THE BATTLE CREEK SABBATH-SCHOOL.
By M. K. White
It has been my privilege during the last eight months to attend the Sabbath-school in this place. On account of the large number of young people who come here to attend the College, this is the largest Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath-school anywhere held. A few facts concerning it may be of general interest. Last September, when the College year began, earnest efforts were made to secure the attendance of all the students at the Sabbath-school. But the church was already full, and in order to make room for those who should attend, the school had to be divided. The privilege of occupying two rooms on the second floor of the west Office building was granted to the school. These were at once fitted up, and about one-third of the school has since met in these rooms for Sabbath-school, the most advanced divisions of the school occupying the larger room, and the children the smaller. Most of those who remained in the church were classified in two divisions. The largest of these divisions was principally composed of College students who wished to commence at the beginning of the Youth’s Question Book. The other division was composed mostly of those who had been in the school about a year. In the general exercises each Sabbath, the Superintendent usually questions one division and the Assistant the other. The school has gradually increased in interest for the last six months. But the late Sabbath-school convention held in connection with the special session of the General Conference, seems to have given the Sabbath-school work in this place a new impetus. Last Sabbath was a time of special interest. After the usual opening exercises, the Secretary’s report of the previous Sabbath was read, which was substantially as follows:— “Prayer was offered by Bro. Carman. After the class recitations, the Junior Department, division four, was asked review questions on the subject of the travels of the Children of Israel from the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai. Division three was reviewed by the Superintendent on the subject of the Ministration of the Sanctuary.” “There were 306 in attendance; 199 at the church, and 107 at the Office; 38 of these were officers and teachers.” “Two persons were appointed by the school in the church to act with one appointed by the school in the Office, to nominate officers for the ensuing quarter.” “At the teachers’ meeting, held evening after the Sabbath, the following resolutions were adopted:— - “Resolved, That it be the duty of each teacher to look after the interests, both temporal and spiritual, of each member of his class.”
- “Resolved, First, that it be the duty of each teacher to hold a meeting with his class during the second week of each month. Second, that the object of this meeting shall be to promote the spiritual welfare of the class by inquiry, consultation, prayer, and such other means as may seem advisable; and to secure and receive pledges for the financial support of the Sabbath-school.”
- “Resolved, That we recommend that this meeting, whenever consistent, be held on Sunday afternoon or evening.
- “Resolved, That it shall be the duty of any teacher who cannot attend to this matter in person to appoint some responsible member of his class to do the work in his stead.”
After another song, the recitations in the various classes were carried on with their usual interest for about thirty minutes. The classes were then seated more compactly to make room for the classes from the Office, who, as it was the last Sabbath in the quarter, were to join us in the election of officers. These came in quietly and orderly, and took the seats assigned them, each class being accompanied by its teacher. When all were comfortably seated, nearly every seat in the church was full. The report of the Nominating Committee was then read and accepted, and the committee discharged; and we proceeded at once to elect the officers by ballot, the committee having simply suggested who should be elected. Ballots large enough to contain the names of all the officers were circulated, and thus all the votes were cast at once. While these were being counted, Bro. Bell and Loughborough made some very interesting remarks on Sabbath-school work. The ballot showed that the school was decidedly in favor of the nomination, and that the following persons were elected: G. H. Bell, Superintendent; W. K. Loughborough, W. C. White, W. C. Sisley, Assistant Superintendents; Eli B. Miller, Secretary; and J. T. Richards and J. Q. Haughey, Assistant Secretaries. Everything passed off without confusion or tediousness, and after singing a song in which some three hundred voices joined, the school closed, all feeling that the time had been profitably and pleasantly spent.