268.09773 M624n

Andrew H. Mills.

A Hundred Years of Sunday

School History in Illinois

U1IN01S HISTORICAL SURVEY

268.09773

A HUNDRED YEARS OF SUNDAY SCHOOL HISTORY

IN ILLINOIS Illlll

1818-1918

A HUNDRED YEARS

.

OF

SUNDAY SCHOOL HISTORY

IN ILLINOIS

A MOSAIC

Arranged by

ANDREW H. MILLS, A. M. Decatur, Illinois

. 09-773

A'

M C,

FOREWORD.

ANDREW H. MILLS.

Mr. Mills has been a member of the Executive Committee of the International Sunday School Association since 1902, when he took the place of B. F. Jacobs. During all this time he has been greatly interested in the work of the association and one of the most active members upon its committee. Mr. Mills is a man who thinks for himself and thinks far into the future. He is a man of large vision and always helpful in his counsel upon the committee. His choice Christian spirit is, and we shall trust will continue for many years to be, a mighty asset in our great work.

I know of no one who is better qualified to write a history of the Sunday School Work in Illinois than he. He has been connected with the Illinois work much longer than he has with the International and his influence in that association has always bulked large for its benefit. His sterling character and his ability to make and hold friends have made Mr. Mills a man well worth knowing.

(Signed) MARION" LAWRENCE.

It has been my happy privilege to number Mr. Andrew H. Mills as one of my choicest personal friends and most appreciated comrades in our North American Sunday School Army. His intimate relationship with the Jacobs, Messrs. Reynolds, Dr. Hamill, and other leaders in the Illinois Sunday School Association peculiarly qualify him to write the history of Illinois Sunday School work.

We are all indebted to him for the painstaking piece of work he has done in writing this history. It will help us to be grateful to those who have been both our pioneers and benefactors in our beloved common- wealth. This record will also help us in our building for the future. Those who build the superstructure need to know the foundation. Those who enact new laws need to know the common law. We commend a study of this history to all who are called to places of leadership in the Illinois Sunday School Association.

(Signed) W. C. PBARCE.

For more than a score of years it has been my privilege to be associ- ated with Mr. Andrew H. Mills in Organized Sunday School Association Work. Tribute is due to his faithfulness, when president of the Illinois Sunday School Association and as chairman of its Executive Committee for many years, in addition to his active interest on several sub-com- mittees.

Illinois honored herself by appointing him as her representative on the International Sunday School Committee of which he is still a mem- ber, entitled by long service to life membership. He made it his business to attend the committee meetings and to do his part. Many problems have been referred to him for his opinion or decision.

For a period of eight years he served as chairman of the Elementary Committee (for the Children's Division) of the International Sunday School Association. He was always ready to devote time and thought to plans for promoting its work. No committee member ever rendered more faithful, untiring devotion than he. His life has been rich in bless- ing for the Sunday School cause. In blessing others his own life has been enriched.

(Signed) MARY FOSTER BRYNER.

"One Hundred Years of Illinois Sunday School History" would not be complete without note of the life and work of Mr. Andrew H. Mills, of Decatur.

Mr. Mills was born in Putman County, Illinois, October 6, 1851, of Quaker parentage. After his graduation from college and in the law he settled permanently in Decatur. He is an exemplary Christian gentleman; an ideal citizen who has always stood for the best in every- thing. He was an acknowledged leader in the campaign which made Decatur a "dry" city. He was for eighteen years the enterprising super- intendent of the Sunday School of the First Presbyterian Church of, Decatur and now for manj^ years has been the faithful teacher of the Sisterhood Organized Bible Class, a class numbering over one hundred and fifty members.

My personal acquaintance with Mr. Mills dates from the early Spring of 1897, when I was attending a series of Sunday School Insti- tutes in Macon County with George W. Miller. I was greatly impressed by Mr. Mills' ability, his strength of character, and his remarkable interest in organized Sunday School work. He was at that time an officer of the Macon County Sunday School Association.

At the State Convention in Belleville, May, 1897, Mr. Mills was made vice president of the State Association; in 1899 he was chosen as a member of the State Executive Committee; in 1900, at the State Con- vention in Paris he was elected president of the State Association and again at Chicago in 1914, making the fourth man to serve twice as president of our State Association, the others being D. L. Moody, Dr. P. G. Gillett and William Eeynolds. From that time he has been an influential member of the State Executive Committee. In 1902 he succeeded B. F. Jacobs as chairman of the committee, serving con- tinuously until 1914 when, at his own insistance, he was relieved of the chairmanship. On account of his great experience, his personal knowl- edge of the workers and the work, and his willingness to spare no pains in its compilation, Mr. Mills was chosen to write this volume.

Mr. Mills is an eloquent, forceful speaker. His life has counted for Jesus Christ.. He has made a great contribution toward the better- ment of the world.

(Signed) CHARLES E. SCHENCK.

The preparation of this Sunday School history was authorized by the Executive Committee of the State Sunday School Association, and Mr. Andrew H. Mills of Decatur selected to perform this service. After its completion, and the delivery of a part of it as an address before the State Sunday School Convention at Peoria, in May, 1918, a special committee was directed to arrange for its publication. As a result of this action, and on account of its value as a contribution to Illinois history, it is printed in a volume issued by the State Historical Society, and also in this special edition published by the Executive Committee.

J. H. COLLINS, Springfield.

LYMAN B. VOSE, Macomb.

W. S. REARIOK, Ashland.

Committee on Publication.

A HUNDRED YEARS OF ILLINOIS SUNDAY SCHOOL

HISTORY.

A MOSAIC.

(By Andrew H. Mills, A. M.)

The mighty work of Jesus Christ, wrought by and through the consecrated men and women of the Illinois Sunday School Association during the past one hundred years — years of the beginning, growth and expansion of the plans and methods of Sunday School work within our borders, was of such variety and magnitude and its usefulness so far reaching on the destiny, not only of this great Commonwealth, but of the United States, of North America, and of the entire World, that to give a just and fair history of the same within the time allotted to this period, is a task far beyond my ability.

It was only at the united call of your Program Committee that I reluctantly consented to prepare this paper for this occasion.

My residence and acquaintance have been largely circumscribed to a small portion of this great State. I Have been compelled to rely, for much of this paper, on the records of the earnest and eloquent addresses by the God-touched men and women — the Grand old Guard — speaking out of their wide acquaintance with the prominent leaders of the early days — the rich personal experience and constructive work of this great organization that meets to-day to join in the one hundredth anniversary of this great Commonwealth whose influence extends from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof.

You will recall that the ancient workers in glass and other* materials by patient and skillful combinations were able to produce wonderfully beautiful designs, and as Milton, in Paradise Lost, says:

"Each beauteous flower, Iris all hues, roses, and jessamin,

Eear'd high their flourish'd heads between and wrought mosaic," so I have used many of these beautiful pieces of just appreciation and honest tribute to the devotion, ability and sterling worth of various members of the Old Guard of Illinois, as one after another of their number has heard the Master's Voice "It is enough," and my prayer has been during its preparation that I might take these bits of loving service, often without designation or quotation, in all their rainbow colors, together with others, out of my own grateful heart and under His Guiding Hand so arrange all these into a Eeal Mosaic that shall attract and inspire this generation to give and consecrate to this same Blessed Master the choicest service of which it is capable. My passion has been that He may so guide my hand, head, and heart,in its preparation, that

His Matchless Face shall be inwrought into every page of this paper so that hereafter whoever gazes upon it shall see, not only "The King in His Beauty" but feel the mighty power of that Eternal Character and cry out of his soul's depth, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?"

THE BEGINNING.

The beginning of the Illinois Sunday School Association reaches back thirty-eight years before our beloved State was born, to Eobert Eaikes, and finds its genesis in the utterly wretched, intellectual and spiritual conditions that, dominated England and the Continent during the closing of the eighteenth century. The noble and high born made a mock of religion, and the gulf between them and the middle and poorer estates was impassable. The middle classes took coloring from the godlessness and licentiousness of the nobility; while the poor from mine, factory and field had touched the very bottom of ignorance and sinfulness. There is no more pathetic picture in all history than that of Wesley, flower of university scholarship, shut out from the pulpits of a debauched church, and forced to preach the Word of Life to surging mobs from his father's tombstone. Side by side with that picture, place its counterpart of the printer, Eobert Eaikes, turning from the hopeless endeavor to convert the criminals in English jails and who, in going through a crowded part of the city of Gloucester, noticed the large number of destitute gamins thronging the back streets and alleys* in all kinds of play — many even quarreling and fighting. His heart was touched by the sight and he determined to see what could be done to help these children in their life struggle. He gave the matter con- siderable thought and then hired four good women, for a shilling a Sunday, to gather these children together and teach them the rudiments of reading, spelling and church catechism interspersed with godly admonitions, thus trying to make them better prepared for the duties of manhood and womanhood. Some people- ridiculed and opposed Mr. Eaikes' efforts to help the children. Some narrow-minded Pharisaical clergy claimed that it was desecration of the Sabbath, even a species of work. We are forced to believe that these descendants of the scribes of the Master's day were willing that these children should be left to grow up to gamble, fight, swear, lie and steal rather than to lend them a helping hand and teach them the Golden Eule. Most of those children, if they had been asked, would have admitted that it was easier or more to their purpose to swear than to study — to lie than tell the truth — to steal than to work. It was doubtless work for both pupils and teachers. No cowboy ever had a tougher contest with a fighting bronco than those teachers had with some of those rough, restless boys — with 4,000 muscles to keep them going and none to keep them still. Apparently the school was not a great success and yet it was a begin- ning, a bud out of which great harvests have grown, not only in England and Illinois, but the entire world. Dr. John Potts said at the Sterling convention in 3903 that in 1786 Bishop Francis Asbury of the Methodist Church started the first Sunday School in America, in the home of

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Thomas Crenshaw, in Hanover County, Virginia, and in 1790, that church ordered that Sunday Schools be organized to begin at 6 o'clock in the forenoon and remain in session until 10 o'clock and begin again at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and to continue till 6 o'clock when it did not interfere with public worship. Those days were only 132 years from this centennial. What would the people of to-day think of a program of that character? Every Methodist within the sound of my voice is saying to himself: "Thank goodness I didn't live when my great-grandfather was a boy." I hardly think many of us would want quite such a Billy Sunday-Teddy Eoosevelt strenuosity Sunday School session, yet to-day the fact is that one session per Sunday of from one hour to an hour and a half is the rule in most of the Sunday Schools in Illinois. Transplanted to America the Raikes idea soon secured what had been denied it in the land of its birth, first the toleration, then the friendship, and finally the adoption of the churches. Dr.Hamill said: "The first distinctly church Sunday School was formed in Pittsburgh in 1811. At that time it was estimated there were 100 Sunday Schools upon the North American Continent." Here, as in England, the Eaikes idea quickened the pulse of secular education. As truly as it may be asserted that the Eaikes Sunday School was the precursor, the mother indeed of the English public school system: so in America it became the inspiration and stimulus to all forms of Education, secular and religious.

The first Sunday School organized in Chicago was in the year 1833 by Eev. Jeremiah Porter, then chaplain of the soldiers' station at the Fort. The first building occupied for Sunday School purposes was a frame building erected at the corner of Franklin and Water streets by Dr. Temple. It was a Union School. With the growth of the city, schools continued to multiply until the First Mission School was organ- ized by the Second Presbyterian Church. This was known as The Bethel, and its superintendent for many years was Mr. S. Lockwood Brown. The Second Mission School of the city, also established by the Second Presbyterian Church, was called the Taylor Street Mission, of which Mr. Samuel D. Ward was for many years superintendent. The life of the school has been perpetuated in what is now known as Mosely Mission.

The first Mission School organized by the Baptists of Chicago was known as the New Street Mission, on the corner of what is now Seventeenth and Dearborn streets. This school was opened on the last Sunday in September, 1856, Mr. B. F. Jacobs being the superintendent.

Mr. D. L. Moody came to Chicago early in '57 and organized the North Market Mission School, which has been continued and is now known as the Moody Church. The West Market Mission School was organized by members of the Third Presbyterian Church, and Mr. E. M. Guliford was for many years superintendent.

During the fall and winter of 1857-58 what is known as the great revival occured. Noon meetings for prayer were established in Chicago and other large cities. The churches throughout the whole country were affected by this revival. In the spring of '58 the Young Men's

Christian Association of Chicago was organized and the young men of the churches became very active in Christian work.

In the fall of 1857 an organization was affected in Chicago which was known as the Cook County Sunday School Convention, the plan being to have organizations in the various counties of the State, auxiliary to the State Organization.

The Cook County Sunday School Convention was reorganized and an Institute held in November, 1864. As a result of this Convention the Chicago Sunday School Union was organized, and plans were made for a series of Institutes to be held during the year.

An Autumnal Eeunion of the Chicago Sunday School Union, the Cook County Sunday School Convention and the Northwestern Sunday School Teachers' Institute was held in the City of Chicago, November 7-10, 1865. This meeting was a gratifying success, and resulted in the consolidation of the three organizations under the name of the Cook County Sunday School Union, with three departments: (1) The County Department, (2) The City Department, (3) The Institute. The meeting closed with a grand Festival and Social at Bryan Hall, Friday evening, November 10, at which Phillip Phillips sang several of his sweetest songs.

In January, 1866, the first number of a monthly magazine called "The Sunday School Teacher" was issued under the auspices of the Chicago Sunday School Union. The editorial committee consisted of five members, with Eev. J. H. Vincent as Chairman and Phillip Phillips being musical editor.

The offices of the Cook County Sunday School Union were estab- lished in the First- M. E. Church Block, corner Washington and Clark streets, Eev. J. H. Vincent, editor-in-chief of "The Sunday School Teacher," being General Superintendent of the Sunday School work in the county.

The printed report of Mr. E. Payson Porter, Corresponding Secre- tary of the Cook County Sunday School Union - for the year ending May 30, 1866, shows that there were at that time in the City of Chicago eighty-three church schools and twenty-six mission schools having a membership of 25,635. The total reported for the county was 141 schools, with a membership of 28,356.

The records of the Cook County Sunday School Union were des- troyed in the fire of 1871. The work was reorganized in 1872 and from that time it continued to increase in interest and power year by year.

Through the influence of the Eev. Doctor, later bishop, John H. Vincent and Mr. B. F. Jacobs, Dr. C. E. Blackall had turned aside com- pletely from his professional life as a physician to take up Sunday-school work. Dr. BlackalPs first public work in Sunday-school lines was as general secretary of the Cook County Association during 1867. He thus came into touch with most of the great leaders of that time, not only in Illinois but elsewhere, a period of delightful work, which in many cases extended beyond the bounds of Cook County.

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At the expiration of his first year of service with the Cook County Association, he resigned to take up the work of the American Baptist Publication Society, in which he has remained ever since. It was his great privilege and pleasure to know intimately the men who were then rapidly making Sunday-school history.

In January, 1881, Mr. W. B. Jacobs was chosen Superintendent of the County work, which was then known as the Cook County Sunday School Association.

The holding of monthly Superintendents' socials was a feature for nineteen years while Mr. W. B. Jacobs was connected with the Asso- ciation.

At the annual meeting in 1900, Mr. W. B. Jacobs tendered his resignation as Secretary and Mr. W. C. Pearce of the Illinois Sunday School field workers was chosen as his successor.

Mr. W. C. Pearce served for three years and resigned in April, 1903, to take up work with the International Sunday School Association. Teacher Training and Adult work were special departments developed in his time.

In September, 1903, Mr. Charles E.' Hauck was called as Acting Secretary and at the following April Convention was employed as General Secretary. He served the Association in this capacity until 1909, which was the Fiftieth Annual Convention of the Association. He was followed by Charles E. Hall, who after two years was succeeded by Mr. Beeman as General Secretary.

Many schools were organized in different parts of the State in the early part of the nineteenth century. I learned of one in the southern part of the State that was organized as early as 1808, 'but I have nothing satisfactory justifying the truth of the statement.

The Mt. Zion Cumberland Presbyterian Church, now the Presby- terian Church, the oldest church organization of any denomination in Macon County, was established April 24, 1830, at the house of Rev. David Foster, who was its first pastor. The first Sunday School organ- ized in Macon County was organized by said Rev. David Foster, at that place in 1831. The first superintendent was James Scott, his assistant was Andrew Wilson.

Many of the older people in this audience will recall the early Sun- day School days when we received the little tickets and ten of one color was equal to one of another color. Many of you will remember the first Sunday School Convention you attended. I remember the first con- vention I, as a mere lad, attended. At my first county convention at which one of the Mr. Jacobs was present — I can't remember whether it was B. F. or W. B. Jacobs, he so gripped my heart and life that I felt the upward pull all these years and all I have been able to do in Sun- day School work, I owe, under God, to the Godly men and women I have met in this greatest of all earthly endeavors of lifting humanity into the very presence of the Master — like the four friends of the paralytic in Jesus' day, that He may speak the word of healing and life to him.

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THE ILLINOIS SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION.

Dr. Hazard said in substance: The State Sunday-school Con- vention in Illinois has been a very great power. It has done a remark- able amount of good. The first State Sunday-school Convention in Illinois was held in Dixon in 1859. The first few meetings were not of remarkable power. In 1864 they met at Springfield, and the workers came there at rather an early hour in the morning, before the church was opened; and they found a window loose in the basement, lifted it out, and got into the church, and there by themselves held a little prayer-meeting that God would bless that Convention. The pastor of the church came in while they were so engaged and opened the door with his key, and was surprised to find that there was a little audience inside, and he knelt with the brethren and engaged with them in their devotions, it being just according to his heart. That convention was wonderfully blessed. No convention since has been of such wonderful power. It is said that ten thousand conversions were directly traceable to that convention.

Mr. B. F. Jacobs said in substance: In considering the influence this organization has exerted, it is well to think how greatly it has developed and helped the men who have given time and thought to the work. Under God, it has been instrumental in teaching and disciplin- ing some of the best workers that the world has ever known; not only these who may be referred to, but many others, some whose names can not be recalled, have caught the fire here and have gone to other states and territories to carry forward the work there, and are now numbered among the most valuable workers in those fields. For several years Illinois stood in the front rank and, perhaps it .is not too much to say that there is no other territory of the same extent, or other population of the same number, where the work is better done, or further advanced than in our own State.

Looking back over the past, we are assured that the time and money expended has been as good seed in good soil and lias produced thirty, s^'xty, and an hundred fold. Difficulties there have been, but they have only proved the value of the work, and like Israel's trial in the wilder- ness, they have revealed to us the love and power of God.

Mr. William Eeynolds as International General Secretary said in the State convention in 1896 in substance:

If I am of any use in this world in this work, I owe it, under God, to the State Sunday-school Association of Illinois and to the county and township conventions that it has been my privilege to attend for many years.

In 1864 Mr. Moody and I sat together in Gen. Howard's head- quarters at Cleveland, Tenn., after the close of a large meeting at which Gen. Howard and others had spoken. Gen. Howard said to the soldiers present^ "I am going to lead you in a few days against the enemy; what will be the result of the battles I know not, nor how many of you will come out alive I cannot tell; 0 if I knew every one of you were saved for God, how differently would I marshall you against the' enemy."

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Mr. Moody said to me, "This war is going to close in a short time; what are you going to do after it is over ?" I said, "I am going back to my business." "But what are you going to do for God?" I replied, "I have not thought." Said he, "Do you know what the greatest work in this world is ?" I said, "What do you think it is?" He said, "Teach- ing the children of this country the way to Christ and then building them up in Christ. Do you know that the Sunday-school is doing that thing? Let us go into the Sunday-school work; you come to Spring- field next June, we are going to have a State convention; Jacobs is going to be there; let us try to capture that convention and try to make it a power in the State." I said, "I will follow you anywhere. Moody, for I am sure if you go into this it will be all right." That was my first convention. I had never been in a Sunday-school convention in my life before. As I sat there and heard things entirely new to me I commenced to see the possibilities of such an organization. A few months after the war closed we took hold of that work, and what a mighty power it has been, shaking this State from end Lo end ! What an impulse it has given to men, and what magnificent men it has raised up and educated under God! Bishop Vincent received his first conception of the magnitude and possibilities of this work in Illinois; B. F. Jacobs owes what he was to the education in this same line of work in Illinois; D. L. Moody would never have been the man that he became , at the head of the evangelistic work of. the world, if it had not been for his training in conventions and meetings of this kind in Illinois. I could mention others who have been sent to other fields and whom we have in our midst to-day. What a power it has been in the develop- ment of character! And Illinois has not kept herself within herself; she has boiled up until she has boiled over. All over this great country we find representatives of Illinois in the front rank of the Sunday-school work. Whenever I go to a state that knows little about this work and find a man from Illinois, I know that man can be counted on almost always. He has a right conception of the work and is ready to enter into it at once.

It is a great delight to meet with you here and find the same spirit and energy that we had years ago. Some of our states have gone up to a high altitude and fallen .back ; some workers have moved away and they are not in the position they were some years ago, but not so in Illinois. Men may come and men may go in this State, but God's work goes on forever, and it is greater to-day than ever in the history of this State.

As I have listened to the report of Mr. W. B. Jacobs and these faithful workers in connection with him, my soul goes up in gratitude to God for such men. The work has not retrograded, but occupies a larger and more aggressive position than ever before. The influence of Illinois throughout this land is and has been most helpful. Mr, Jacobs and I could not maintain the position we hold in the International work in this country if it were not that we are backed by Illinois. If there was another state in the union that exceeded in efficacy its organization we would have to move to it or bring Illinois up ahead of it. When we

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talk about what has been done and what can be done, we point with pride to Illinois and say, "It has been done, brethren, there it is, look at it, read its history." I often think of the time when Gen. Grant was nominated for the presidency by Gen. Logan. His speech was short and to the point. Somebody had brought in a bust of Gen. Grant and put it up before the great audience. Logan turned to it and said: "Fellow citizens, there he is, match him!" So we can put Illinois up and say to the country and to the world "Match her !" We are grateful to God that He has privileged us to be in such a position and to be able to extend our work through that influence all over this land." * * * All over this land we are emphasizing three things. We do not want any more machinery; we have enough machinery and as perfect as it can be made, I believe, but we want to emphasize these things we are now presenting. First, ingathering. We are determined with God's help to reach every family in the United States and Canada with an invitation to come to church and Sunday-school, so that not a boy or girl, man or woman, can rise up in America and say, "I lived in this countrv but no one cared for my soul, no one visited me or invited me to come to church or Sabbath-school." When we realize that in the last ten years the Sunday Schools of the United States have increased 50 per cent, that in a little over one hundred years we have had in this country alone an attendance of eleven millions where there was not one before, think of the God we have to rely upon! What is it to reach the balance of eight or nine millions of the children of this country? Child's play so far as effort is concerned, if we will go to work and distribute our forces, take up the work syste- matically and every one of us do his duty. If this house-to-house visitation is planned by counties and townships, how long will it take to visit every family in the State of Illinois if every Christian or one- half of the Christians in this State will spend two hours a week for" God in this work? Before this next convention comes, you can see that there is not a family in the State which has not been personally visited' by some Christian man or woman and invited to church and Sunday- school. What would be the result? God only knows. He says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse and prove me now herewith saith the Lord." Well, Lord, what will you do? "Bring in the tithes; what do you mean? "Your time, your money, your influence, what you have, bring it in and show me you are in earnest ; take hold of the work just as you do your business, and I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out such a blessing there will not be room enough to receive it." There would not be room enough in all the churches and school- liouses in the State of Illinois to hold the crowds that would come to 1-ear His word preached and taught. I verily believe a nation could be born in a day, and I believe God stands ready to do this thing when we come up and prove to Him and show by our earnestness that our hearts are in this work. Mr. Wanamaker said to me some time ago, "We are fooling with this thing of religion ; let us go to work and take a grip ; let us show God we are in earnest." * * *

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When God wanted to do something for us He did the best He could ; when He wanted to make a present to the world He did not look around heaven to find something He could spare as well as not, but "God so loved the world that Re gave His only begotten Son." He sent the brightest jewel in all heaven as His present to a lost and ruined world. Shouldn't. we then give Him our best endeavors? Somebody *aid a while ago, "You have given up your business?" "Yes sir." "What are you doing?" "Engaged in another kind of business very extensively." "What is it?" "Going over this country making dis- satisfaction." "That is a new thing for you!" "Yes sir." <'Do you like it?" "I never enjoyed anything so much in my life. If I can get people dissatisfied with themselves there is then some prospect of their doing better ; but if they feel they are doing about right and getting along pretty well they are in a hopeless condition. I was at a con- vention in New Jersey some time ago. I stated that my object in visiting the convention was to create some dissatisfaction, and if I could keep some of them awake that night I should feel supremely happy and I should be glad to hear from them the next morning. As I went out two ladies were in front of me and one said to the other : "I feel thoroughly dissatisfied with myself." "Yes,' said the other one, 'So do I and I am going to give up my class.' The other one said, 'I am not, but I am going to make myself a better teacher.' I went up and paid, 'Ladies, thank you, I feel my mission is not in vain and I accom- plished my purpose. ! 'Oh Mr. Reynolds,' one replied, "I think you have accomplished your purpose as far as I am concerned.' And I said, 'You are not going to give up your class ;' if you do you will never have a bit of rest until you take it up again. "No" she said, 'I won't.' That is what we want. We must make them feel 'I am doing poor work for God and I must do better work' ."

I have in my Sunday-school a machine, a magnificent machine for the manufacturing of teachers. I am not going round now picking up teachers as I used to do. I was in a Sunday-school a few weeks ago and there was a class of boys, I think seven, and they were having a great time trading jack knives, sticking pins and enjoying various other amusements exhilarating and lively. They looked like boys off the street, and no teacher! The teacher they had was an "off and on" teacher. The superintendent went down to a young lady and said, "I want you to teach that class." "I do not know anything about the lesson." "Wont you go over to them and keep them still?" Think of those boys with immortal souls, one hour a week all they ever get of the Gospel of the Son of God, coming into that place and somebody implored to go over to them and keep them still ! How wonderful is the patience and long-suffering of God !

We must have better teachers. In my own school we have a society of Christian Endeavor. I went in there and looked them over. I found some bright intelligent young girls and young men. I said to them, "Do you want to do the highest and grandest and noblest work >n the world? Would you like to do what Jesus Christ did when He was in this world ?" "Yes sir." "I will put you where you oan do it. The

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greatest work, "I said, is to be a teacher, and the greatest thing to teach is God's word, and the best material to teach children. .Now come and give me your names and subscribe to this little document that I have here/' a promise that they would join that class and be faithful in their attendance, etc., and seven of them signed that document. We got a room and fitted it up in the Sunday-school gallery. I went to a young man, a. teacher in the public school, formerly a pupil in my school, and said, "Have you ever received any benefit from the school I am superintendent of?" "That school has made me what I am, sir; I there learned to love Christ and in it I received the religious education of my life." "Would you like to do something for it now in view of what it has done for you ?" "I will do anything in the world for it." "Come down next Sunday and take a training class of young people and fit and qualify them for teachers." Last Sunday I was at home and I found eleven young men and women sitting there with that splendid fellow standing before them teaching Prof. Hamill's Normal lessons. I tell you I am not going around any longer picking up teachers to keep boy? still; I am going to have a first-class lot of teachers; no person is to graduate from that class until that young man gives them a certificate that they are qualified so far as he is able to qualify them to be teachers. Every one of you can do this. Put Normal classes in the Sunday-schools and have a training class for teachers.

Keep up your organizations. The organization is the house; these other the goods to put_ into the house. You must have a good house with a good roof, in order that you have these articles to put in it and make them useful. We want these township conventions. 0 the joy of attending township conventions! I have attended these larger con- vetions, but the joy of my life has been in these little township con- ventions where we get one ,two, three or four schools together and get down where people need to be instructed in their work. Brethren, the delight of this work is that you are able to help somebody else; what a luxury it is to help somebody to a higher and better plane ! God has given us this wonderful organization ; God is with this organization in a marked degree; what he intends to do with it He only knows, but let us be faithful to our trust.

John V. Farwell said in substance: The Sabbath-school work beginning with the young, instilling into them the Gospel of the Son of God, has much to do with the future history of this Government. Each one of us here in this audience tonight has something to do to support the Government of this country, that one day, within the lives of some of these little children here tonight, will have over two hundred millions of people. Now, what have we to do with these oncoming millions? Why, let us begin right at home, and let us convey the Gospel of the Son of God to every child's heart that we possibly can reach, and let us do it in the fear of God, with the hope that we shall be instrumental in His Hands of building up an influence that shall convey this Government beyond the cavils of the politicians, and set it up upon a pinnacle where the nations of the earth shall look upon it. There is nothing that gives us so much power to work for those that are about us, and those that

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are dependent upon us, as to have the soul filled with the Spirit of God, that we get in the study of the word. And as Sunday-school teachers, we have the very highest motive that can be possibly placed before any one to labor in this work.

I remember in the beginning of Mr. Moody's work in Chicago, that there were very many wise men there, and some of them told him in reference to his Sabbath-school work, that he could serve God a good deal better by keeping still ,and keeping his mouth shut, than he could by opening it; that it was his place to stay in his own little church and let this outside mission alone. He asked God about it as well as his minister, and as well as the deacons of the church to which he belonged. And the answer from the Throne of God was to go down among the saloons of Chicago and gather up these neglected children and teach them the word of God. Brother Moody's work began against the advice of some of the best friends of the church of Christ in Chicago. Well, now, what has God wrought? So let us, each one, go home from this Convention, remembering that the conventions of Illinois began in the brain of Brother Moody and Brother Jacobs, and perhaps two or three others, and they have persistently kept up that work from that time until this, and they have put forth every effort that could possibly be brought to the front into the line of Christian work, and they have multiplied these influences all over this State. Moody gave God the right of way through his heart, his plans, and his life. We should each do the. same.

THE IMPOBTANCE OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Daniel Webster: "If we work upon marble it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; If we rear temples, they crumble into dust, -but if we work upon Immortal Souls; if we imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and the love of fellowmen, we engrave on those everlasting tablets something which will brighten all eternity."

President Woodrow Wilsons "The Sunday School Lesson of to-day becomes the code of morals of tomorrow. Too much attention cannot be paid to the work of the Sunday School."

