be said of such a'scholar's difficulties. Take for example the case of an intelligent boy or girl who happened to begin with the lessons of 1892. The first six months of that scholar's course would be given to the Prophets and Psalms, the next six months to the Acts of the Apostles; then, turning again to the Old Testament, the scholar would be occupied fur three montiis with the annals of the Return from the Captivity, as contained in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah ; with a glance at the story of Queen Esther ; then, three months of lessons from Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes ; three months again to finish witli the Acts, three months to spend over the Epistles ; then, turning once more to the Old Testament, six months over Genesis and Exodus ; and then, at last — at last ! after two years and six months of this variety of subject, the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ, to occupy one happy year ! Now this picture, I verily believe, is the worst that can be drawn of our International Lesson System. Can we suggest improvement ? In one direction, very obviously ; but I fear that the suggestion will not be welcomed at the present stage of Sunday school history, or even, if thought desirable in the abstract, it will be voted impracticable. The suggestion is that there should be two lessons on the Sunday ; so balanced that the New Testament should never be out of sight, and that no child, by any possibility, should ever come into our schools and remain two years and-a-half without being led by one prescribed lesson of the day to the cradle of Bethlehem or the hills of Galilee ! The Sunday school teachers of two hemispheres will owe a debt of gratitude to any one who can Bet this matter right. But meanwhile the teacliers themselves may do something to amend the disproportion. For one thing, it v.'ould be well to pay more attention tlian is sometimes given to the connected parallel and illustrative readings by which the lists of lessons are now accompanied, and to get the scholars to read tliese carefully during the week. But, above all, if they will only bear in mind the primal truth that in the Bible there is the unveiling of redemption, that the records of the earliest times, the history of Israel, with psalm and prophecy, all pointed to the Christ who was to be, there will be, as there ought to be, something in every lesson that leads to Him. To this end much insight is needed, a true and even deep knowledge of the Divine Word, an understanding of the purpose of the ages. But these things belong to tlie teacher's qualifications ; and those are inapt for their high task who cannot make every lesson radiant with some gleams of lightjfrom the great story of Redemption. At the same time, feeling as I do the supreme importance of the Gospel History in any scheme of Sunday school instruction, I cannot but express my gratification that the International Lesson System provides for the whole of the year 1900 and the early part of 1901 a course of Lessons from the Evangelists, extending over seventeen consecutive Sunday School Convention. 149 mouths, and in its completeness and adaiitatiou equul at least to any set of lessons known to me, proposed for the elucidation of the great biography And here let me venture to repeat what seems to me an important suggestion made by Dr. Monro Gibson in the Convention of 1889. He forcibly argued that if the Seven Years' Lessons of any given period had successfully embraced the chief points of a consecutive Bible course, there would be little need of varying it for another septennate. " The work having been carefully done, it might be you should just go over the same ground again." In this matter, I feel, it would be well to aim at some standard that might remain for all our schools — not indeed a complete course of Bible study : that would be impossi- ble, but such a course, whether for seven years, or for five, as might appear best, as should permanently contain the topics on which the Christian teacher is bound to instruct his charge ; in fact, a Bible for THE Young. The advantage of this would be that there might be engrafted upon it some one series of Lessons of lasting value, which might iu a measure take the place of these very miscellaneous Notes and Comments — a little bewildering, and certainly of very various worth — which are now periodically presented to the teacher. These series would be graded ; a point on which much might be said ; although as yet comparatively little has been done. There would be a system for the primary classes, another for the more advanced, another for tlie seniors, and so on, each containing the same lesson, but in various form, according to the capacity of the learner. I know that this is being attempted in various directions : but it does seem to me that the plan might be carried out, with greatest hope of success, in connection with the International Lesson system. The best minds among us might well be occupied in the preparation of such a scheme to meet the needs of the schools and the churches once for all — a cycle of Bible instruction, which would lay the foundation in many a young mind of larger and deeper knowledge in years to come. And now in conclusion ; I confess that I have never been particularly impressed by the fact on which it is common to lay stress, that millions of scholars in both hemispheres are on the same Lord's-day occupied in studying the same lesson. No doubt t.here is here a certain appeal to the imagination : and as Dr. Potts has said, it is unquestionably interesting. Still, I quite concur with those who caution us against being led away by mere senti- ment; but, when this caution is made a ground of disparagement to our system, I would reply that, quite apart from any senti- mental considerations, there is an aspect of the case which has a very practical utility. The effect of tlie simultaneousness in these lessons is that public attention is concentrated at one time upon one subject ; it is discussed in Sunday school periodicals and religious magazines. Ministers take it as a topic of their sermons. I knew one — and there are doubtless many — who regularly preached from the *' Golden Text" at hi§ week-day service for many years. Most of hia 150 World's Third audience took the discourse simply as an ordinary sermon, wondering perhaps sometimes what made it so specially interesting ; but the teachers present were in the secret, and stored up, that Wednesday or Tliursday evening, ricli material for the following Lord's-day. After all, everything depends upon tlie manner in which the scheme is worked out. You may have the best conceivable system of lessons ; but the treatment of them will determine their value — first in the heliiH provided, and secondly in your own use of them. The one thing to be dreaded, if I may use a familiar word, is cram. To get up a series of lessons is not to study the Scriptures. The fragments of truth must be " fitly framed together " in your minds — otherwise they will remain but fragments after all, and be scattered and lost when their immediate work is done. The true teacher is one who has studied the Scriptures quite independently of the claims of the hour. He knows his lesson, if I may eo say, befoie he begins to study it for his class ; and that study does but help him to set in order that which is already in his mind, giving to it adaptation, point and power: while by meditation and prayer he not only refreshes his knowledge but deepens those holy sympathies through which he will not only arouse the interest but will touch the hearts of these whom it is ever his supreme desire to bring to Christ. The hymn — " We bless Thee for Thy will made known," was then sung. The Chairman : Perhaps it is not out of the way for me to call your attention to the fact that the hymn in which we have just joined was written by one of the members of the London Committee and one of the secretaries of the Sunday School Union, Mr. Groser (cheers). I wish to give notice that, at some session during this Convention, I propose to oft'er for the consideration, not necessarily for the adoption or for the action, of the Executive Committee, the suggestion that hereafter the meetings of this Convention shall be held, if possible, so as to coincide alternately with the meetings of the International Convention that they may be one. In other words, as tlie Inter- national Convention is once in three years, this siiall meet once in six. We are now ready to receive questions on the Report of the Inter- national Lesson Committee. Questions then were sent up and answered as follows. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON SYSTEM. The Rev. Dr. Potts (Canada): There are two questions so much alike that one answer will suffice. Tlie question is in effect : "Whether a series of gospel lessons for infants is being prepared. Many teachers find it impossible to teach successfully the lesson se^ Sunday School Convention. 151 out in tlio International series to the infants. May we have an expression of opinion from this meeting as to the desirability of having one series of lessons for seniors and juniors, and another much simpler series for the infants ? " With regard to the question, I may say thut the Lesson Committee is in correspondence with the various primary unions in order to accomplish this very thing ; but I am bound to say that there is such a lack of unanimity among the primary leaders that the International Lesson Committee is not able yet to come to a conclusion. We are anticipating the time when we shall met't the wishes of tliose who desire to have special lessons for the little ones. Mr. George Sliipway, from Birmingham, asks, " Is it not possible to adopt the suggestion that, when the lessons are from such books as the Prophets and Epistles, an alternative lesson can bo oifered for the infant classes?" A very difficult thing that is to do, because we, of the Lesson Committee, are in a sort of covenant and league with the lesson writers; and it w^ould scarcely be possible for the lesson writers to provide the double lessons. But I will lay this important subject before the next meeting of the International Committee. Count Bernstobff (Berlin) : It is a matter of deep regret that the International Lessons have not gained ground on the continent of Europe. Even in Switzerland the lessons have again been dropped for the reason that it is found impossible, as it also is in Germany and in the northern countries generally, to make a system popular which entirely ignores the ecclesiastical year. I do not enter into any dis- cussion, but just mention the subject. As far as I know, the Danish friends a few years ago had a correspondence with the London Sunday School Union on the point, whether it would not be possible to leave the door open, in the International Lesson plan, for Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and other Church festivals. I should like to know whether any result has come from that communication, and whether it would be in any way possible to meet the wishes of the continental friends in this particular (hear, hear). The Rev. Dr. Potts (Canada) : It would be extremely diflflcult for the International Lesson Committee to adopt what is known as the Ecclesiastical Year, but there is a tendency in that direction. Indeed, I know that the editor of an episcopalian paper in Toronto, Canada, adopts the International scheme of Lessons, but, for special festivals of the Church, prepares a lesson peculiarly adapted to each of these festivals. We do already recognise, by optional lessons, Christmas and Easter, and there has been a tendency in the