Oakland Sabbath-School Reunion.
THE annual reunion of the Oakland Sabbath-school was held on New Year's eve; and we think it was the most interesting one that has ever been held in this school. We have room for little more than the statistics gathered from the reports. The membership and attendance were given for three years, as only by comparison can we learn the prosperity of the school. |
1881. |
1882. |
1883. |
|---|
| Average membership, |
186 |
159 |
177 |
| Average attendance, |
146 |
138 |
157 |
| Per cent. of attendance, |
78 |
86 |
88 |
Present membership, 205. In 1880, 5 were present every Sabbath in the year; 11 in 1881; 20 in 1882; 27 in 1883. The school is divided into four divisions: the First, Second, Fourth, and Senior. The First Division uses Book No. 1 of the Progressive Series, which extends from Adam to Moses. The Second uses Book No. 2 of the same series. This division has reviewed Book No. 1, and continued the study of the history of the Israelites during their sojourn in Egypt. The lessons studied in the Fourth Division are in Book 4, extending from the beginning of Solomon's reign to the rebuilding of the temple after the captivity. The Senior Division has studied the Acts of the Apostles, and in part Paul's letters to the Corinthians. Of the members of the school, 99 belong to the church, ten of whom were baptized at the last camp-meeting. There were 303 different persons enrolled as members during the year. During the last quarter a call was made by the State Association organized for the purpose of making a Home for Feeble-minded Children, for donations. There were collected on one Sabbath, $76.95. The contributions from the boxes for the last quarter were $75; for the year, $315.60, being $68.20 more than was received in 1882. The school bought two organs during the year; one for the use of the church, costing, with freight, $120; the other was a gift to the Seaman's Mission in San Francisco, cost $60. The amount received at the reunion was $241.50. The school voted unanimously to devote the proceeds of the reunion to the purchase of a bell for the church. This vote was taken before, so the bell was put up and first rang for the reunion meeting. Its weight is 1,000 pounds. The library contains 219 volumes. Two hundred Instructors were taken last year; 225 have been ordered for 1884. The benefit of the system of weekly Sabbath donations is clearly illustrated in the prosperity of this school, and in what it has been able to do during the past year. The church has not one wealthy member; all may in truth be called poor; yet by constantly giving something, even a little, great good has been accomplished. Some of the exercises were of peculiar interest. One, set down as a “Historical Exercise,” was especially so. It was carried on by a great number of pupils and teachers, from the little child to the eldest members of the school, rising in their places in ready succession, not gathered into any class arrangement, but as they were scattered in all parts of the house. Beginning with the creation a complete chain of history was given, down through the time of the patriarchs, the captivity in Egypt, the exodus, the judges, the kings and the prophets, through the ministry of Christ and his apostles, and continuing through the persecutions, and the reformations of Luther, Wesley, &c., ending by one repeating the Third Angel's Message of Rev. 14: 9-12, which reaches to the second advent. No long stories were told; each was very brief, and each exactly fitting to the preceding. It was as instructive as it was interesting. Another, which was quite pleasing to the assembly was a “New Year's Exercise.” It was an acrostic of twelve couplets, spoken by twelve girls, mostly quite small. As each in turn spoke her couplet she presented to view a large card having on it the first letter of the couplet, and when all were presented they stood holding up the words, “Happy New Year.” It was more interesting than we can describe it. As it was not Christmas they had no tree, but instead, a member of the school, who was once a sailor, made a full-rigged ship, four feet in length, which appeared from behind a curtain, running on a concealed tram-way, so arranged as to quite well resemble the motion of a ship on the ocean. She was well freighted; from her hold were taken packages, given by the classes and others, containing from one dollar to sixty dollars. She was appropriately named “Belle,” which, in sound, expressed the object for which her cargo was sent to that port. Nothing could have pleased the young people more. As the congregation was dismissed, on turning toward the doors there stood in view, under large figures of “1883,” nine little boys, having cards which together said, “Good Night.” And all felt that it was a good night, both interesting and profitable.