GENERAL SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION by Dudley Marvin Canright; G. H. Bell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 24, 1878

GENERAL SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

By Dudley Marvin Canright; G. H. Bell

The first annual session of the general Sabbath-school Association was held on the camp-ground at Battle Creek, Mich., Oct. 11, 1878.

Prayer by Eld. S. N. Haskell.

All ministers present were invited to take part with the delegates in the deliberations and business of this meeting.

The Secretary’s Report showed that auxiliary S. S. Associations have been formed in twelve of the different Conferences.

Since most of these organizations have been so recently formed, their reports are many of them very brief and incomplete.

They show an entire membership of 5,851. Michigan, 55 schools with 2,022 members. Iowa, 23 schools with 885 members. Kansas, 32 schools with 754 members. Wisconsin, 20 schools with 506 members. New England, 20 schools with 470 members. California, 10 schools with 446 members. Illinois, — schools with 310 members. Missouri, 10 schools with 274 members. Ohio, 7 schools with 184 members. Minnesota, — schools with — members. Vermont, — schools with — members. Indiana, — schools with — members.

Received by donation from Battle Creek Sabbath-school, $25.00. Expenses for stationery, stamps, and blank reports, 16.40. Balance in the treasury, $8.60.

Elds. H. W. Decker, E. R. Jones, and A. O. Burrill were chosen as a committee for nominating officers.

After consultation, they recommended as officers for the coming year: President, Eld. S. N. Haskell; Recording Secretary, G. H. Bell; Corresponding Secretary, Eva Perkins; Executive Committee, Eld. S. N. Haskell, Eld. D. M. Canright, W. C. White. These persons were unanimously elected to their respective offices.

Spirited and interesting remarks were made, showing that an unusual interest in the Sabbath-school work is springing up in every part of the land.

All seemed to agree that the INSTRUCTOR should be published weekly, and contain Sabbath-school lessons. The following motion made by Eld. S. N. Haskell was unanimously carried:—

Moved, That it be the sense of this meeting that the INSTRUCTOR be published weekly.

Eld. White thought that in addition to the weekly INSTRUCTOR the monthly should be issued the same as now.

Many thought that much good might be done in some places by organizing and conducting Sunday-schools. Several interesting cases were cited in which efforts in this direction have been attended with marked success.

In discussing the question of raising means, there seemed to be a difference of opinion in regard to the propriety of receiving penny contributions on the Sabbath. Sr. White thought it would be proper. She remarked that anciently the work of the temple service on Sabbath day was double what it was on other days. God does not withhold his bounties on the Sabbath day,—the sun shines, the rain descends, plants grow, fruit ripens, and all the work of nature goes on without interruption. There is no reason why a freewill offering, previously set apart for that purpose, may not be presented to God on the Sabbath day.

The following resolution from Eld. J. H. Waggoner was adopted:—

Resolved, That we recommend to all our Sabbath-schools the practice of contributing a penny or more to the funds of the Sabbath-school, by both teachers and scholars, on every Sabbath day.

Adjourned to the call of the chair.

D. M. Canright, Pres. G. H. Bell, Sec.