direction of recog- nising Pentecost. Would tliat we had a glorious Pentecost on all our Sunday school work ! (Amen.) The Chairman tlieti called upon the Rev. W, J. Mills to read a paper, 152 World's Third THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE HEADING ASSOCIATION. Ly the Hev. W. J. Mills {Londini). In April 1879 the Children's Scripture Union was establislied in cimuectioii with the Children's Special Service Mission. I^ast year this Society issued 52G,000 cards in Great Britain, 93,000 cards in the Colonies and the United States, and 100,000 in twenty-nine foreign languages. In 1884 The Church of England Bible Heading Union was started by The Church of England Sunday School lustitutc, and ill 1897 had a membership of 56,000. The readings of this Society arc especially arranged to include The Lessons for Saints Day.s and Holy Days. Some mouths since our Wesleyan friends inaugurated "The Wesley (Juild Bible and Prayer Union" from whicli great things may be expected. That splendid missing link of our churches and Sunday schools discovered in America by the Rev. F. E. Clark, The Christian Endeavour Society, whilst not a Bible-reading association in name, is one in fact, as its members pledge themselves to read the Bible every day, and in the Christian Endeavour Paper portions of the Scriptures are selected for daily reading, bearing on the prayer-meeting topics. But the association with wliich this Convention is most concerned is known by those four letters, I.B.E.A. No magical formula this, and yet it possesses a more magnetic potency than any of the famous letter charms of the ancient East. Commencing its work in 1882 ■with an issue of 11,000 cards, it continued to grow under the fostering care of its honorary secretary, Mr. Charles Waters, until it reached, last year, the colossal issue of G20,000 English membership cards. In addition to this the card has been translated into no less than twenty- nine foreign languages, thus every year more and more justifying its claim to the title The International Bible Reading Association. Surely there is no force at work in the world more mighty than this for bringing in the golden age of universal brotherhood. This association includes in its membership persons of every evangelical denomination, and is a demonstration of the real union, at the core, of all the churches of Christ. We are no more divided than the States of America are divided. Each has its own geographical boundary, but the star-spangled banner floats over all. We are all loyal to one Sovereign, Jesus, the Christ of God! Still, as yet we do not see the Master's prayer nnswered " that they all might be one." There is a great yearning in the churches for this visible unity, and I know of nothing more likely to bring it about than for us all to get back to the fountain of revelation, and to drink from the strciim that flows from the Throne of (iod. These associa- tions supply a real icant of the times. The age in which we live is a reading one. The numbers of papers, periodicals, and books yearly poured forth by the printing press are fabulous, and in the eflort to be Sunday School Convention. 153 np to date with our reading there is a danger of the Bible being neglected. The pressure of business, the necessity of recreation, the attractions and opportunities of pleasure, and the news of the entire world awaiting us every morning at the breakfast table, emphasize this difficulty. An illiterate man was converted ; he was anxious to learn to read, and his Bible was ever in his hands. One day the minister called and asked his wife how he was getting on. " Famously 1 " was her reply. " Is he able to read the Testament ? " " Oh, he is through the Testament," was her glad answer. "The Old Testament ? " further inquired the pastor. To which she added, " He is out of the Bible into the newspaper." Sir, and Brethren, it is at our peril that we neglect our Bibles. The ministry cannot afford to neglect it. The Eev. J. H. Jowett, M.A., recently stated that the late George Miiller of Bristol once laid his hand on his shoulder, in the vestry of Carr's Lane, Birmingham, and said, " For sixty-five years I have read six chapters of the Bible daily." Is it any wonder that he was a giant in faith and works ? It is such men that we want in our pulpits : men mighty in the Scriptures. The Church cannot aiford to neglect it. She has but one foundation, it is " the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." She has but one bulwark of her Protestantism, it is an intelligent knowledge of the Scripture. Put the Bible into the hands of the people and there will be no danger of the people falling into the hands of the priests. Society cannot afford to neglect it : it is the basis of a pure and happy domestic life. Commerce cannot aflbrd to neglect it: honesty underlies commercial prosperity, and the Book teaches that " A false balance is an abomination to the Lord." The nation cannot afford to neglect it: "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Let us teach our young people that the Bible is not out of date when childhood is over; it is a book for life, it is not " the book of the month," it is the book of the ages ; it has not an ephemeral glory, but an immortality. It is the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit. Thus taught, we may place them beneath the dome of the reading- room in the British Museum, and surround them with all the books of ancient and modern times, and they will choose the Bible from among them all, saying, as David did of the sword of Goliath, " There is none like that ; give it me." Again, organisation seems to be the sine qua non of success in the religious world. It is well known in the Church and in benevolent circles how old institutions suffer because of the multiplication of new ones, and the vigour with which they are brought under public notice ; it is therefore imperative that we should have an organised system, throbbing with a vital force, to secure the pre-eminence of the Word of God in the lives of the people. We have the water of life, we want to lay it on to every house and family in the world. In our Sunday Schools, our International Lesisons, and our I.B.R.A., we have the means of doing it. 154 World's Third The mention of these three institutions directs us to the special sphere of the I.B.R.A. : the School and the Home. First, on Monday morning tlio teacher and scholar begin to read portions of Scripture lieariug on the subject fixed for the next Sabbath's lesson. In this way tiiey are prepared to take an intelligent interest in the lesson when the Sabbath arrives ; if faithfully pursued it must secure better teachers and better hearers. In the second place, it is a means of reaching the parents of the children. For some time it has been apparent to me that the family is the true unit of Christian work. The family — not the individual I If we teach the truth to the child on the Sunday, and then commit it to the influences of a bad home for the remainder of the week, it will bo nothing less than a miracle if the development of its character is what we desire. By some means we must reach the parents. In our football and cricket games, as well as in the sterner tactics of war, it is combination tliat wins, and it is more combination in Christian work, to tackle every member of the family, that is likely to give us the victory. In the child-member of the I.B.R.A. reading his daily portion in the home there is a living witness for Christ and the Church. Much remains to be done. In our own land there are more than a million young people who ought to be enrolled among our readers with the least possible delay. In two denominations in the United States, namely, the Methodist Episcopal and the Baptist Churches, there are about six million scholars, and only about eleven thousand members of this society. At the last annual meeting of the Branch Secretaries, held at the Old Bailey on March 29th, it was resolved that we should do our iitmost to secure one million English readers by the annual meeting of 1901. I appeal to the English-speaking Brotherhood of this Convention to join us in this elFort. In conducting this institution I maintain that we should ever heep before ms the object for ivhich it ^cas established. No idea must be allowed to get abroad that it is a means of raising money. And yet I do not feel that I should be right in closing this paper without a reference to the fact, that it is by means of u halfpenny subscription sent voluntarily by many members of the I.B.R.A., that we were able to send the saintly and devoted Dr. Phillips to initiate the grand work of Sunday school extension in India. We believe his mantle has fallen on his successor, the Rev. R. Burges, who has shown untiring zeal in the work. But how about China ? We have heard much of an open door for commerce, brethren, can we not discern the signs of the times ? Sec, (iiod has set before us an open door. Has not the time come for sending a Sunday school missionary to do for China's children what •we are doing for the little ones of India? Let this World's Third Sunday School Convention find our brethren of Canada and the United States returning home resolved to organize Bible reading among their own children, and by means of small subscriptions scfld Sunday School Convention. 155 a missionary to organize Sunday schools in China. The hope of that great and interesting country is in her chihlren. If this is done, onco again shall Isaiah's prophecy blossom into life and beauty : " The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light : they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light sbined." The bymn, " Book of grace, Book of glory," was sutig, and the Benediction was pronounced by the Rev. J, D, Lament, of Dublin, THE CONVENTION SERMON. By the Eev. Dr. Parkeb. At the close of the Tenth Session on Friday morning (July 15th), a sermon was preached to members of the Convention by the Eev. Dr. Parker, in the City Temple, Holborn Viaduct. After the hymn — " Hark, the song of Jubilee," had been sung. Dr. Parker read a brief passage of Scripture — " I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding ; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was brokeu " (Prov. xxiv., 30-31) ; after prayer another hymn was sung — '' Who is on the Lord's side ? " " Subdue the Eabth." The Rev. Dr. Parker, selecting his text from Gen. 1., 28, said : — The text is in two words and in three syllables — " Subdue it." Subdue it — keep it under; you will iiave a fight; but you can succeed if you will. Subdue it, for the Lord said, in the Book of Genesis, in which Book there is everything that is worth knowing, " Replenish the earth and subdue it." Keep it under. He said this from the very first. The Spirit, which is the God of the dew and of the morning star, reads His lesson, audibly and lovingly, early in the morning, to man, " See, set your foot upon it, and keep it there." It is one of two tilings — either this earth will subdue you, or jou must subdue the earth. But has there been any alteration of the law? Not a whit. Adam still comes to God for his lesson and God still gives it, and God never changes it. Subdue the earth! The earth under your feet, the earth as part of the man, must always be kept in a certain relation to the man and kept in a certain f elation by him. Snub it, rebuke it, resist it, stand on it; be a man. 166 World's Thinl Many people liave got a wrong idea. They say, "We are but dust and ashes." No, that is not so. " You know tlie weakness of the liesh " and the strength of the Spirit. " You know that we are but dust." No, and Deity. You can tlius work on cither