President W. H. Taft: "No matter what views are taken of general education, we all agree — Protestant, Catholic, and Jew alike — that Sunday School education is absolutely necessary to secure moral uplift and religious spirit."

Mr. Marion Lawrence: "The century we have just passed through, the greatest century of all the world, the century of pro- gress, the century of invention, the century of steam, electricity and philanthropy, the century of education and of missions, the century of the Y. M. C. A., of the Bible Societies, of the Young People's Societies of the various names, and the Sunday School, and the greatest of these is the Sunday School."

Honorable John Bright: "No one can put too high a value on the voluntary work of the Sunday School teacher."

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Honorable John Wannamaker: "The greatest development of the nineteenth century is the Sunday School. I may have wasted my time over many things but the time I have spent in Sunday School work has certainly not been wasted."

Dr John Watson: "The greatest agency for good in the American nation, as I see it, is the Sunday School."

Mr. H. J. Heinz: "The Sunday School pays the biggest divi- dends of any investment of time or money I have over made."

President of Grant University: "The Sunday School teachers are the makers of America."

Prof. Palmer of Harvard: "What constitutes the teacher is the passion to make scholars."

Chaplin Dr. Jesse S. Dancy, in France, formerly M E. De- nominational Representative on our Association and Chairman of our Business Committee: "With all respect to the fiDe work of the Eed Cross, of the Y. M. C. A. and of similiar organizations, let me say solemnly that none of them offer the opportunity to serve one's country that the Sunday School offers. You can train a soldier to fight in a year but it takes all his preceding life to train him morally and spiritually to the sort of a manhood that makes the sort of a soldier upon which his superiors and his country can safely rely."

THE OLD GUAED.

The Old Guard of the Illinois Sunday School Association were men of nerve, conviction and consecration. When a duty was assigned to them, they had but one reply: "This one thing I do." They had unflinching courage, not the courage of dress parade! No discourage- ments were great enough to keep William Eeynolds from laughing in their teeth ; or of B. F. Jacobs finding a way or making it, after opening the door of the' church where his meeting was to be held, then going up and down the streets of an Illinois village ringing a bell to get an audi- ence ; or the stubborn purpose of D. L. Moody and other members of this Immortal Band in laying the foundation of our Sunday School work with a faith that was equal to every emergency, then I am sure the Young Guard can learn a Lesson from these Past Masters of heroism and unconquered zeal. These men and their associates may not have had the fine scholarship of some of our present day workers, but they had an experience, a vision, a faith, and a wisdom from God which only comes from a personal struggle with the elemental things of life. They knew the weak and the strong points of the men and women of that day. The women gladly shared the severe trial of the men, "And to their glorious nature true, did all that angels could be asked to do." They doubled their joys and divided their sorrows. God's lamp of faith once lighted was never allowed to go out, even in the humblest cabin. They made no compromise with evil. Their strong hands, brave hearts and indomitable wills have laid the foundation deep, broad, and strong of the first century of Illinois' greatness — true and real greatness in all — 2 S S H

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the essential elements necessary to perpetuate their matchless work unstained and eternal as the throne of God.

STEPHEN PAXSON, the John the Baptist of the Illinois Sunday School Association, was born in New Libson, Ohio, in 1808. In 1838 he moved with his family to Winchester, Illinois. It was here that his faithful daughter lifted her father out of his wasted life and he gave his heart to God and she taught him to read, when he had almost reached the meridian of life. She inspired him to become a pioneer of righteous- ness, not only in Illinois, but in the mighty West. He dedicated his life to the Sunday School in behalf of the children and youth of our country. He died April 24, 1881, loved and honored not only in Illinois, but by thousands in other states. A suitable monument rests above his sleep- ing dust in St. Louis overlooking the Father of Waters, a fit symbol of the life and memory of the great man, which will continue to charm and brighten the hearts and lives of succeeding generations. His death was a great loss to the Sunday School workers of Illinois. Rev. Charles M. Morton said on one occasion : "It is reported that at the funeral of Daniel Webster when all were taking their last look one old man came and looked and said 'Daniel Webster, the world will be lonely without you/ so I feel that I express the feeling of the church and Sunday School workers when I say : "Father Paxson we are all lonely without you tonight."

He was a manly man. The greatest sight in this world is a- manly, Christian man. No one knew of Father Paxon's doing an unmanly thing. If true to anything in his life, he was true to his Christian man- hood. The blessing of God rested upon every member of his family. He had an intense hatred for sham. The hypocrite did not find his companionship comfortable. Another great characteristic was his loyalty to the Son of God. He did not worship the work, but realized for fcvhom he was working. When asked by his son on his death bed: "Father how is it with you," the old man looked up and said : "Ah my son, that question was settled long ago." He was full of common sense. He looked at everything through common sense eyes. He was the per- sonification of kindness. It is said of a lady going along the street of a city one day, right ahead of her she saw a boy standing against a house putting his bare feet under his pants. As she came along she put her hands upon his head and said in a kind way "Are you not cold, my boy ?" "I was ma'm until you spoke;" so many people were cold, many were sad and discouraged, and many were lonely until the old man spoke. Mr. Morton further- said: "I do not believe there is a man in Illinois who has helped more to minister to and lift the loads off the hearts of Sabbath School Superintendents than he. Several times I have felt cold until I heard him speak. His memory will be like a golden chord of love let down from the Throne of God, drawing us nearer and nearer to heaven."

He was an extraordinary man. His life was one of the greatest successes ever achieved in this country. His real monument will be in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. Let us emulate his example. He was a consecrated man of God. Let us consecrate our-

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selves to God and follow him as he followed our Saviour. May the Lord bless this man's life to every one of us. Many thank the Lord first that they ever knew that man, that his influence upon them brought comfort and peace to each heart. Let us thank God that He gave to Illinois Stephen Paxson. God bless us and help us so that when we die some one may stand over our graves and thank God that we ever lived.

He was the man that touched the life of William Reynolds of Peoria and gave him a new vision of things really worth while in this life, and it was through his influence largely that Mr. Eeynolds left his business and became the great messenger for God in the establishing of the pro- paganda of the Sunday School cause of Illinois and of the World. Mr. Eeynolds said: "This State owes more to Stephen Paxon than to any other for its Sunday School organization. He was the first man that ever organized a County Convention in the State of Illinois, and he never rested nor left the State until it was organized from one end to the other. He organized 1,500 Sabbath Schools and enrolled 71,000 children. Who can measure the influence that those Sabbath Schools have exerted in this State and in the world? Many churches have been the out- growth of those Sunday Schools which would never have been started had it not been for Paxson. Thousands have been brought to a saving knowledge of Christ by this one servant of the Living God and the in- fluence that he set in motion in the work he did for humanity will continue- to widen and deepen as the years come and go."

Herbert Post, the Association's first General Secretary, said that Stephen Paxson met with much opposition, especially in what was known as Egypt. In one place he applied to the school trustees, asking if he might not hold a Sunday School there on Sunday. He was refused, the trustees saying they did not want any "new-fangled notions like that." Mr. Paxon said : "You will let us gather the children there and sing with them, wont you?" "Why yes; we do not object." "Well, after singing a while suppose we read to the children out of the Bible? We can do that can't we ? "Why, yes" was the reply. Said Mr. Paxson : "That is what the Sunday School is." "Oh, well, if that is all, go ahead and we will help you."

Mr. B. F. Jacobs said: "There were three things that character- ized Brother Stephen Paxson: First, his belief in the Word of God, and that Word in its fullness. Second, his belief and rest in the finished work of Christ our Lord, and Third, the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost. Stephen Paxson believed the word of God. That Bible to him was the revelation of God to man. I have often been with him and heard him read and saw the rich joy showing in his face as he feasted upon it. He believed and God counted it to him for righteous- ness. Stephen Paxson dwelt in the presence of the Living and Seeing One. He was guided by the Eye of God. What we shall say of Stephen Paxson's reward is not in language to portray, none but the heart of Christ himself can describe it."

JOHN" M. PECK was born in Litchfield, Conn, in 1789 ; in 1811 he united with the Baptist Church; in 1813 he was ordained to the Baptist ministry, and in 1817 he was appointed a missionary with head-

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quarters in St. Louis, Mo., and early in July, 1817, he started for his field of labor with his wife and three children in a one horse wagon, reached Shawneetown, 111., in November, and later went to St. Louis, Mo., and afterwards removed to Eock Springs, 111., near Alton, and resided there till his death in 1857. When the American Sunday School Union was formed in 1824, Dr. Peck put himself immediately in touch with it and in order to acquaint this organization with the middle west he reported concerning the work he had done in this pioneer State and its needs. Later he founded the Eock Springs Seminary for general and theological education. In 1832 this and a Seminary at Upper Alton united and in 1835 it became known as Shurtleff College. He was a man of strong personality and keen mind ; he devoted his life to missions and the earnest organization and vigorous support of Sunday Schools. He kept a diary and his first mention of Sunday Schools was in 1823 : "Lord's Day, September 28 — In the evening preached in Thomas Carlin's house (Carlin was Governor of Illinois from 1838 to 1842) from the Parable of the Sower. The people are attentive and solemn."

The next Sunday he writes : "The Sunday School met at. the house and recited Scripture lessons. I then preached from Phil. 1 :21. Eeligion now flourishes in this settlement."

"October 22 — I met the managers of the Bible Society of Green County. On the night of the 24th, I plead the Bible cause before a respectable assembly in Alton, and the next day (25) attended the proposed meeting in Edwardsville. By a little seasonable and prudent effort the Testament may become a class-book in the day-schools of this country. On the way to this place I succeeded in getting it introduced into five schools."

In April and May of 1824 Mr. Peck makes a note that he. worked in the central, southern, and Military Tract of the State in behalf of Sunday Schools and the Bible Society.

At Kaskaskia, he formed a Bible Society of twenty members under circumstances of hopefulness, a pious Quakeress being made President.

In June of 1824 he read in the newspapers of the formation of the American Sunday School Union at Philadelphia, and he immedi- ately entered into correspondence with the officers, giving the facts he had gathered in the vast region over which he had traveled. From that time we find him closely identified with the interests of this great organization.

His Bible and Sunday School labors brought him into contact with Christians of all religious denominations then in Illinois. Speaking of a Methodist family that entertained him, he says, "I was received as kindly as I could have been in any Baptist family. Experience has taught me that it is a wretched policy for the sects in religion to oppose each other."

As he traveled up and down and across the State, he presented the Bible Society work, and the Sunday School and Temperance -causes to congregations of all denominations, and at the same time he was busy with tongue and pen arousing public sentiment against the evil of human slavery. No other man, except it was Gov. Coles, say the best

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authorities on State history, exerted a greater influence in making Illinois a free state than John M. Peck.

In his diary of 1825, he writes j "From various quarters I learn that the Sunday School cause prospers.

The State Legislature at Vandalia in the winter of 1825-6 was in session and he made an address to that body in behalf of the Bible and Sunday School work, and won over to these interests a number of promi- nent men of the State. While there, the matter of dissolving an agri- cultural society came before the Legislature for action. He was en- couraged to make an effort to secure for the Sunday School work a surplus belonging to this organization. By a little effort upon his part the sum of $260.00 was secured to promote Sunday School interests in the State of Illinois. This seems to be the only instance of a Legis- lature's appropriating money for Sunday Schools.

In February 1826, Mr. Peck was appointed by the American Sunday School Union agent to solicit funds in New York, Boston and other eastern cities. This work took nine months of his time.

In Washington he made addresses in the churches, spoke in Colum- bia College, was received by President Adams, and met many of the prominent men of the Nation. In Philadelphia, he dined with a body of Presbyterian ministers at the home of Alexander Henry, President of the American Sunday School Union.

Dr. Henry took an active part in the International Sunday School Association and had charge of his church Sunday School publications for many years.

In all of the large cities visited, Mr. Peck attended the best Sunday Schools he could find to observe the methods pursued in instruction and in organization. He speaks of one school in New York as: "Probably the best conducted Sunday School in the world."

The following items from his diary made seven years later: "December 3, 1833, Reached Vandalia, and at night attended the annual meeting 'of the Illinois State Bible Society."

December 4. "Most of the day was employed in finishing my re- port of the Illinois Sunday School Union. On the evening the anni- versary was held in the State house. A large assembly was present, and much interest excited. The Sunday School cause has obtained a strong hold upon the affections and confidence of the people. With prudent and energetic management it must succeed."

December 5. "Very busy through the day in settling and arrang- ing business with the Sunday School agents present, and attending meetings of the Board, committees, etc."

December 8. "Lord's Day. In the morning attended the Sunday School and addressed it on the subject of Temperance."

December 12. "Went to St. Louis, chiefly on Sunday School busi- ness."

December 14. "Saturday, very busy preparing the Sunday School report for the press."

December 22. "Preached the funeral sermon for the late Governor Edwards in the Court-house at Edwardsville. Not only was the house

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crowded, but a multitude were out of doors, the weather being pleasant. The next day a call was made for the publication of the sermon with a short memoir of the Governor's life and character which will be com- plied with."

PETER CARTWRIGHT was born in Va., September 1, 1785 and died .at Pleasant Plains Sept. 25, 1872. He was the great pioneer of Methodism. In his biography of over 500 pages, written in 1857 and covering a period of thirty years or more in Illinois, the name Sunday School appears only once, a friend writes me who made the investigation. That Mr Cartwright favored Sunday Schools is indicated in the state- ment in which he uses the words "Sunday School" to tell the reader that he had been a contributor of cash to the "American Sunday School Union."

. He was one of those "rough and ready" characters that so often are found in the early settlement of the different parts of our State. His acquaintance with the early settlers of our State was very extensive and his strong traits of character gripped his friends with meshes of steel and made his influence very great. He was on intimate terms with many of the influential men of his day and he left an impression on his age of remarkable power. He had many characteristics that resembled those of President Abraham Lincoln.

JACOB F. BERGEN", son of Abraham and Hannah Fisher Bergen, was born near Cranberry, Xew Jersey, May 27, 1802. He died at Virginia, Cass County, Illinois, December 23, 1887.

In 1828 he came to Illinois in company with Rev. J. G. Bergen, having made the long journey by cart and on horseback. He located at Old Princeton, Cass County. It is said that from a Sunday School in which he was interested, located in an out of the way place where there was no other religious influence, seven young men entered the ministry.

He frequently gave days to trips through the country, even into other counties, often in company with Father Adams and later with Father Paxson, organizing and assisting Sunday Schools. When the latter accompanied him on these journeys he generally left his horse, "Robert Raikes", at the Bergen homestead where both the horse and his master were great favorites of the Bergen children. While interested in the Providence Presbyterian Church, of which he was an Elder, he and his good wife often denied themselves the privileges of the Sunday service to go out into the country to encourage and help needy schools.

During a period of nearly sixty years in. Central Illinois, he was on the Sunday School job, and present every Sunday unless physically unable to attend. There are many living in this State who testify con- cerning his valuable services to the cause when such layman as he were scarce. Such men by placing "first things first" made a lasting impress on the young life of the community in which they lived that is felt even to-day. They lived to a noble purpose and are held in grateful re- membrance to-day as the living embodiment of the Christ-life.

DR. EDWARD EGGLESTON was born in Indiana in 1837, or- dained in the ministry in the Methodist Church in 1857, and was in pastorates for about ten years. He was the editor of the Little Corporal,

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a juvenile paper in I860 and 1867, at Chicago, and editor of the National Sunday School Teacher in Chicago from 1867 to 1870 ; literary editor of the Independent, New York, from 1870 to 1872; editor of the Hearth and Home, New York, from 1871 to 1872. He was the -author of several popular works of fiction. Some of you will remember him as the author of "The Hoosier School master," "The End of the World/' "The Circuit Eider" and other stories. In 1869 he edited two small volumes entitled Sunday School Conventions and Institutes with suggestions on County and Township organizations, and later a manual or practical guide to Sunday Schools. He was a fluent speaker, with a strong and pleasant personality, and was recognized as a leader and competent teacher of teachers. His lesson expositions and practical hints in the National Sunday School Teacher won him great favor.. His fame as a "Sunday School man" vied with his fame as an author. He said that he "trained" with Jacobs, Moody, Gillett, Morton and Reynolds. In 1869 he was chairman of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Sunday School Association. At the Newark convention in closing his address he said: "Go home better men, wiser men, fuller- men, crazier men in the Sunday School work." In the National Sunday •School convention in 1872 he stood almost alone in opposing the uni- form lesson plan and contesting heroically the popular tide. He made a large contribution to Sunday School effectiveness and gave many young people a new incentive and a greater vision of life. Although opposed to the International Sunday School Lesson System, yet he did a large part towards its success by advocating it through his Sunday School Teacher.

JAMES McKEE PEEPLES, President of the State Conventiotf at Galesburg, 1871, heard the call of the Master in 1880. The whole southern part of the State felt his loss keenly. His personal work and liberal contributions, as well as his valuable experience, have been of great service to the cause of Christ in his own county, his District, and State. He was a member for many years of the State Executive •Committee.

He was associated with Thomas Ridgeway in the southern part of the State. When William Reynolds was asked to go and organize the southern part of the State, he asked who there was to take hold of the wqrk and go along with him to introduce him. He was told that there were two men living in Washington County, leaders in the Pres- byterian Church, J. McK.ee Peeples and Thomas Ridgeway. Mr. Reynolds said "I wrote to Mr. Peeples, having forgotten Mr. Ridgeway's name. I finally got an answer from him asking me what I wanted. I told him that I wanted him to come to the convention at Bloomington. He answered, "I will be there, God willing." We had a great con- vention. A tabernacle was built and Mr. Moody was present. A gentle- man came to me at the close of the morning session, and said, "My name is McK.ee Peeples. You have requested that I should be present at this meeting." I said "Yes, sir, I am very much obliged." He said: "What do you want me to do." I replied, "I will be much obliged, Mr. McKee Peeples, if you will take a seat here every day." He replied, "1

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will do it, sir." Sometimes he would take up a paper and read, and then he would lay aside his paper and listen. The second day he did not bring his paper. The third day he took a seat next to the front. Mr. Moody asked me who that man was sitting down there. I said, "He is a man under my spiritual care. I want you to watch him with great care and say anything you can to wake him up. They need to be aroused where he lives, and I want to get him interested." He replied, . "I think that he is interested." The result was, at the close of the session he came to me and said: "Keynolds, what can be done for Southern Illinois?" I replied, "You are a business man, Mr Peeples, and I am a business- man. Let us go through the State and canvass it for Christ." He replied," "We will do it, "Come down." We went down there, and I shall never cease to thank God for the privilege I had of laboring there with Peeples, Ridgeway, Hunter, and others.

PHILIP G. GILLETT, L. L. D., for thirty-seven years Superin- tendent of the Illinois State Institution for the Deaf and Dumb at Jacksonville, was twice President of the Illinois Sunday School Asso- ciation, once at Rockford in 1866, and again at Quincy in 1870. He died at Jacksonville, October 2, 1901. He was a member of the Ex- ecutive Committee for many years.

At the great National Convention held in Indianapolis in 1872, Illinois presented Dr. Gillett as their candidate for President to succeed •George H. Stuart, of Philadelphia, the most eloquent orator, and one of the most finished presiding officers of the Sunday School arena of the Nation. As President Gillett ascended the platform to take the place of his predecessor, standing by his side, he was easily recognized as the peer of the noblest in that brilliant assembly. The Indianapolis Con- vention was the beginning of a new era in our Sunday School history. To it, and largely to his wise ruling and skillful handling during pro- tracted debates, led by Vincent, Eggleston, Jacobs and others, when it seemed, at times, that it would be impossible to harmonize the different views by those who were giants and positive in their convictions, are the Nation and World largely indebted for the International Lesson system, which has to so large a- degree unified the Sunday School teach- ing of the world, and made possible the Sunday Schools of to-day.

Through the counties of this State, he went from convention to convention with his earnestness, his eloquence, and his deep, religious spirit, inherited from his father, a faithful Methodist minister, and his godly mother, cheering the discouraged, and inspiring all with some of his own zeal and enthusiasm, and contributing largely to the elevation of Illinois to its present exalted position in our Sunday School army.

It was fitting that President Gillett should be chosen as a member of the first International Lesson Committee. He was also for several years a valued member of the Executive Committee of our Association.

Near the close of the first International Sunday School Convention in 1875, he said: "Brethren and Sisters — sink or swim, live or die, I give myself to this Sunday-school work. They tell me that I have Sunday-school on the brain. I said one day to the man that told me that, you remind me of a great minister who became somewhat deranged

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and was shut in prison. A parishioner looked through the grating and said to him " what brought you here ?" "Brains, sir ! brains ! what will never bring you here !" Young America and old fogyism are not always to be measured by years. Father Paxson does more work to-day than many a young man who thinks himself a mighty man."

JOHN H. VINCENT was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, February 23, 1832. In his childhood the family removed to Lewisburg, Pa. and later to Milton, Pa. He studied in the Wesleyan Institute at Newark New Jersey, but was unable to obtain the higher training of the college, a fact strongly influencing him in the efforts later in life for the pro- motion of popular education. He carried his studies alone through the college course and was examined in 1875 and received the honorary degree of B. A. from Mt. Union College, Ohio. In 1870 he was given a degree of L. T. D. by Ohio Wesleyan, also Harvard in 1896, and that of L. L. D. by Washington and Jefferson College in 1885. He began preaching at the age of eighteen.

In 1857 he was transferred to Eock Eiver Conference in Northern Illinois. He organized for his young people for the purpose of studying bible history and geography, a class known as "The Palestine Class," which was afterwards published in 1888. He marked out a map of Palestine on the church lawn and led his students on pilgrimages from place to place and taught events in connection with the localities.

He had charges in Mount Morris in 1859, and Galena in 1860 — 61 and in 1862 was transferred to Eockford and then to Trinity Church in Chicago, in 1865, and here he met B. F. Jacobs and other leaders who found an able associate in the young pastor of the Trinity Church In 1865 he was called to New York to become the General Agent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday School Union. He established the Sunday School Journal for teachers in the fall of 1888.

Between 1870 and 1873 he was one of the leaders in the movement for the International Uniform Lessons which became effective over the American Continent in 1872, and he went to England about this time and was very influential in bringing the Sunday Schools of Great Britain into line with the Uniform Lessons.

Dr. Hazard said in substance: In 1860 John H. Vincent, an Illinois Sunday-school man, who had a brain of his own and thoughts of his own, thinking far ahead of his time, began to think of some sort of training class, and in 1864, or a little before, he was trying to introduce Sunday-school institutes. In 1865, near the close of the year, he started in Chicago, what afterwards became the National Sunday school Teacher, but then was the Sunday School Quarterly. In that quarterly he outlined a lesson course that was called "Two Years With Jesus."

Looking through those first lesson papers that appeared in that quarterly, you find many things we have to-day. For a beginning they were wonderfully perfect, and there is not a lesson paper issued but what, in some respect at least, copies the very first one that was issued.

Dr. Hamill said : "Shoulder to shoulder with Paxson was another stalwart figure in Illinois for many years, who passed from us into other positions, but the fragrance of whose memory yet abides, the man whom

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I esteem the greatest of our teachers and who yet lives to wear the laurel of unfading renown. I speak the name of John H. Vincent with peculiar respect. God made him an inventor of Sunday School things. It was the work of Paxson to lay the foundation ; of Vincent to plan the modern Sunday School. A generation has passed since he began his first think- ing, yet the thoughts of the men grown gray are still as fresh as dew upon the flowers. We never had within our State a finer thinker than Vincent."

At the general conference in 1888 in New York, he was chosen a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a man of clear vision, of lofty inspiration, of loving sympathy, and an efficient workman. He rendered a great service for the Sunday School cause of Illinois and other states and did a noble work for his own denomination and the world.

MARSHALL C. HAZARD was born in 1839 and recently passed away. During much of that time he was a leader among the Sunday School forces, not only of Illinois, but of other states as well. He was graduated from Knox College in 1861, which a few years later hon- ored itself and Mr Hazard by conferring upon him the degree of Ph. D. He was admitted to the Illinois bar as a lawyer in 1864, but his incli- nations were more strongly drawn towards literary than legal pursuits and in 1866, he became the editor of the Chicago Advance as the Western Representative of the Congregational denomination, which he continued for four years and which was followed by two years employment as con- fidential agent of Messrs. Jay Cooke & Co., one of the foremost bank- ing houses of that day. In 1874 he became the editor of The National Sunday School Teacher published in Chicago. In the various Editorial positions he has occupied he has written expositions of five courses of the International Sunday School lessons, of seven or six years each, and each course including selectibns from the whole Bible. These studies were sought by teachers in all denominations and highly appreciated. His service with The National Sunday School Teacher extended from 1874 to 1882 and for the two following years he was Assistant Editor of the Sunday School Times, which position he left to become the Western Secretary of the Congregational Sunday School and Publishing Society. In 1885 he moved to Boston where as Editor of the Pilgrim Teacher from its beginning and the various helps and other publications of the society he continued in active service until he became Editor Emeritus in 1910. He was intimately associated with Jacobs, Vincent. Reynolds and the Old Guard of Illinois, and frequently in her conventions, and in 1880 at the State Convention at Galesburg he delivered an address "One Hundred Years of Sunday Schools" which showed a thorough knowledge of the subject, and spoke as one having authority. He was a member of the Religious Educational Association and president of the Sunday School Editorial Association, and rendered valuable services in cooperation with the International Lesson Committee. He believed in the Graded Lessons and rendered valuable suggestions in that con- nection. His closing days were passed in Literary labors at his home in Dorchester, Mass., where he heard the Master's summons "Come Home."

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D WIGHT L. MOODY was born in Northfield, Mass, in 1837; founded Northfield Seminary in 1879; then Moody Bible Institute of Chicago in 1886. He died in 1899.

He was one of the greatest leaders of the organized Sunday-school work in Illinois and associated with most progressive movements of his time. He was won to Christ through the personal interest and work of Mr. Edward Kimball, superintendent of the Mount Vernon Congregational Sunday-school in Boston, where Mr. Moody, a stranger in Boston, was attending Mr. Kimball's Sunday-school, who gained the young man's confidence and led him to Christ. In relating this experi- ence Mr. Moody said : "Before my conversion I worked toward the cross but since then I have worked from the cross."

Soon after uniting with the church in Boston, Mr. Moody came to Chicago and united with Plymouth Congregational Church and at once became actively interested in the church and also the Sunday-school.. He applied for a class in a little mission school in North Wells street and was told that he could have such a class if he would get his own pupils. Much to the surprise of the superintendent Moody was on hand the next Sunday with eighteen "hoodlums" gathered from the near-by streets, and the newly organized class grew rapidly. The experience which Mr. Moody gained here proved valuable to him.

In 1858 he began work in the North Market Street Hall Sunday 'School and through his efforts and the association with him of other active Christian workers, this Sunday-school grew rapidly and developed into the Illinois Street Church, and afterwards the Chicago Avenue Church. After the Sunday-school sessions Mr. Moody would visit the sick and sought to interest the parents of pupils in the evening Gospel service.

His associates were Mr. John V. Farwell, the largest dry-goods merchant in Chicago at that time, I. H. Birch and others; and through their united efforts that Sunday School became the largest in Chicago. In 1860 Mr. Moody gave up his business and a lucrative salary, and devoted his entire time and energies to religious work in which he never received any stated income. He soon received many requests to conduct evangelistic services, to which he gave himself with increasing delight and great usefulness. He kept a deep interest and a strong hold on his Sunday School work and drew about him great numbers of able and con- secrated workers, such as B. F. Jacobs, P. P. Bliss, Major Cole and others. One of these associates said of him, "He had the greatest power to set others to work and thus multiply himself of any man I ever knew."

After an extended evangelistic tour he again engaged in his Sunday School work. His .school was the first large effort in the direction of an undenominational mission Pchool. Reports of it were stimulating and many workers went to Chicago to inspect the school and ascertain its methods. The mission school movement if Mr. Moody did not originate it, at least received a great impetus through his work. He made it popular and gave it momentum.

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Mr. Moody devoted much time to the Young Men's Christian Association and he gave great prominence and stability to this work in Chicago. He solicited aid for these two great enterprises through his friends 'in different parts of the State. These lives he touched soon became enthusiastic and large crowds attended the annual conventions and the interest spread to adjoining states and gave rise to National and International Assemblies.

In 1865 Mr. Moody was a member of the State Sunday School Execu- tive Committee, which undertook the plan for promoting county organi- zation, a characteristic feature of the system of organization, which is now everywhere familiar. He visited many such conventions, not only taking a part in the program, but also urging the use of uniform lessons, and in 1869 at the National Sunday-school Con- vention held in Newark, N. J., a committee was appointed to arrange for the International Sunday-school series of Bible Lessons.

He was twice president of the Illinois Sunday School Association, at Bloomington in 1869 and at Jacksonville in 1876, and he was a daily speaker at the International Convention in Boston 1876.

The present Moody Church in Chicago is the outgrowth of the little Sunday-school in the North Market Street Hall, and the present organization is the center of various aggressive forms of Christian activity in that part of the city. The work is still carried on in the spirit of this man of humble beginnings, but of great faith and complete surrender to' his task.

Personal work was the secret of his usefulness. He was a man of prayer, a student of the Bible, and a man of consuming zeal and tire- less service. He said at one time : "If I had the trumpet of God and could speak to every Sunday-school teacher in America I would plead with each one to lead at least one soul to Christ each year."

Dr. Hazard said in substance: I remember when I was superin- tendent of a little mission school up here by the depot, that I heard of one or two men in Chicago whom I desired particularly to see. I heard of their conducting some mission schools there. I heard of their wonderful growth, of the methods they employed, and I was seized with a very great desire to know something of their methods and see the men. I heard that they were men of great moral courage, and men who were inclined to have their own way in spite of all obstacles. And finally I was permitted to go up there and see what they were doing. On the North Side D. L. Moody was building up a mission school that numbered something like ten or twelve hundred. On the West Side D. W. Whittle was also building up a mission school that numbered then some fifteen hundred. And coming back I had caught their zeal and enthusiasm, and I went to work with a good deal better spirit than I had ever done before. Then came that special trinity that God raised up among you, successors to their earlier pioneers, foremost of whom was Dwight L. Moody.

