THE WORLD'S SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONVENTION.
By Frank Hope
OUR interest was especially called to this convention, as it was the lot of our party to cross the Atlantic in the steamer which contained the greater part of the American delegates. In all there were on board some three hundred, of whom sixty were ministers. One of the most striking things about this company was the amount of tobacco smoke they produced, and it proved a real annoyance to some. Many times when some sick woman was helped on deck for a little fresh air, one of these "Rev." gentlemen sitting near would calmly light his cigar and proceed to smoke her below again. Only those who have passed through the ordeal of seasickness can appreciate the effect that tobacco smoke has on a thus weakened stomach. But these "gentlemen" were only a type of thousands, and the incident only goes to prove how inconsiderate for the feelings of others the tobacco habit makes men. We also saw the rather novel sight of a man presiding at a religious meeting with a cigar in his mouth. The convention did not attract very much outside attention in London. The Church of England took no part whatever in the proceedings, but regarded it with haughty indifference. For the most part, the time was taken up with reports from different parts of the world. In many was heard the clamorings for a more strict Sunday observance. In the address of welcome, Lord Kinnaird, president of the Sunday-school Union, called especial attention to the encroachments made upon Sunday, and he called on all present to rally round and upbuild that institution. Count Bernstorff, of Germany, said that the Sunday-school was working out many great principles, but the greatest of all was the principle of Sunday. He hoped that England and America would unitedly continue to defend it. They (in Germany) wanted to have a Sunday (great applause and cheering), and it was the Sunday-school work which taught the children from a very early age to love the Sunday. He also told how they had prevailed on the present emperor to express a wish that no races should be held on that day. In consequence, last winter and spring all such amusements were held on week days. Dr. Withrow, of Canada, told about a city in which "not a street-car wheel turned on the Sabbath-day [Sunday], not a drinking-house was open." He also stated that the government of Ontario paid for the cab hire of Sunday-school teachers to go to their work on Sunday. At one meeting, Dr. John Hall, of New York, brought up a resolution of the Executive Committee, consisting of a memorial to be presented to all the crowned heads of Europe,500setting forth the views of the convention as to the importance of the better observance of the "Lord's day." It reads as follows:— "That the delegates to the World's Sunday-school Convention now assembled in London, and representing many Christian lands, and many millions who are interested in Sunday-school work, feel constrained by love to God and regard for our fellow-man, most respectfully do present this memorial to your Majesty. We have ample evidence that Sabbath-school work has made multitudes intelligent, self-respecting, diligent in duty, and faithful to obligations, because the Scriptures teach them to fear God and to honor constituted authority. We have also brought to us the evidence that this beneficent work is particularly difficult in many lands by the practical disregard of the divinely ordered day of rest. Moved by these considerations, we, with one accord, by our officers, earnestly petition your Majesty that, by your personal influence and by the constitutional power in your Majesty's hands, you will secure for the day of weekly rest the place given it in that decalogue which all Christian lands recognize, and for the good of the people, and for the glory of God, promote its recognition as a delight, holy of the Lord, and honorable. In bringing to the consideration of your Majesty this important matter, we do not forget that in the land we represent, the holy day is often degraded and ignored. These evils we deeply deplore, and in our places earnestly oppose, and we feel assured that action in the direction of Sabbath observance on the part of your Majesty and the nation over which, in the providence of the Almighty God, you are placed, would tend to strengthen a sentiment, national and international, in favor of the reverent use of the seventh day, on which our Creator rested, for an example to man, and which is linked throughout Christendom with the rising from the dead of our blessed Lord and Saviour." The memorial was cordially agreed to. Thus we see that the Sunday movement is not confined to the United States, but it is world-wide, or as the prophet says, "All that dwell upon the earth" shall worship the beast or receive his mark. In this there is one encouraging feature; for wherever the Sunday is agitated, it is a means of drawing attention to the true Sabbath. The very wording of the memorial, calling Sunday the seventh day on which God rested, must raise a query in every honest mind. There is another way in which this convention may have a bearing on present truth. Its influence will further help to revolutionize and feeling in regard to American ideas. Both in the recent World's Missionary Convention and in this, it was an apparent fact that the American men are ahead in all evangelical work. People here are beginning to realize and accept gracefully this fact. Thus they now look upon American religious ideas with a respect that they did not a few years ago. In fact, it is going so far that some are designating America as "the world's hope." All will be able to see the help this sentiment will be to the work of the third angel's message, which of course comes from America, and the time may yet come that instead of our trying to apologize for the Lord's plan of starting the message in America, the very fact of it coming from that country will be a means of obtaining for it a hearing. A few statistics may be of interest. Altogether there are 10,000,000 Sunday-school workers on the North American continent. In the United States there are 5,000,000 school children, and over 1,250,000 teachers; in England, 5,500,000 scholars and 500,000 teachers; in Australia, 500,000 scholars and 45,000 teachers, and 5,400 schools; in Ireland, 1,999 schools, 167,000 children, and 15,000 teachers; in Denmark, 35,000 scholars and 2,000 teachers; in Norway, 20,000 children and 1,000 teachers; in Holland, 1,470 schools with over 3,000 teachers; in Persia, 100 schools, 3,000 scholars, and 2,000 church members; in India, are 50,000,000 children, of whom 217,000 are in missionary schools, and 100,000 in Sunday-schools. In the city of Berlin are 84 schools and 20,000 scholars. FRANK HOPE.
London, Eng., July 15.