point of your nature that you pleuse : from tlie dust point and go down ; from the Spirit point and go up ; from the flesli and go down to death and corruption ; from the soul up to eternal sunsliine. Which sliall it 1)0? The devil said to you, " You must have sometliiiig to drink. You must not reject the good creatures and the outward bounty of (ioJ. You must cultivate tlie flesh." You did it, and you are dead. And now the blessed Liglit comes, the loving Christ. I see on every line of thy face some growing beauty caught from tbc upper places, from high communion with the Spirit and with God. You young people can take your clioice. There is a way of feeding the flesh only. If you like, you can starve the soul : you have the liberty, but not the right, to do ij. Now let us hear God's commanding word. I detect a high impera- tive in this controlling decree and injunction : " Subdue it ; " keep it under, chain it, smite it, defy it, make it serve its first and legitimate use. I wonder why this word should have been so early sijoken. The earth had had no time to do anything. But God must reveal the earth to us, as well as reveal us to ourselves, and reveal Himself to us. The whole business and function of revelation are with God. It is for God to tell us what to do with things. " Subdue the earth ? " '' There is more in the earth than you see. It is fighting earth, militaTit dust. What I say unto you I say unto all, age after age, subdue it, utilise it, sanctify it." It is curious that this word should have been spoken before the earth had time to turn prodigal. Why, the earth was barely formed, as we reckon time. Wo have muzzled the Bible, and yet God reveals the earth to us. He says, " It is a lovely little star and a beautiful little thing in its own way, if you take it from the right point and use it in the right manner. It is, of course, one of the smallest but one of the loveliest of all the star family. But, have done, stand up and listen. Subdue it. Never give it one moment's advantage over you, from the first, put the muzzle on it and keep it there." Well, we have lived long enough to sec how won- drously true all tiiis was. It is true to-day. I understand that therer are some friends here from a great distance. I will speak to the very youngest and humblest of them, and say that we have in this country, we have in this London, which wants a whole map to itself, a place called the Gardens of Kew — botanical gardens containing specimens of all manner of curious, rare, and valuable plants — and the whole of the gardens are kept neatly trimmed with the utmost care, and with every sign and evidence of culture. Now let us leave these gardens to themselves for three months. Surely the gardeners may all take a holiday for one little quarter of a year ! Everything has been trimmed up to the very finest Sunday School Convention. 157 point. " Gardeners, go home and shut the gates, and don't open them again until three montha liave expired ; and then come back to Kew." Where is it ? I don't know. Could it not live three months upon the culture it had already received ? No, nor three days. What has the man of science said? He told me in a book the other day that, if you left your garden in ever so perfect and lovely a condition, and left it to take care of itself, the weeds would come up and choke the flowers. But won't the flowers arise and choke the weeds? Never. What! Shall a thorn choke a rose? Yes. Can a rose overcome the thorn ? No. Why not ? Ask the creator of the whole mystery. AVeeds conquer flowers. It is the same with your house. The law of dilapidation runs through the whole economy of things. The law of deterioration or reversion, the type of retrogression, you may put it into a syllable that fits the mouth — the dust. It is the law of pulling things down, tearing things to pieces. That law operates in the construction and management of your own house. You have no sooner got the roof on than Nature begins to take the roof off. Nature will not have roofs. The earth will not have buildings. You have no sooner got up the sanctuary, and robed the priest and got him to say the first prayer at the altar, than Nature has begun to take the roof off. If you leave Nature alone she will pull the house down. You came from America, or Sweden, or Germany, or elsewhere : you locked up your house, said, " It will be all right until I get back," and left the key with a neighbour. When you get back you will simply ask your neighbour to furnish you with the key you left with him, and you will find it all right. Never ; you will find all wrong — dusty, mouldy, mossy green. What spite had Nature against you and your house? I don't know, but I do know that it is the same all through ; and throughout this man system and this material framework and construction there is the industry of dilapidation. That is why so much work is needed in your house, I will tell you how it comes to be needed. First of all, because it is not always well done ; and secondly, there is a mystery that is dead against you in every piece of furniture you have got. If I could succeed in working that fact into every mind and turning it into a living and controlling conviction, there would take place from this day one of the greatest revivals of religion ever known in the history of the Christian Ciiurch. Now it is along that line that we find mystery upon mj^stery, and get fact upon fact. It is the law of the mind ; I must always be thinking, or reading, or conferring, or in some way keeping my mind up to the mark. You could so gorge yourself as to work in yourself the sure consciousness that it would be impossible for you to take another mouthful during the next fortnight. That is what men do with their minds. How do many people act in relation to the vineyards of their lives ? They take in a penny morning paper, and they never read any of the literature in it; but they do read all 168 World's Third the gossip, and all the divorce caees, and all the sensational para- graphs ; and provided there are not suflScient of these, they say, " There is nothing in the paper this morning." You say that is called reading, storing the mind. No; reading is continuous, thoughtful, cumulative, critical, going back upon itself, and then going forward in the spirit of review, and in the spirit of fore- cast. Unless we keep up our minds in that way they will deteriorate like the botanical gardens, like the shut-up house, like everything that goes down in proportion as it is neglected. It is not one thunder- ehower that waters the earth for the whole summer ; it is the dew of the morning and the dew of the night, and the occasional rich rain that God shakes over the green places of the earth ; it is the con- tinuous ministry that God conducts that keeps the earth young and green . So it is with worship ; you must keep it up. Shall I tell some of you friends from other places -what they do in England now ? They have discovered, in many instances, that once a day at church is enough ; and they are going down, and they are in some instances going down visibly. There is no one service that is going to keep us alive and at the highest and best level and best tone of life ; it is service after service, regular, steady culture, scientific attention. Without such attention the mind will wizen and wither, and become rank and sterile. To my brother ministers I would preach this as a word of cheer. If they leave your ministry, they cannot profit by doing so, and they will be the first to blame you. They take the morning service and neglect all the other services of the week ; and if anything should happen to them in the way of spiritual conviction they will blame you. Oh, 'tia wicked, unjust, 'tis murder to the pulpit, when it is thus abandoned, thus affronted, and thus blasphemed. No, this is a matter of co-opera- tion. We must think together, cultivate together, study together. There must be common fellowship, and out of tiiat marvellous inter- relation of things must come beauty of character, and noblencis of manhood. " I passed by the field of the slothful and the vineyard of the man void of understanding, and lo, it was all covered with thorns, and nettles covered the face of it, and the stone wall thereof was broken down." Nature that he professed to worship was the nature that threw down the wall. He did not take a hammer and break the wall down. Nature did that. Nature has to be kept in j)crpetual check, or there is not a granite wall on any of your sea-coasts that nature will not nibble away. It is, again I say, one of two things, either the beast that is to conquer the man, or tiie man that is to conquer the beast. Now, the greatest thing to subdue is self. If I read the Bible aright, I am told that the man who subdues himself is greater than the man who takes a city. Take the city yourself. You can do it througli Christ's strength in you, through the Holy Ghost inspiring you. Through all the comfort and nourishment of Divine grace, you Sunday School Convention. 159 Can capture yourself and stand for yourself, and wave God's banner in sign of victory. The Lord uses this word " subdue " in another relation. One morning, oh Ho was so sad — for naught can be so sad as wounded lovo — and looking upon His people, He said, " Oh, that they had heark- ened unto Me, I would soon have subdued their enemies." If you want your war ended, you must obey God. If you want to see war cease, you must get behind the battle and start for tlie true point of the causation, and then eflfects will follow in natural and in vital sequence. Don't try to cobble things up at the wrong end. Get back to obedience, righteousness, and justice. When a nation is going to war against nation, take the beam out of thine own eye; thou thou shalt see more clearly how to take the mote out of thy brotlier's eye. AVar is a religious question. War in every form must be religiously conducted, if it is to be really successful. AVar is not a game of muscles ; a mere pitting one against another of bounce, brag, and defiance. You must know that things are under divine control. Therefore, do not mock the American women, who are forming themselves, in many places, into a Prayer Union, asking God to relieve their country of this great misery. Of course, if I were a journalist of a certain type, I would laugh, " Ha ! ha ! they say they are praying — these American women — about the war. Well, well, it is very well; but tlie way to end tlie war is another leading article." Did you ever know a leading article end a war? I don't mock the children in the Sunday school, and they pray that God would send peace upon the earth and bring the nations into truer relation to one another. And shall I say in this bravado and confidential manner that I believe there is a larger race than even the Anglo-Saxon race ? I am sorry to say it — it touches a national trait — but it is almost impossible for an Englishman — and I was never out of England until I was over thirty years of age— to believe that there can really be any civilised country except England. It costs an Englishman a great deal to believe that there may be another civilised country outside Great Britain. But there is a larger race tiian the race of the Anglo-Saxon. What is that race ? The human race. God has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the face of the whole eartli. But, of course, it suits me to say that. You say, " Put your arm in mine and we will go down this lane and argue the matter." I say, " The Anglo-Saxon race for ever ! " I will not go with you, because that is not my motto. We have here to-day, and every day, in this church, people from France, and Germany, and Sweden, and