Dr. Hamill said in substance: You know the story of Moody's life. You remember how as a boy he passed from the benediction of his widowed mother into a Boston store, and how as a young man he drifted

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to Chicago, the rising city of the West. You recall how he filled his pews at church with scores of young men who yielded to his importunity ; and how later he crossed the river to the north side and laid the foun- dation of his mission Sunday School; and then began his larger career as a Sunday School worker, upon returning from the war with Eeynolds and Jacobs, by resurrecting the Illinois Sunday School Association and laying the foundation of its present eminence, as a bright and shining star in the firmanent of Associations. I am sure when I speak the name of Moody there is responsive echo in your hearts of gratitude to God for making him one of the Old Guard of Illinois.

Mr. Moody's work in the early days was different in marked degree from his later work, and it bore more pointedly upon the Sunday-school ; but throughout he was the exponent of high principle and thoroughly good work, his influence being felt from one end of Illinois to the other.

ME. WILLIAM EEYNOLDS was born in Eoxbury, Pa. in 1830, and removed with his father in 1836 to Peoria, Illinois. Until 1887 he was a pork-packer, devoting much of his time and means to religious work. In 1858 he was converted and a year or two later, while in Phila- delphia, he was greatly quickened and began active service for Christ.

In 1861 he started a mission Sunday School, from which grew Calvary Presbyterian Church, which he superintended until his death. He was active in many local religious and philanthropic causes. During the war he served with energy and effectiveness on the United States Christian Commission.

In 1864 he attended the State Sunday-school convention at Spring- field and joined with Moody, Jacobs, Tyng, and others in building up the State work. At the convention in Decatur in 1867, Mr. Eeynolds was made president and five thousand dollars was pledged, and the State was directed for a campaign of organization; Mr. Eeynolds receiving by lot the southern section. All the lower counties were soon covered with working county Sunday-school associations. Mr. Eeynolds con- tinued to the last his interest in the Illinois work.

In 1869 he attended the national convention at Newark, N. J., and at Toronto in 1881 he assisted in putting B. F. Jacobs at the head of the International Executive Committee and opened the era of aggressive advance in International field work. He presided with great ability in the Fifth International Sunday-school Convention in Chicago, in 1887, his business having been largely absorbed by the great packing interests of Chicago, he soon after accepted Mr. Jacobs' urgent invitation and became field superintendent for the International work and so con- tinued until his death September 28, 1897. It was during these ten busy years of faithful service that Mr. Eeynold's name, commanding voice and figure became familiar to Sunday-school attendants in all parts of North America. He was genial, resourceful, with a clear vision and with apt incident to drive home his earnest pleas for better work, more efficient organization. He was enthusiastic in his constant tours to scattered conventions, practical, intense and with a business training, which he exemplified in his local campaign. He was an ideal field agent.

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He was stricken at Louisville while assisting the Kentucky asso- ciation in its local work, and expired after a few hours' illness.

In early manhood he was married to Martha Brotherson of Peoria who survived him for some years. He had the able and devoted cooper- ation of Mrs. Reynolds in all his work, and when the severe blow came the sympathies of all the Sunday School world were turned toward Mrs. Reynolds. He made a most valuable contribution to the Sunday School cause of his age. He really carried its burdens in his heart and lifted it into the very presence of the great Father.

Mr. Reynolds said at one time: "I am proud of the State of Illi- nois. I was traveling some time ago on the cars, when two gentlemen in front of me were discussing as to which was the greater state — New York or Pennsylvania. I listened to them a while, and then thought I could settle the dispute for them. "Gentlemen, excuse my inter- ruption, but I just want to call your attention to the greatest State there is in the Union." One of them turned and said "What State is that?" and I said "The State of Illinois." "What claim have you, sir, that it is the greatest State in the Union?" "Well, sir, in the first place, speaking of the products, we raise more wheat than any other state in the Union, and we raise more hogs than any other state in the Union. And then, sir, we have given you the best president you ever had — Abraham Lincoln." "We gave you the greatest general in the Union — U. S. Grant." "We have produced, sir, the greatest orator there is in this Union. We have produced, sir, the greatest Evangelist — D. L. Moody. We have got the greatest Sunday School Association in this country. We have the greatest grain market there is in the Union, the greatest pork packing establishments, and the greatest lumber market." One of them said "Hold on; stranger, we give it up." "I am not through — I was going to add we can produce the best Sunday School men there are in the Union, and when they want any of them they come out to Illinois. Here is Dr. Vincent, a representative — an Illinois production."

At another time he said : "I was out in Kansas and met a great many of the best Sunday School workers there. I was introduced to one of them as from Peoria. "Peoria ! says he, "that's the town where there is so much whiskey made." "Yes, they make more whiskey there than any other place in the Union. They have got the largest distillery of any place in the world?" "All true, and we are sorry for it," I said, "but there is something else in Peoria. We have got more Sunday Schools to the square foot in Peoria than any other city in the State of Illinois."

Mr William Reynolds said at another time: "One of Mr. Spur- geon's students went to him and said, "I am discouraged ; I don't see any results from my work." Mr. Spurgeon said, "You don't expect to see results coming along all the time, do you?" "Why, certainly not/' "Well, that is the reason you don't have them." Mr Reynolds then said, "I might have had that harvest long before, but I did not look for it." One time in Peoria our pastor went away for one Sunday, and sent a supply. He was a very godly man, but very peculiar and queer in many

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ways. He was to be entertained at 'our house over Sabbath. He came and I met him at the door and he laid down his hat and coat and said, "Mr. Eeynolds what are you doing for God?" I told him, among other things, that I was teaching a class in the Sunday-school. "How old are they?" he asked, I ttfld him they were girls about eighteen or nineteen years of age. "How long have you taught them ?" I said, "About three years." "Are they Christians?" I was forced to say that I did not know. . "What!" said the man, "do you mean to tell me that you have taught those girls for three or four years and don't know whether they are Christians or not?" I said "Yes." He said, "Well let us pray." As soon as he got through I excused myself and went out into the kitchen where my wife was, and told her that I did not like the man at all. Of course she wanted to know why. I said, "Why, he had me down on my knees praying because I told him I did not know whether my girls were Christians or not." "Well," said she, "don't you think that he is about, right?" That was too much for me when my wife went back on me too, and I went out and walked around the yard for a while. Then it occurred to me that was not a very nice way to treat a guest, so I went back into the parlor. The moment I entered my guest said : "Mr. Beynolds, have you faith to believe those girls are going to be saved tomorrow?" I replied "No, I have not." He said, "Then let us pray." After the prayer supper was announced. By keeping the conversation very warm, I managed to keep off that subject during the supper. After supper we talked about various things until it was time to retire. Then courtesy seemed to demand that the guest should be invited to lead the devotions. I handed him the Bible, and then he said, "Mr. Eeynolds, do you believe those girls are going to be saved tomorrow?" "I replied "No, I don't," My guest said: "Then there is only one thing to pray for tonight and that is for you." I went to bed but not to sleep. I made up my mind that God must have sent that man there with a message for me. I had not been looking for results. Finally I rose without a wink of sleep, and Avent to the library and began to study my lesson, and as I began to study I began to weep. I got down on my knees before a chair and read over my class card. I read the name "Jennie" and talked to God about Jennie, and so 6n through the list. "Do you ever go to God about Jennie, and Charlie, one by one, and ask the thing you want? It pays to do that." I stayed there all night long, and at day-break I knocked at the minister's door, and asked him if he would get up and come down. When he came down I asked him if he would forgive me for the unkind thought I had the night before, and pray for my girls. T went to the class that day in a different frame of mind than ever before. I closed my Bible and said, "girls, I want to make a confession. I have been a poor teacher. Here I have been your teacher for three or four years, and T don't know whether you are saved or not. Jennie, are you saved?" She began to cry. So T went on down the line until seven girls were in tears, and the last one said, "Mr. Eeynolds, why did you wait so long to ask that question? We have often talked about it 'and wondered why you did

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not, and thought perhaps you did not care." Those girls were saved that very day. Let us honor God hy expecting results."

Dr. M. C. Hazard said in substance: Our friend William Rey- nolds of Peoria hearing of the work that was being done in Chicago, had somewhat of a similiar desire that I had to go up and see what was going on, and did go up; and I have heard it said that he went to a place on the North Side in the evening, where he found this same Mr Moody holding a little colored boy with one hand, and a Bible in the other, trying to read by the light of a tallow candle, trying to read to him about Christ, trying to keep him still while he read to him; and there were a great many of the words that he had to skip, and at last he laid the book aside, and said, "I can tell it to you better than I can read." Mr Reynolds found that that man was doing a wonderful work ; and he said that if he could do work he believed that he could; and he went back to his own work with a determination that, God helping him, he would do more than ever he did before. And so, from one to another, men have got inspiration and enthusiasm in this work in Illinois, until they have come to love each other as brothers.

Dr. Hamill said: "What shall I say of William Reynolds? Dear old Reynolds! I can feel the touch of his hand and the throb of his great heart; I can recall his princely presence. I rode thousands of miles upon trains with him by day and night; I heard him in crowded city churches speaking to multitudes, or addressing nondescript audi- ences upon the street corners; and wherever he went men were quick to recognize in him a prince in Israel. Fine in form and face, big in heart and in brain, skilled in organizing, I call forth from the past of the Old Guard this great organizer of Sunday School work. You know the story of his life, how he came of sturdy Presbyterian stock ; how he de- clined a ball tendered in his honor "for his mother's sake;" how he challenged the infidel of his town, and afterward compassed his defeat as a candidate for governor of Illinois; how in a civic crisis he declared "Reynolds & Ely's hams are for sale, but not their principles;" how he was honored by great conventions, twice president of Illinois and once president of the International convention; how he raised more money and drew to the work more helpers in organization than any other man living or dead; and how at last, within two days of his public address, with his wife at his side, on September 28, 1897, he died with the words upon his lips : "I die, but I die in the harness."

It was during the seige of Vicksburg, when Grant's army was suffering greatly from disease caused by lack of proper food, that the Chicago Board of Trade contributed a train load of onions and potatoes for their relief. Mr. Wm. Reynolds was appointed to deliver them to General Grant. Mrs. A. H. Hoge, of the Christian Commission, was delegated to accompany Mr. Reynolds. At Cairo the vegetables were taken from the train and placed upon a steamer. When this was done Mr. Reynolds applied to the General in command for a pass to proceed through the lines. It was' refused, with the statement that General Grant had issued orders that no passes should be given nor any boats

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permitted to navigate the river. Mr. Reynolds pleaded the benevolent errand he was upon, but all to no purpose.

"What would you do if I should go without a pass," he said.

"Leave General Grant to settle with you." was the reply; "but if you go, you must understand that there are two Confederate batteries ten miles apart, so situated that they can enfilade you."

Mr. Reynolds went to the hotel to communicate with Mrs. Hoge, telling her he had determined to go, but excusing her from the danger if she wished.

At this juncture a lady, sitting in the parlor, looked up and said: "Excuse me. I cannot help hearing your conversation, and let me advise you to be very careful how you disobey the order of General Grant." It became known afterwards that this lady was Mrs. Grant.

The captain of the steamer was not at first informed that they were going without the pass, but having decided to proceed, he and Mr. Reynolds made a plan to put out the fires when nearing the first battery, having previously gotten up all possible speed. They passed the first battery in the night without a shot being fired. They steamed up with oil and passed the second battery without being molested. The way was then clear.

Having arrived at Vicksburg with their precious cargo, they pro- ceeded to General Grant's headquarters.

"We have brought a train load of onions and potatoes for your army, General Grant, from the Chicago Board of Trade," said Mr. Reynolds.

"Did the General at Cairo give you a pass," said General Grant?

"No," replied Mr. Reynolds, 'Tie would not give it to us."

"By whose authority are you here then ?" he sternly asked.

"By an authority that outranks yours, General Grant," replied Mrs. Hoge.

"Name it, madame."

"The Lord God Almighty sent us on this errand," replied Mrs. Hoge.

"I acknowledge the superiority," said General Grant, and turning to Mr. Reynolds he said : "I would rather have these vegetables than ten thousand fresh troops. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing, sir, only give us a pass back through the lines."

A mother who had long opposed her daughter's wish to give her- self to foreign missionary work, heard this thrilling incident, and saw that an authority higher than her own had spoken to her child — an authority to which she herself owed allegiance. She yielded, and now this daughter became a successful teacher in China.

Mr. B. F. Jacobs said at Mr. Reynold's funeral :

"I lay three wreaths upon his casket — the wreath of brotherly love; the wreath of the Illinois Sunday School Association, of which he was so useful and honored a member and officer, and the wreath of the Inter- national Sunday School Association of which he was once president, and the last ten years of his life, the Field Superintendent. I may

— 3 S S H

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anticipate the word of His Lord and mine, and add — "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

There are two views of a good man's life — the earthly view, and the heavenly view. I ask you men and women of the city where he lived, two questions: What was it to be great? and, Was William Eeynolds great ? If we take the earthly view, is not true greatness to be measured by the number of persons one has influenced for good? And by that standard I ask, Has a greater man than our brother ever lived in Peoria ? Greater far than any monument that we can raise, is the one that he has built for himself in the hearts of millions of men and women, children and youth, that have been and will be helped by the life he has lived and the work he has done.

Can we take the heavenly view ? Can we reckon the eternal results, or estimate the eternal joy of a life spent here in the service of God and for the good of men ? We may envy the life, and almost envy the death of our beloved friend and brother. He has fought the good fight, he has finished his course, he has kept the faith, and he has entered, with a song that shall never cease, the Gates of Light."

At another time Mr. Jacobs said of Mr. Eeynolds:

"In my estimation, his place is with Illinois' greatest men. He was of princely form and manner, bold and courageous, but gentle as a child. He was a leader of men. If greatness consists in influencing others, and if it is measured by the number influenced, and the result of that influence on their lives, William Eeynolds was very great. His work has called him to every state and every Canadian province, from New- foundland to Florida, across to California and up to Vancouver's Island. In hundreds of cities, men who are themselves leaders have been in- fluenced by him, and millions of children have been and will be helped- by his life and by his words. No other American has spoken to such com- panies in so many places, and certainly no one has ever presented a more important subject than the moral and religious training of our children and youth. There are few men whose death would be mourned by such a multitude of good people in America, as William Eeynolds."

Mr. Jacobs, Chairman of the International Executive Committee, wrote :

"I thank God, as I look back, especially for the last ten years, since 1887, wonderful years ! of wonderful service ! No other American ever had such a place, and none have left a richer legacy.

He has gone out from Illinois to labor in all the land on the North American continent, and he has done his work as no other man could have done it. Is not that greatness? Is it possible for a man to have lived a more splendid life or to have died a more splendid death ?

He was, indeed a wonderful man. We are as yet, too near to him and his work to fully appreciate either. As we advance we shall know him better. I do not see how we can love him more.

Do not repine. Jesus said: "Weep not." "He took away des- pair when He said : "He is not dead ;" He substituted hope when He added : "He sleepeth ;" and He gave us a glimpse, of Heaven when

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He declared: "He shall rise again/' "Love to you and to all with you."

BENJAMIN F. JACOBS was born at Paterson, N. J., September 18, 1834, and died in his 68th year at Chicago June 23, 1902. His parents were of blended Puritan-Huguenot stock and he was their eldest born. In 1854, before attaining his majority he came to Chicago and engaged in the commission and real estate business; giving without stint his time and money to Christian work. He united with the First Baptist Church in a short time after reaching the city. The same year he married Miss Frances M. Eddy. His stupendous Sunday School work began in 1856 when he organized the First Baptist Mission Sunday School and for forty-five years was, successively, the faithful and efficient superintendent of the New Street Mission, the First Baptist Sunday School, the Newsboy Mission,- the Tabernacle Mission and Immanuel Baptist Sunday Schools. He helped organize the Chicago Y. M. C. A. and later was director and its president and with such fine spirits as Reynolds, Stuart and Moody he served with great zeal on the Army Christian Commission during the civil war, very often at the front ministering tq, the sick and wounded.

There were three men who were very closely associated in Sunday- school extension of whom B. F. Jacobs was undoubtedly foremost. In a small room in connection with his place of business he had set apart a special place for meditation and prayer; three men were not in- frequently found in that room. These were Jacobs, Reynolds, and Moody. Many were the precious hours that were spent in that room, and there they pledged to each other and to God a life of service, of devotion, and of purity ; a bond that was never broken by any one of them.

A few days before the death of Mr. Jacobs, his brother William was standing by his bedside and he was telling him some of his ex- periences in the Civil War, when, as a representative of the Christian Commission, he went down to Nashville to see the soldiers, and he told him of one great gathering of three thousand soldiers on the grass around the capitol building at Nashville. He was about to speak to them, and he said, "Boys, do you remember how you used to kneel by your mother's knee and say, 'Now, I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep ;' do you remember how you used to kneel by your Father's knee and say/Our Father who art in heaven ?" Let us be boys again to-day ; let us forget that we are men, forget the cares of life, and like little children let us kneel to-day and open our hearts for a blessing. Let us pray." In an instant all those three thousand soldiers were on their knees. The Chief of artillery who was riding by, the cannon booming on every side, said, "Wait a moment!" then he sent orders in every direction. "Cease firing during prayer!" and every gun was silent as the petition of those soldiers went up to heaven. He told him of other precious experiences and then looking into his brother's face — that last' look of his William ever remembered — he said, "0, William, why didn't I let everything else go and give my life to this work for Jesus Christ ?" His brother William after relating this incident said : "Fellow Sunday-

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school workers, I suspect every one of us as we come near to the end of life, as we look back upon our lives, will be ready to say, "0, why didn't I let everything else go and give my life to the service of Jesus Christ?" We are here to ask that question. We are here to consider questions of 6uch paramount importance that the making of millions shrink to nothing beside them. May God help us, not on our dying bed, but this day and during this convention to resolve that by the grace of God we will let go of those things whicli are chaining us to earth and hinder- ing our usefulness, and that we will, with renewed consecration, devote ourselves to Him Who loves us, and will go out to serve Him with devotion and faithfulness, such as the past has never witnessed.

Mr. Jacobs probably did the largest part in reorganizing and establishing the State work. He was elected President of the State Association in 1868 at Du Quoin and made a fine presiding officer. It was largely through him that the convention idea embodied so much of institute features, which marked all of that period. As an indication of the rapid progress made, Mr. Jacobs reported to the third national convention (1869) a large degree of enthusiasm in Illinois, every county in the State being organized, and fifty countiest having town- ship organizations. One thousand new schools had been, during the previous year, established, and ten thousand conversions reported.

Mr Jacobs said at Champaign in 1896 : "But when we summon the angel of memory, and recall our joys, we cannot refuse to look as we are pointed back, to Springfield in '64, to the arrival on Saturday morning of the advance guard, led by our beloved Moody, and the con- vention presided over by A. G. Tyng, and a revival that spread over the State. At Peoria in '65, the plan for dividing the State into six dis- tricts, was formed, and the great campaign began. At Decatur in '67, William Reynolds was our standard bearer, and here our first paid field worker was chosen. At Du Quoin in '68, we met in the old tobacco warehouse, and Illinois took the first step, by a vote favoring the Uniform Lesson System, and there, led by E. C. Wilder, our third president, and by Edward Eggleston, we planned for the revival of the National Sunday-school convention, which had been discontinued. These plans were acted upon at the meeting of the Y. M. C. A., at Detroit in the fall of that year, and the National Sunday-school Con- vention met in Newark, N. J. the following spring. We cannot forget Bloomington in '69, where D. L. Moody was first elected president; nor the evening meeting when President Edwards, D. W. Whittle and Dr. Burns, roused us .to great enthusiasm. At Galesburg in '80, our brother beloved, J, McKee Peeples, was our leader. Moody and Sankey, Whittle and McGranahan, Reynolds, Morton, Gillett and Lucy J. Rider, were all there."

At a reception given in the City of Washington to the represent- atives of the International Executive Committee, the Hon. John W. Foster, said : "I deem it an honor to be called upon to follow the gentle- man who has just taken his seat (Mr. B. F. Jacobs). You and I, and the whole Protestant World know what Mr. Jacobs and his associates have done, and the great value of that work. I am glad to have an

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opportunity to unite with you in commending the work of the Inter- national Sunday-school Executive Committee, and I esteem most highly the International Lesson System of instruction. These agencies are doing an inestimable service in adding new interest to the study of the Bible, in fitting the rising generation for better service as citizens, and in leading them to a fuller comprehension of their duties as members of society. It is a broad field, a patriotic and holy work/'

Mr. Jacobs was a man who when he wanted to say anything, said it. He was marvelous in our eyes, a wise leader, to whom, with several other Illinois Sunday School men are we indebted for some of the most marked improvements in Sunday School instruction. There are three men especially to whom we owe the privilege of the International system. He was the Peter among the Sunday-school apostles, and, whenever he believed that a thing ought to be done and can be done, it was difficult to make him keep his seat and keep quiet. When by his efforts in 1871 a committee was appointed by the publishers of Sunday-school Lessons to select a series of Lessons, a trial of the uniform plan, and when three of them met together and declared that the thing was impracticable, Jacobs took those men metaphorically by the throat and said, "You are appointed, not to declare that a thing is impracticable, but To Do It;" and he made them do it. And it was owing to that that we have to-day the International system. And I think that it is not at all improper, under the circumstances, to recognize the fact that to Illinois Sunday-school men alone is due the fact that we have such a blessing throughout the world.

Dr. Hamill said : "How can I speak to Illinois of the last survivor of the trinity of great souls that God committed to us in holy leadership, Benjamin Franklin Jacobs. The first time I attended an Illinois Sunday-school convention he took me by the hand, led me graciously to the platform, and spoke word of cheer that I needed before your great body of workers ; and when I had taken my seat, he put his arm lovingly about me and said, "God bless you, Hamill." As the years of our fellowship rolled nearly into the score, that man of the great heart and of the great brain came closer and closer into my life, and molded me more and more into his ways of thinking, into his brave and unfail- ing optimism, into his stalwart devotion to the cause of the Sunday School, into something of his love for little children. I think it is Carl Eichter who says : "The thing most like unto God is a little child ;" and the thing that is most like unto a little child is a truly great man. As the years shall succeed, we will come to estimate more truly the real greatness of Mr. Jacobs. May God bless his memory., and multiply his successors! May I be speaking to some young man to-day in this convention who in years to come shall stand in the place where Jacobs stood and lead the hosts of unborn years into victories which he achieved ! At the closing meeting of the World's First Sunday School Convention July 5, 1889, at Exeter Hall, London, B. F. Jacobs said in substance: "It is a wonderful thing to me at least to stand in this hall made sacred by so many associations, and filling your minds with so many memories, and look into your faces in remembrance of the hours of communion and

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fellowship that we have enjoyed together during the past few days. But. it is a far more wonderful thing to stand here tonight in the presence of God, our Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and of the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Guide, and look back over a century of Sunday School work, and see what has been accomplished, and try to look forward to the coming century, and imagine what God .is waiting to do for us.

Let me remind you that the records of the first century of American national history are filled with achievements and progress that astonish the world. I speak as an American, and by permission. But the book that contains the history of the Church of Jesus Christ during the past century is crowded with wonders and blessings that call out the deepest gratitude and encourage the boldest faith. The history of the modern 'Sunday-school work is nearly all recorded in this volume, and this work is admitted to rank among the great things of the century.

The day has passed when men possessing intelligence, or who lay any claim to it, can look Sunday-school workers in the face and suggest that theirs is a work for women and children. There are at this hour engaged in this work men of equal brain power and equal heart power, of equal influence in the pulpit and in business circles, of equal purity of life and breadth of character with any other men that tread the planet on which we live. There is great dignity attached to the Sun- day-school work. I stayed a few weeks ago in the city of New Haven. I was permitted to spend an hour of fellowship with my beloved friend Professor William E. Harper of Yale College, perhaps in some respects the most wonderful teacher of Hebrew that our century has produced, in America at least; and the man whose name has gone around the world. That man I found to be not only deeply engaged and interested in this work, but personally the teacher of two Sunday-school classes in Yale College; one of the freshmen's class numbering 123 students, and a Bible class with from 90 to 100 members. Some ladies in the city of New Haven called upon Dr. Harper, and asked him if he would conduct a teachers' training class, a class for the thorough study of one book of the Bible, that they might get an insight into the way of studying the Bible; and the doctor told them that his engagements were too great and many to allow him to make new ones. They said, "Doctor, we had not thought you would do this without compensation, and we have agreed to pay you 4 pounds each, or 20 dollars of our money, being $500., for the class of 25 ladies." Such was the desire to study the Word of God in New Haven.

I tell you, gentlemen, h; is getting to be a dignified business to be a Sunday-school teacher. Not only so, but I was in the city of Boston with Mr. George W. Cable, whose name I am sure has floated across the Atlantic. He is a teacher of a class of more than 2,000 men and women, who come together on Saturday afternoon, huving come there from 73 towns and cities, leaving their business, giving time and monev, paying their own expenses, and contributing 2,500 dollars or 500 pounds per annum to the teacher who will teach the one lesson a week during the year. It is dignified work teaching in the Sunday-school.

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Perhaps some of us have not had quite as much pay as would tend to increase our dignity; we may have little stimulus in that direction. But we re-affiirm the statement that, admitting all that can be claimed for any other branch of church or Christian work, we solemnly declare our belief, that in the work performed, in the results achieved, and in the expense incurred, the Sunday-school is the most important, the most hopeful, and the most economical agency known.

I have only one point to make in support of that statement, for you can easily solve the problem with this. It is the most hopeful, because we have the children. In the great and awful conflict between truth and error, between faith and unbelief, between morality and virtue on the one side and immorality and vice on the other side, between temperance and intemperance, between liberty and lawlessness, the side that gains the children will secure the vfctory, and the side that loses the children will suffer defeat. The destiny of England and America is in the hands of the children. If these children are rightly led and truly taught by faithful teachers, we shall be saved ; if they are neglected and untaught, the danger is appalling. A large number of these children are now in our Sunday-schools, and many more are within our reach; therefore, we are to a great extent responsible for the future. Great and expanding as this thought is when applied to our own country, it increases as we remember that we have much to do in deciding the destiny of the world. The best way to meet responsibility is to push our work. The best place to begin our work is nearest our home, and the best time is now.

It is impossible for us to know very much about our work unless we know those for whom we are working. What wonderful mistakes of judgment would be corrected; what wonderful mistakes of methods would be righted, what wonderful mistakes of every description would we avoid if we understood and felt for those whom we were to teach. Years ago a distinguished brother from New York, a merchant, used to come to the west to help us in our Sunday-school convention, and he said he had been promoted from being a superintendent of the school and a teacher of a class of adults to become the teacher of the primary or infant class in the Sunday-school; and I tell you it is a great promotion.

Hear Mr. J. B. Gough. He said, one night in a sleeping car the passengers were kept awake until a late hour by the crying of a child, and suddenly a man got thoroughly out of patience — there were actually half a dozen of these men in America — put his head through the curtain and said, "Where's the mother of the child ?" A voice came back in a minute, "In her coffin in the baggage car." Presently there was a thud on the floor, and a pair of feet in blue yarn stockings struck the carpet, a great pair of arms was stretched out, and a voice said. "Just give me that baby, and the rest of you go to sleep. You need not be afraid of my dropping it. I have held them before/' He said, "Please, go to sleep." He put the babe over his shoulder, put his great hand on it, and began in his low voice to sing to it and soon the qhild was fast asleep. These are the very kind of angels this world is longing for now.

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There has got to be more of tender sympathy entering into our work from beginning to end. We have got to deal with that tender loving spirit that filled the heart of the Son of God when He was down here. The Gospel must furnish the solution of the great social problems, and we believe that, of all the Gospel instrumentalities used by the church, the Sunday School has the first place, because it has the children and the youth.

As an educational force the Sunday-school has not been given its proper place. American Christians are slowly arousing to the mighty efforts that are made by skeptics and others to undermine our edu- cational system. And, while it may be truly said that the only text book of the Sunday-school is the Bible, yet how great its power. As an educator it is fitted to teach and train the conscience and to educate the reflective powers.

President Grant said : "Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor to your liberties, write its precepts in your heart, and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all pro- gress made in our true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future."

Talmage says : "The conquest of America will be by the conquer- ing army of children, they are the preface to the book of the future. The destiny of our country is revealed in the boy of to-day. Which shall conquer, the good or bad ?" And he cries out, "Oh for one gener- ation of holy men!" and he asks, "Shall it be the next?" That is our wish ; that is our work.

Brethren, "Let us rise and go to our work, tomorrow we shall rise and go to our reward."

"To the 44th Convention, Illinois Sunday School Association, In session at Sterling, Illinois. At Home, May IS, 1902. DEAR BRETHREN : You have learned the reason of my absence from the convention, but you do not know how much I long to be there. The memories of other convention days, the loving greetings, the blessed fellowship, the holy enthusiasm, and the sacred joy, fill me with thanksgiving for the past, and with hope for the future. The splendid procession of workers seem to pass, and I hear the glad tidings, and thank God for you all. I am with you in spirit, and rejoice in your success. The glad songs seem to come into my room, as dear Bro. Excell leads the great chorus, and good Dr. Potts urges you to go on. You know the old song:

"If you cannot on the ocean sail among the swiftest

fleet, You can stand among the sailors, anchored yet within

the bay, You can lend a hand to help them, as they launch

their boats away."

So from my retreat I wave you a God speed, and a bon-voyage for the new year. Thirty years ago, when I was absent in the East, on account of the great fire of 1871, at your convention held at Aurora, you elected

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me Chairman of your Execuetive Committee. Again and again I have urged you to select another and a younger man for Chairman. Let no consideration or affection -for me keep you from doing the wisest and best thing for the work so dear to our hearts. I am grateful for the kindness shown and the honors you have heaped upon me, and pray God to abundantly reward and bless you. But surely you have done all and more than I could ask, and I am content.

It was my privilege some years ago to hold some meetings with children in Sterling, and to rejoice over some that accepted Jesus as their Saviour. I think of them now, and pray that as a result of your con- vention many of the children now living in that city may be won to Christ. And my prayer is for the last and lowest boy and girl in Illinois, that they may be reached and saved.

'Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.'

Sincerely yours, B. F. JACOBS."

