Southern California Sabbath-Schools.
By James Edson White
According to appointment I visited six of the schools in Fresno and Tulare counties. At Mendocino Settlement is a school of twelve members; at Church’s Colony is a flourishing school of forty-five; at Fairview is a school of sixteen, and California Central Colony has a membership of twelve. These four schools are branches of what is known as the Fairview church, but as the distance is considerable between them, they have divided and meet at these several places. Lemoore, further south, has a membership of forty; Lakeside, twelve; Visalia, sixteen, and Sister Hunsaker is still persevering with her school of seven. All seemed to be deeply interested as the importance of advance steps was presented to them, and a determination was expressed by all to make their schools what they should be. Up to this time there has been a failure in obtaining reports from these schools, arising more from not understanding the matter than from negligence. Hence no one knew of the extent and effectiveness of these schools. I was pleased to find a missionary spirit manifesting itself in some places, and at the camp-meeting we met quite a goodly number of interested people who came to the meeting through the influence of their children, who had been induced to attend Sabbath-school. We do not half appreciate the amount of missionary work that may be done through the Sabbath-school. On Sabbath morning a model Sabbath-school was held, in which nearly all on the ground took part. The zeal and interest shown by all indicated that the Sabbath-school work in this section would make good advancement in the coming year. The class contribution boxes were introduced and after some remarks from Eld. Haskell on Sabbath offerings, they were passed to the different teachers. The next day the report showed that $16.70 had been deposited by the different classes, which amount was appropriated to the State fund. At a subsequent meeting the following preamble and resolutions were presented and unanimously adopted:— Whereas, We regard the Sabbath-school interest as a work of great importance to the cause of present truth, Resolved, That we give greater attention to this branch of the work, and use our best endeavors to increase the interest throughout this part of the State. Resolved, That we hold weekly teachers’ meetings, in which the wants of the school shall be considered, and the best plans for its success adopted. Resolved, That we adopt the class contribution boxes. Resolved, That one tenth of these contributions be sent to the State fund. Resolved, That clubs of our Sabbath-school paper, the Weekly Instructor, be taken in all the schools. Resolved, That we recommend the introduction of maps and map exercises throughout all our schools. J. E. White.