Africa, and many other places that are not usually regarded as representing the Anglo-Saxon race. If the Anglo-Saxon is going to work for peace I am with it. If the Anglo-Saxon race is going to be for the world, I am with it; if against the world, I am not witii it. " God liath made of one blood," and I would like to trace God's action among the nations, because 160 World's ThirS Luther was not what I shuiild call an Englishman. I am almost sure be was not an American, and I believe the Australians could not honestly ailopt him. And Calvin, and the great li aders of thought all over Europe I am with them, because my cry is not " The Anglo- Saxon race." My cry is Cliri.stian Protestantism for tlie world. (Loud cheers.) Protestantism, but liberty, intelligence, justice, mutual recognition of nations, and finding in every nation a Cornelius, whose works are accepted of God. " Oh, that they had hearkened unto Me, I should soon have subdued their enemies." Nothing that I have yet read of has been to me so affecting, so pathetic, as the patience, the forbearance, the magnanimity, and the noble generosity of the United States of America in the present war. But I think it was a thousand pities that, when Spain oft'ered to evacuate a certain place — if it could retain side-arms — the occasion was not eagerly seized and embraced. I will say here that I have never been an admirer of Spain. I remember its Inquisition and its bull-baiting, and its inconceivably rotten and terrorising Popery ; but I will be just, and acknowledge that in this ever-to-be-deplored conflict the Spaniards have shown themselves to be anything but cowards. Let us be just even to the opposition. They have fought si:)lendidly, according to their opportunities and resources. They have justified their title to a high military place in Europe, and this tribute has been so ungrudgingly conceded by the Americans that I am thankful that this noble trait in their character has been so displayed. America touched the highest point of her iiistory when she was gentle to her Spanish opponents, when she took them on board her own ships and received the great Spanish admiral as being every inch a seaman and every inch a soldier. I do not believe in a God who classifies nations invidiously, but the God in whom I do believe classifies nations generously, justly, giving to each nation a portion in due season and charging each nationality with its own special responsibility. I do not ask you to take up any party cry, but T ask you to adopt the cry of Christian Protestantism for the world, the enemy of Rome and the friend of man. Dr. Parkek's Welcome to the Delegates. At the close of the service Dr. Parker stated that he extended " a very emphatic and cordial welcome to the City Temple," to all the Convention delegates, and especially to the Americans. He spoke particularly to the Americans, because while delegates from other lands were not less welcome he had personal knowledgi^ of the United States, and had enjoyed the hospitality of its people, as he liad crossed the Atlantic several times, and preached or lectured in many American towns and cities, though he had never visited any of the colonies. " You are right welcome here," he said to the Americans ; " you ouglit to feel very much at home here, for in this place some of the greatest of the American preachers have spoken. Henry Ward Beecher Sunday Scliool Convention. 161 (applause) has preached hero, and such men as Theodore Cuylor. You have in your country some great preachers, men who can preach with a solidity and weight that would blow up the British Constitu- tion if practised hero. lu this country wo think twenty minutes is long enough for a sermon if it has only one head, and that head full of intelligence and life. If an American preacher goes over the twenty minutes, he had better go back to his own country. The day of two sermons, and long sermons, seems to have passed, but it may yet return. The pulpit is at present under eclipse, but the eclipse will not continue. I say to you who are preachers, " Preach to broken hearts, to shattered ambitions, to the disappointments, sorrows, ami sins of the world : preach to its mothers and nurses and little children." 162 World's Third THIRD DAY.— EIGHTH SESSION. Thursday Afternoon. The President took the chair at the eighth session, which was held on Thursday afternoon at the City Temple. The hymn, " for a heart to praise my God," having been sung, The Rev. J. Tolefeee Pakr led the meeting in prayer. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. The President : After the programme was printed it was found that Mr. Marion Laurence, U.S.A., was unable to come to England, but we have secured a gentleman well adapted to deal with the subject of Grading and Management, Mr. P. H. Bristow, who has a school at Washington of over 2,000 scholars and teachers. GRADING AND MANAGEMENT. By Mr. P. H. Bristow (Washington, U.S.A.). The Sunday school needs better methods, better organisation, better management. The time will come when the organisation will be equal to that of the day school. Such organisation will include in its general scope a well-defined system of grading — not by classes, perhaps, so much as by departments. When schools are thus graded and well organised by departments and in classes, the management becomes comparatively an easy matter. It is the legitimate ambition of every superintendent to attain the greatest possible success in his work, and his only hope lies in the most systematic work of which his conditions and surroundings will admit. Any superintendent can better his surroundings if the mind is in liim to do it. I shall speak of grading the Sunday school from the standpoint of a comparison with the grading in our public schools. I have little use for mere theories in the management of a Sunday school, if these theories have not been given practical tests that havt; proven reasonably success- ful. The greatest opportunities for grading and the best urguuisatiou of the Sunday scliool may not lie in the way of every superintendent, but Sunday School Convention. 163 tliere is not one who may not do far better work. But let me say, how- ever, it means the best effort there is in the superintendent. I pity the man who slaves for himself six daj's in the week, and then brings to the Lord on Sunday a poor, weary, worn-out body and mind too, and says it is the best he can do — he knows it is not. I have a school which is graded ; the organisation is not perfect,'and never will be, but, so far as we have gone, I think no one who was acquainted with the work will question its success. It is much easier to grade and manage a large school than a smaller one ; but grading can be accomplished in the smallest school. I know of such schools which are in successful operation. If you want a larger school, do 5'our work, the very best you can, in the small one, and, if other conditions are favourable, numbers will come. But remember, number is only a secondary consideration. Tlie very best work put fortli in the direction of saving children and redeeming men and women is your duty. If you are faithful over a few things, you will be given rule over the many. My own school is organised into six departments. Five of these constitute the main school, and its sessions are held each Sunday morning — the sixth is what is known as the Home department. For want of a better name, the first department, in an upward scale by ages, is the kindergarten. Do not let the name mislead you. The methods of the d ay school kindergarten are not used to any great extent, though little motion songs are easily.adjusted to the Sunday school work, and sand- maps, blocks, pictures, etc., are readily brought into profitable use. The ages of the kindergarten children vary from two to five yeai's. At that point is the dividing line between this department and the primary ; and, as five years is the legal school age, the primary takes the children just as they are entering the day school. The kindergarten is taught as one class. The teacher has an assistant who keeps the record of attendance, another plays the organ and leads the singing, and yet another does all other necessary work in the room, leaving the teacher free to devote her entire time to the teaching of the lesson. As I have already stated, the next or primary department takes the children at five years of age, just as they are entering the public schools. It also includes in its membership the children of the second and third public school grades. Here is also one teacher with three assistants. While the age limit is fixed upon as the basis of the promotion of children from the kindergarten to the primary department, it is not an inflexible rule, and there can be no inflexible rules in the management of a Sunday school. Supplemental work is done even among the youngest scholars. These little ones learn the Lord's Prayer, repeat the 16th verse of the third chapter of John, and other easy texts, and are made somewhat acquainted with the 23rd Psalm. In the primary department the supplemental work is greatly enlarged. The children here have the training of the day school, are accustomed to study, to memorising, and to question and answer. They are taught the names of the books of the whole Bible, M 2 164 World's Third memorise many verses of Scripture anil parts of chapters, learn perfectly such Psalms as the first and twenty-third, and begin to loam the Ten Commandments. The children are required to be proficient in this work before advancement to the next department, even though entitled to promotion because of age. Proficiency is determined by examinations. The next department is the intermediate, and includts in its membership children in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades of the public schools. The ages range from nine to twelve years. In this department there is a division into classes, each with a teacher, and averaging in number of scholars from eight to ten. There is an associate superintendent in charge of the department, with three assistants. The associate has charge of all exercises in the opening of the school, and reviews the previous lesson. She also gives the connecting events. Twenty minutes is given the teachers with their classes, and they are expected only to present tlie facts of the lesson, as to time, places, and persons. Tiie superintendent then makes the application of the lesson and gives the supplemental instruction. All the work of the two lower departments is reviewed, the divisions of the books of the Bible, into the law, poetry, prophecy, the gospel, etc., is taught, and the Ten Commandments are learned perfectly. Next above the intermediate is the junior department. The superintendents of the three lower departments are ladies. The junior superintendent is a man. Here the scholars are the children from the 7th and 8th public school grades and from the high school. Tlie ages range from thirteen to eighteen years. This department is also divided into classes, and is graded by classes as far as is practicable. The sexes are kept separate. Here the teachers are given thirty-five minutes for teaching the lesson, and are expected to make its apiilication, not only to the class, but to the individuals. The superintendent takes ten minutes for supplemental work. In addition to much of what has been taught in the other departments he takes up Bible history and chronology and the study of some of the great cliaracters of the Bible. In this junior department is the place of reaping. The wisest, but most urgent eftbrt is here made to get the young people to make a pub He profession of Jesus as a personal Saviour. And just here comes in tlie work of the pastor. The best nianagem(^nt includes the pastor's unqualified interest in the school. His visits every Sabbath to each of the departments bring him into a relationship and acquaintance with the scholars, so that when they reach the age when a choice becomes a matter of so much moment tliey know the pastor as their pastor, as their friend, and as their counsellor. They are ready to confide in him and to be led by him up to the feet of Christ. And what next ? Far too often the answer to that question is, "Nothing." The door from this department in too many in.stances opens out into the world. The lack of manage- ment just at this point allows the young people to stop out into a wide world, and officers and teachers of Sunday schools do not even peer out into the darkness to see where they have gone, nor even Sunday School Convention. 