The first step toward the World's Convention at Jerusalem had been taken and there was given to our leader, B. F. Jacobs, the hero of many Sunday-school battles, a vision of the land of promise, which he greatly desired to see and conquer for Christ, but like Moses, he was not permitted to go thither. Five months passed; delegates from every part of North America and some from Great Britain were journeying toward Denver to hold the Tenth International Convention, but our Chieftain lay prostrate upon a bed of fatal illness. He learned of the presence in Chicago of a long time friend, Dr. Geo. W. Bailey, a dele- gate to the Denver convention, who, against the protests of family and physicians, he insisted upon seeing, if only for a moment. He was too weak to speak — his greeting was the old familiar smile, and then as his friend knelt by his bed, with much effort he whispered, uttering, in broken words, "Men-die,-but-God-liyes,-and-his-work-goes-on-. Give -my-love-to-the-brethren-." And in a few hours — even before the open- ing notes of the convention were sung — he died and was gathered to his people.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS, AT THE CONVENTION, 1903.

In 1864, thirty-nine years ago; The Illinois Sunday School Con- vention met in the city of Springfield. Four young men, William Reynolds, Dwight L. Moody, Benjamin F. Jacobs, and A. G. Tyng, fresh from the work of the Christian Commission in which they had done grand service for the country, for the church, and for the soldiers of the army, reached Springfield, eager, full of zeal for service, and longing for the souls of men. * * *

Such was the beginning of the service of B. F. Jacobs in the Illinois State Sunday School Convention. It was more than that, that little prayer meeting was the beginning of a new life and power that had never been felt before in the Sunday-school in Illinois. A new spirit pervaded the entire field. B. F. Jacobs, Reynolds and their coadjutors with other kindred spirits whom they enlisted and filled with their zeal and

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enthusiasm, commenced a tour of the State making a thorough canvass, organizing county conventions and creating a fever of enthusiasm that culminated in a magnificent convention held in Decatur in 1867 of which William Eeynolds was President and in which were gathered more than a thousand delegates from nearly every county in the State.

From those beginnings nearly forty years ago, Benjamin F. Jacobs has been the master spirit in the Sunday School work in Illinois, and subsequently the central figure of the world's Sunday-school movement. He has given his time and expended his money without stint in advanc- ing the cause so dear to his heart. His thorough study of the Bible was an inspiration not only to himself, but to every one with whom he came in contact. His warm, loving heart was full of sympathy for the needy, and drew his associates and all who knew him to a warm love and personal devotion to himself that could hardly be equaled. He was so loving himself, so tender and thoughtful of others that he drew all closer and closer to him. His genial temperament and the wit and humor that gushed forth from his lips as from an overflowing fountain, all combined with his earnest spirituality made him easily the master of assemblies and the one man who controlled and in a sense held in his own hand the conventions and the Sunday-school work in the State and the Nation. For many years he was chairman of the executive com- mittees of the State, of the nation, and the world. He was present at every State convention since he entered it thirty years ago until two years ago, when increasing weakness forbade his attendance, but he sent his report as chairman of the executive committee to be read by another.

One year ago when the convention met at Sterling, it was evident that he was drawing near the end of his wonderful life. Even then while lying on the bed from which he was never to rise, he managed to write another, his last report to the Illinois Sunday School Convention, which he sent to be read for him. All will remember how wonderfully comprehensive was that report written in the midst of the feebleness of approaching dissolution. He seemed to survey the entire field and recognize the needs of every part. While rising to higher and higher flights, seeming to catch glimpses of the heavenly land to which he was hastening, he was holding out his hands in benediction and blessing over the valleys he was leaving behind him, bequeathing to those whom he loved, messages of guidance and encouragement, of cheer and comfort to be held in loving memory long after his glorified spirit had taken its flight to the mansions of the blessed.

While we are gathered in this annual convention, alone, yet not alone, with a full consciousness of the presence of our Saviour; with an abiding trust in that God in whom our brother trusted; with the faith that as his heart was full of love and sympathy while with us, so still more as he looks down upon this gathering from his heavenly home, we do not grieve ; we weep, "sorrowing most of all that we shall see his face no more," but we rejoice for what he has been and what he has done, not only here, but in the Nation and the world. We thank God that for so many years we were blessed with his presence and leadership : for his Bible expositions, so full of force and power, not only in great gatherings

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but in his classes in Chicago, and through the public press; and we join heartily in saying that Benjamin F. Jacobs was truly a man sent from God, with a message that he might "draw all men unto him."

We thank our God upon every remembrance of him in the church militant and joyfully hasten on to meet him in the church triumphant. "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."

.ESTIMATES OF THE WORTH OF B. F. JACOBS.

Dr. John Potts: "He was the greatest Sunday School worker on Earth."

Dr. H. M. Hamill: "Never from the days of Xerxes with his three million men, has any one swayed so great and intelligent and con- secrated a host as has this man. No man could have held in his grasp for nearly half a century the work that bears the name "International," without having been truly a great man."

Marion Lawrence: "By the touch of his hand, by the inspiration of his word and presence, he has been instrumental in starting in this public work at least more men and 'women than any other man that ever lived."

The Washington's Worlds Sunday-school Convention by resolution declared: "We recognize in Mr. Jacobs the greatest Sunday School leader the world has ever known."

Measured by any just standard of greatness, B. F. Jacobs was a great man — great in his personality — his ability as an organizer, his potent influence over men, his clear and far seeing vision of Christian work, his power over great conventions as a speaker and religious teacher, his keen statesmanship as an executive chairman and his surpassingly mag- netic leadership of a great host numbering many millions of devoted men and women. By such contemporaries as Moody, Eeynolds, Wana- maker, Maclaren, Potts, Warren, Vincent, Blackall, and Sir Francis F. Belsey, he was held in high reverence as easily their chief. Only one of a high order of greatness could direct so great and intelligent a cohort of Christian workers for so many years of continued victory. The one thing he loved most is his towering monument. His last letter penned feebly on his death-bed to Dr. H. M. Hamill pleading for the Inter- national Uniform Lesson System at the Denver Convention, belting the world this invention of his has gone, including twenty-five millions of students in four hundred languages, a world-wide popular system of Bible Study with which his name and fame to 'the end of time, will be indissolubly linked.

The Editor of the Ladies Home Journal several years ago published an editorial severly criticising the Sunday Schools of the United States and refused to publish any reply from the friends of the Sunday Schools, Mr. B. F. Jacobs included. The Editor was scathingly berated by many papers and friends of the Sunday School through out the country. Mr. Jacobs quietly prepared the following poem and at a meeting of the International Sunday School Executive Committee had Mr. E. 0. Excell sing it as only "Uncle Ex" can do it. It was afterwards given wide

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publication : * A. H. Mills a few years later paraphrased the last verse of the original song "Illinois" as a loving tribute to the Brothers, Jacobs, Moody and Eeynolds.

"ILLINOIS"

Have you heard what they are saying?

Illinois, Illinois. Is the Sunday-school decaying?

Illinois, Illinois.

We have heard you tell the story, You have often sung its glory, In each State and Territory,

Illinois, Illinois, Is it growing old and hoary?

Illinois.

Are you really losing ground?

Illinois, Illinois. Are your banners coming down ?

Illinois, Illinois. No, the Eastern man is wrong; We can sing another song ; We're Eight Hundred Thousand strong,

Illinois,, Illinois. And we're growing right along,

Illinois.

We have better schools and more,

Illinois, Illinois, Than we've ever had before,

Illinois, Illinois; All our counties are in line; Thirteen hundred sixty-nine Of our townships give the sign,

Illinois, Illinois, That we're gaining all the time,

Illinois.

We can speak for all the others,

ILlinois, Illinois. For our sisters and our brothers,

Illinois, Illinois. We are happy to relate That every noble State, Yes, from Maine to Golden Gate,

Illinois, Illinois, We are growing strong and great,

Illinois.

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And we have a word to say,

Illinois, Illinois, For our friends in Canada,

Illinois, Illinois, They are growing every day, And we're sure .that you can say Sunday-schools have come to stay,

Illinois, Illinois,

Let us Work and Watch and Pray, Illinois.

*Not without thy wonderous story.

Illinois, Illinois, Can be writ the Master's Glory,

Illinois, Illinois. On the record of thy years, B. F. Jacobs' name appears; Moody, Reynolds and our tears,

Illinois, Illinois, Moody, Reynolds and our tears, Illinois.

WILLIAM B. JACOBS was born November 10,1839 in Homer, New York, and when ten years old was brought to Goshen, Indiana, where his boyhood was spent. He gave his heart to Christ at the age of 17 and united with the Presbyterian Church in that City July 27, 1866. He heard and obeyed his Country's call in 1862 and on August 8, 1862 was commissioned as First Lieutenant and made Captain on August 21st of the same year and Major of the Regiment May 1, 1865, and served to the close of the war, returning home July 1865. He was elected Superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School and held that position until 1870 when he removed to Chicago and joined with his brother B. F. Jacobs in the commission business. In the fire and panic he lost all he had and his friends advised him to take the bankrupt law but he refused and paid every dollar of his indebtedness. In 1881 he was elected secretary of Cook County Sunday School Association and con- tinued to serve it for 19 years. In November 1882 he was asked to serve as General Secretary of the Illinois Sunday School Association giving the summer and fall to the State work and the winter and spring to the work of Chicago and Cook County. This he did and held the same till 1900 when he resigned the Chicago work to devote his entire time to the State work.

Comparatively few workers now remain who were present at the convention when Mr. Jacobs began his work as General Secretary of this Association at Champaign in 1882. We of the present day have no conception of the many hardships endured and sacrifices made by our brother beloved during his long years of loving, faithful service for the Master and the child. No man of the passing generation in this State stamped more deeply his personality on the homes of this State than did

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William B. Jacobs. No man had more friends or more loyal ones than he — they are in every city, village and township in this State. He not only had power with men but with God. He placed God in the fore- thought of his life. He honored God and God has honored him and given him a name and influence in the Sunday-school world that any of .us might justly and profitably emulate. One could not long be with Mr. Jacobs without instinctly feeling "Here is a man who walks with God." The religious and devotional side of his life was never eclipsed by the practical and material side of his work. The Bible, prayer and communion were never relegated to a second place. God was given the main track and the right of way in his- life. He lived in God and God lived in him.

When he had completed his twenty-fifth year of service there occurred the breaking of the Illinois Sunday School Alabaster Box.

TESTIMONIAL TO WILLIAM BUKDON JACOBS.

Doubtless the most surprised person among the great multitude who thronged the First M. E. Church at the Dixon Convention in 1908, was our General Secretary, William B. Jacobs, when Mr. W. C. Pearce, in the name of the Executive Committee and of the Sunday-school workers of Illinois, presented to him a beautiful testimonial. As a work of art it is beyond description ; as a tribute of deepest love, of highest appreciation and of strongest confidence it speaks for itself. The testimonial is written on vellum in beautifully illuminated letters of red and blue, inlaid and decorated with gold. It is in the form of a book, about nine by twelve inches when closed, with binding of walrus hide. On the cover is a shield beaten out of solid gold, bearing the initial "3". It is impossible to describe the exquisite workmanship, but it may be sufficient to say that it was in perfect harmony with the beautiful sentiments expressed.

The wording of the Testimonial, signed by all members of the present Executive Committee, is as follows:

"By the good hand of our God upon him, our beloved brother, William B. Jacobs, has been enabled to complete twenty-five years of continuous service as the General Secretary of the Illinois Sunday School Association.

HIS connection with organized Sunday School work spans a period during which great changes have been wrought, great ad- vances made, great triumphs won for our King; and with these he has been vitally linked.

THE completion of our system of township and county organ- ization, and the development of our Primary, Temperance, Teacher- Training, Home, and Adult Departments have demanded and received his constant attention and wise leadership.

TO the great movements for wider and better study of God's Word and the extension of the Master's Kingdom — in other States, over the Western continents, in lands beyond the Seas — to all he has

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given unsparingly of heart and hand, and by voice and pen has co- operated effectively with others engaged in advance Sunday School work throughout the World.

THROUGH personal contact and correspondence with Sunday- School workers in every part of the State, by his public addresses, by his opening of the Word, by his constant helpfulness, our brother has been used in leading men and women into larger and better Christian service, in giving new cheer to the discouraged, in raising the Sunday School work of Illinois to a high standard.

HIS clear vision of God "has oft refreshed us:" his love for and trust in the Master and devotion to His Truth have inspired us ; every worker in the State has shared in the uplift he has been permitted to impart.

HIS fellow workers recognize gratefully the faithfulness and efficiency with which Brother Jacobs has wrought through this quarter century, and here record our loving appreciation of his wise and helpful ministrv."

A. H. Mills. H. 0. Stone.

F. A. Wells. H. T. Lay.

L. B. Vose. A. M. Kenney.

H. R. Clissold. C. M. Parker!

John Farson. H. M. Bannen.

T. N. Pitkin. W. S. Rearick.

C. H. Ireland. W. B. Rundle.

E. H. Nichols.

This is followed by the names of all members of the State Executive

Committee during the years 1883 to 1908 :

B. F. Jacobs. M. C. Hazard. A. G. Tyng. Phillip G. Gillett. J. R. Mason. Thomas S. Ridgeway T. B. Nisbett. Chas. M. Morton.

E. A. Wilson. E. D. Durham. William Tracy. R. C. Willis.

C. W. Jerome. H. T. Lay. William Reynolds. T. H. Perrin.

R. W. Hare. John Benham. IKnox P. Taylor.

P. R, Danley.

L. A. Trowbridge.

H. M. Hamill.

C. F. Houghton. J. R. Gorin.

R. H. Griffith. G. W. Barnett. Frank Wilcox.

D. B. Parkinson. W. S. Rearick. Geo. L. Vance. T. M. Eckley. H. M. Read. Henry Augustine. J. W. Hart.

G. R, Shawhan. J. R. Harker. C. M. Hotchkin.

E. A. McDonald.

H. R. Clissold. Henry Moser. 0. W. Schell. A. H. Mills. A. M. Kenney.

C. M Parker. John Farson. J. B. Joy.

W. B. Rundle.

E. H. Nichols. H. 0. Stone.

D. 0. Coe.

F. A. Wells. C. C. Miles. C. H. Ireland. H. M. Bannen. T. N. Pitkin. L. B. Vose.

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Last of all are the names of those who have been associated with the General Secretary as paid workers of the State Association during the years 1883 to 1908.

E. 0. Excell. . H. M. Steidley.

Lucy Rider Meyer. Mrs. Edith V. Northrop.

Harry A. Burnham. Mrs. M. S. Lamoreaux.

Mary I. Bragg. Mrs. Mary F. Bryner.

Arthur W. Eider. Mrs. Herbert L. Hill.

H. M. Hamill. Charles E. Schenck.

I. M. Philips A. T. Arnold.

W. C. Pearce. Henry Moser.

G. W. Miller. Mrs. Howard M. Leyda.

T. B. Standen. Everett E. Johnson.

R. E. Hall. Mrs. Mamie Gordon Clayton. Knox P. Taylor

PRESENTATION ADDRESS.

(W. C. Pearce.) Mr. Chairman and Members of the Convention:

This afternoon our beloved General Secrtary of the International Sunday School Association, Mr. Marion Lawrence is to arrive. One Sunday in his Sunday-school, some years ago, he spoke a certain message in regard to the value of the appreciation of those who are trying to do God's work. The next morning, when he went to his office, he found a white rosebud tied to the door-knob, to which was attached this little verse of poetry :

"Better to buy a cheap bouquet,

And give to your friend this very day,

Than a bushel of roses white and red,

To put on his coffin when he is dead."

In the name of the Executive Committee, and in behalf of this great host, I have been made a messenger to carry a bouquet. It is not a cheap bouquet. It is for our friend and brother, Mr. Jacobs. It is not cheap, but it is rare and rich. It is rare because it has taken twenty- five years to grow the flowers that are in it. It is rich because of the variety of flowers it contains. I cannot name them all, my brother, but I will name four of them. One is Gratitude. We are thankful that you were born. We are thankful to your Christian mother whom we never knew, and to your Christian father whom through you we have come to love. We are glad you were born again in the faith of our Lord; we are glad you came to live in Illinois; we are glad that our Father called you to this work; and we are glad that you have been spared through these many years.

Another flower in this bouquet is the flower of Memory. Many times we have forgotten, but there are many things we remember. We recall this morning that when you began your work many counties were only organized on paper. We recall that your writing desk for a long time was your knee, and it was on the field of battle. We recall that the

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first years of your service not even your whole traveling expenses were paid. We recall the dark valleys through which you traveled to the hilltops to which you have led us. This is a sweet flower in this bouquet. We cherish it in our thought as we give it to you, and we expect to hand it down to our children. I expect to teach my boy, and, if I live, to teach my grand-children, to love your name and your memory.

Another flower in this bouquet is Confidence. We have had to grow this flower, and the longer it has grown the stronger it has become. We have learned to trust you because we know you trust our Lord, and your faith is anchored in His Word. We have followed you through battles, but always to victory; sometimes through difficult places, but always to see the face of our Lord.

The last flower I shall mention in this bouquet is the flower of love. We have learned to love you more and more as the years have gone by. When we have been in the shadow, you have stood with us and made it lighter ; when we have been under burdens, you have gotten under them and made them easier; when we have been in the valley, you have walked with us and led us to the higher places. We cannot describe our love. It is greater than words can paint. Because of these flowers, I say this bouquet is rare. These are not cut flowers, soon to wither and to pass away, but they are living flowers, to grow through many years to 'come.

Our committee, knowing how difficult it is to describe a bouquet and to keep flowers, has had a word painter paint a picture of this bouquet, and ask me to try to give it you.

In the name of the Executive Committee, and in behalf of the Illinois Sunday-school Avorkers, this right hand of mine never more cheer- fully did anything than to present to you this token of our love.

Following the remarks of Mr. Pearce the large audience arose and tendered Mr. Jacobs a Chautauqua salute.

RESPONSE TO PRESENTATION ADDRESS.

MR. JACOBS : In June, 1880, I closed out my business and went to London to attend the Robert Raikes Sunday School Centennial. I had not a dollar in the bank; I had a wife and children to care for, and I well remember as I came back on that ocean steamer I said, "What shall I do?" I went to my cabin and I said, "Lord, what will thou have me to do ? I will do the first thing You give me to do, and without any conditions ; I will go where You send me and take what You give me and be satisfied." I came home and attended a number of county Sunday School conventions in Illinois that fall, and in December of that year the Cook County Executive Committee said, "We want you to go into this Sunday-school work." They sent the president to my house to lay the matter before me for I was sick in bed at the time. I turned my face to the wall and said "No, Lord, I cannot do this." I told Him before that I would do whatever He said, but in my heart, though I did not know it, I had made up my mind as to what He should say, and that was that I should be an evangelist. So I said, "I cannot entertain this proposition." The Lord kept me there three weeks on my — 4 S S H

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back. Day by day I turned over my face to the wall saying, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" And the feeling grew stronger and stronger that this was what He wanted me to do. My house was mortgaged for six thousand dollars, drawing ten per cent interest, (six hundred dollars a year) besides the education and the support of my family. The committee offered me a guarantee of five hundred dollars only; but the Voice said, "Did you say that you would take the thing I gave you to do?" "I did," "Did you say you would take it without any conditions?" "I did." "Will you do it?" "I will." And I went into the work. I have never felt through all the years that I was worthy of the Master who called me or the people who loved me and stood with me. I have gone on year after year with bright cheer in my path, with divine love growing in my heart, with a great desire for the Sunday-school work and a great love for the Sunday-school workers of Illinois, seeking to do His will as He made it plain, and finding it the sweetest thing in the world to do the Lord's will. I could not be crowned with any higher crown, nor honored with any greater joy from earth than this tribute, this loving tribute, this beautiful bouquet presented to me in your name by my beloved brother and son, for I always think he is mine. I cannot ask any greater tribute, any greater honor from above than just the privilege of being in the work.

During these last years I have felt that the time is not far distant when I must give up this work and I have turned to Him and said, "Well, my Father, whenever Thou are ready, whenever the work seems hindered by my staying, whenever better work will be done by my going, raise up the man and put the work in his hands; but as You have put it in my hands to-day, give me grace and wisdom and strength to do to- day's work well and leave the rest to Thee." And so I have gone on, and so I am going on, and to-day I rejoice in His companionship and friendship and in the fellowship and love of this blessed company.

The Lord be with you and bless you; the Lord cause His face to shine upon you and give you peace; the Lord make you every one a bless- ing to others, and fill your own hearts with the joy of His sweet love and the privilege of His high service. May this new year upon which we have entered, with such strong assurance of His presence, be the year of highest achievement and of greatest joy in His service; a year of in gathering of many precious souls ; and in the Crowning Day you and I will not ask that the angel place crowns upon our heads, but if he does we will cast the crowns at Jesus' feet and say, "Thou are worthy to receive all, for Thou didst love us and Thou didst redeem us from our sins by Thy precious blood, and Thou didst commit Thy work to our hands and send us forth with that blessed assurance, 'Lo, I am with you always — all the days — even unto the end.' '

I thank you all ! You do not know my weaknesses — at least you seem blinded to them — and to my failures and my haltings. He knows, and He pardons and He strengthens and He sends me out again cheered by your love into this blessed service. May God grant us a year of the right hand of the Most High, of sweetest fellowship with each other in

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His service and of the great joy of seeing many others won for the kingdom and service of our Lord Jesus Christ."

As a token of the high appreciation of the splendid service of Mr. William B. Jacobs, he was elected at the Elgin Convention in 1912 an Honorary Member of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Sunday School Association for life, with power to vote.

At the last meeting of the Executive Committee of our State association, held in Chicago November 28, the following splendid and eloquent tribute was paid to the retiring General Secretary, the reso- lutions being adopted by unanimous vote.

"Our dear brother, William B. Jacobs, on November 15th com- pleted twenty-nine years of faithful, loving and efficient service as Gen- eral Secretary of the Illinois Sunday School Association. He has ten- dered and this Executive Committee has accepted his resignation as General Secretary to take effect January 1, 1912, or as soon thereafter as Mr. Hugh Cork, his successor, can close his work with the Inter- national Sunday School Association.

"Mr. Jacobs has passed the seventy-second milestone in life's great highway, and will lay aside the great responsibility of his office and give life's gloaming to touching and inspiring workers in the wider field, as strength will merit.

"The Sunday School work in this State has wonderfully developed and grown under his wise, devoted and consecrated leadership. He laid its foundation deep, strong and enduring. His trained men and women are doing uplifting and aggressive service, not only in this State, but also in every state, territory and province of North America — yea, even in foreign lands.

"During all these years he has stood with his right hand in the Hand of Our God and his left hand reaching down and around the humblest home in the farthest corner of our Father's vast estate — the unchoked channel and the ungrounded current of right blessing and uplifting power to needy humanity. He has saturated his life with the Bible truth and God has greatly honored His servant. He has literally walked and talked with God. Twenty-nine years of such service ! What a life-crown 'twill be!

"It is with deep regret that the great host of Sunday School workers of Illinois sever the tie that has bound our dear brother to us for almost a generation, but we rejoice in the strength of character and Christ-like nature that has enabled him to place the Master's work above himself and Elijah-like, is saying to dear Brother Cork — his son in this great work and his successor, to this committee and to every worker in this great •State "Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken from thee."

"May the deepest desire and prayer of all our hearts be that a double portion of his spirit of loyalty, of consecration, of fidelity, of faith, of prayer and of power with God and with men, abide upon each of us ; and our prayer for you, dear brother, is this :

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"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee ;

The Lord make His face to shine upon thee,

And be gracious unto thee ;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace."

"For many years there has been the closest relationship existing be- tween Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Cork, like father and son, and Mr. Jacobs rejoices with our Association that we have secured such a tried, true, strong, capable and efficient man as Mr. Cork for the new General Secretary of Illinois."

DECATUR, October 4, 1911. Mr. HUGH CORK,

Assistant International S. 8. Secretary, Chicago, Illinois. DEAR BROTHER CORK : You have learned ere this of the resignation of Brother W. B. Jacobs, for almost a generation our beloved and efficient General Secretary. He did a great work for God and humanity. His succesor must do a greater work.

Our committee have sought to 'find the man whom the master has had in training as Mr. Jacobs' successor; one great in heart, in hand, in training, and in personality — one whom we believe will be able, under our Lord's direction, to bring the Sunday Schools of our cities, towns and country-sides together with all the Denominations interested therein, into one mighty, intense, aggressive, intelligent consecrated and irre- sistible power for righteousness in the saving and keeping of the child- hood, womanhood and manhood of Illinois for Christ.

With the election of our dear Brother Fred A. Wells as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Sunday School Association and the concentration in this State of the International and the World's Sunday School headquarters, with the next International Convention to be held in Chicago, in 1914, it places a great responsibility upon the Illinois Sunday School Association.

Our committee believes that "you are chosen of the Lord" for this great work and we hereby tender you the position as General Secretary of our State Association, at the same salary that you are now receiving, hereby pledging you our enthusiastic and united cooperation and the loyal support of the thousands of Illinois Sunday School workers, that to- gether we may so serve as to fully do the Master's will.

We, therefore, pray that you will consider this a call from Him "whose we are and whom we serve."

Your Friend, A. H. MILLS, Chairman and in behalf of the Execu- tive Committee of the Illinois Sun- day School Association."

CHICAGO, October IS, 1911.

"DEAR Mr. MILLS: Your letter of October 4 was duly received, but it contained a matter of such importance to myself and the cause to which I have consecrated my life that I felt a reply must be delayed until

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I could be sure I was moving in the direction which will be according to the will of Him, whose I am and whom I serve.

It was truly a surprise to me to learn that your Committee had decided I was the one chosen to follow Brother Jacobs. There surely is no other General Secretary whose work I would rather follow up. But there are interests in this larger field which had to be carefully con- sidered.

Now, after careful and prayerful consideration of all that this change involves; after taking into my counsel kinsfolk and friends near and dear to me; after seeking advice from the splendid company of officials under whom and with whom I have labored with such delightful fellow- ship, it seems clear to me that my Heavenly Father desires me to become your General Secretary, to take up my new work January 1, or as soon thereafter as matters can be arranged with the International Association.

Although not worthy to assume an Elisha position, yet trusting the mantle of our Elijah may fall upon me as I try to be your executive leader, I am

Most cordially, HUGH CORK/'

Mr. W. B. Jacobs, while on his way to his office, on Wednesday morn- ing July 16, 1913, was run over by a street car and so seriously injured that he passed away at eleven o'clock. The news, of his tragic death spread rapidly and the messages of love began to pour into the stricken family and the association office.

"Strange we never prize the music Till the sweet-voiced bird has flown."

Dr. H. M. Hamill wrote of Mr. Jacobs in substance: I began my Sunday-school service in 1888 with W. B. Jacobs and the golden cord that bound us at the start long ago became a cable so strong 'that, a hun- dred deaths cannot sunder. It was nothing to him when or how he died. As Miss Bragg, his secretary wrote, "If anyone should say why is his body thus broken," he would be quick to answer, '"Was it not so with my Lord?'

I have known and labored with most of the great pioneers of American Sunday School work of the past generation, but not one of them did a greater work, if indeed, so great as did W. B. Jacobs. First his was a life long Sunday-school career, that essayed and succeeded in every department of Sunday School endeavor. He grew in Sunday School grace and knowledge to his last day and kept at it tirelessly and opti- mistically as no other man, not even his great and much honored brother. Others were generals, with drums and trumpets sounding mighty calls to battle. He was the indomitable fighter in the ranks, caring only for a hard fight and a sure victory for Jesus Christ and his Sunday School.

He tried organization, and made Illinois the finest sample of an organized Sunday School State. He tried Sunday School methods, and for a quarter of a century great Chicago has found inspiration and ex- altation in his "Loyal Honor" plan. He tried Teacher Training side by side with Hamill and for twelve years the two were "Siamese twins" in

'

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breaking down ministerial and churchly indifference. He had no rest for mind, body, or spirit in his long ministry. When barred by ill health from the field, he made his office a dynamo of inspiration and instruction through thousands of personal letters. Dear old comrade, he had plenty of gray matter in his brain and red blood in his heart. As a Sunday- school pioneer he was indeed great, but he was greater as a fine old-fash- ioned Christian gentleman who lived a noble life, wrought a peerless and abiding work, and went swift to heaven. If some of us find life lonelier and steps more faltering, it is because we loved and miss him."

Miss Mary I. Bragg, his assistant for twenty-seven years, missed him more keenly than any other person, outside of his immediate relatives. The supreme motive of his life was love. His first desire was to please God ; his second to help others, and the secret of his life of usefulness and helpfulness was in his constant, living communion with God. In all the years of his Sunday School work, I am sure there never was a day, no matter how crowded with many duties, that he did not take time first for his hour of prayer and Bible study. He was always doing good, helping, comforting, and making some one happy. His friendship has been one of the greatest blessing of my life. He gave me the impulse, the trend, and the inspiration in the service which has bcome such a part of my life. What he did for me he has done for countless others. * * *

Mr. Owen Scott said of Mr. Jacobs : "W. B. Jacobs is dead ! Can it be so? The answer came, no. Though dead, he yet liveth. His heart throbs in every valley, hill and plain of Illinois in the lives transformed through his persuasive, sweet and God-like influence in the Sunday School. Knowing first, very intimately, his great brother, B. F. Jacobs, I was fully prepared to be led by our absent one into the paths of service for the Master. Hi? tragic death brought a shock to all, but the peaceful flight of his sweet soul into eternal rest and refreshment in the paradise of God came as the sweet compensation for his violent translation.

The workers of Illinois will miss "the touch of a vanished hand," and will not again hear "the sound of a voice that is still/' Yet, his spirit will ever hover over and be interwoven into the sublime in which he so long served."

DR. HOWARD M. HAMILL was born at Lowndesboro. Alabama, August 10, 1847. He died January 21, 1915, and was laid to rest at Mexico, Mo. While yet a boy, he left school to enter the service of the Confederacy in the Army of Northern Virginia, and marched and fought under General Lee until the surrender at Appomattox. He returned home at the close of the War and entered Alabama College at Auburn, from which institution he was graduated in 1868. Soon after this he was married to Miss Gertrude Dillar, who lived only a few years. From 1868 to 1885 Dr. Hamill was engaged in teaching in Missouri and Illi- nois. Hon. William Jennings Bryan was one of his pupils. In 1885 he was married to Miss Ada L. Tuman of Jacksonville, 111. In the latter year he was licensed as a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church and joined the Illinois Conference in which he continued to hold membership until 1901.

As a pastor, he was actively and intelligently interested in Sunday- school work, and because of his exceptional ability as a Sunday School

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leader there soon came about a large demand for his services outside of the bounds of his own pastoral charge. This demand at length became so constant and insistant that he was compelled to face the question as to whether the Sunday Schools were not his real field of service. His natural taste and aptitudes rendered an affirmative decision inevitable. In 1889 he organized the First Normal Department of the Illinois Sun- day-school Association and became its first superintendent. In this position he served until 1899, when he was elected by the Atlanta Convention Field Secretary of the International Sunday School Asso- ciation. This position he resigned to become superintendent of the- Teacher Training Department of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in which capacity he served with conspicuous ability and success through- out the entire South until the close of his life. During all of this time- he was a member of the International Executive Committee from Tenn- essee.

At the State Convention in 1907 Dr. H. M. Hamill said : "I do not know when I shall have the privilege of standing before another Illinois convention. I want to tell you something of the Sun- day-school workers who have touched me life-long. One of them is an old woman; she is eighty-eight years old; she is in Birmingham, Ala- bama tonight. She reads everything that is readable. She sits at my side and converses with me about the poets and the scientists. I venture to say that she has read every line about the Peace Congress. She is: an admirer of President Boosevelt She knew his mother in Old' Georgia. She is Georgia born and bred. She is my mother. She has been my sweetheart ever since I was a baby. She has been an influence all my life in Sunday-schools ways. Now and then when I go to see- her she puts her' arms around me and says., "Don't get tired; you are doing a great work." * * *

I remember the preacher-boys I used to have charge of in the Illi- nois Conference, some of whom are here to night. I recall how I quit the. public school-room and went into a Methodist Conference and became a Methodist preacher on one of the hard circuits of the Conference. I remember how those boys stood by me but also how, when I went into' Sunday-school work, a presiding elder said: "You have side-tracked yourself by taking up Sundaj'-school work; you have put yourself out- pido the sympathies and affections of your brethren in doing that." 1 said, "I have done what God called me to do ; I have, no tears to shed, and perhaps you are a false prophet." A few years later the Illinois Conference, and especially those hundred young men who had been under me in the Conference Course of study, by the largest vote ever given in the seventy-five years of the Conference, elected me to the leadership in the General Conference delegation, the greatest honor I ever received. It came chiefly from the hands of young men, some of whom, like Clear- waters and others, are sitting about me in this convention.

, As my last word permit me to speak briefly of two men by the name of Jacobs, one in heaven and one on earth. They are men, not angels. I want to tell you that no man is capable of sitting down and writing out the value of the services of these men, which for so many years they have rendered under God to the State of Illinois. I am sorry for any

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of you if you have not begun to find the place of appreciation in your hearts for the two men that God has seen fit to put as leaders in this State. Illinois has a vast deal to be thankful for and to be responsible for in a Sunday-school way. I will never forget B. F. Jacobs, putting his arm about me, and cheering me on during the fifteen years I served under him. I will never forget great and gentle and good William Reynolds. I say this last word of these and other men I have laborecl with and not the least of the company is Excell himself. The "Old Guard" is passing, and he and I and W. B. Jacobs are part of it, and proud of the fact. So are Rearick, and Perrin, and Story, and Mills and Lay, and the sainted Hare who was treasurer so long, and all those fine Soldiers of Christ — the roll is too long for me to call it tonight."

In the Chicago Convention in 1914 he was elected president of the International Sunday-school Association and a member of the Inter- national Lesson Committee.

In 1907-8 he and Mrs. Hamill made a tour of the Orient, speaking in Japan, China, and Korea in the interest of Sunday School work. Dr. Hamill was a prolific author as well as a teacher and organizer of great ability.. Among his books that have a wide circulation are: The Legion of Honor, Teacher-Training Lessons, The Sunday School Teacher, International Lessons History, and The Bible and Its Books.

At Lake Geneva Teacher Training School a memorial building has been dedicated to the memory of Dr. Hamill. A fine tribute to an efficient and great Teacher.

Dr. Hamill was a pioneer in modern Sunday-school work. He was a man of clear vision and a remarkably effective teacher. Perhaps no other man of his generation had a wider influence in the field of religious education.

MAJOR D. W. WHITTLE was a well known evangelist, and was president of the Association in 1874 at Champaign. He was a choice spirit Thousands of people thank God that he was born. He was loyal and true to every trust committed to him. He heard the Master's call on March 4, 1901, in East Northfield, Mass, and loyally said "Yes Lord." He was intimately associated with Mr. Moody and with Mr. and Mrs. P. P. Bliss, Mr. and Mrs. James McGranahan, and Mr. and Mrs. George C. Stebbins, all of whom have rendered valuable service to our association.

He recruited the 72d Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, and entered the Army. He was wounded at Vicksburg, but after a brief leave of absence he returned to the field, and was appointed on the staff of Major General 0. 0. Howard and served till the close of the war. In the army he was known as a devout and earnest Christian, one who exerted a powerful influence over others. Returning to Chicago he entered the employ of the Elgin Watch Company and so efficient did he become that his salary was raised to five thousand dollars per annum. He 'was superintendent of the Tabernacle Mission Sunday School and proved a great success. In 1874 on the appeal of Mr. Moody, Major Whittle resigned his business position and devoted all his time to evangelistic work. He became associated with Mr. P. P. Bliss and together they

Oi

preached and sang the Gospel until the death of Mr. Bliss in December, 1876. He wrote some of our best loved songs, as, "There shall be Showers of Blessing," "The Crowning Day is Coming," "I Know Whom I have Believed" and "Moment by Moment."

CHAELES M. MORTON" was elected President of our Association in 1879 at Bloomington. He was one of the early pioneers in our State and a man of strong convictions and a tender heart. He was an indom- itable worker and was ready at all times to lend a hand to any one need- ing the help that he could render. He made friends wherever he went and once his friend, always his friend, for his Christian manhood was of a type that the Master accompanied him wherever he went. He ren- dered a great service to the Sunday School cause of this State. His Christian life began in the Sunday School. At the Convention in Alton in 1885, he was asked to respond on behalf of the Association to the Address of Welcome and in response said in part : "I was once in charge of the brethren and we had gone down and had quite a nice little gather- ing. I had talked all the forenoon and 1 was about tired out at twelve o'clock when we adjourned ; and an old lady, just as fat as she could be, came down with her arms wide open and says, "Bro. Morton, aren't you a Methodist?" I said no, I am sorry I am not a Methodist, only a Christian." And she turned around and went up the aisle as fast as she could and I have never seen her since. My undenominationalism that day came mighty near making me lose my dinner. I am glad to see you get a little enthusiastic. Let us get full of it. Let us get full of this good air full of these good things, and full of real religious en- thusiasm. Some Christians remind me of an Irishman in New Jersey that I once heard of. He heard his mistress say that she liked turtle soup, and he went out and found a turtle and killed it as he supposed, and then brought it up and presented it to her. All at once the old turtle began to show very decided signs of life; "Why," said 'she, "I thought Pat, you said he was dead." "In faith, ma'am, he is, but he isn't conscious of it." Once in awhile we see that. Once in awhile we hear a man preach, and we say, "He is dead, but he isn't conscious of it." Walking in his sleep ; dead, and not conscious of it ! I think that is one reason why we love this State Association work so much, is that it has taken all of the want and vitality out of us, filled us with enthusiasm, taught us that one is our Master, even Christ, and that we all are brethren. And so, unitedly and earnestly, and lovingly we accept the welcome so freely given."

DE. CHEISTOPHEE E, BLACKALL was born in Albany, New York, in 1830, and spent the early years of his life in that city. Choos- ing medicine as his profession he was graduated from Eush Medical College and for a time was in active practice. During the Civil War he was for two years surgeon of the 33rd Begiment of Wisconsin Vol- unteers. After his army experience he returned to Chicago and resumed his medical work.

In 1865 he gave up the practice of medicine at the earnest solic- itation of B. F. Jacobs and J. H. Vincent. His first official position as a Sunday School worker was that of secretary of the Chicago Sunday

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School Union. In 1866 he was promoted to be the General Superin- tendent of the Chicago Sunday School Union, succeeding John H. Vincent in that office. In 1867 he was secretary of the Cook County Sunday School Association and resigned to accept the secretaryship of the American Baptist Publication Society and in 1868 he became the western agent of said Society in Chicago, at which time he was trans- ferred to the New York branch house in 1879 and held that position until 1882, when he was again transferred to the headquarters of the Publication Society at Philadelphia and made editor of its Sunday School periodicals.

Dr. Blackall has always been an indefatigable worker. He has had under his charge a large number of periodicals. The Baptist Teacher and various quarterlies, and in later years the Keystone Graded Series. In 1884 the Society began the publication of the Baptist Superin- tendent, a periodical for Sunday-school superintendents, and in 1910, at Dr. BlackalPs earnest insistance the Publication Society began the issue of the Home and Schools for special use in the Home Department. In all matters pertaining to progressive movements in the Sunday-school world Dr. Blackall has invaribly been in the forefront and ready to aid all plans and methods adapted to make Sunday School work more effective. To him, the Sunday-school workers of the Baptist Church are greatly indebted, and he is considered one of the wisest and sanest leaders. His sympathies and efforts have not been limited to his own denomination. For many years he has been connected with the Inter- national Sunday-school Association. He is one of the oldest of the Old Guard, being now about 90 years young, and yet he shows a vigor that is remarkable for one of his years.

EEECB H. GEIFFITH was president of our State Association at Alton in 1875. He has heard the Master's voice "It is enough, come up higher." He was born in Wales, November 5, 1824. His father was a minister of the Independent faith in Wales. His father died when Eeece was a small lad. His mother thus left with three small children, he was early in life thrown upon his own resources. His mother was a woman of fine education and of deep spiritual power, and these qualities were firmly fixed in the life of her son, dominating his entire life and making him a potential factor in the community. He was a tried and true friend of the Sunday School cause. He had been connected with our State Association for more than a generation, being its President in 1875, and a member of the State Executive Committee for many years. He was a co-worker with, and the personal friend of Moody, Eeynolds, Vincent and the Jacobs and a host of other loyal workers. He attended the great conventions of Sunday School workers, State, International, and World. His presence was felt in these con-' vention?. His was a cheerful, happy, bouyant disposition. He caught the sunshine of life and loved to pour it into the lives of others. He was a perfect gentleman, given to hospitality, and his home was ever the safe and loving retreat of the Field Workers, his entire family joining him in entertaining these servants of the Lord, and they went out to do a better service for the Master, by the inspiration and benediction they

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obtained in this Christian home. He kept his heart young, even in his advancing age. The young people loved and trusted him. He was earnest and faithful. He did his work well. He left the imprint of his Christian manhood on his State and age.

E. 0. EXCELL. Dr. Hamill said of "The Old Guard" : "Another is the sweet singer who began his career with us many years ago, as minstrel of the Old Guard. God bless Professor E. 0. Excell! And you may be sure, after fifteen years that he and I spent together in sacred comradship, I could not leave this platform without saying my last word of one who is nearly the link between the Old Guard and the Young Guard of Illinois."

At the Convention at Streator in 1883, our records say: "Prof. E. 0. Excell, a stranger to the convention, was introduced as a singer from Pennsylvania. He pleasantly replied that being a stranger, he would sing his experience, and in the most wonderful and delightful manner sang the song, "He saved a poor sinner like me." The effect upon the audience was wonderful, both the matter of the song and the manner of the singer being well calculated to stir their hearts." * At the close of Mr. Morton's address, Mr. Excell sang the song "The Model Church." By request he also sang, an amusing but not inappro- priate song, "Keep in the middle of the road." He led the convention in singing "Toi the work, to the work, we are servants of God." The con- vention called for a song and he sang with wonderful power the song: "Jesus' blood has made me free; glory, glory, glory." From that day, in 1883, to this good day this big man with a big loving heart has been leading our conventions almost every year since and we hope he will outlive Methusaleh so he can still lead the hosts of faithful Illinois Sun- day School people that will continue to meet in Convention year on year as the centuries come and go. Mr. Excell has the happy faculty of keep- ing his audience in a good humor and really has them singing out of full hearts before they are aware of it. He then thanks them for sing- ing so well and then assures them that "they can do just a little bit bet- ter" and under his magic they do it. He is not only a composer of music but a publisher. His Sunday School songs have a charm, in fact, a religious spirit about them to many of us Sunday School people, that many others do not possess.

Mr. Lawrence in the Dixon Convention in 1908 spoke of Mr. Excell as follows : "I am glad to say in an Illinois convention, and in the presence of our leader of song, and to him, that the highest compliment that has ever been paid to me so far as I know, and the one to which my heart responds more than to any other thing that has ever been done, is the fact that this beautiful song which you have just been singing, "Do you know the world is dying for a little bit of love?" has been dedicated by Mr. Excell to myself. I appreciate it very much. I sometimes think that those of us who talk just say our pieces and pass on, and our voices are stilled, and no longer are people helped even if they are helped while we are here, by the words we speak ; but these beautiful hyms, set apart for the worship of God, for the inspiration of the heart as it reaches up towards Him, will live, and some of them will be sung

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years and years after our good brother has gone to his reward. It is a great contribution to the Christian work of the world to write a living hymn and. a living tune for the people to use in the worship of God after the writer is silent."

When Mr. Excell first went into Southern Illinois a short time after he became interested in our State work and had been leading the con- vention in song and everybody was charmed, there was an old man near the front of the audience who became very much interested in Mr. ExcelPs singing. After the audience had been dismissed and people were chatting in little groups, Mr. Excell was still standing on the plat- form, this old man walked around Mr. Excell, keeping his eyes riveted upon him all the time, and when he got back to where his friend was standing he said: "No wonder he can sing, he's swallowed a whole brass band."

He has made and still is making a great contribution, not only to our State Convention, but to our International Association, of which he is the efficient Treasurer, and many other up-lifting organizations.

Mr. Hugh Cork wrote for the August Number, 1914, of The Trumpet Call : "Our State Vice President. It gives us great pleasure to present on the front page of this issue the portrait of one who has attended Illinois conventions probably more than any one else now living. He led the music for the "old guard" in the days gone by.

I first remember him as he came to our college and with all the earnestness of his great heart and voice he stirred us to "Let the Saviour In." When I was wondering in those same days what my life-work should be his message in song came in the niche of time, "Open the Door for the Children." When lamenting at times on how hard our lot had been and seeing more of the hole than we did of the doughnut, "Uncle Ex" came along singing as he only can, "Count Your Blessings," and when you look on his shining face you feel the throb of his singing soul, "I am Happy in Him," and you go out, as multitudes have done, to "Help Somebody To-day."

The musical critics may sneer at "The Little Brown Church in the Vale." but the memories of it, like the "Old Oaken Bucket," take some of us back to sacred days, when at mother's knee we were taught to go about "The King's Business."

Sing on, dear soul, and "Scatter Sunshine," as you have for so many years, and when the cloud does receive you out of our sight thg strains we know we will hear as you enter the gates of the City are^ "All Hail, Immanuel!"

DAVID C. COOK of Elgin, many years ago became interested in Sunday ^School work and saw the need of better equipment and turned his fertile brain and constructive ability to supply those needs. By his painstaking and persistent attention to" those needs of the fast unfold- ing and developing modern Sunday School he has established a very large and valuable plant for the production of such supplies. I under- stand it is now a. corporation, and Mr. George Cook, his son, who was elected President of our Association at Elgin in 1912, is interested with his father in the business. Mr. George Cook became a member of our

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Executive Committee and a member of the International Association. Mr. David C. Cook is a keen business man of clear perception and when his mind is once made up it is .very difficult to change it. For some reason, and I never learned what, he refused to render any assistance to the advocates of the Graded Lessons. He has been and still is a liberal contributor to our Association and other enterprises that appeal to his judgment. His lesson supplies are used in many schools, not- withstanding many denominations have their own periodicals. He has rendered a great service to the Sunday School cause.

EDGAR H. NICHOLS was born near State Center, Iowa, in 1867. When he was twenty years of age his ambitions led him to Chicago where he faced the world alone. He lived in a boarding house, where the influences were anything but uplifting. He realized one Sunday morn- ing as he walked the streets that his life was drifting — he must make a stand for good or bad. He chose the good. At a certain spot which he well remembered in after years he gave his heart forever to Christ. He went at once to the Wesley Methodist Church and began his Sunday School career. At the World's Washington Convention in 1910, he was added to the Executive Committee of the World's Association. In 1914 he was elected Treasurer of the International Association, in which position he served faithfully until his death in September 15, 1916. He was Superintendent of his own successful Sunday School for nearly twenty years.

He was married and had two children, a boy and a girl, and when they approached the age of adolescence Mr. Nichols became very much interested in the teen age — boys and girls — and through his influence a Department or Division of the International Association, known as the Advanced Division, or Teen Age was established. The most critical period in the life of every man and woman, and yet when it is passed they straightway forget what manner of man or woman they were dur- ing that crisis in human life. Mr. Nichols devoted much time, patience and effort to secure the needed help and he made a large contribution to the efficiency of the Sunday School at this critical age when the "dropping out" begins. Yet with the organization of Adult Classes of men and women the hold on the teen age boys and girls was greatly strengthened. He was a large, fine looking man, a keen business man, and banker. His family were the idols of his heart. He gave much time to his Sunday School work and the influence of his life on our Association and also the International was indeed great and helpful. He is greatly missed from our councils. The benediction of his up- right, manly, Christian life will long linger with those who knew him best.

FRED A. WELLS of Chicago is one of the big men, not only of our Association, but also of the International and World's Associations. He was for several years a member of our Executive Committee. He became Treasurer of the International Association in 1905 and held that important position for six years when he was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Association composed of 72 Committeemen with 64 Alternates, Sunday School men from all parts of North America. Mr. Wells deals in big things. He is a large con-

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tractor of Chicago and his business takes him into all the large cities of North America and he has a wide acquaintance with the Captains of Big Business in all this vast territory. He is a man of deep convictions and stands for what he believes to be right. He has an abiding faith in the dynamic powers of the Sunday School to solve any problem involving the uplift of humanity and the bringing the world to Jesus Christ.

He was elected at the World's Sixth Convention in Washington, D. C. 1910, with Sir George White, of Norwich, England, as Joint Treasurers of the World's Association, each for his own nation.

He has rendered, and still is rendering a very large service to the Sunday School cause, not only of our own State, but of North America and of the wide, wide World. He is in deep sympathy with any one in need and his big heart goes out to even the weakest in his earnest struggle after that which is higher and more Christ-like. He is a product of our Illinois Sunday School Association and is a type of the strong, vigorous and loving manhood that has been and still is being developed and trained for great places, under God, in bringing a permanent, just and lasting peace to this old blood-drenched world of ours.

WILLIAM C. PEAECE became a Field Worker for our Asso- ciation in 1891 and resigned in 1900 to accept the Secretaryship of the Cook County Association and in 1903 he resigned that position to enter the employ of the International Association. As a worker in our Asso- ciation, he was under the training and influence of both B. F. and W. B. Jacobs to whom he looked for and obtained much instruction, in- spiration and power with people and with God. He has a keen mind and had prepared himself for professional life, when the Master turned the kaleidoscope of his life and he saw very clearly the Lord's leading and he was not disobedient to the message and he turned his back on his contemplated profession and followed the Master in the way, and that Master has wonderfully led him all these subsequent years. He has an abiding faith that the Lord's promises stand fast and sure. He, with Brothers Miller, Schenck and Moser, was a Field Worker for five years in our Association and was tireless in his efforts in the Master's cause. His genial nature and strong religious faith drew many people to him and when he left our State work in 1900 to throw himself with all the holy zeal he possessed into the great Cook County work, he carried with him the sympathy and prayers of not only all the leading workers of our State, but many whose lives might seem from a human viewpoint to be unimportant, but whose prayers out of broken, grateful hearts, are often more potent with the Father than any other kind, followed Mr. Pearce into his more intensive Cook County work. He believed that the Sunday School was a good place for father and mother as well as the children and the more he thought about it the stronger his belief became, and dominated with that dynamic power, he seized the nucleus of such an organization and soon had Cook County on fire with zeal for the Adult Classes in the Sunday School. That fire was not limited to the bound- aries of that county, but through his influence broke out in different parts of the State. Cook County under his leadership adopted a small red button with a round white center, designed bv Herbert L. Hill of

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Chicago and one of its enthusiastic workers, as the badge of the Adult Bible Class. Its significance is: "There is no purity of life without sacrifice, and no cleansing of sin without the shedding of blood." Heb. 9 :22. Our State Association soon adopted this same button as its Adult Class emblem.

When Mr. Pearce entered the International Association work he was assigned to the Adult Department of which I was chairman and we also adopted the little red button with white center as our emblem. It rapidly became a continent- wide bond of fellowship in addition to the good it is doing by way of helping to advertise and introduce the organ- ized Adult Bible Class work.

At the Convention at East St. Louis in 1907, Mr. Pearce said in substance: This is the State that gave me birth, the State where I found Jesus Christ, the State that gave me my mother and a host of friends. Other States may come to be dear, and as an International worker I trust I may be loyal to other parts of this country, but there is one State that always finds the dearest place in my heart and it is Illinois ! For not only is Illinois a great Sunday-school State, but her workers are ever loyal to the work throughout the country. Wherever an Illinois man or woman goes there he goes preaching the Sunday-school gospel, and I pray that it may ever be so. I should be recreant to my trust if I failed to speak of the greetings which I am from time to time asked to convey to you. The other night in South Carolina, that far southern State, with their warm-heartedness and their splendid Sunday- school zeal, at the close of the last session, a gentleman arose and out of the fulness of his heart said : "Mr. Chairman, I move you that we send to Illinois, by Brother Pearce, the loving sympathy of the South Caro- lina, People ;" and I bring it to you tonight ! The war is actually over ! A new time has dawned upon us.

We need men and women in our Sunday Schools; the men perhaps more than the women, but I doubt it. If there is one class in all the world that needs to be brought into vital touch with the Sunday School it is the mothers of our land who have forgotten and left off the teaching of the Word of God in the home. We need them there. We need them as an example. Brother Little, who was the pastor of the Methodist Church in Danville, Illinois, told me this story of some pastor, perhaps himself, calling upon a family in a new charge. He saw a little boy playing on the floor and he said, "Is this your boy ?" "Yes sir." "How many children have you?" "Four." "How mauy are boys?" "All of them." "Well, that is too bad that one of them could not have been a girl, is it not?" And the little five year old boy looked up and said, "Well, I would like to know who'd been her ! Bill would not have been her, and Sam wouldn't have been her, and John wouldn't have been her, •HIK! 1 tell you right now I wouldn't have been her!" There is not any- thing in this world a boy wants to be except a man, and there is not any thing a girl wants to be but a woman. We need men and women as examples, and we need them as workers in our Sunday-schools and as supporters of them.

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MAKION LAWKENCE was born in 1853 in Winchester, Ohio: He removed to Toledo in 1873, where he became associated with the Washington Street Congregational Sunday School, of which he was elected Superintendent in 1876. Under his leadership the school became widely known for the improved methods used in conducting its work, and in 1888 he was engaged by the church as superintendent on half time, being perhaps the first paid Superintendent in our country. He con- tinued as a traveling man during the other half of his time.

At the State Convention of Ohio Sunday-school Association in 1891 he was sitting in the back of the church during the discussion as to the advisability of the election of a state secretary for the Association and it was carried. Mr. B. F. Jacobs of Illinois was present and he came to where Mr. Lawrence was sitting in the back of the church and put his hand upon Mr. Lawrence's shoulder and said : "Mr. Lawrence you are the man God has selected as General Secretary of Ohio." This so im- pressed Mr. Lawrence with his responsibility that when the committee afterwards came to him and tendered the position he accepted it, and with great credit and honor he put the Ohio work "over the top," until he was elected as General Secretary of the International Sunday School Association in 1899, and upon the retirement of B. F. Jacobs, he became the active head of the International Field Force, and ever since has supervised the development of that Organization.

In 1910, Mr. Lawrence was made General Secretary of the World's Sunday School Association and the Headquarters of both Associations were moved to Chicago. Mr. Lawrence resigned as Secretary of the World's Association March 1, 1914, but has continued as General Sec- retary of the International Sunday School Association.

He is a recognized authority on methods, field conditions, and upon the conduct of Sunday Schools and Sunday School architecture.

He has published three books : "How to Conduct a Sunday School ;" "Housing the Sunday School/' and "The Sunday School Organized for Service," which are widely circulated and are filled with common sense and practical suggestions so that it has almost become proverbial, that when any Sunday School question is asked, the reply is: "Ask Marion Lawrence." He is a man of beautiful spirit and more nearly typifies my conception of the "Beloved Disciple" than any man I ever knew. His very gentleness makes him great. He counts his friends by the millions and he has done and is still doing a marvelous work for God and humanity. To know him is to love and trust him.

He said in the Dixon Convention in 1908 : "It is fitting that Illinois should be associated with the World-wide Sunday School work. Illinois is in the very center of the Sunday School firmament, one of the bright- est stars, not because of your great conventions, but because the work has been radiating during all these years from this center into all parts of the world. I suppose there are more Sunday School workers officially connected with the work in various places in this land and others who were trained in Illinois, than from any other State in our Union. You are the mother of many of the Sunday School interests of the world; and as one of the mother's children I come down tonight and lay my

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head in mother's lap and plead again for a needy part of our great field. * * * You are favored in Illinois; I often say that, by the severest test of organization, Illinois still leads the Union, and I believe it with all my heart. What is the test of organization? I will tell you what it is in this State or in any other; that State is best organized whose counties and townships would go on and do their work the best and longest without any more State supervision. -That is the test of organization. The test of the walking ability of a child is the ability to walk when mother's hands are no longer under its armpits helping it along. Dear friends, it is a wonderful place you occupy, right at the head of this wonderful procession. * * *

I want to lay upon the heart of Illinois, grand old rich Illinois — rich in history and memory — the Illinois of Jacobs, of Eggleston, of Rey- nolds, of Moody, of Whittle, and many another saint of God — Illinois with the fine privilege of leading in the vanguard of the Sunday School work of the World, that has in it to-day, I suppose, more efficient Sun- day-school workers to the square inch than any other spot on the face of the earth. It would be a fine thing for this convention, notwithstand- ing you have already done so handsomely, to increase your State pledge at Louisville. I am not asking you to do that. We would like to have you do the thing the Lord lays on your heart. Do the things the Lord prompts you to do." In a few minutes, more than the $700 asked for was subscribed.

EDWARD K. WARREN of Three Oaks, Michigan, was in our State Convention at Springfield in 1884. Mr. Warren at that time was the General Secretary of the Michigan Sunday School Association. He made a short address in which he said: "I have heard so much about Illinois Conventions that I thought I would come over and spy out the land and find your secret. I have already discovered one of your secrets and that is you have men here who know how to give orders and the rest of you seem to know exceedingly well how to obey them. We are occasionally blessed by a missionary visit from some Illinois worker and you can follow his trail all over our State. Many of our counties have good county organizations but we are not as successful as we should like in joining the county with the State Association. On one occasion we were getting up a county convention and we pushed the arrangements so that finally the General Passenger Agent said "Please return delegates from such a place on account of the State Convention." My children are beginning to learn that when my old brown valise comes out, there is a Sunday School Convention somewhere. Not long ago the conventions came pretty thick and one of them happened to be in our county?" And my little boy said: "Papa, how often do they hold conventions in our county?" And my little girl said: "Why, don't you know? We hold them every month." As I came into the conven- tion this morning I looked over the faces of those who were here, and I noticed a great many elderly men and women, especially elderly men, and as I knew your record to some extent it gave me pleasure to see the men who have brought about this result, so that the influence of your Sunday School Association is felt in every part of the globe where — 5 S S H

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the English language is spoken. In that early session, I saw very few young men, but later in the day I was pleased to notice that the young men are taking up the work that is laid upon them, and, Mr. President, let me say to you that you have taken up a work that is no small thing. Out of the "600,000 Sunday School scholars in Illinois, I dare say there are 3,000 in small neighborhoods, where a class may have only three or four boys in it. Strange as it may seem, it is hard to hold the boys. Sometimes we think that if we have not a large class of boys we are not doing them justice, but I want to say that you must not neglect one of them. Give them something to do. It seems to me that there would be no difficulty in looking after all our union work, if every church would pay the expense of its own Sabbath School. Let the nursery of the church be supported by the church and see that Sunday School work is pushed all over the land. Sometimes people think they are too busy to be teachers or superintendents in a school. Let me say, if you have a man or woman in your school that is not busy, there is something wrong somewhere. The other morning at family worship my little girl was reading the last verse of the First Epistle of John: "Little children, keep your hands from idols, amen," and she read it: "Little children, keep your hands from idle men." I leave you with this advice, keep your hands from idle men.

The following incident will give you a clearer insight to the char- acter and quality of the manhood possessed by Mr. Warren than almost anything else that I might mention : The town of Three Oaks was a licensed town and, while Mr. Warren was opposed to saloons, he was unable to keep them out. Finally he concluded to arrange the matter in another way. The council passed an ordinance permitting only one saloon and raised the license fee to $500 per year. Mr. Warren then made application for that liquor license and it was granted to him. He paid the $500 each year and took his license and put it in his safe and never opened the saloon nor sold a drop of liquor. He has the distinction of being the only intense Sunday School "saloon keeper" that the Inter- national Sunday School Association has ever known.

Mr. Warren has been so closely associated with the "Old Guard" and especially since the moving of the International and World's head- quarters to Chicago, that Illinois has long since adopted him as one of its "Old Guard."

On the death of Dr. Hamill, Mr. Warren was elected President of the International Association. His health has now failed so that he must give up all his great Sunday School work. He is the personi- fication of loving kindness. He has lived to a noble purpose and lifted the world nearer to God by his fidelity and persistent labor of love. He never loses an opportunity to speak a good word for Jesus Christ — always doing some noble, loving ministry for someone else. If Dr. VanDyke is correct about the Angels building the Heavenly "Mansions" out of the materials that each individual daily sends to heaven by the angels, dear Mr. Warren's Mansion will be large and handsome beyond human speech to describe. He has been a great inspiration to many Illinois Sunday

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School workers who love and trust him fully. He is one of the choicest spirits I have ever known.