165 epuJ a call after them, telling tliem to come back, little dreaming apparently that beyond the looking and the calling it is their duty to go out after them. The great majority of school officers accept as final t!ie decision of the young man or woman of eighteen who says, '' I am too old to attend the Sunday school." But I liear you asking, " How can it be done ? " The answer is, " Be in earnest in your work, and let the young people see that you mean what you say when you tell you are interested in them now and in all the future." I cannot, and I think no man living can, tell you hoio to do your work. No one but yourself knows tlie conditions, and so cannot take all the influences into account. The general charge would be, " Clo at your work in earnest." In the school I have been telling you about the door out of the junior department opens into the adult department, and the way between is vestibuled. Our management has been such that the Church membership, including all of its officers, are interested, and actively so, in the work of tlie Sunday school. Their example goes a long way toward making the young people feel that tlie Sunday school is the place for them, and not altogetlier for the children. Between 700 and 800 are enrolled in our adult department. One of the most faithful teachers there is eighty-five years of age. Members of Congress, judges of our federal courts, men in high official position, and men prominent in tlie business world are among the teachers. They see in the management of the school something which gives them an opportunity to work in a good cause. Dignify your work by the highest type of management, and men of high degree, Judges, Congressmen, Members of Parliament, and Lords, who have it in their hearts to work will put fortli their hands and labour in the common field. When cares of any kind take our scholars from the adult depart- ment we follow them, with well-trained teachers, into their homes, and organise classes there. When you get hold of a child the best management means that the school shall never let go that hold. Each one of the departments described has its own opening and closing exercises. While there may be some disadvantages in such arrangement, the advantages overreach them. The opening exercises can be better adapted to the scholars, and the interest held in that way. They can be lengthened in one and shortened in another to meet the requirements of the teacher as to lime for presenting the lesson. All of the departments are brought together three times each year, on anniversary occasions. Only two weeks ago we observed one of these days. It was the time for children's day. But as I believe in the teaching of patriotism, with all else, we observed the day as " flag day." I seized the opportunity of teaching, by illustration, how much, in my judgment, the world is looking to the two countries, the one under the Stars and Stripes and the other under the Union Jack, for the carrying of the teaching of God's word into all its parts. Ss from the pulpit platform to tlie topmost pipe of the great organ in a 1G6 Worlds Third church but little smaller than this one in which we meet, I festooned our own starry banner. But in the very centre, against the balcony which surrounds the organ, I crossed two beautiful silk banners, the Union Jack aud the Stars and StriiJes. But over them, and floating out between them, fluttered another banner, representing more than either of these — the white flag of the gospel of peace to all mankind. But the two flags of colour were the wings which shall carry the peace banner to the uttermost parts of the earth and to the islands of the sea. I speak of this because it is all a part of the management of a Sunday school. More than flfteen hundred men, women, and children looked on that scene that day and sang the mingled songs of patriotism and Christianity and good fellowship and national fraternity, and do you think they will ever forget ? They were interested in it all. I have been giving you illustrations of manage- ment, rather than telling you hoiv to manage, but I trust it will serve its purpose better than any attempt I might make to tell you how to do your work. The average Sunday school cannot be divided just as suggested, but may not our success be a suggestion, and possibly an inspiration, for you to undertake greater things than j^ou are now doing ? If you accept as true all that was said here on Tuesday morning about the hope of the nations aud of the world being in the Sunday schools, is anything too good for them? Churches do not give attention enough to the schools. Pastors do not seem to realise, as a rule, that they owe anything to their schools. If, as has been said here, five-sixths of the membership of our Oliurches come into the doors on the Sunday school side, why, in the name of our Master, do not the Churches take better care of their schools? In the management of any well-regulated school the pastor is the head — the captain ; the superintendent is the executive oflicer. luto every session of the school the pastor should come, not to do work, if it can De avoided, but by his presence to show his interest. I do not forget that I may be talking to some pastors who have to be their own superintendents, and sometimes their own secretaries and leaders of the singing. The first thing in the management of a Sunday school is for a superintendent to learn to manage himself The captain without self-discipline sees that lack of discipline among his men at critical moments leads to awful disaster and defeat. Next to managing himself, the superintendent must manage his oificers. They must believe in him as the right man in the right place. They must be subordinate. The superintendent may, and ought to, accept sugges- tions ; but, after all, he is held responsible, and if his judgment dictates a course at variance with suggestions he must follow liis own course. The superintendent must manage his teachers. In the teachers lies the force, after all, that makes or luimakes the success of n school. If the superintendent can awaken enthusiasm in them for their work, can induce them to devote more time to study and more time to visiting among the scholars, ho is managing them well. 1 1 Sunday School Convention. 167 goes almost without the saying that every well-managed school has a teachers' meeting for preparation of the lesson. Better trained teachers are needed for the Sunday school, as well as consecrated and enthusiastic ones. Misdirected enthusiasm may be fatal. Finally, I believe that grading in our Sunday schools is not a theory, but a practical necessity, and that the well-mai:aged school is one where the pastor is the head ; the superintendent is a well-poised, discreet, systematic worker, and good organiser; where the other officers are willing suhordinates ; where the teachers are carefidly selected men and women, consecrated and enthusiastic ; the scholars are enthusiastic, because there is something in it ; and where, over and above everything else, every energy of every worker is put forth intelligently for the salvation of all the people. The President : You will notice in the programme that the topic next to be considered is "Loyal Sunday School Army," on which Mr. "W. B. Jacobs, U.S.A., was to read a paper. Mr. Jacobs wrote me to the effect that his brother's health would not permit of his taking part in the meeting. I have seen Mr. W. B. Jacobs, and he says he is really unfit to stand before our friends, but he promised, if well enough, to give us a paper for the Convention Eeport. But we have here a gentleman who will give us a valuable paper upon the superintendent's work — Mr. Pepper. [We regi-et that the indisposition of Mr. W. B. Jacobs prevented him from supplying his paper for this report. — Editok.] THE SUPERINTENDENT. By Mr. J. K. Pepper {Memplm, Tennessee, U.S.A.). I have thought sometimes, in discussing the oft-reviewed super- intendent, that the functions of his office have been so magnified, and the qualifications for the same so greatly multiplied, that it has dis- couraged rather than cheered the large army of plain, modest, yet earnest average superintendents over the land. My purpose, there- fore, shall be to put the matter on at least an attainable plane, and to help, if possible, the honest toiler who seeks, amid limited oppor- tunities, to do faithfully the work committed to his hands. Hence I desire to group what I shall say under three exceedingly simple heads, viz., what the superintendent should have, be, do. WJiat the Superintendent should have. — 1st. He should have a clear, well-defined conviction touching the office and its possibilities, what he has come to this kingdom for. A vital personal relation to Jesus Christ. Otherwise he will not be able to recognise the responsi- bility attaching to the ofiice nor the fruitful opportunities afforded thereby. The greatest work possible to the office is that of soul- winning, however important other collateral outreachings may bo. Hence the superintendent who fails to grasp this chief purpose has not yet caught a view of the fundamental work given him to do. 168 World's Third 2nd. He should have a clean character, and keep it clean. Ko one ■with a besmirched name should be placed as a leader of the young, no matter what position he may occupy in the community or Church. 3rd. He should have a clean mouth. A man given to vulgar stories and statements of doubtful trutlifuluess should never be set as an example for immature minds. 