DE. JOHN POTTS of Canada was such a very intimate friend of the members of "The Old Guard" and also of very many other Illinois Sunday School workers and attended at least two of our State Con- ventions, one at Sterling in 1903 and the other at Clinton in 1906, and delivered several forceful and eloquent addresses that will always be remembered with pleasure and profit by those who heard him, that it seems appropriate that at least a very brief mention should be made of such a splendid character.

The International Association at the Louisville Convention in 1908, engrossed on its record the following tribute to this great character.

REV. JOHN POTTS, D. D., LL. D.

"Prince in Israel," Pastor, Preacher, Educator, Sunday School Worker, Master of Assemblies, Wise Counsellor, Loyal Friend, Tireless Leader of Men, Splendid Type of a Christian Gentleman. Member International Lesson Committee, 1878-1907; Chairman, 1896-1907. Secretary of Board of Education of the Methodist Churches, Canada. Born in Ireland, May 3, 1838; "At Rest," Oct- tober 16, 1907."

One of his addresses, perhaps the one that he delivered most fre- quently, was entitled: "Is the Sunday School worth What It Costs?" You can easily imagine how he would answer that question, but perhaps you may be interested in hearing some of his general conclusions :

1. The Sunday-school is worth what it costs in its educational value.

2. The Sunday-school is worth what it costs in the supreme place which it accords to the Bible.

3. The Sunday-school is worth what it costs because of the literature which it produces and disseminates.

4. The Sunday-school is worth what it has cost because it is one of the greatest agencies for enlarging the kingdom of God.

5. It is worth what it costs in its gift of workers to the church. Concerning the future of the Sunday-school Dr. Potts was in the

highest degree optimistic.

It was a favorite saying with him, "The Sunday-school must keep time to the music of the twentieth century."

HUGH CORK. As hereinbefore stated on pages 84-5, on the resignation of Mr. W. B. Jacobs as General Secretary of our Association, Mr. Hugh Cork became our General Secretary. He was a man of wide experience in Sunday-school work in all its phases and he brought to his work January 1, 1912, a rich experience and with the promise of many years of constructive building on the broad and deep foundation Mr. Jacobs had laid for Sunday School work in Illinois.

The following resolution expresses in concise terms our Asso- ciation's feelings for Mr. Cork and his work in our State.

"Resolution Regarding Mr. Cork's Resignation.

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Mr. A. H. Mills read the following resolution, which was voted :

Our beloved secretary, Brother Hugh Cork, who for four and one- half years has led our Association so efficiently, last December tendered to your committee his resignation, to take effect March 1st, last, but at your committee's earnest request, it was finally agreed that his resignation should not take effect until July 1st. This resignation came as a great surprise to many of the members of your committee, and will also be to many members of our Association in different parts of the State. Before this relationship is severed, it is right and proper that, this Association take some action expressive of its appreciation, not only of the Christian character of our dear brother, but also of the quality and quanity of his handiwork during these years. He came to us at the close of the long and faithful service of the late beloved and trusted W. B. Jacobs, who had also touched the life of Brother Cork as a young man, and pointed out to him his life work.

Both of these men were strong personalities. While having many things in common, yet there were strong points of difference. Mr. Jacobs had laid the foundation of our work and had touched many lives who have done and are still doing great things for our Master.

Mr. Cork's task was to build the superstructure upon that foun- dation, and he brought to that work a character that was earnest, fearless, resourceful, and a capacity for large personal work. His work has been very largely constructive; he intended it to be entirely so. He has brought the larger cooperation between the denominations and our Association by securing to the denominations representation on your executive committee, thus setting the pace for other state associations.

We desire to assure our dear brother that he carries with him the grat- itude, love and benediction of this Association for the great work he has done in this State, and that we hereby assure him that our earnest prayers will accompany him into what-ever field of service our Father shall call him."

MISS MARY I. BRAGG, for over twenty-five years connected with General Secretary, Mr. W. B. Jacobs' office, much of the time his Assistant Secretary, and also Assistant Treasurer, left that position with the close of the Elgin Convention in 1912 and laid aside the heavy re- sponsibilities that she had so faithfully and efficiently carried all these years; such devoted service has been rarely equalled. She has broken her alabaster box — her trusting, loving, heart — and anointed every Illi- nois Sunday School worker and the fragrance of her beautiful life will continue a blessed benediction and inspiration to us all and our children for many, many years. May her mantle of loyalty, fidelity, purity and consecration fall on the young womanhood of Illinois and inspire these lives to the highest and most devoted service to the Blessed Master is the earnest prayer of the Sunday School forces of Illinois.

In "The Trumpet Call" of October 1911, from the pen of Mr. W> B. Jacobs this tribute to Miss Bragg will be found :

"The Illinois Sunday School Association, and all interested in its prosperity have great occasion for thankfulness to God that twenty-five years ago — September, 1886 — He led our General Secretary to call to his

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assistance Miss Mary I. Bragg; and that during ail these years her life has been spared to us, and devoted to loving, efficient and faithful service for the Master Whom she loves and in Whose Name our Illinois Sunuday School work is carried forward.

No one so well as the writer can know how much Miss Bragg's pains-taking work has meant to our State Association. The multiplicity of details, each requiring thoughtfulness, accuracy, conscientious fidel- ity, have been looked after by Miss Bragg as if the success of our work depended upon her faithfulness, which is true to an extent not realized by many. The General Secretary, who at first felt that only by his personal verification could he know that every detail of his office work was correct, soon learned so fully to trust Miss Bragg's judgment and accuracy, that when she said of anything entrusted to her, "This is cor- rect," he dismissed all care concerning it.

Nor was Miss Bragg satisfied when her own particular duty had been faithfully and fully attended to. God gave her a wideness of vision and a largeness of heart, which included all counties and all Sunday School workers of Illinois, and her desire and labor for the highest good of all. The work of the General Secretary, the Executive Committee, the Field Workers, the Department and County Officers, have been carried upon her heart, as if their work was a part of her own, and noth- ing has been left undone by her which an active mind, a loving heart and a helping hand could do for the larger success of our Illinois Sunday School Association.

But words fail us to depict the unselfish devotion, the unwearied faithfulness and the high conception of duty which for twenty-five years has characterized the work of our Assistant Secretary

MARY I. BRAGG

Heaven's Blessing rest upon her ! Heaven's Joy be her everlasting reward!"

MRS. MARY FOSTER BRYNER of Peoria knew Mr. and Mrs. William Reynolds and Dr. Alexander G. Tyng when she was a small child and the influence of those lives upon her in the early1 formative years of her life has been rich fruitage to our Association, the Inter- national Association, and the Sunday Schools of the World. She early came in contact with B. F. and W. B. Jacobs and others of "The Old Guard" and soon her life became dominated by an intense desire to give to this great work the splendid loyalty of her loving heart and fertile brain. She was in the employ of our Association until her efficiency attracted the attention of the International Association and she re- signed her work with us to take up that of the International. She be- came one of its Field Workers, making long trips through, not only the United States, but Canada and Mexico. She has rare powers as a public speaker. She has something in her messages for the- child, the teen age boy and girl, the young business man and woman, -the fathers and mothers, and even the grandfathers and grandmothers. I have seen her address audiences having in them all these classes and she held the attention of each and every one — a remarkable gift; in it all she ever remains the same practical, earnest, consecrated worker, always ready —11 H S

TO

for the next task that the Master has for her. She was elected Ele- mentary Superintendent by the International Association at Louisville in 1908 and she brought to the new duties her intense earnestness, fidelity, tact and wide acquaintance and rich experience gained in other branches of the Sunday-school work that were of great help to her. Wherever she went in the International field she found many people who were ready to hear her message and follow her suggestions. She made a large contribution, not only to the International, but to every State Association to which she went and to all conferences, schools, and other interested groups of people in the welfare of the childhood of the North American Continent. She made friends easily and held them by the strength of her personality and her ability to help those needing and seeking help.

At the State Convention in 1913 Mrs Bryner said:

"The Sunday-school may teach children to know what is right, but the home must teach them to do what is right. Sunday-school attend- ance for most pupils is less than 48 hours a year; they live at home, in school, and on the playground; they are hearers at Sunday-school; they are doers in daily life.

The Sunday-school may admonish, "Oh, sing unto the Lord," "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving," "Eemember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," "Honor thy father and thy mother," "Search the Scriptures," "Keep thyself pure," "Keep thy heart with all dili- gence," "Lord, teach us how to pray," etc., but if these impressions never find expression out side of the church walls, there is little nurture for spiritual growth.

If in the homes no sacred song is ever heard, no grace at table, no custom of church going, no difference regarding things planned for Sun- day, no opening of the Bible, no word of prayer, in fact, no spiritual uplift, it is evident that other influences are nurturing the growing life and the spiritual nature is not satisfied, but starved. Children are admonished by precept, line upon line ; they are nurtured by the stories they hear, and by the example of those whom they see, hear, and imitate. Every parent or teacher should write out and pray with the children or class in mind :

Dear Lord,

I'll go where I want them to go, I'll say what I want them to say, I'll do what I want them to do, I'll be what I want them to be.

Sign name

Admonition seeks to train from without, often by abstract state- ments, which children cannot digest. Nurture endeavors to assist the child to assimilate in concrete form that which will work from within. Paul's injunction gave first place to nurture, "Train them in the nurture and adominition of the Lord."

The Home and Sunday School should join forces to secure spirit- ual training. Parents should become familiar with the general aim of

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Graded Lessons. "To meet the spiritual needs of every pupil, at each stage of his development."

Mrs. Bryner wrote for the International Section of the December, 1913, Trumpet Call as follows:

"The Elementary colors, green and white, and their meaning of purity and growth suggest naturally the motto, "First the Blade."

As the text-book of all Bible schools is the Word of God, it is also the good seed which every Elementary teacher strives to plant early in the hearts of the children. The heart of a child is the best soil in which this good seed may quicken into life. To nurture its growth, simple, childlike worship is needed. Prayers, songs and Bible stories help to cultivate its growth. Teachers of children should watch earnestly for the first evidences of the tiny blades of spiritual growth, which may be indicated by a child's question and his strivings to choose and do the right. The full fruitage must not be expected in a moment. It is God's way that there shall appear "First the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear."

But during childhood years there should appear that little blade whose stalk may strengthen, bud and blossom, bringing forth much good fruit.

Mrs. Bryner's mother was in failing health, and her sister who cared for the mother for a number of years was failing under the stress of the care to such an extent that Mrs. Bryner felt that her first duty was to her mother and sister and she resigned her position with the Inter- national Association to give to the home loved ones a daughter's and sister's devotion and care, giving what time she could spare from such care to calls for convention help that might seek her services.

When Mrs. Bryner left the employ of the International Association, many of her closest friends prepared a very handsome memory book for her, each friend writing what was in his or her heart as a love token for her very great contribution to this great cause and to her.

MRS. M. S. LAMOREAUX of Chicago was Secretary of our State Primary Department for quite a number of years and she brought to her work a pleasing personality, and an intense desire to inspire her hearers, especially the parents of small children, to bring to the training of their children the very best of which they were capable. Her love for the Master was intense and she had great power over her audience whether she was pleading for the rights of the little children or whether she was appealing for the right treatment for the unfolding life of the teen age boy and girl. In 1907 she wrote a very practical and helpful book: "The Unfolding Life," with an introduction by Mr. Lawrence. The book has been widely read and is highly appreciated by Sunday School people. Mrs. Lamoreaux is a fascinating speaker and she holds her audience to the last word. She has largely contributed to the success of our Association.

MRS. HERBERT L. HILL of Chicago, but now of New York, was for many years President of the Primary Department of our Asso- ciation. She made a large contribution to that department of our work and had hosts of friends in all parts of the State who will always cherish

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the fine spirit she ever manifested in her work, and never cease to thank the Master for bringing their lives in touch with hers.

GEORGE W. MILLER, who, for more than twenty years had been a faithful, earnest, and efficient field worker of our State Association severed his relation on November 1, 1912. He and Mr. Jacobs had always been the closest of friends and each had the full confidence of the other. Mr. Jacobs knew that he could rely upon "George" wherever he was placed. Mr. Miller made and has all these years held hundreds of faithful friends in all parts of the State and they frequently speak of his loyalty and efficiency. He has for several years past been the efficient and consecrated secretary of the South Dakota Sunday School Asso- ciation and has made good, and his influence deepens and widens as the weeks go by.

ARTHUR T. ARNOLD in 1898 was one of our Sunday School Missionaries and attended many conventions and other meetings in behalf of our Association. He became one of our Field Workers in that year and continued as such worker and doing fine service until February 1, 1909, when at the earnest request of the Sunday School Association of West Virginia, he became its General Secretary and entered his new work with much enthusiasm and after several years of splendid service, he received a call to the Ohio Association which he accepted and is now the efficient General Secretary of that State, following in the "footprints" of Mr. Marion Lawrence and Dr. Joseph Clark, (Timothy Standby.) Mr. Arnold is making good and doing fine work.

HENRY MOSER was chosen a member of the State Executive Committee in 1898 and in the Spring of 1902 became one of the State Field Workers. His deep interest in the things of the Kingdom and his great love for the Master gave him great success in helping in Sunday School work. He closed his work for the Association on November 1, 1912, and has engaged in other work since and now represents his de- nomination on the State Association Executive Committee and his long acquaintance with the work and workers makes him a valuable member. . CHARLES E. .SCHENCK, our present efficient Secretary, is doing splendid work along advanced Sunday School lines. He carries the Christly spirit with him wherever he goes. He is growing and is ever ready for suggestions as to how any part of our work can be made more efficient and bring greater results — his only ambition being to bring his Master into as close touch and sympathy with each Sunday- school worker as it is possible for him to do. His years of training under Mr. Jacobs are bearing fruit in these later days.

GEORGE P. PERRY of Sterling, Illinois, at the State Convention held in Danville, Illinois, in 1891, delivered an address on the Life of Christ using a large chart showing many of the principle events in the Life of our Lord, thus using the eye as well as the ear in teaching the great truths connected with the Life of our Lord. Mr. Perry had his chart copyrighted not only in the United States but in other countries. It is a great help in teaching the Gospels. It enables the mind to fix these great truths so that they become a part of us. Mr Perry has perhaps

graduated more normal classes in -Bible study than any other worker in our State. He surely is doing a fine piece of work for the Master.'

MES. ZILLAH FOSTER STEVENS, late of Peoria and sister of Mrs. Mary Foster Bryner, heard the Master's gentle whisper "Come Home." and willingly obeyed His Call as she had done so many times before in His work in which she was so deeply interested and to which she devoted so much time, thought and study. The passion to save the boys and girls of America seemed to have taken absolute possession of her and everything she did and all she said seemed to come hot from her loving heart. She had her own way of saying things and putting facts together so that when she had ceased to speak most of her audience were willing to say "enough said." There was no compromise — no side-stepping — nothing but the absolute overthrow of the whole evil of intemperance would satisfy her. She has touched a wide field of labor by her voice, pen and personal touch. God has used her for sowing a harvest in righteous living that will be petent, not only in her own city, State and Nation, but in North America and even in foreign lands. The World's International and many State Associations held "her in high esteem and feel her loss very keenly as the many messages of con- dolence sent to the family on the announcement of her "Home Going" was made and I here insert just a very few :

Mr. E. K. Warren : "What a blessftig she has been to others ! In her quiet, modest, loving way, she accomplished a great work for Temper- ance through the Sunday Schools of North America."

Mr Wm. Hamilton : "Her life was so eminently a life in Christ, that it leaves only a satisfaction and a joy."

Mr. Frank L. Brown, Secretary of The World's Sunday School Association: "The impression of Mrs. Stevens on the life of this nation will be more evident as the years go by."

MES. H. M. LEYDA of Chicago was the Elementary Superintend- ent of our Association from 1907 to 1914 and for years was a member of the State Elementary Committee. She and her good husband have recently removed to Iowa to make their future home. She will be greatly missed by the Elementary workers in all parts of this State. She has a beautiful spirit and personality and her keen mind quickly grasps the important points of an address or a proposition and she has the ability to express herself so simply that anyone can fully undersand her. She has made a large contribution to the Elementary work in our State and will be long remembered not only by the workers but by the children that were naturally drawn to her.

MISS PEAEL WEAVEE of Indianapolis, Indiana, was unani- mously elected Elementary Superintendent of our Association by our Executive Committee on June 21, 1917, to succeed Miss Stooker re- signed. Miss Weaver had been on the Staff of the Indianapolis Sun- day School Association for several years and was eminently successful in her work. She comes to us with accurate knowledge, not only of the Elementary Division, but every phase of modern Sunday School work. Under her able administration the present excellent condition of the Elementary work in this State will be maintained and strength-

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ened. She began her work September 1. She has a very pleasing personality and makes friends easily and her work in the various parts of the State during the year has been highly appreciated and she will be of great assistance not only to the General Secretary, Mr. Schenck, but to all the workers with whom she comes in contact in the various parts of the State. The Association is to be congratulated in securing her. Mrs. Bryner and Miss Weaver are friends and she assures the Elementary workers of Illinois that Miss Weaver will continue the work of our Elementary Division as it has been promoted in the past twenty years by such splendid women as Mrs. Lamoreaux, Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Leyda and Miss Stooker.

MISS WILHELMINA STOOKEE of Hartford, Conn., on Novem- ber, 1913, accepted the call to the position of Elementary Superintendent of our Association, but owing to other engagements could not begin her work until February 1, 1914. She was a native of Nebraska and was highly recommended by Prof. H. M. Steidley and Miss Mamie Haines, General Secretary and Elementary Superintendent, respectively, ;of Nebraska, both Illinois products of Sunday School 'experts. Miss Stooker was finely fitted for her work and made many friends through- out the State among not only Elementary workers, but persons engaged in other parts of this great work. At the Convention at Kewanee last year she tendered her resignation to take effect June 1, which at her earnest request and our general regret was accepted. She was an efficient worker, and under her skillful administration that Division made rapid advancement. She left a host of friends in this State who will always remember her with kindliest feelings.

What shall I say of that great host of faithful, earnest, devout and consecrated men and women in every part of this great State who in the hundred years last past have given their very best service to this great cause in the redemption of the manhood, womanhood, and the saving of childhood through this latest and best method that our Father has given His children? Many of their names do not appear in this brief history, but they are all written in His greater history and He has noted every effort that has been set forth, every helpful ministry that has been made, every word of encouragement and kindness that has been spoken to even one of the least of His children has been treasured and will receive its compensation and reward.

I wish I had the time, the information, and ability to properly portray every name and sacrifice of every Illinois Sunday School worker in the advancement of the Master's cause in not only this State, but wherever his or her lot has been cast in the wide, wide world.

One hundred years were spent in laying the foundation of the International Lesson System. Like all great movements, the system is composite, the work of many choice and master spirits.

The successive steps leading to the conception and adoption of the International Lessons may be summarized as follows:

1. The spread of the Eaikes mission schools through England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in which the poor children, under hired teachers, whose sole motive was to teach the children to read so that they might read the Bible. Their method was secular, their motive religious.

2. The transplanting of the Eaikes idea into American soil and its early adoption and fostering by the churches as a part of its specific work. Its growth was marvelous in its new environment.

3. Our children had to learn to read like those of the British Isles. Books were scarce and even a copy of the Bible was not found in many homes and it soon became the text book in the Sunday School and they began to commit to memory verses from the Bible and these verses thus sown in the hearts of the children, under the influence of the Holy Spirit began to grow and grip the lives and held them true to God in the strenuous times to which they were moving under the guiding Hand of our Father. It became indeed a veritable mania, until child memory and advanced church leadership began the inevitable recoil. The modern Sunday School has lost much of its power by losing out of its program the committing to memory of the great fundamental principles of the truest and highest that are contained in the Book of Books. Out of this reaction irom the exclusive memorization however came the first hint of our International System, Many men and women whose hearts God had touched and whose eyes He opened endeavored to evolve some "Limited Lesson" or "Selected Lesson" system of uniformity in the lessons for the Sunday School and it resulted in 1825 of the Sunday School Union starting what is called a contemplated plan of five years of forty lessons each. So well was this plan received that the American Sunday School Magazine in 1826 announced that most of the schools had adopted it. , That same year Eev. Alfred Judson wrote the first question book, and many of us old boys and girls remember the old question books, but whether they were Judson's or some other we are not certain, but of one thing we are certain and that is that some of those pointed questions and gripping answers became a sure anchor in our young lives.

This system had within it the germ of four ideas — a selected rather than haphazard portion of scripture to be studied; study, rather than mere memorization; one lesson for the entire school; and help for the teachers in teaching — There was not a hint of general uniformity.

5. In 1827 the American Sunday School Union, formed out of six denominations viz. Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist,. Episcopal and Eeformed, began the publication of its annual series of question books. Some of these books gave an entire year to a single book of the Bible, others presented the chronological study of the life of Christ. In 1869 an "Explanatory Question Book" was added. Noth- ing was added by these books to the original concept of the author of the "Limited Lesson" scheme.

6. Orange Judd, the publisher of the American Agriculturist, did, in 1862, take an advanced step by the addition to each selected lesson of its "connecting history" and "analysis." These question books were prepared under his direction by DT. James Strong and Mrs. Dr. Olin.

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The Methodist Sunday School Union adopted the series at the request of its secretary Dr. Wise, and Mr. Judd generously gave to it his copy- right. The series was called "Lessons for Every Sunday School in the Year" and 2,000,000 copies were sold between 1862 and 1865. On the covers among other statements about the series were the words : "in accordance with the views of all denominations." The publication was discontinued by the Methodist Sunday School Union after 1865 and. when in 1866 Dr. J. H. Vincent, one of the "Old Guard of Illinois" was chosen Secretary of the Union he at once substituted his own "B.erean Lessons." Dr. Judd's claim for his system was that it was "in accordance with the views of all denominations" is the first faint suggestion of interdenominational uniformity. The suggestion died at the moment of its birth, and the one who, destined of God, was to achieve a world-wide uniformity, in Bible study, was then a young business man on South Water Street, Chicago. But Judd's suggestion may have been and perhaps was the first bold work, like the gun at Concord, has been "heard round the world."

7. The last preparatory step toward International Lessons was taken in Chicago. The Sunday School fires were blazing all over Illinois, per- haps with most intensity in Chicago — possibly because »of its proverbial "breeze." The Sunday School Convention and Institute were in full blast. Great interdenominational organizations both in England and America caught the enthusiasm and National Sunday School Con- ventions were held and New York organized its State Sunday School Association in 1854 and Illinois hers in 1859. It surely was an era of Sunday School ideas and of Sunday School giants; Pardee, Wells, Stuart, and McCook in the east; Moody, Vincent, Jacobs, Eeynolds, Whittle, Farwell, Eggleston, Hazard and Blackall in the west were stirring the hearts of many conventions. Vincent and Jacobs, then in the early vigor of young manhood, "Were Sunday School Siamese twins of Chicago." Vincent did the thinking and teaching and finally the publishing; Jacobs did the thinking and planning and finally the achieving. Vincent organized the first normal class in the world during his pastorate at Joliet in 1857. He held the first Sunday School Institute in the world at Freeport, in 1861. He organized the earliest system of Sunday School Institutes in Northern Illinois and in Chicago. He published the Sunday School Teacher, and in 1866 it contained the first of a newly conceived series of lessons entitled "Two years with Jesus — A New System of Sunday School Study." Edu- cationally, it was a phenominal advance upon all other systems. Dr. Hamill said: "Side by side the teacher's helps and scholar's lesson- leaves, now published by the millions, there is nothing finer, edu- cationally, in method or matter, than Vincent's "Two years with Jesus," issued a generation ago."

After 1865 the events leading up to the adoption of the Inter- national lessons crowded thick and fast. 4,000 copies of the "Teacher" and 20,000 of the scholar's "question paper" were published in 1866. Dr. Vincent that year severed his connections with these publications and became the newly appointed secretary of the Methodist Union and

the same year began the publication of his "Berean Lessons" for his great denomination. Eev. H. L. Hammond, Dr. C. E. Blackall and Rev. Edward Eggleston, a brilliant young Methodist preacher and an ardent Sunday School worker, followed each other as Dr. Vincent's successors; the last of the three in four years from his beginning in 1867 had secured a monthly circulation of 35,000 for his paper and 350,000 for the scholar's lesson leaf. So swift was the spread of the lessons that he changed the name of his paper in 1869 to the "National Sunday School Teacher." While his paper was leading the way to national uniformity Eggleston himself from first to last was strongly opposed to the idea of uniformity as harmful to the Sunday Schools. His splendid contribution to modern- Sunday School progress were centered on and designed for the Individual school. B. F. Jacobs, with eyes touched by the Holy Spirit, saw the nobler vision. He was the first Sunday School expansionist. Holy fire burned within him. Catching the inspiration from Vincent and Eggleston lesson suggestion his largest vision took in the wide, world. He wrote, "The Lesson is not for Sunday Schools of this locality only, or for this or that denomination, for the schools of this country only; but, blessed be God, we hope, for the world." Such was his war cry, never for a monment intermitted until the final act of the Indianapolis Convention. He began a new venture in 1868 writing a weekly exposition of the Eggleston lessons in the "Chicago Baptist Standard/' Un'der his influence, in a little while, five Baptist weeklies were doing the same. He began teaching the Sunday School lesson at the Ch'icago "noon prayer meeting." reports of which were prepared by Dr. M. C. Hazard and published in the Chicago Advance under the editorship of Dr. Simeon Gilbert and widely read. Mr. Jacobs pleaded for three things : one and the same lesson for the whole school; one uniform lesson for all schools world- wide ; expositions for the lessons in all papers, that could be persuaded to give them. In 1868 Mr. Jacobs presented his international and inter- denominational uniform plan before the Illinois and New York Con- ventions. The fourth National Convention after an interim of ten years met in April, 1869, in Newark, N. J., under the presidency of George H. Stuart. Enroute to the convention Mr. Jacobs urged his uniform plan upon a meeting of the New York Sunday School Teachers' Association. He was made chairman of the Superintendent's section in the Newark Convention and secured the endorsement of his plan by three-fourths of the superintendents, reporting to the convention a resolution from his section that "it is practical and desirable to unite all the schools of our whole country upon one and the same series." The convention was ripe for the adoption of the plan but Mr. Jacobs opposed hasty action on the ground that many publishers and writers of lesson series were not yet ready for uniformity. In 1870 'thirty or more publications contained lesson notes and expositions upon as many as a half score independent series; those of Eggleston in the Chicago "National : Teacher" and Dr. Vincent's "Berean" being largely in advance in patronage and prestige.

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The National Executive Committee met in New York, July, 1871, to plan for the fifth National Convention of 1872 in Indianapolis. Mr. Jacobs urged them to instant action, as far as practicable, upon the question of uniformity. The committee decided to call a meeting of all the lesson publishers and writers in New York for the 8th of August, 1871. On the day appointed, under Mr. Jacobs' leadership twenty- nine publishers and writers came together to consider the question of National Uniformity. It was a notable meeting. "To these men, the adoption of Mrk Jacobs' plan meant the sacrifice of copyrights, plates, already prepared and popular schemes of study, aggregating in value many thousands of dollars. It meant far more than this, something that money cannot buy, and which true men hold priceless, the pride of ownership, the joy of authorship, the consciousness of merited success, the sense of leadership and power. No severer test could have been applied." They might have said "Why follow this Chicago enthusiast? He has everything to gain and nothing to lose ? What profit or wisdom is there in tearing down the splendid work we have builded to place his castles in the air? Why burn the bridge behind us to follow this dreamer? What they did is well worth remembering. They decided by a vote of 26 to 3 to appoint a committee TO SELECT A LIST OF LESSONS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR 1872.. Jacobs, Vincent, Eggleston, Newton and Dr. H. C. McCook were appointed as that com- mittee. On adjournment of the publishers meeting at 3 o'clock p. m. this lesson committee was immediately convened, and Dr. Vincent urged that the lessons be at once outlined. Jacobs and Newton were compelled to leave the City for the day, promising to return the next morning. It was agreed that the three remaining members, Vincent, Eggleston and McCook, should begin the selection of the course for 1872 under the instructions given by the publishers. After the others were gone these three men met, conferred together, and discussed the proposition in general, then prepared and mailed that same night to the various papers for publication the following card :

"UNIFORM LESSONS— THE FAILURE."

"The undersigned, having been appointed at the conference held at the call of the National Executive Committee, a committee to select a course of lessons for the whole Sunday School public, find it impossible at this late day to select a list of subjects acceptable to all, or creditable enough to put the experiment on a fair basis. The compromise necessary to effect a union at this moment renders it out of the question to get a good list, and with the most entire unanimity we agree that it is best to defer action until the matter shall have been discussed in the National Convention.

(Signed) "EDWARD EGGLESTON, "J. H. VINCENT, "HENRY C. McCooK, "New York, August 8, 1871."

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Noting the fact that the three men signing and sending forth this card were the authors of the three most popular and widely used lesson schemes — Eggleston's in the "Teacher/' Vincent's "Berean," and Dr. McCook's "Presbyterian Lessons" — and that the performance of the duty put upon them by the publishers meant the sacrifice of their study- schemes and the adoption of a new system, to be directed by other men and no longer under their own personal control or bearing their names, their action was certainly human and therefore condonable to all except those who have never blundered or come short of duty. But it was not business. Their duty was to select lessons, not to proclaim failure. Mr. Lyon, one of the three publishers of the Eggleston lessons, with finer sense of duty than his editor, at once telegraphed Jacobs at Long Branch. Mr. Jacobs hurriedly telegraphed Dr. Vincent to meet him the next morning in New York. "The card must be recalled, and the committee must do its work," were his words. The meeting of the committee, Mr. Newton excepted, was held the next morning. Dr. Vincent frankly admitted that a mistake had been made. Dr. Eggleston followed his example. The following card then written by Dr. Vincent was duly signed by all but Dr. Me Cook, who was present but declined to reconsider the action of the day before, and was sent to the papers to which the "failure card" had been addressed:

"The undersigned desire to recall the circular forwarded yesterday, entitled 'Uniform Lessons — The Failure.' We desire to state that having reconsidered the whole subject, we have agreed upon a series for 1872. Will you accommodate the Committee by withholding the publication of the former circular? A list of lessons for 1872 will be forwarded soon.

"EDWARD EGGLESTON, "J. H, VINCENT, "B. F. JACOBS."

The lessons for 1872 were selected, comprising two quarters of the Eggleston outlines already announced, one from the Berean, and one selected by the committee of three. Such is the history of the first tentative national or international course.

The climax came the following year, 1872, at Indianapolis, in the formal adoption by the Fifth National Convention of the Jacobs' plan of uniformity. Dr. P. G. Gillett of Jacksonville was the president of the convention and it has ever since stood out as a very notable one. Twenty-two states and one territory were represented by 338 delegates, besides men from Canada, Great Britain and India. Communications were received from leading workers in Scotland, France, Switzerland and Holland. Dr. H. C. Trumbull of the Sunday School Times was secretary of the convention. The giants were all there. Much of the time of the convention was given to the discussion of the one supreme question.

Mr. Jacobs introduced the following resolution :

"Resolved, That this Convention appoint a committee to consist of five clergymen and five laymen, to select a course of Bible lessons for

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a series of years not exceeding seven, which shall, as far as they may decide possible, embrace a general study of the whole Bible, alternating between the Old and New Testaments semi-annually or quarterly, as they shall deem best ; and to publish a list of such lessons as fully as possible, and at least for the two years next ensuing, as early as the first of August, 1872; and that this Convention recommend their adoption by the Sun- day Schools of the whole country; and that this committee have power to fill any vacancies that may occur in their number by reason of the inability of any member to serve."

Jacobs led the memorable discussion with five clean-cut points: That such uniformity would be better for the scholars, for the teachers, for the parents, for the pastors, and for the lesson writers. Dr. Eggleston opposed the resolution strongly, declaring that it was a "movement backward." Dr. Vincent was finally called to the platform and said: "A year ago I opposed the scheme of national uniformity. To-day I am thoroughly converted to the other side." And declared that he was so completely converted that although his denomination was now in the sixth year of the Berean system, they were ready to break every stereo- type plate, abandon their selections, and begin de novo, on the broadest platform.

The resolution of Mr. Jacobs was adopted with a dissenting minor- ity of only ten votes. The convention midst great enthusiasm sang the D'oxology. Mr. Jacobs asked that the brethren of the British Provinces appoint a committee of conference with the Lesson Committee named by the .Convention. The convention appointed the first lesson com- mittee as follows: Clergymen, Rev. J. H. Vincent, D. D., New Jersey, Methodist; Rev. John Hall, D. D., New York, Presbyterian; Eev. Warren Eandolph, D. D., Pennsylvania, Baptist; Rev. Richard Newton, D. D.,Pennsylvania, Episcopal; Rev. A. L. Chapin, L. L. D., Wisconsin, Congregational. Laymen, Prof. P. G. Gillett, L. D. D., Illinois, Meth- odist; George H. Stuart, Pennsylvania, Presbyterian; B. F. Jacobs, Illinois, Baptist; Alexander G. Tyng, Illinois Episcopalian; Henry P. Haven, Connecticut, Congregational. Canadian members were added later, as follows: Rev. J. Munro Gibson, D. D., Quebec, Presbyterian; A. MacAllum, Ontario, Methodist.

Jacobs' long dream was realized. The vision he had seen upon the mount had become incarnate. If ever the future historian of the Church shall suspend his pen, in doubt as to whose brow the laurel should adorn for the discovery or invention of the International Lessons, as a world- wide system of uniformity in Bible study, he is referred to the following testimonies, given in the heat of the battle long ago by the two men who of all others knew most of the inception, progress and final success of the great movement, and who in pocket and prestige, as natural business competitors of the movement, sacrificed most by its adoption!

Edward Eggleston, in the April "Teacher" of 1870, wrote: "Recently a Synod in New York, and members of the Brooklyn Sunday School Union, and Mr. Tyler in the Independent, and Mr. Vincent, have all talked of uniformity; but we give fair warning if the blessed time ever does come when all the children study one lesson, we shall

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give the credit to B. F. Jacobs; he, and no one else, is the 'original Jacobs !"

• Bishop John H. Vincent, in his "Modern Sunday School," published in 1887, wrote: "While the author claims the honor of having orig- inated the two great lesson systems — the National (of Chicago) and Berean (of New York) — in 1868 respectively, and of having prepared and published the first of the now popular 'lesson leaves/ all of which made possible the conception of a 'National System,' it is to B. F. Jacobs, of Chicago, that the honor of the conception belongs. And to him, moreover, belongs the honor of having secured the experiment when the 'odds' were against him."

From the time of their adoption, the International Lessons have been under the fire of criticism. The Lesson Committees have invited criticism and have profited by them. They have taken these criticisms on the theory that the critics were honest and have thoroughly tested the sug- gestions and if they stood the tests, they were used, but if not, the com- mittees have the satisfaction of knowing that the criticism was harmless. One of the most persistent criticisms has been that the system is "scrappy," "fragmentary" of "a hop-skip-and-jump" or even the "kangaroo" system. If those critics had closely studied the "Old Book" of the Sunday School they would have found that the Bible moves by great leaps. Genesis with only 50 chapters covers a period of 2,500 years of the most im- portant personages and great events, even on the theory that the creation was 4,000 B. C., but if our scientific friends are correct and that from creation to Christ was one of time then the difficulties are increased for the critics. "The Acts of the Apostles" covers a generation of time and warrants the conquests of Christianity and yet the record passes over in almost perfect silence 8 of the 12 apostles. Another objection to the International lessons is that it is folly to set the child, the youth and the adults at study upon the same Bible lesson. If suited to the child it is unsuited to the adult. I don't think that necessarily follows. I have children and grandchildren and these after a certain age sit around the family table and partake of the same food. Some ministers were trying to define "Faith" in a certain home where there was a small girl ; the preachers discussed the matter for considerable time, and when one would suggest a definition another would immediately pick it to pieces. After the learned gentlemen had finished their meal and had retired to another part of the house, the little girl spoke up and said: "I know what "faith" is." The ministers said: "What do you say Faith means ?" The child replied : "It means taking God at his word and asking no questions." Now I submit that no theologian can give a more complete and scientific definition, and the more you try to pick it to pieces the more securely it pulls together. If more of us grown-ups would apply the same rule to much that we quibble and haggle about in the Old Book we would be much happier and the upward pull of our lives would be far more powerful.

Some of the denominations are beginning to treat the International Lessons now for the entire school. Grade the treatment and not the text. But the Sunday School work is no place for captious, carping — 6 S S H

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criticism. Select the best you can find for the needs of your class or school and then make it a part of your very life and out of the deepest depths of your being teach each lesson, realizing that you must give an account of that hour's work, and live the kind of a life you want your scholars to live and the kind you will wish you had lived when the Books are Opened.

THE INTERNATIONAL GRADED LESSONS.

The idea of graded lessons evolved with the Sunday School. Even before the adoption of the uniform lesson in 1872, there were quite a number of graded lessons issued and used in America. So strong was the pressure for the uniform lesson at the Indianapolis Convention in 1872, that the vote for such lesson as against the graded system was carried in spite of the strong and determined opposition. The great success of the uniform lesson for perhaps fifteen years seemed to be so strong that little was heard of the revival of the graded lesson. Strong and vigorous criticisms were made of the uniform lessons and only partially answered by the comment writers who prepared the graded lessons on the scripture being intended for different departments of the school. Rev. Erastus Blakeslee promulgated a series of inductive graded lessons which, in the opinion of many elementary workers, was not found in the uniform lessons.

Dr. C. R. Blackall, one of the Old Guard of Illinois and later of the American Baptist Publication Society in Indianapolis, issued in 1893 lesson quarterlies which were the outgrowth of the uniform lessons. While this was utilized largely by his denomination, it was not perman- ently successful.

In 1893 at the Seventh International Convention at St. Louis through the leadership of Mr. Israel P. Black and Mrs. M. G. Kennedy, backed by a strong company of primary teachers, passed the following resolution: "That as a company of primary teachers we earnestly desire the continuance of this plan (the Uniform system), confident that the International Lesson Committee will carefully consider the little children in the selection of the lesson material." The lesson committee took the resolution in the spirit in which it was given.

The Lesson Committee, at a meeting in Boston in December, 1893, prepared and issued a circular inviting suggestions from Sunday-school workers and organizations as to best method of promoting the Inter- national Lesson System. Some of the points mentioned in the circular were : "Separate Lessons for the Primary Classes ; 2. Lessons for Adult and University Classes; 3. Graded Lessons; 4. Lessons not in the Bible, but about the Bible."

The idea of the graded lesson dated back as early as 1870 to organization in Newark, N. J., called "The Newark Association of Infant Class Sunday School Teachers," under the leadership of Mrs. Samuel W. Clark, the mother of Dr. Joseph Clark, formerly General Secretary of the Ohio Association, but now the General Secretary of the New York Association, who is also known as "Timothy Standby" of

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these modern times. For ten years she trained and guided these Primary workers, using at first her own lessons and then the Berean Series. In the early nineties Mrs. J. W. Barnes, the Elementary Sec- retary of the International Sunday School Association and Miss Jose- phine Baldwin, were found among its corps of primary teachers. In 1894 Miss Bertha F. Vella, on the suggestion of the Lesson Committee, sent out a circular to all Primary Union lesson writers and teachers suggesting that a series of questions should be submitted to the Lesson Committee at its meeting in Philadelphia, March 14, 1894. Several hundred replies were made and at the meeting of the Executive Com- mittee of the International Primary Teachers Union in March, 1894, they adopted the following resolution: "That we recommend to the Lesson Committee now in session in Philadelphia, that they select a separate International Lesson for the Primary Department, to begin January 1, 1896, and that it consist of one-half the length of time used to cover the regular course; (2) that it is the judgment of the Executive Committee of the International Union of Primary Sabbath School Teachers that this separate and special Primary course should be in addition to the regular course, and shall not interfere with the present lesson helps, which are prepared for the Primary Department, but it shall be optional for each denomination to prepare helps for the Primary Department, as at present upon this course, and it shall be optional for each school to adopt this course ;" these resolutions were signed by Mrs. M. G. Kennedy, Mrs. S. W. Clark, Mrs. James .S. Ostrander, Israel P. Black and Wm. N. Hartshorn.

On the next day, at the invitation of the Lesson Committee, repre- sentatives of several organizations and of denominational publishing houses, editors, -Sunday-school officers and workers, met with the Com- mittee to discuss the various matters pertaining to said Lessons. Dr. C. E. Blackall strongly favored the issuance of the Graded Lessons. Mr. Black presented the above resolutions which was earnestly endorsed by Mrs. Kennedy and Mr Hartshorn.

The Lesson Committee appointed a special committee of three, B. F. Jacobs, Prof. J. D.-S. Hinds and Dr. Warren Eandolph, "to confer with the International Primary Teachers Union, with lesson publishers who already have separate Primary courses, with the Correspondence Committee in London, and with such others as they may select, to pro- cure outlines of a Primary course to be submitted to the whole Lesson Committee, to assist them in making up a separate Primary course."

Such a course was formally issued in the fall of 1895, described as the Optional Primary Lessons for 1896. Several courses of Lessons for the beginners were published, but none were entirely satisfactory, yet their favor continued to grow and increase and at a conference of the Lesson Committee in Philadelphia, March 17, 1897, of Sunday- school specialists, publishers, editors, comment writers, teachers and others was held and many suggestions made in reference to the various courses of lessons. A special committee consisting of Messrs. Schauffler, Pepper, Itexford, Jacobs, and Dunning, was appointed and at the con-

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vention at Atlanta the committee reported that is could not at present

unite on any separate plan of lessons for primary classes which would

be generally accepted in connection with the International Lesson System.

At a meeting of the Lesson Committee in New York, April 25,

1900, a standing Subcommittee on Graded Lessons was appointed con- sisting of Drs. Schauffler, Potts, and Hinds, and on April 16, 1901, the Editorial Association, an organization of editors, publishers, and com- ment writers, was formed in New York City for the purpose of advo- cating a separate course of lessons for one year, for beginners in Bible study, of six years and under and for a further course of two years that shall be topical and historical, for the adult or Senior classes. These resolutions were signed by M. C. Hazard, C. K.Blackall, W. J. Semelroth, and J. A. McKamy.

The resolutions so impressed the Lesson Committee that it appointed two subcommittees: (1) Drs. Dunning, Schauffler, and Sampey to pre- pare a two years' course for advanced students; (2) Drs. Schauffler, Hinds, and Rexford, and Messrs. Jacobs and Pepper to prepare a Beginners' Course of one year. At the same time Dr. Potts, the chair- man of the Committee, was requested to confer with the British Section on the new departure.

A Beginners' Course for one year, prepared by a joint committee of the Lesson Committee and the Primary Union, was issued December.

1901, and soon used in many schools.

At the Denver Convention in June, 1902, the advocates of the Uniform Lessons and the Graded Lessons again were in conflict. The Lesson Committee reported that one of its subcommittees had prepared an advanced course of Lessons, and that it was ready for publication at the option of the convention. This caused much discussion and the con- vention finally passed the following resolutions: (1) Resolved, that the following plan of lesson selection shall be observed by the Lesson Committee to be selected (chosen) by this Convention. One Uniform Lesson for all grades of the Sunday-school shall be selected by the Lesson Committee, as in accordance with the usage of the past five Lesson Committees; provided, that the Lesson Committee be authorized to issue an optional beginners' course for special demands and uses, such optional course not to bear the official of 'International Lesson.' " (2) Eesolved, that at this time we are not prepared to adopt a series of advanced lessons to take the place of Uniform Lessons in the adult grade of the Sunday School." The elementary workers in the Denver Convention tendered a vote of thanks to the Lesson Committee for the one year Beginners' Course.

At the Lesson Committee's meeting in Washington, D. C., April 15, 1903, the Subcommittee appointed at Denver reported that it had completed the two years'course, after much conference and correspond- ence with the Primary teachers in various parts of the country, and the course was adopted and designated as an "Optional Two Years' Course for Beginners."

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A conference of the International Executive Committee, the Edi- torial Association, and other Sunday-school workers, was called and met at Winona, Indiana, in August, 1903. The publishers had pre- pared for this meeting by sending out a circular proposing the discussion of the question: "Which is better, an International Lesson, uniform for all grades, or an International Lesson uniform, within certain defined grades?" These questions aroused great interest at the con- ference and a frank and a full discussion was had of the entire Graded Lesson idea. Even in the earnest discussion of these questions, every one conceded the necessity of retaining the Uniform Lessons for the majority of Sunday Schools. At the International Convention at Tor- onto, in June, 1905, the Elementary workers sent a message of thanks to the Committee for the Beginner's Course and requested the prepara- tion of a Primary Course as soon as possible. The convention adopted the recommendation that the Lesson Committee be authorized to prepare an Advanced or Senior course. The Lesson Committee appointed Drs. Schauffler, Sampey and Eexf ord to prepare such a course.

The first series prepared by this committee was not satisfactory to the Editorial Association. In response to this treatment the Subcom- mittee asked for suggestions from the Association. After considerable examination, the Subcommittee did not adopt any of the suggestions, but decided to prepare another course for 1907 on "The Ethical Teach- ing of Jesus," as an advanced course in accordance with the resolution of the Toronto Convention. The denominational publishers manifested little interest in such a course. Some adult classes used the Lesson Committee's lists without any published helps. The Lesson Committee also prepared and issued advanced courses for the years 1908 and 1909, but the publishers either neglected or refused to publish the same.

In August^ 1906, the International Executive Committee gave Mrs. J. W. Barnes, the Elementary Superintendent of the International Asso- ciation, considerable freedom in working out a plan of graded lessons. She was instructed to cooperate with the Lesson Committee and editors and others in the preparation of such lessons and to report to the Primary Committee of the Executive Committee any findings which she might have for their consideration and approval.

In order to secure the united action toward a common goal, Mrs. Barnes called together and organized at Newark, N. J. in October, 1906, a group of Elementary workers who were especially interested in the Graded Lessons. These workers were from different denominations and of manifested, intense interest in their work and were designated afterwards as the "Graded Lesson Conference."

This conference invited the Lesson Committee to select a committee "to assist, supervise, or make suggestions" regarding the conduct of this conference. The conference decided that its task should be the preparation of these for the Primary and Junior grades, together with a revision of the Beginners' Course then in use. The work was to be performed without any publicity whatsoever until the whole task should be completed. The lessons were to be the property of the Conference, and not that of any one person.

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Within a year several denominations asked that the members of the Conference representing their respective churches should act as official members and offered both financial and editorial aid in the work. In March, 1907, Mrs. Barnes wrote in a letter to Dr. Schauffler, Secretary of the Lesson Committee, setting forth the ideas of this Conference and professing their loyalty to the Uniform Lessons and recognizing the demand for Graded Lessons in a proportion of Sunday Schools too large to be further neglected.

The secretary of the Lesson Committee replied that the matter would be brought before the Lesson Committee at its next meeting in Boston in April, 1907, and that thus far the Lesson Committee had had no instructions to issue a graded course of lessons. After a thorough discussion of the matter the Lesson Committee agreed to recommend to the Louisville Convention in 1908, "that the Lesson Committee be authorized to prepare a fourfold grade of lessons as follows: (1) A Beginners' Course, permanent, for pupils under six years of age. (2) A Primary course, permanent, for pupils between six and nine years of age. (3) A General Course as at present planned for pupils over nine years of age. (4) An Advanced Course parallel with the General (or Uniform) courses to be prepared by each Lesson Committee for such classes as may desire it."

The Graded Lesson Conference pressed on steadily towards its goal and by careful and judical work brought to its support the co- operation of several of the leading denominations until finally the Editorial Association, of which Mr. C. G. Trumbull was chairman, was requested to confer with the Conference and give it such aid as it should need.

Mr. W. JST. Hartshorn, Chairman of the Executive Committee, who was familiar with the work and progress of the "Graded Lesson Conference/' called a conference of leading Sunday School workers to meet in Boston, January 2, 1908. In this conference were repre- sentatives of the International Executive Committee, of the Lesson Com- mittee, of the Editorial Association and of the Graded Lesson Con- ference. In all it brought fifty-four men and women together and the results were crystalized in the following resolutions: (1) "That the system of a general lesson for the whole school, which has been in success- ful use for thirty-five years, is still the most practicable and effective system for the great majority of the Sunday Schools of North America. Because of its past accomplishments, its present usefulness, and its future possibilities, we recommend its continuance and its fullest de- velopment." (2) "That the need for a graded system of lessons is expressed by so many Sunday Schools and workers that it should be adequately met by the International Sunday School Association, and that the Lesson Committee should be instructed by the next Inter- national Convention, to be held in Louisville, Ky., June 18-23, 1908, to continue the preparation of a thoroughly graded course covering the entire range of the Sunday School."

This Conference cleared the way in the near future to plan definitely for Graded Lessons and the Conference turned over to the Lesson Com-

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mittee for its consideration the lessons it had prepared in the three departments, namely, Beginners, Primary, and Junior.

Before any definite action could be taken by the Lesson Com- mittee, action had to be taken by the International Convention, and in its report in the Louisville Convention in June, 1908, the Lesson Com- mittee recommended the findings of the Boston Conference and the Convention heartily and unanimously adopted the report.

The Seventh Lesson Committee as soon as it was elected at Louis- ville, took steps to carry out the letter and spirit of the resolution. A strong Subcommittee on Graded Lessons was appointed and instructed to proceed at once with its definite task that there might be an under- standing with the publishers as to the method and order of issuance of the Graded Lessons, the Lesson Committee held a conference with representatives of the principal publishing houses at the close of the convention.

The Subcommittee carefully scrutinized the lessons thus prepared and distributed the material to more than seventy expert Sunday School critics, carefully considered the criticisms which were returned and issued three lists in the final form to the lesson writers in January, 1909, where in the spring of 1910, less than eighteen months after the first lists of Graded Lessons were issued — criticisms of the lessons appeared, which arose mainly in the South. These attacked an alleged absence of doctrine, the presence of extra-biblical lessons, the omission of .many important topics, and an attempted interpretation of the Scrip- tures for the Sunday Schools. The Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Presbyterian Church passed resolutions at their respective Conventions criticising the Graded Lessons submitted.

At its meeting in Washington D. C. in May, 1910, lasting nearly a week, the Lesson Committee earnestly discussed the threatening situ- ation and to protect its subcommittee voted "that the Lesson Committee as a whole for the future assume the same responsibility for the prepar- ation, revision and publication of the Graded Lessons as for the Uniform Lessons." At a meeting of the Lesson Committee in Chicago, in Decem- ber, 1910, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: "WHEREAS, The constituency of the International Sunday School Asso- ciation is divided with respect to the use of extra-biblical lessons in the- Graded Series now in course of preparation; and, WHEREAS, We desire- to meet the varying needs and wishes of our large constituency; therefore,

"Resolved, First, That we adhere to the historic policy of making the Bible the textbook in the Sunday School, always providing the best possible courses from the Bible for the use of classes in every grade of the Sunday School.

"Second. That a parallel course of extra-bibical lessons be issued with our imprimatur, whenever, and to the extent that, there is sufficient demand for them on the part of Sunday-school workers; the regular Biblical and the parallel extra-biblical courses alike to pass under the careful scrutiny of the Lesson Committee as a whole before being issued, and the extra-biblical lessons also to be related as closely as possible to the Scriptures.

"Third. That the Graded Lesson Subcommittee be instructed to provide Biblical lessons wherever lessons of extra-biblical material occur in the seven years' Graded Lesson Courses issued prior to May, 1910, making such minor changes as may be involved in carrying out this provision/'

The issuance of the full Biblical Series for the extra-biblical material removed the objections urged by the Southern Baptist and Presbyterian denominations.

Having been a member of the International Convention since the death of our beloved B. F. Jacobs in 1902 and much of the time the chairman of the Elementary Committee, I have been in the midst of the controversy in regard to the Graded and Uniform Lessons. Mrs. J. W. Barnes was Secretary of that Department from 1905 to 1911, and she was followed by Mrs. Mary Foster Bryner, both of whom were fine Elementary teachers and enthusiastic advocates of the Graded System. Personally I believed that it was not adapted to and would not be used in many schools, and yet in many others it would be used and as it was simply a means to an end, the proper development of the •child, I was perfectly willing that these experienced teachers and many others of like belief should have the very best lesson systems for their particular school that the International Association could supply.

CHAIRMEN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

Edward Eggleston of Chicago was elected chairman of the Execu- tive Committee in 1869, Benjamin F. Jacobs of Chicago in 1872, and resigned in 1902, and Andrew H. Mills of Decatur was elected in 1902 and was relieved at his own request in 1914, which he put in the fol- lowing appeal to the Convention at the close of the annual report :

"Twelve years ago there came to me your unexpected and unsought call to the important, responsible and honorable position as chairman of this great committee, and you did me the great honor of a unanimous election and have repeated it each succeeding year since that time, and, in addition, you have four times unanimously elected me as your repre- sentative on the International Sunday School Association Executive Committee for a period of three years each, and I assure you that such confidence and devotion have made a deep impression on my heart and life, and have been a great inspiration to me in the midst of the arduous duties of these trust positions during these dozen years.

I have given you the best service of which I have been capable, both in the State and the International Associations. Many very important problems have been presented in each and have been solved. Some mistakes have been made, but looking back to-day over the entire period, as great progress has been made in the Sunday-school work, as repre- sented by these Associations, as in any department of human industry or religious work. Many choice spirits have been met and splendid life friendships formed which grow dearer as the twlight deepens. For all these tokens of your confidence and love, your fidelity and enthusiastic loyalty and cooperation I thank you out of an overflowing heart.

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The time has now arrived when the Master's work imperatively demands younger men with an abundance of red blood, with broad vision, true heart, clear head and unbounded enthusiasm and devotion to this great work. I would suggest that you now divide the work, selecting one man as chairman of this great committee and another man to be your representative on the International Executive Committee; thus you will have the best that is in the two picked men, each will have more time and opportunity to study and solve the peculiar problems of his own field, and not have his energies divided between the two. Either one of these positions is a man's job — plus. No man can fill either unless he be endued from on high and the presence of the Almighty hovers over him like the pillar of fire and cloud overshadowed the Israelites in the wilderness.

During all these years my relation with all the members of these important committees, with the general secretaries, field workers, office force, and all other workers, have been the most cordial and pleasant, and while we may not all have seen all problems from the same angle or reached the same conculsion, yet when a conclusion was reached there was no opposition shown, but hearty accord and brotherly feeling pervaded both committees ; so I leave these positions and also as a member of this committee at the close of this convention with no unkind thought or feel- ing against any one, either in the State or International field, but with only the kindliest feelings and tenderest recollections of those most pleasant years of my life and an earnest and fervent prayer that the Master will come into the heart and life of my successor on both com- mittees in a marvelous way and they shall be instrumental in His Name in assisting in leading the Sunday-school hosts of America to achieve- ments lying beyond the keenest vision of the foremost Sunday-school expert in the world of to-day.

The Convention released Mr. Mills and elected as Chairman Mr. Lyman B. Vose of Macomb, who has been re-elected every year since and has made a fine and capable chairman.

The Convention elected Mr. George Cook as its member of the Inter- national Committee and Prof. Frank Ward as alternate. The Inter- national Executive Committee increased Illinois representation on account of increase in Sunday School enrollment and it elected Mr. Andrew H. Mills a member and W. S. Eearick alternate as published in the Trumpet Call July 6, 1914,

ILLINOIS SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTIONS.

1 Dixon *Eev. W. W. Harsha 1859

2 Bloomington *E. M. Guilford 1860

3 Alton *E. C. Wilder .1861

4 Chicago *Eev. S. G. Lathrop 1862

5 Jacksonville *Isaac Scaritt 1863

6 Springfield *A. G. Tyng 1864

7 Peoria *Eev. W. G. Pierce 1865

8 Eockford . . . *P. G. Gillett . . .1866

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9 Decatur *Wm. Eeynolds 1867

10 DuQuoin *B. F. Jacobs 1868

11 Bloomington *D. L. Moody 1869

12 Quincy *P. G. Gillett , 1870

13 Galesburg *J. McKee Peeples 1871

14 Aurora *C. E. Blackall 1872

15 Springfield *J. F. Culver 1873

16 Champaign • *D. W. Whittle -. .'. .J874

17 Alton *E, H. Griffith 1875

18 Jacksonville *D. L. Moody , 1876

19 Peoria *E, C. Hewitt 1877

20 Decatur *Bev. F. L. Thompson 1878

21 Bloomington Eev. C. M. Morton. .'. 1879

21 Galesburg *Wm. Eeynolds 1880

23 Centralia *J. E. Mason. .. 1881

24 Champaign 0. E. Brouse 1882

25 Streater Eev. Win. ' Tracy 1883

26 Springfield T. P. Nisbett 1884

27 Alton John Benham. ., 1885

28 Bloomington L. A. Trowbridge 1886

29 Decatur *J. E. Gorin 1887

30 Eockford H. T. Lay , 1888

31 Mattoon Frank Wilcox ,. 1889

32 Jacksonville *E. W. Hare ., 1890

33 Danville , W. C. Pearce 1891

34 Centralia Eev. H. C. Marshall 1892

35 Quincy *J. L. Hastings 1893

36 Peoria *Henry Augustine 1894

37 Elgin W. S. Weld 1895

38 Champaign E. C. Willis ,....1896

39 Belleville Eev. H. E. Fuller 1897

40 Galesburg * John Farson 1898

41 Decatur *J. B. Joy 1899

42 Paris A. H. Mills , 1900

43 Bloomington *Knox P. Taylor 1901

44 Sterling ,. . . H. E. Clissold 1902

45 Taylorville H. P. Hart 1903

46 Mattoon Dr. A. E. Taylor ,. . 1904

47 Clinton Eev. Henry Moser 1905

48 Kankakee ,. . . Eev. J. G. Brooks 1906

49 East St. Louis J. B. Sikking 1907

50 Dixon W. W. Eosecrans 1908

51 Peoria F. D. Everett 1909

52 Olney Dan Z. Vernor 1910

53 Quincy J. M. Dunlap 1911

54 Elgin Geo. E. Cook 1912

55 Beardstowh E. H. Kinney , 1913

56 Carbondale A. H. Mills 1914

56 Chicago

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57 Danville i. . . Rev. H. G. Rowe 1915

58 Springfield i. . John H. Hauberg .1916

59 Kewanee Charles W. Watson ,. .' 1917

60 Peoria 1918

You will notice that four, Messrs. D. L. Moody, 1869-1876, Dr. P. G. Gillett, 1868-1870, William Reynolds, 1867-1880, and A. H. Mills, 1900-1914, have each served twice as President of our Association.

ILLINOIS GENERAL SECRETARIES.

HERBERT POST was in 1863 elected the first general secretary and treasurer of our Illinois Association and served without salary until 1873 when

E. PAYSON PORTER of Chicago was elected as Mr. Post's succes- sor and he was succeeded by

C. M. EAMES of Jacksonville who held such position until 1883 when he was succeeded by

W. B. JACOBS who held the position for twenty-nine years and he was succeeded by

HUGH CORK in 1912, who resigned in 1916 and was succeeded by

CHARLES E. SCHENCK who is our present Secretary.

SECRETARIES TO OTHER STATES.

Illinois has furnished other States with first-class General Secre- taries as follows :

W. G. LANDES to Pennsylvania,

JOHN C. CARMAN to Colorado,

H. M. STEIDLEY to Nebraska,

HUGH C. GIBSON to Southern California,

H. E. LUFKIN to Maine,

W. J. SEMELROTH to Wisconsin,

ARTHUR T. ARNOLD to West Virginia and later to Ohio,

GEORGE W. MILLER to North Dakota,

W. C. MERRITT to the North West, and

STUART MUIRHEAD to Alberta, Canada.

The following are new members of the Executive Committee during the years 1913 to 1916 under Mr. Cork's Administration, and many of the old members mentioned on page 76 are still acting: J. M. Dunlap. E. H. Kinney. J. H. Collins.

Robert T. Brown. J. L. Schofield. W. D. Kimball.

Hugh S. McGill. C. W. Watson. J. P. Lowry.

Dr. S. A. Wilson. J. C. Wells.

Thomas S. Smith. Dr. R. E. Hieronymus.

The following are the new members of the Executive Committee during the years 1916 to 1918 under Mr. Schenck's Administration:

H. H. Morse, Clarence L. DePew, Alexander Anderson, Charles A. Wetzel.

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DENOMINATIONAL COOPERATION.