4tb. He should have life and business-like vigour in conducting the sessions and other work of the school. A dummy or automaton as leader will make such of the scholars. They will invariably take their tune from him. He must put snap and vim into step and voice, just as is done in this world's work, only the more so as the motive is correspondingly higher. The Superintendent should be— An organiser of his forces. In this department nothing was so much needed as generalship. ]\Iany of our Churches were accomplisliing little, and tliousandsof individual Christians were dying sph'itually for the sheer lack of something to do. To put all to work, wise and persistent planning was neces.sary If need be, he must invent, or in some way open, now channels for activity, whereby persons in the membership of the Chiirch or out of it, who had never before done anything, would become active partici- pants in the work to which they were assigned. A vigorous scliool should contain departments enough to give every person who comes within its pale something to do. The primary intermediate junior, senior, home department, teacher's meeting, teacher's prayer meeting, social work, visitors for strangers, the sick, absent scliolars, &c., &c., all of which require a large aggregate number of workers, corres- ponding of course to the size of the church and community. From all of which it will readily be seen that a vast amount of work could be done if properly organised and distributed among a large number instead of a few who usually bear the burden of work in all departments. The superintendent must do this planning. The Superintendent shoidd be a student of the best literature on his office work. — There is not much hope of a superintendent in these latter daj's of best things if he is content to know nothing of what the expert workers of the world are doing. He need not buy everything written by any means, but he should keep abreast by reading regularly at least one of the best periodicals on world-wide Sunday school work. He need not attempt every new thing he finds, but in the finding he will probably evolve a new way for himself. He shoidd be a Student of Scltool Methods. — The institution over which he presides certainly should be a school of the best type with the triple thought constantly in mind tliat it must be made inter- esting, instructive, and devotional. The first involves the science of variety, the second real teaching, the third, most important of all, the spirit of true reverence and spiritual worship. "Without coupling either of these three foundation stones of the structure with anything technical, it was absolutely essential that a perfectly plain under- Sunday School Convention. 169 standing of them should be liad by the superintendent who earnestly and honestly desired to enrich his oflice and reach the finest results. The roads leading from this trinity crossing ran in very many directions and furnished a splendid opportunity for the disposition of every worker that could bo won to do anything for his Lord. No matter how small the task, almost invariably a friend is gained for the school when some investment of work was secured. Deacon Jones testified that he had always noticed that it was a good meeting when he took part — a truly philosophical statement. Brother Jenkins, the chronic grumbler, on returning from a meeting, announced to his wife that tliey had not had such a meeting for years and that he had actually spoken twice. These two had invested. The Superintendent should DO. — No other individual connected with a church should liold so close a relation to the pastor and people as the truly consecrated superintendent. Hence he should do much pastoral work among his school membership either personally or under his immediate direction with the grasp of his own hand and the throb of his own heart in it. Many of the richest lessons he can teach will not be heard from the platform nor even from the current text of the VFeek, but from the warm page of his own experience as he looked into the eye of the sick, the destitute, the erring, and the straying. He should be a faithful under-shepherd of his flock. Se should not do that which it was the business of some one else to do, or that which he could get some one else to do properly. He should bear the same relation to his corps of workers that a first-class teacher did towards his pupils, he is to be a developer of the workers, aifd a judicious division of labour should be laid upon them constantly in order that a competent band may be continuously in training, and that the work may never depend upon any one individual, and in the event of that individual's removal for any cause great harm accrue to the work. The wise superintendent will do some of his most far- reaching work just here. He should not try to DO a thing just like somebody else simply for the sake of newness or novelty. — Saul's armour did not fit David, and it is quite probable that the exact plan of some one else will not meet your case. It is an idea rather than a special method that is most needed. Ideals and great purposes give birth to methods, and it will ever be bo. The law of adaptation rather than of adoption should obtain. Use what you can of the thought of others, making such changes as your own special needs warrant. I did not observe after I had completed my analysis or outline of this discussion that by reading it backwards it compresses the whole duty and opportunity of the superintendent into the very significant exhortation do — behave. After all that briefly covers the entire matter. I know of nothing that a superintendent needs more than to behave well, as a man, as a servant of God, to whom has been com- mitted a great trust, as the custodian of immortal souls. To so behave with all fidelity, that at the end of the journey the Lord will 170 World's Third say, " Well done, good and faithful servant," which should be his highest ambition. The President : I am sure, friends, you will agree with me that that jjaper is a most splendid gathering up of facts and suggestions in ton minutes. I kept my note-book going the whole time ; and, in addi- tion to what has been so admirably delivered, I may say I hold in my hand a book known to some of our friends, but not to all. It is the " Sunday School Red-book." You will find it is a manual of suggestions and advice for superintendents. There is a good deal in it, and it is by our friend, Mr. Belsey, ex-President of the AVorld's Convention. I think you will all wish to take away with you further suggestions as to how the work should be carried on. Now, we have to take the Home Department itself, and a paper is to be read upon the subject by Dr. Hazard. We are very sorry that the secretary of this movement, Dr. Duncan, is unable to be with us, but I am sure that Dr. Hazard will treat the subject well. I have pleasure in introducing Dr. Hazard, of the United States. The hymn, " Jesus calls us o'er the tumult," was sung. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HOME DEPARTMENT. By M. C. Hazard, Ph.D. (US. A.). In the paper by Dr. Duncan, which will be printed in our Convention Report, the author of tlie Home Department has told the story of its origin and of its achievements. If not acquainted with it before, from that paper yuu will learn what the purjiose and mission of the Home Department are. In thus explaining its object, and by numerous illustrations showing its efl'ectiveness in accomplishing that object. My task is to unfold the operations of the Home Department, and to indicate the extent of its application. I propose to speak of two things. 1. Its methods. 2. Its results. 1. Its Methods. — At the outset, I desire to call attention to their great simplicity. The more complex a machine is the fewer there are who can manage it. An engine of many parts demands the services of a trained engineer, while anyone can wield a pickaxe. Just in proportion as any organisation is complicated, and consequently demands more executive ability, the less likely it is to come into general adoption. Any movement in order to become general must commend itself as being simple as well as effective. When it is shown to them people must say, " Why, we can do that ! " and forth- with be eager to try it. It must not only be simple but easy to work. Its machinery must not be so difficult to move that all the energy is absorbed in simply making the wheels go round. Some engines, you know, have been constructed so that they would turn tlie machinery, but could not generate force enough to set the machinery ti) doing work. Sunday School Convention. 171 And that reminds me to say that there are many churches who have too much machinery. Tliey are so overloaded with organisations of different kinds that they do not have enough spiritual power to keep them all going. They are in the condition of a small steam tughoat on one of the Western waters of the United States, which liad a large whistle and small steam-making power. It could not furnish steam enough to turn its propeller and blow the whistle at tlie same time ; so that whenever the whistle sounded the boat had to stop. No chiirch should ever be like that. Better get rid of some of its organisations. An organisation never should be adopted for its own sake merely. If it absorbs more energy than is warranted by the good that it accomplishes, it should be dropped. The Home Department commends itself as being simple, easy to work, and very productive in its results. Let us look at its Plan of Operation. In the Home Department everything centres round the pledge. It asks of those who are not connected with the Sunday school, either because they cannot go, or do not wish to go, a pledge, written or verbal, that they will study the lesson at home for at least a half hour each week and keep a record of their work. It is for the securing of this pledge that the Home Department is formed. Now it is a very simple thing to solicit people to make such a pledge as that. It does not require a college education to enable one to do it. There are but few persons in any church who would regard the doing of that as beyond their power. Many who would unhesitatingly say that they are not qualified to teach in the Sunday school would be com- pelled to admit that the presentation of such a request is not beyond their ability. Hence in the Home Department you have an organisa- tion in which can be utilised a large portion of that element in the church which is now an incubus through inactivity. Through the Home Department, many who heretofore have been mere spectators have become active workers in the Lord's vineyard. Tliat fact alone would justify its existence. Many churches are dying from inanition. Churches must be productive in order to have vigorous life. Any- thing should be welcomed which will cause them to be productive. I need not dwell upon the great desirability of inducing people to study the Bible a half hour each week. In many families even the reading of the Scriptures is lapsing. The Bible is no longer the one book. Now there are so many books and so many publications of all kinds ; each family is brought into contact with the whole world through the daily papers ; matters vitally affecting the welfare of the whole jjeople and of other peoples are daily laid before the reading public, so that there is not in these days as much time to devote to the leisurely perusal of God's Word as there used to be. Something must be done to restore the Scriptures to their regal place in the household. The only way to do that seems to be through some 172 World's Third concerted movement for Bible study, such as the Home Department presents. Once tlius introduced into the home it is believed that in multitudes of cases it will make its own way and hold its place. For the AVord of God is not likely to return unto Ilim void, but will accom- plish that which God pleases, and will prosper in the thing whereunto lie has sent it. But the pledge to study the Bible for a half hour each week seems a very little thing, almost too little, to ask. Still it is better to ask too little than to ask too much. Thousands will readily pledge themselves to study for a half hour each week who would peremptorily refuse if more were demanded. A half hour seemed such an incon- siderable portion of time to give to a matter so confessedly important, that for very shame at declining thousands upon thousands will agree to make the pledge. What, out of a whole week, not give a single half hour to the study of God's Word I In a week there arc 336 half hours, and not spare one of them to find out what is the message of God to the soul 1 You see how difiScult it can be made to avoid making the pledge of study. And then experience has clearly proven that a pledge to devote a half hour each week in almost every case means much more. . It is almost impossiblo to master the lesson in a half hour. Questions are started during that half hour which will rake other half hours to settle, and before he is aware of it the Home Department student is eagerly investigating. He gets to pondering over some of the things that have come up in his study, and he would like to know what a teacher would say about them in the Sunday school. And so some day he drops into a Bible class, taking a back seat, but keeping his ears ojien. Seeing how informal is the conduct of the class, and how every one is free to ask questions, he propounds a question himself, one which has been troubling him. It is answered promptly and to his satisfaction, and he says to himself, " Why, this is the place for me to be," and he becomes a member of that Bible class, becoming more and more interested in Bible study. In the course of time that superintendent is likely to call upon him to take a class himself. That is no fancy picture ; it has been realised in numberless instances in the history of the Home Department. Thus the Home Department is not only a blessing for the shut-ins, l?ho cannot get away from the home, but also leads many into the Sunday school who are able to get there. Many a Home Department class made up of such has been obliterated through the joining of the school by its members. How and by whom shall that pledge to study be obtained ? The answer to that will disclose the whole matter of organisation, and that likewise is a very simple thing. A man or woman, and in almost all oases a woman, is given a district to visit to secure pledges. Tiiat person is called a visitor. There are as many visitors as there are districts to be visited. Care should be taken not to make the task of the visitor too gi-eat. Twelve or fifteen homes well looked after are better than twenty-five or thirty hurriedly called upon. The object Sunday School Convention, 173 of the visitor should be to get thoroughly acquainted with and to establish familiur aud fiieudly relations with all the people in her district, confining herself, of course, to those of her own denomina- tion, aud to those of no denomination. Those whom she secures as students are her class, though she does not assume to teach any one of them. It is her duty, first to secure the pledge of study, then to supply the same lesson helps which are studied in the school ; next to call at the end of tlic quarter to give out new help and to receive the report of study and whatever offerings each student has felt inclined to make towards those causes to which the school contributes. Her class, with all the other similar home classes, make up the Home Department of the Sunday school, which, of course, id under the supervision of a superintendent, the same as the senior, intermediate, or primary departments of the Sunday school. The visitors rank along with the teachers, and the home class students are treated in every respect as the other members of the school. Of course, to carry all this out, there are pledge cards, report cards, circulars for distribution, explaining the scheme and various helpful devices, but you see how exceedingly simple the whole scheme is. It consists simply of a pledge, oral or jirinted, a corps of visitors to secure the pledge and to aid in carrying it out, and a superintendent to oversee the whole matter that it does not fail in any particular. That is all there is of it. Next, the Home Department is inexpensive. It does not call for a great outlay of money. There are no salaries to pay. The workers give their services for the sake of the Master. The only expense consists in furnishing tlie Home Department students with the lesson helps which are given to the school when they are unable to pay for them. In most of the cases the Home Department students prefer to pay for them, so that the school treasury is out but little. Now let lis look at : — II. Its Kesults. — After what has thus far been said, it is evident that the Home Department is a movement for : — 1. Bible Study Extension. — That is the feature which commends it at sight. It enlarges the Sunday school to the size of the parish. It widens out the walls in which it is held, so that it may include all who are willing to study the Word of God. It introduces that study where it will have the most vital effect — into the family. It enlists the individual, and enrols him along with the millions of others who are engaged in searching the Scriptures. It brings parents and children into closer touch and sympathy by getting them to study the same lesson. Said one man, " If you wish to train up a boy in the way he should go, first go that way two or three times yourself." There is in it a possibility of doubling and even quadrupling the membership of the Sunday school. 2. Church Extension. — It sometimes happens that one plans better than he is aware of doing. George Stephenson had no comprehension of what he was doing for facilitating travel when he was working over his locomotive. Morse was equally ignoitint of the applications 174 World's Third that would be made of the telegrajjU when he made communication by electricity a possibility. So was it with the originator of the Home Department of the Sunday scliool. I feel quite sure that he did not at first grasp its capabilities. His thought was then only for the Sunday school, but the Home Department is proving itself as great, or a greater, factor for good to the Cliurch. We are con- tinually asking the question, " How shall we reach the masses with the Gospel ? " This, in a measure, at least answers tliat question. We have tried reaching tlem by occasional, spasmodic canvassing. It is a matter of doubt whether we have in this done more good or harm ? People visited in this way get tlie impression that they arc looked upon as heathen, and resent the imputation. In some cases the doors are vigorously shut in the faces of the canvassers. Now the Home Department does not arouse any such antagonism. To be invited to join others in Bible study conveys no suggestion calculated to stir- up resentment. Home Department visitors, in the main, are made welcome. And then they regularly canvass the whole parish every three months, year after year. There is no end to tiieir labours. Who cannot .see what an advantage this may be to the Ciinrcli ? For one duty of the visitors is to give a cordial invitation to all who can do so to attend the services of the church. When new families come into her district, who.se church home naturally would be in her church, tlie visitor should urge them to present their letters or to join. When families are about to move, she will suggest that letters be taken to the churcli where they are going. Wlien she discovers those who have not been in the habit of attending any church, she will use all her tact in inducing them to come regularly to hear the preaching of the Gospel. So the visitors become an efifective, ever- working recruiting force for the Churcli. 3. Aiding the Pastor. — Some one felicitously has called the Home Department a Pastor's Aid Society. It is so because the visitors are on the look-out for information wiiich will be serviceable to him. In order to accomplish the most for his parish the pastor should visit it. A visiting pastor, if he is of the right sort, makes a church- attending congregation. But how shall ho \'isit to the best advan- tage ? The making of perfunctory calls will win no one. If he is the scholar which he ought to be, in order to feed tlie people who come to hear him preach, he cannot spend very much time in running around his parish. When he does go it should count for something. He should know who ought to be visited. Now, the Home Department visitors can furnish him just the information which he needs. They can reiJort to him any who are sick, who have a grievance, real or fancied, who are in affliction, who are suffering from poverty, or who desire to be talked with on tlie subject of their salvation. Thus the visitors can save the pastor those often fruitless tours of exploration. From the notes which they furnish liim he can go directly to liioso places where lie is most needed. Not a pastor would be witliout the Home Department if he knew of how much service it could be to him. Sunday School Convention. 175 The Home Department therefore commends itself — first, because it extends the study of the Bible into the home and throughout the parish ; second, because it effectively and continuously aids to build up the Church ; and third, because it is a constant and exceedingly useful ally of the pastor. Any Sunday school or church which does not adopt it fails to make use of that which would be greatly for its benefit. [Dr. Hazard referred to a paper by Dr. Duncan, which would bo included in the Report, but, up to the time of going to press, this paper had not come to hand. — Editor.] The President : It took two Conventions to get the Christian Endeavour movement firmly planted. It will take two Conventions to get the Home Department established, or rather established among the people of Great Britain. I hope that after this Convention people will see that it is so good a movement that they will take it up and try it in their different localities, Mr. F. F. Belsey on the Home Depabtment. Mr. Belsey (London): Mr. Chairman, dear friends, — The only reason why I follow Df.' Hazard is that it has been my privilege to launch the Home Department in connection with my own Sunday school at Rochester. I want to show you how we went to work in our school, in the hope that it may be found useful to delegates in England. The aim of the Home Department was to get those who neglected the Bible and God's house to give a promise that once a week on the Lord's day they would read the same portion we are reading, and would give half an hour to its thoughtful study. We felt that beyond that it would give us the opportunity of saying : " Now you belong to us. "We have you enrolled. You are part of our organisation. We shall be pleased to see you on Sunday, and seats and hymn-books will be waiting for every member of the Home Department on Sunday." We felt we could also say : " Look here ! You are associated with us. Our school library is at your service. We shall be delighted to see you on our Anniversary Day. There will be a large reserve of seats, specially labelled, 'Home Department,' for you, and we shall be delighted to see you occupying them on Anniversary Day. We shall welcome you on the occasion of our Sunday school treats and picnics. We look upon you as belonging to us." So we went to work and got a number of friends — some of whom had been asking for something to do, ladies who could not teach because it made their heads ache, and so on— to help us. We said : " We shall be delighted to find you something. Here it is, come along." So we got out a list of all the fathers and mothers of our scholars 17G World's Third in different parts. "We have 700 children, and we prepared the list to start with. We gave this to a number of visitors, some teachers, but most of them unemployed Christians of our Church. They canvassed all the people, taking with them the prettiest and most attractive cards, on which Avere a list of the lessons, and thirteen little squares underneath, in whicii the member was invited to make a little cross every Sunday that lie kept his promise. They also took round a printed form— you can get it at the Sunday School Union depot, Ludgate Hill — which was signed by the pastor, and which specially invited them to join the Home Department of our Sunday school. A great many said : " Well, we don't see why we shouldn't. Leave us a card." The card was left, and when they expressed a wish for it we also offered them the printed lesson leaflet, so that they might be helped in the study of the