At the State Convention at Elgin in 1912 the executive committee by A. H. Mills, its chairman, asked the convention to permit each denom- ination in the State having a Sunday School membership of fifteen thousand or more, to appoint one of their representatives, other than a salaried officer, as a regular member of the Illinois Sunday School Executive Committee, which was unamiously voted and General Secretary Cork was instructed to inform the denominations and re- quest them to appoint a temporary member until their next annual denominational State meeting when such bodies will be asked to elect such member. At a subsequent meeting the denominational repre- sentation was reduced from fifteen thousand to ten thousand, thus allow- ing additional denominations to be represented.

The denominations which have an enrollment of 10,000 Sunday- school members, or over, in Illinois, were quick to respond to the invita- tions for the appointment of a representative on the State Executive Committee, and they have also recognized this courtesy and that Illinois has set the example for all other State Associations in seeking to bind denominations and state organizations more closely together so that the State Association can render a larger service to the denominations within the state than it is possible for them to do without the denominations have specific representatives selected by themselves. The questions of policy can be viewed from different angles and standpoints and a position taken which is the strongest possible in which the matter can be placed, so that when a plan is adopted it may receive the hearty endorsement of all the Sunday School forces within the State, so concentrated that it makes these plans at once effective and potent.

DENOMINATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES FOR 1914-1915.

Baptists Hon. Owen Scott

Congregationalists Prof. Frank Ward

Disciples Mr. J. P. Lowry

Lutherans , Rev. H. M. Bannen

Methodists Dr. E. T. Evans

Presbyterians , Prof. G. L. Robinson

United Brethren Bishop Mathews

The Denominational Representatives for 1915-16 were the same as the preceding year, except Methodist, Rev. J. S. Dancey taking the place of Dr. Evans; Presbyterian, Rev. J. N. McDonald taking the place of Prof. Robinson; United Brethren, Rev. S. E. Long taking the place of Bishop Mathews; Evangelical Association, Rev. G. A. Manshardt.

The Representatives for 1916-17 same as preceding year, except:

Presbyterian Dr" R. H. Beattie

Congregationalist Dr. James M. Lewis

Disciples. Clarence L. DePew

United Evangelical Rev. Henry Moser

The Representatives for 1917-18 same as preceding year, except:

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Disciples Rev. H. H. Peters

Evangelical Association Rev. J. H. Staum

Lutheran , (to be supplied)

Methodist (to he supplied. Dr. Dancy, Chaplain in France.)

These representatives have been men of fine spirit and they have shown great interest in the work of the Association and we believe it would be a wise step for each State Association to take, for it more fully unites the forces of righteousness into one strong force.

SUNDAY SCHOOL STATISTICS FOR 1917-1918.

GENERAL SECRETARY SCHENCE/S REPORT:

Sunday Schools. , < , 6,798

Officers 41,415

Teachers : „., , 61,138

Pupils , 733,301

Cradle Roll Members , 87,811

Home Department Members. 54,251

Making a grand total of 984,714

OUR COLORED BROTHERS.

Booker T. Washington at the International Sunday School Con- vention at Louisville, Ky. in 1908 among other things said :

"Another thing that we are learning as a race is that we have got to keep our feet upon the earth. A short time ago I met an old colored man who had learned this lesson. I said, "Uncle Jake, Where are you going?" "Fse gwine to camp-meeting." I said, "Are you able to go to camp-meeting and spend a week in singing and shouting ?" "Yes, I ain't been to camp-meeting f o' eight yeahs and Fse gwine dis yeah fo' suah. Eight yeahs ago Ah went to Tus- kegee, and Ah heard you teach de people to send dere chillen to Sun- day-school, an' build churches an' day schools, and save their money an' have a bank account, and Ah been following yo' advice for eight years an' Ah got fifty acres of land, an' done paid de las' dollar on dat land, and sah I'se a right to go to campmeeting dis yeah. I'se done saved mah money, ain't spent it fo' whiskey an' snuff an' cheap jewelry; Fse a nice house on de land, fo' rooms, painted inside an' outside, and Ah done paid de las' dollar on de house, and Ah suah got de right to go to camp meeting dis yeah. See dis wagon? Dis is Jakes' wagon. When Ah first got free Ah bought a buggy, but Ah found a man has got to ride in a wagon befo' he rides in a buggy, an' Ah've done sold de buggy an* bought a wagon and Ah've done paid de las' ten cents on de wagon, and shuly, de wagon has a right to go to camp-meeting. See these two big black mules? Dese is Jake's mules, Ah've done paid de las' dollar on de mules, dere is no mo'gage or debt on dem, an's suah de mules has a right to go to camp-meeting, too." Then he pulled a cloth from a basket and said, "Do you see dat co'n bread an' meat in de wagon? No sto' bought bread fo' me. I raised de co'n and

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de ole woman cooked de bread, an' I rased de pigs an' de ole woman cooked de meat, an' we is all gwine to camp-meetin, an' we is all gwine to shout, and have a gret big time because we got money in our pockets and got religion in our hearts." * * *

"I would remind you of his progress educationally. One hun- dred per cent were ignorant at the end of slavery ; a few years after- ward only two per cent of us could read or write ; at the present time, a little over forty years after slavery, fifty-seven per cent of us can both read and write. Do you know in all history a record which can begin to equal that ? In the words of your own great fellow-citizen, Henry Watterson, "The world has never witnessed such progress from darkness into light as the American Negro has made within forty years."

Our progress does not stop with material possessions and edu- cation. In porportion as our people have the Sunday-school and the church and the day school and the college and the industrial school, they become a more religious people. It is not true that the peni- tentiaries and jails are full of men and women who have been edu- cated at colleges and universities. I ask anyone to make the test. Go through the jails and penitentiaries of the South, and you can not find fifty men and women with college diplomas or industrial school diplomas. The people in the jails or in prison have had no chance, they are the ignorant, the ones who are away down, and it is our duty to take them by the hand through the church and Sun- day-school and help lift them up ; and in proportion as we do that we will meet our reward.

And as a race of people we do not get discouraged. We remem- ber that in slavery we were property ; in the province of God we came out of that institution American citizens. We went into slavery without a language; we came out speaking the proud Anglo-Saxon tongue. We went into slavery pagans ; we came out of slavery with the Bible and Sunday-school literature in our hands.

There is a great duty and responsibility resting upon the young white people and the young black people of this country. Some days ago I was in the city of Eichmond, and I heard a story concerning an old black man there. He was living in the same home where his mistress lived during slavery, and she had planted with her own hands a rose-bush in the yard. A new tenant took possession, and the new mistress said to this old colored man, "Dig up that rose- bush." The old man hesitated, and with a tear in his eye, shook his head and went behind the house. Again the lady came out and said, "Dig up that rose-bush," and he came up to her, touched his hat and made a polite bow and said, "Missus, I likes you, I want to obey you, but Missus, you don't understand ; these old hands can't dig up that rose-bush ; that rose-bush was planted fifty years ago by my old Missus, and these hands can't dig it up; you must excuse me, Missus." The feeling of sympathy, the feeling of friendship between the black people and the white people in the Southland was planted here years ago by our forefathers. We who are following in their

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foot-steps, black and white men, must not dig up that old rose-bush.

We must nurture it with our tears and with our love and with our

sympathy, and as we do it we will have the blessing of Almighty

God."

Many of our negro schools are doing fine work with and for their young people, and. our Association has ever been as ready and willing to help them as the white schools or the schools of any other of our divers nationalities that are thronging our cities. God is bringing to our very doors the children of all races from all climes to receive the Bread of Life that He has given to us. He is asking us "How many loaves have ye. Go and see?" It is our duty to go and ascertain, report and bring "our all" like the laddie in the parable and we must have greater faith than to say: "But what are these among so many?" Obey the Master is your duty and mine and the multitude of all nationalities will le fed and theret will be bread enough and to spare.

"GET SOMEBODY ELSE."

Did you ever hear these words in reply to a request to teach a class or assume a responsibility, or perform some act for the uplift of the com- munity; or to relieve some cause of distress; or to lead some meeting, or contribute some helpful service? This feeling I often fear is the cause of much of our failure to reach our highest duty and responsibility. Paul Lawrence, Dunbar's little poem teaches us an important lesson:

"Get Somebody Else. The Lord had a job for me,

But I had so much to do, I said, "You get somebody else,

• Or wait till I get through." I don't know how the Lord came out,

But He seemed to get along, But I felt 'kind o' sneakin' like —

Knowed I'd done God wrong.

One day I needed the Lord —

Needed Him right away; But He never answered me at all,

And I could hear Him say, Down in my accusin' heart:

"Nigger, I'se got too much to do ; You get somebody else,

Or wait till I get through."

Now, when the Lord He have a job for me,

I never tries to shirk ; I drops what I have on hand,

And does the good Lord's work. And my affairs can run along,

Or wait till I get through ; Nobody else can do the work

That God marked out for you."

96 ELEMENTARY DEPARTMENT.

ITS PLACE AND POWER. (Mrs. Mary F. Bryner.)

"The Elementary Division is important because it includes nearly one-half of the Sunday-school membership. All pupils under their teens, during the changing periods of childhood, are claimed for its depart- ments, known as the Cradle Roll, Beginners, Primary, and Junior.

The Cradle Roll reaches parents and children, establishing cooper- ation with the home. During childhood early and lifelong impressions are given of the Heavenly Fathers goodness and care, and the Saviour's special interest and love for the children. Elementary work deals with childhood in the story, memory, and habit-forming periods. Elementary teachers were the first to arrange a special course of training, including child study, as well as Bible study methods and principles. Child study emphasizes the need of closer grading, so that the Elementary Division is usually more definitely graded than the remainder of the school.

Child study and closer grading created an ever-increasing demand for lessons so graded as to "meet the spiritual needs of the pupil in each stage of his development." During the past year (1910) Graded Lessons have been provided by the International Lesson Committee covering the two years Beginners, three years Primary, and four years Junior work.

We -must save the children to save America."

CRADLE ROLL.

The Cradle Roll aims to deepen the feeling of responsibility of parents for imparting early spiritual impressions and training in the baby's life. It seeks to establish a closer bond of sympathy between the church and home through interest in the youngest children. Mr. Lawrence says : "It is to take a mortgage on the baby and foreclose it when the baby is three years old" and take it into the Sunday School. Dr. Joseph Clark, (Timothy Standby) says: "It's fishin for the family with the baby as a bait." Its membership include from birth to three or four years of age.

The world's average birth rate is 70 a minute, 4,200 an hour, 100,800 a day, 36,792,000 a year. One-half of these are born in Asia and about 3,000,000 annually in North America. The world's population is prac- tically renewed in forty-five years. The task of the church is to reach and teach as many as possible in each generation and its hope lies in childhood.

The Cradle Roll idea originated with Mrs. Alonso Pettit and was further developed by her sister, Mrs. Juliet Dimock Dudley, both asso- ciated as "infant class teachers" in the Central Baptist Church of Eliza- beth, N. J. The idea grew from a birthday book in which Mrs. Pettit began in 1877 to keep a classified list of birthdays of the children be- longing to her class whose ages ranged from four to twelve years. Opposite each name and address were suggested a Scripture text and

97

hymn. Each birthday, was recognized by an offering brought by the child corresponding to its age, to be used for world-wide missions.

In 1880 a little boy brought a birthday penny for a child one year old. Then began the custom of adding a penny to the birthday book of little ones too young to attend Sunday-school. In 1883 Mrs. Dudley kept in the back of her visiting book a list of babies and little children too young to attend regularly. Soon afterwards "Cradle Roll" was written over this list.

During the next few years, the cradle roll idea being mentioned in Sunday School periodicals became quite popular.

Mr. W. C. Hall, superintendent of the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis, became the champion of the Cradle Roll. He insisted that "the Cradle Roll tends to make parents feel their responsi- bility the more. Every Sunday School has a right to have and ought to have a Cradle Roll. God will surely bless the efforts to place children under the instruction of God's consecrated Primary workers," and in every conference of primary workers this efficient agency is urged and im- pressed.

THE BEGINNERS DEPARTMENT.

In the early days, the Sunday School was divided into practically two divisions, the main school and the infant class, the latter ranging from two to nine years. It was a very difficult task to interest all of them upon the same topic at the same time. Golden Texts were directed to the older ones but they conveyed very little information to the smaller children and it was in that department felt that something more was needed and that it was not fair to the children or to the teachers, and so the matter began to be discussed and studied, and finally the beginners department was organized in many schools, and it has more than justified the fondest dreams of its early advocates, and not only is it now provided with different teachers, but it forms a department by itself, meeting in its separate room or rooms and under the direction of skillful trained teachers, the work is being carried on with great success in many schools of our State.

THE ADVANCED DIVISION.

ITS PLACE AND POWER.

(Eugene C. Foster.)

"In many cases the Sunday-school is failing to meet the needs of the boy in his teens, and it is the purpose of this new department of our International Work to help the Sunday-school come to the point where such failure will cease.

The division will be the recruiting agency and a training school for the church."

— 7 S S H

98 THE ADULT DEPARTMENT.

ITS PLACE AND POWER.

(Mr. W. C. Pearce.)

"Its place is to win to the Sunday-school, and enlist in Bible study, the men and women of the world. It is a movement of power.

1. Because its chief mission is to teach the scripture, it is a Bible study movement, opening anew the Word of God to multitudes of men and women.

2. Because it is evangelistic, emphasizing the teaching of the gospel, and developing a corps of personal workers that promise much for the saving of men.

3. Because it is missionary. Seventy-one representative classes contributed $9,119.90 to missions in one year. The biblical vision is world-wide; the biblical voice says, "Go;" the biblical conscience says, "Obey."

4. Because it is cooperative. Its continent-wide sweep is ushering in a true Christian brotherhood and imparting new zeal in every kind of Christian endeavor.

5. Because it is connected with the Sunday-school, enlisting in its ranks those who can supply its material needs and provide efficient lead- ership. It is also building a wall around the big boy and the big girl.

6. Because it is a force for civic righteousness, hastening the doom of the liquor traffic and kindred evils, encouraging every movement of righteousness, and promising a day when the streets shall be safe for the children."

ADULT DEPARTMENT.

For many years in the early life of the Sunday School it continued to be principally a children's school. Few adults attended, aside from the teachers and officers, and such were known as the Bible Class. So completely was this the case in many schools that there came to be a notion among the men that the Sunday School was simply a place for women and children, but there were a good many men who felt that if the Sunday School was a good place for women and children it was certainly a good place for men — for men are only boys grown tall — and out of this the Cook County Illinois Sunday School Association established the Adult Department to advance the organization of Adult Classes in the Sunday School. The same year a similar action was taken by the Illi- nois Sunday School Association, it being the intention of those in charge that the Adult Department in schools was for the purpose of unit- ing all classes for adults, whether there were men's classes, women's classes, or mixed classes. The range of age was wide, from twenty-one to three score and beyond. In these organizations there were certain definite and fixed principles and methods of organization adopted. There was to be a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and at least three committees, devotional, membership, and social. The teacher was not to have any official connection with the class aside from being its

99

selected teacher. These committees, as the names would indicate, were given free discretion within their respective boundary to make the class as religious and as strong as possible. The class became a specific unit and in a short time began to look about to see what it could do, not only to help itself, but to help the school and church with which it was con- nected ; also reaching out into the village or city in which it was located, and they became imbued with the idea that they were indeed and in truth their brother's and sister's keeper, that they were to render help for those who were struggling after a cleaner and purer life.

Mr. Pearce left the Illinois Sunday School Association where he had labored for many years under the direction of B. F. and W. B. Jacobs, the chairman of the Executive Committee, and General Secre- tary of the Illinois Sunday School Association. He received his train- ing under these Christly men and was well fitted to the work to which he was called in Cook County. He took hold of the matter with great vigor and remained there three years, until his efficient work attracted the attention of the International Sunday School Association and then he was called to the Adult Department of the International Sunday School Association. During the time that Mr. Pearce was Secretary of the Cook County Association, Mr. Herbert L. Hill devised a little button known as the Adult Class button, with a red ring around a white center, indicating a clean life, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. This was adopted as the emblem, not only of the Cook County Association, but of the Illinois Sunday School Association for the Adult Department.

After Mr. Pearce was transferred to the International Sunday School Association, a committee was appointed to recommend or select a symbol for the Adult Department of the International Sunday School Association, and after a conference by the committee, of which your speaker was chairman, the little red button, the symbol of the Illinois Adult Department, was selected, and became the button or badge of the Adult Department of the International Sunday School Association, and through its agency has belted the world.

THE HOME DEPARTMENT.

(Dr. W. A. Duncan, Its Founder.)

"The Home Department is the University Extension of the church, and offers, through membership, the open Bible and Home Class Visi- tation to every home, man, woman and Cradle-Boll child in the world, not already connected with some other department, unable or unwilling to attend."

THE MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT.

ITS PLACE AND POWER.

(Mr. W. A. Brown.)

"The work of missionary education in the Sunday-school ought to find expression both in better living and in increased gifts. When the •Sunday-school is once aroused to its missionary opportunity, the conquest

100

of the world for Jesus Christ will soon be an accomplished fact. The International Sunday-school Association encourages the formation of missionary departments in state, provincial, county, township, and kindred organizations through-out its entire field, and urges the adoption of a policy for local schools which shall include: the creation of a missionary atmosphere; a missionary committee; weekly missionary offerings; monthly missionary programs; missionary instruction; a missionary section of the library; a prayerful cultivation of the spirit of consecration for personal service ; a course on missions for adult classes for eight weeks a year ; giving ; teacher-training and graded lessons.

Missionary interest and activity in any Sunday-school insures its own success and life. The lack of it is an indication of approaching apathy and death."

THE TEMPERANCE DEPARTMENT.

ITS PLACE AND POWER. (Mrs. Zillah Foster Stevens.)

"A Temperance Department in the Sunday-school strives for the following :

1. Temperance Education educates every Sunday-school member for: (a) Total Abstinence; (b) the Destruction of the Liquor Traffic; (c) the Extinction of the Cigarette Habit; (d) the Surrender of every Self-indulgence which impairs or destroys the power to give service to God and service to man.

2. Regular Time for Temperance Teaching (a) Observe all ap- pointed Quarterly Temperance Sundays; (b) (special) Anti-Cigarette Day — Temperance Sunday for the Second Quarter; (c) (special) World's Temperance Sunday, — the fourth Sunday in November — to be emphasized as Christian Citizenship Day.

3. Organization. A Temperance Department in every Sunday- school conducted by a temperance Superintendent.

4. Pledge Signing. Enroll every Sunday-school member of proper age as a pledge signer."

TEACHER TRAINING.

ITS PLACE AND POWER. (Dr. Franklin McElfresh.)

"The greatest need of the church is a true school of religion as a well-developed institution on the church itself. The greatest need of the church is a double number of trained, consecrated teachers in the Sunday-school. The organized effort to supply this deep want is the Teacher-Training Department. It aims to give to both the teachers of to-day and the teachers of tomorrow four things: a grasp of the Bible as a whole; a view of the child in the light of modern education; and outline of the tried methods of religious pedagogy; and an insight into the management and organization of the school. Holding aloft new standards for service in teaching in the schools of the church promises

101

a noble temper and the conquering power of a clear faith in the gener- ation who will rule tomorrow."

Our International Association has a fine Training School at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, under the efficient leadership of Mr. W. C. Pearce and a corps of fine teachers to which every county in our State should send not less than one young teacher each year. A new building has been erected dedicated to Dr. H. M. Hamill.

HOME VISITATION.

ITS PLACE AND POWER. (Mr. J. Shreve Durham.)

"The greatest department of the organized Sunday-school work: "The Home Visitation Department." Through it Americans can know one another and one another's conditions. Through it we can reach everybody everywhere. Through it every department of Sunday-school and church work can be best served : Locating the babies for the Cradle- Koll, and the "Shut-in" for the Home Department, and all others for the main sessions of the Sunday-school and church — reaching, teaching and saving all the people of America and the entire world.

Again "May 11, 1918. We have just completed one of the most successful Home Visitations in the history of the Visitation work.

Columbia has one of the most important Army Camps in our Coun- try, with many thousands of new people in the City as well as in the Camp. This Work has placed all of the people in touch with the Church, Synagogue and Sunday School of their choice.

Have you thought of the fact that while our Nation is trying to unite all interests at this time, the Home Visitation is the only great Movement uniting all our religious interests — without which no other interest can stand permanently ?"

SUNDAY SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE,

In the early history of the Sunday School, not only in Illinois, but elsewhere, it was thought that any place would be good enough for the Sunday School. Even in some churches, the church building was denied the Sunday School for its use, the teachers being compellel to secure other quarters for the convening of the school, but after the Adult Department was organized and it caught a vision of its possibilities and responsibilities, then there was nothing that was too good for the Sunday School and men of broad and constructive minds began to study the subject of the Sunday School and its needs, and as a result of this line of work many first class buildings have been erected, combining in their architectural designs, the highest possible efficiency of the Sunday School as the great working heart of the Church itself. These are now not only found in the large cities, but many of them in the smaller villages and even in the countryside, having separate class rooms provided for the pupils of the different grades and were Paxson to return and go up and down Illinois he would probably be more astonished at the improve-

102

ment of Sunday School architectural features, than at almost any other phase of the Sunday School work.

ATHLETIC LEAGUES.

There are three types of Sunday School athletic activities. The first is simple in form, which consists of Sunday Schools uniting and forming a league in base ball, basket ball or bowling. The second type is wider in its scope, its activities not only including leagues of base ball, basket ball, track and field athletics, both indoor and out, gymnasium, and tests of physical strength, and even frequently a camp for the sum- mer, cross-country hikes and instruction in swimming and first aid as that given to the Boy Scouts. These are under trained leaders in the various churches and are frequently accompanied by lectures or talks on kindred subjects.

The league is usually under the direction of representative Sun- day School men in conjunction with the General Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. and frequently they have a'badge or button.

The third form is one of still larger variety of activity with more phases and features of Sunday School work. Some phase of these activi- ties is found in many schools of Illinois.

WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL ASSO- CIATION STANDS FOR.

(President E. Y. Mullins, D. D., Louisville.)

First — It seeks to enlist all Sunday-schools in the common study of the lesson, but never to organize schools.

Second — It seeks to enlist all Sunday-schools in the adoption of the best methods of promoting efficiency in the work of teacher-training.

Third — It seeks in all proper ways to enlist theological seminaries to the extent of giving due recognition to the Sunday-school in their curriculum.

Fourth — It disclaims all creed-making power, and the sole function

. of its Lesson Committee is to select topic, the Scripture and the Golden

text, leaving interpretation of the Scripture to the various denominations.

Fifth — It disclaims all authority over the churches and denom- inations.

Sixth — It disclaims all legislative functions, save within its own sphere and for its own proper ends.

Seventh — -The work it seeks to do is confined to the common ground occupied by all the various denominations cooperating with it, as ground which these bodies have found can best be occupied through this common organization. The common ground and interests are chielfly as follows :

(a) A uniform lesson system, graded or otherwise.

(b) The propagation of the best methods and ideals in Sunday- school pedagogy.

(c) The promotion in all proper ways of teacher-training.

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(d) The promotion of all Sunday-school life and progress through inspirational conventions and associations for the use and benefit of all the denominations.

Eighth — The Association recognizes that in many of the above lines of activity the various denominations prosecute plans and methods of their own. In all such cases the International Association seeks not to hinder or trespass but to help. In short, it offers itself as the willing servant of all for Jesus' sake. It seeks to be a clearing-house of the best methods and best plans in the Sunday-school world. Above all, it seeks to be the means of extending a knowledge of the Bible, the inspired Word of God, through the Sunday-school to the whole world/*

PEORIA.

This is the fifth time that this central, important, and second city in our State has opened its hearts and homes to our Association — in 1865, 1877, 1894, 1909, and now in 1918, the year we reach our first centennial milestone, as one of the great integral factors in the greatest Nation on Earth. During that time we, as a State, have made important contributions to its wealth, education, and evangelization, in fact to all the elements that make up true greatness of any people, whether we take the short view or the long view, the temporal or the eternal, this earthly life or the immortal life.

This city like every other city of Illinois has had a dual civilization, its Dr. Jeckyl and its Mr. Hyde civilizations. These have often clashed in their history and development. This city was the home of William Reynolds — that mighty man of God — so full of loving services to uplift humanity into the very presence of the Son of God, the Saviour of the' World that when the death messenger came he quietly said "I die with the harness on," giving the last full measure of devotion to the cause of Him whom he loved more than life itself. This old world was and always will be better, richer, safer for humanity because this great soul lived to its highest and truest nobility.

This city was the home of that brilliant orator, the greatest of his day — Robert G. Ingersoll — the great agnostic, who, while exhibiting in his daily life, many noble traits, he and his brother Eben shaking hands every time they met, no matter how many times a day that might be, yet the eloquent infidel did much to wreck the faith and crush out love and hope, not only in this life, but in that higher and better life that is revealed in the Book of Books ; yet when death, the dread monster stalked into the Ingersoll home and touched that beloved brother, Robert G. felt the blow most keenly and as that loved form was lowered into its last resting place, the dread silence was broken by the agonizing cry out of the great agnostic's crushed heart, "Faith sees a star and listening love hears the rustle of a wing."

Peoria, the rich mansion of John Barley Corn, the greatest enemy of humanity, was also the home of Zillah Foster Stevens, that flaming "Joan of Arc" that went up and down the nation arousing and assem- bling the childhood, the motherhood and the Christian manhood against

104

this great enemy of the human race, that causes more suffering and sorrow than famine and war combined, until to-day in the midst of the World War, the greatest of all the ages, the days of John Barley Corn are numbered. This war will not cease, in my judgment, until our Government and its Allies shall rise to that degree of patriotic duty to the highest and best interest of the human race that they shall say: "No more grain shall be used to destroy manhood, crush womanhood and damn childhood but that it shall every bit be used to feed and nourish our brave Soldiers and Sailors, and the toiling millions of our dependents." But friends, that time may not be far distant. This generation will not pass until old John Barley Corn will be buried face downward so that the more he digs the deeper he is buried.

Peoria is the past and present home of some of the most distinguished Sunday School experts in the Sunday School world ; of beautiful homes, fine churches and Sunday Schools ; public schools, and colleges and insti- tutes, large manufactories and its big tractors that have made the cold chills chase each other up and down the Kaiser's spine and he begins to •realize that Uncle Sam is "coming with the goods."

AN APPRECIATION.

Before the final word of this paper shall be spoken, I desire to thank all who have in any way contributed in its preparation, either in sug- gestions made or material furnished, but especially do I wish to here record the helpful ministries of Brothers, W. C. Pearce, C. E. Schenck, J. H. Collins, and W. J. Hostetler, and of Sisters Mrs. Mary F. Bryner, Miss Mary I. Bragg, Mrs. W. C. Pearce, and last but by no means least of Miss Lillian Ashmore, my faithful stenographer, without whose fidelity, industry and loving service this paper could not have been pre- pared ; and my earnest prayer is that the Master's Blessing may rest and abide upon each and all of them in great power.

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INDEX.

PAGE.

Foreword

A Mosiac 6

The Beginning 7

Robert Raikes 7

First Sunday School 8

Y. M. C. A. organized 8

First Macon County S. S. at Mt. Zion, 1831 10

The Illinois S. S. Convention 11

Importance of S. S. by great men 16

Hazard 11

Jacobs 11

Reynolds 11

Moody 11

The Old Guard 17

Stephen Paxson 18

John M. Peck 19

Peter Cartwright 22

Dr. Edward Eggleston 22

J. McKee Peeples 23

Philip G. Gillett 24

John H. Vincent 25

Marshall C. Hazard 26

Dwight L. Moody 27

William Reynolds 29

"Illinois greatest State in Union • 30

Mr. Reynolds' S. S. Class of Girls , 31

"Delivering car load of potatoes and Onions to Gen. Grant's Army at

Vicksburg" 32

Hamill's Tribute 32

Jacobs Tribute i 33

B. F. Jacobs A. 35

Soldier Boys - >A 35

Hamill's Tribute . 37

At Exeter Hall 37

"Quieting child ; mother in coffin in baggage car" 39

Resolutions 41

Estimates of Worth of B. F. Jacobs 43

Editor Ladies Home Journal . .• 43

Poem "Illinois" 44

William B. Jacobs 45

Testimonial 46

"A bouquet" 48

Resolutions 51

Dr. Howard Hamill 54

Tour of the Orient. 56

Training School 56

Major D. Whittle 56

Charles M. Morton 57

"Only a Christian" 57

Dr. Christopher R. Blackall 57

Reece G. Griffith 58

E. O. Excell 59

Sang experience "Saved a poor sinner like me" 59

Cork wrote in Trumpet Call 60

David C. Cook 60

Edgar H. Nichols 61

F. A. Wells 61

William C. Pearce 62

"Who'd have been er?" 62

Marion Lawrence 64

Edward K. Warren ' 65

"Saloon keeper" 66

Dr. John Potts 67

Hugh Cork 67

Miss Mary I. Bragg 68

Mrs. Mary Foster Bryner 69

— 8 S S H

JOG

PAGE.

Mrs. M. S. Lamoreaux ^ 71

Mrs. Herbert L. Hill 71

George W. Miller 72

Arthur T. Arnold 72

Henry Moser 72

Charles E. Schenck 72

George P. Perry 72

Mrs. Zillah Foster Stevens 73

Mrs. H. M. Leyda 73

Miss Pearl Weaver 73

Miss Wilhelmina Stooker 74

The International Uniform Lessons 74

The International Graded Lessons 82

Chairmen of the Executive Committee 88

Illinois Sunday School Conventions 89

Illinois General Secretaries 91

Secretaries to other states 91

Denominational Cooperation 92

Denominational Representatives for 1914-15 92

Sunday School Statistics for 1917-1918 93

Our Colored Brothers 93

"Booker T. Washington" 93

"Get Somebody Else" 95

Elementary Department 96

Cradle Roll, 96

Beginners Department 97

Advanced Division 97

The Adult Department 98

The Home Department 99

The Missionary Department 99

The Temperance Department 100

Teacher Training 100

Home Visitation 101

S. S. Architecture 101

Athletic Leagues 102

What International S. S. Assn. Stands for 102

Peoria 103

An Appreciation 104

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