Word. Well, then, at the next quarter the visitor went round agaiu, collecting the cards and taking new ones, which gave her a capital oi)portunity for a little friendly, loving Christian talk, and they were invited to come down and attend our usual review of the quarter's lessons, and in this way we began to find our gallery at the churcb filling up on Sunday with strange faces. A few more began to drop into the prayer-meeting. Some came to the school, and some said : " \Vc were once Sunday-school teachers, and used to love the old Sunday school. May we come back ? Perhaps you can set us to work." So the Department has now grown to 200 members, and every now and then names are proposed at our Church meeting. Then we ask, " How did this friend come forward ?" " Oh, looked up by the Home Department. He and his wife were picked up by our Home visitors." I contend that if the churches in this country will only take up this simple idea just sketched out, the antcnnje of the churches, touching the homes round about them, and getting Christian people to take a part in the work, you cannot tell the blessing that will result. I sliall never forget our first anniversary after the Home Department had been started. We had two or three large blocks of seats filled with members of the Home Department. One dear working-man sitting in the front row shook my hand, as he said, with delight, " I cannot thank God enough for this Home Department. It has brought ine back to the Bible, and I thank you for sending the invitation." I say, Go and establish this movement ; go and look into the depths of its possibilities, and I venture to say you will thank God you attended this week of Convention and had your eyes opened to one of the most important auxiliaries of Sunday school work that could possibly be established in connection with it. The pKEsiDENT : When we aaked Professor Davison to take part in the Convention, it was some time before we received an answer, because he was iu America. We aie very much pleased that he is with us this afternoon. Professor Davi.son, of the Wesleyan College, Handsworth, will now introduce the topic of Bible Study at Home. Sunday School Convention. 177 BIBLE STUDY AT HOME. By Professor W. T. Davison, D.D. ( Wesleyan College, Handsivorth, Birmingham). Tlic Eible is the text-book of the Sunday school teaelier. Eveti ia usiug an ordinary text-book of secular knowledge, the teaelier must know more than the immediate lesson to be taught ; an able teacher will know the whole book and much besides. But the Bible is not a mere manual of information ; to all of us it is a sacred volume, standing alone among books, teaching us the will of God and bringing us iuto the presence of Him who is for us the way, the truth and the life. It would seem to follow, therefore, that such a book is regularly, fully, and earnestly studied — by all Christians, but especially by those who have to teach others. I am afraid this is far from being the case. We read a great deal about the Bible uow-a-days ; but that is a very different thing from reading tiie book itself. Education has advanced by leaps and bounds, but intimate knowledge of the Bible itself is still all too rare amongst Christians. I distinguish study from mere chapter-reading — a good habit in itself, infinitely better than neglect, often quite sufficient for many practical purposes, but not furnishing the knowledge required. Distinguish it again from memory work, which is only one important subdivision of study. Distinguish it further from the specific preparation of a Sunday-school lesson, or a sermon ; that supply of the immediate need of the hour which may prove an important stimulus to study, but cannot supply the place of the sustained habitual systematic effort to make the book as such our own. Where such real study does take place, it will be of various kinds, according to the needs of the student. The scholar and the critic pursue their own methods for their own ends ; the minister likewise considers his ends in preaching, and the Sunday-school teacher, whilst no less earnest or thorough, naturally piirsues his study on his own lines. This lust method of using the sacred book forms the subject of this pai)er. Our mode of studying any book will depend on what that book is, and I wish to remind j'ou at this stage that the Bible is at the same time (1) a Literature ; (2) a Eevelatiou. We might perhaps say more accurately two literatures, but in any case it contains a series of books written by men, among men, for men ; and at the same time, according to our belief, it is the record of a divine revelation, leading up to, culminating in, and leading on from the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. From both these points of view the Bible forms one organic whole. There is a unity in the literature of the Old Testa- ment, in the literature of the New, and in that whole of which these two form essential constituent parts. There is a unity also in the divine revelation here given, and from both these points of view we are bound to insist on the fact that the Bible is an organism. By an 178 WorlcVs Third organism we mean a strucUirc which is constituted by the intimate connection of its parts, every part having its place in a living whole, unintelligible except in relation to it ; and the whole, in its turn, can only be properly understood by an examination of the organs which minister to and maintain its life. If it is now a mere commonplace to speak of the Bible as an organism, you-will notice tiiat from it there follows a very simple but very suggestive corollary, which, if it were accepted, would revolutionize the study of many Sunday-schr you must carry your thoughts all over the world — When did this great institution begin? It begnn from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of His Church, wlicu He gave tiiat first great commission — " Feed My lambs." It slumbered too long in the bnsom of this world ; but it was those words t'lat woke up the heart of John Pounds and Kobert Eaikes; and the spirit of them has spread now to all lands, from churcli to churcli and from country to country; and I think one of the must joyful thoughts that we shall take away from this great Convention when it breaks up will be that Sunday schools are more universal, more powerful, and more efficient than tbey ever were before. (Cheers.) I also rejoiced to read those words of Lord Northampton's, that appeared to me like a key-note of such a Convention as this: "Secta- rianism is absent from a platform where we are united in one cause." (Cheers.) It is very refreshing to some of us in these days to be able to feel that if we arc distinct like the billows, we can be one like the sea. 17(6 Child is the subject on which I have been asked to say a few words. It is vety easy to say that in all our schools the children arc entrusted to our care ; but it is more solemn to remember that each child is an immortal soul. No wealth, no treasure in this world can represent the value of a single child; no calculator has ever gauged the value of one little child. Dr. Young has said : " Know'st thou tho value of a soul immortal ? Were the world ten th( )usand worlds, one soul outweiglis them all." While we desire to do all we can for the memory, the judgment, the understanding of our children, we must never forget that it is their immortal soul that allies them to Gtid Himself. There never was such a lovingly, tenderly susceptible thing in the world as the mind and heart and soul of a little cluld. Susceptible, indeed, to much of evil — that is one of cnir great difficulties — but also susceptible to everything tliat is good, And therefore you and I are working on a material that is about the most encouraging and splendid Sunday ScJioot Convention. 205 that any workman ever had. If you work upon marble or brass or stone it will crumble away, and your work will perish ; but when you work on the mind, heart, and will, you are engraving upon it that which will live and last for ever. If you ask what is the child, I should say that in tliese modern days the answer is twofold : the child is the head of society, and the child is the head of the church. We know that one of these days, when you and I have gone, the children will take our places. They will be the future statesmen, authors, artisans, mechanics. They will occupy the positions that are occupied to-day by all the great men, all the good men in every land. They will stand in our places as fathers, mothers, heads of families. And I should like to ask, who would say for one moment that an ignorant artisan would be better than an intelligent one ; that a dishonest tradesman would be better than an honest one ; a drunken workman better than a sober one ? That is one of the reasons why we feel that we are teaching the only thing that can help to make the community of every nation what it ought to be ; becaiuse there is a vast restraining, softening, elevating influence in the Christianity that is being taught in all our churches and in all our schools, though wo do not now see the fruit of it. " One soweth and another reapeth." I have heard good Lord Shaftesbury (cheers) say that he believed that in very dangerous days of ignorance, and degradation, and drunkenness in tills England of ours, the Ragged Schools had saved us perhaps from a revolution, because there is an indirect power and influence in Christianity which no one can gauge, and no one can possibly over- estimate. You see what a work we have in hand when we take hold of the cliild as the future head of society ! I would we might be doing all that is possible to educate good men and Christian citizens for the future of our land. Then I have said that the child is the head of the Church. The child may become " a burning and a shining light." If it be inquired at the last day — I know not whether it will— how the child came into the fold, I feel sure it will be answered in many cases, not through this church, or this college, or this minister, but through the Sunday school. (Cheers.) How are we to discharge our duty towards the child? Our ways are made much easier through the work of those who have gone before. The pioneers in Sunday school work had to teach mechanical reading ; if they had not done so, large numbers of the children would never have learned to read at all. Happily this is done for us elsewhere than in the Sunday school. We have a great advantage, therefore, over those good pioneers who made the way for us so much easier. We must try through that key of knowledge to opan to the children all the treasures they need, beginning with that treasure of all others, the Word of God. We do not meet in our Sunday schools in order to teach the children scholarship or secular knowledge, but religious knowledge. In the few golden hours we have at our disposal, we have barely time to try and lay upon their hearts the rich, warm, simple 20G World's Third and saving" trutliB of tlic Gospel. I have never been so foolish as to say there can be no education without religion, but I do say there can be no safe, sound, and complete education without religion. (Cheers.) Then we have in these days such a wcultli of good books to help us all. I speak as one of the honorary secretaries of the lleligious Tract Society — a position I have occupied for many years, having formerly for my colleague the revered Dr. ytoughton, and now the gifted Dr. Monro Gibson. Cluirles Kingsley said : " We ought to reverence a good book." I believe the lleligious Tract Society with prayer and care desires to send forth only good Ijooks — not goody-goody books, but a healthy, fine toned, and above all pure Christian literature,