Grahamstown Wesleyaa Sunday School Anniversary.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3368, 8 October 1879, Page 2

Grahamstown Wesleyaa Sunday School Anniversary.

The tenth anniversary of the above school was held last evening in the school* room adjoining the Church. About 350 persons sat down and partook of an excellent tea, which was presided over by the lady teachers. After tea the astern* binge adjourned to the church, where a public meeting was held and addresses made by several ministers and friends. The Rev. J. Watkin occupied the chair. ' After singing and prayer, the Chairman! made a few remarks referring to the objects of Sunday school teaching, and, urged upon the parents the necessity of sending their children to Sabbath, schools in order that their minds might be trained in such a way as would be beneficial to them when they started out in the world. He then called upon Mr George Meachem, junr., Secretary of the school to read his report for the pMt year, which was as fellows: —

It it with much pleasure thtt the oflleers and teachers of the Grahamstown Wesleyaa Sunday School again come before the parents and friends of the children in their school upon this their teuth anniversary. Since we last met you we hate had much cauie for thankfulness for the amount of prosperity that hns attended our efforts, and although we cannot report so large v measure of success in the conversion of the leholari as we desire, jet in this, as in other matters, we cannot bat feel grateful for what little success we hate had. Four icholats during the year hay* joined the church, and we hare good reason to believe euoh to be genuine conversions, whilst, others have been seriously impressed, and we trust that ere long they will be led to choose the one thing needful. We have to regret that owiug to our limited supply of teachers, the morning school hat not attained that efficiency which we might reasonably hate expected. If more help was afforded usia this direction, and we would earnestly nrgs upon those who hare not yet joined us to five this their serious consideration, and com* to our assistance, and also impress upon tb? scholars the propriety of coming in before the oponing of school, many of those attending being in the habit of coming very latskwe think that with a slight exertion on their part this matter might be easily remedied.—Oar numbers and attendance: The scholars on oor books number 263, of which 183 are boys and ISO are girls, being an increase of 46 on the year. The average attendance is as follows i —teeming-Boy, 30, girls 29, total 09. This is an increase of eight on last jeer. Highest attendance 95, lowest 19. Afternoon —Highttst attendance 202, lowest 41, average. —bays 77, girls 79, total 156. This is also an increase of 28 on last year's attendance. About one-quarter of our school is comprised of infant ciasves. Our young men's Bible class, conducted by Mr Thomas JamjM» numbers 14, and is fairly attended. Our young women's Bible clais, under the management ef Mrs Richards, numbers 20, and is well attended. —Teachers: The number and attendance are as follows:—Tne number on books is—Male 17 (including the offlcers), females 9, total 26, being an increase of 4. The average attendance in—Morning 5, after* noon —male 12, female 6, total 18 (also including officers).—Our. library: The number of books m our library* at the beginning of the year was 420. During the year seventy books have been added. Books have been exchanged alternate Sundays to boys and girls. During the year the number of readers has largely increased. Wo hope during the coming year to be im a position to make a further addition to the number, as many of the books in circulation have been well read. ,■ Last, bat not least, comes our funds, the state of which, is as follows:—Receipts; £21 Oj 7d | expenditure, £20 17s; balance in hand, 3s 7d| liabilities, £3 2s &i. The collections on San*. day amounted to £11 4s 84. - Mr William Hicks, Superintendent,' moved the adoption of the report, tod in doing §o, said he was glad to tee tuoh an •mount of good had been done daring the past year. Mr William Ashby seconded the adoption, and congratulated the teaehera upon the lueeeit which had attended their effort!.

The Her. S. J. Neill spoke oa It* subject of "Early Impression!." Ha said that a great deal depended upon the moulding of the character of a child.when young, and compared the mind to a stream of water, which could easily be turned to go in the way desired, if it was taken in hand at the commencement of its career. The impressions made upon the minds of young people often had a great deal to do with their habits and conduct in their straggle through life's numerous battles.

Mr Jas. Benshaw ipoka upon "Th» encouragement of the Sabbath School teachers." He then went on to iaj that in every work which folki engaged in, unless a greal deal of encouragement wai received, ttey were most likely to fail, and so it was with Sabbath School teaching. Sunday aehoola wen being established all OTer the world, and a large amount of good was being accomplished, but nowhere was the result as plainly risible aa it was in America. Sabbath schools were now considered neoessary for the rising generations, in order to* bring the children up -rightly. He eon* eluded by stating he was glad to hear such an encouraging report of the tehooU and hoped it would continue to prosper. The Bor. G. Smith addressed the meeting on " The nature and importance of Sabbath School tuition." He said that when he spoke of religious tuition eoa> nected with a religious body it must be of a strictly religious nature. The secular education had to do more with the intellect of the mind, and the religious education that of the heart; «ac was to tccompliih the affairs of life, and the otkeW to help to do it in a proper manner. If children were to be started in the time course of life they must hare teachers to point out the right and true principles. Then he would say that the tuition must be in earnest, especially in Sabbath School . tuition, for if the child was trained well when young to walk in the right path it was not likely to go astray when grown up. Therefore they must have teachers who were earnest in their work, and show the children that they were really so. The Bey. S. Laishley made a few remarks, after which Mr Watkin's ad* dreis on " The qualification of a sueeeas* ful Sabbath School Teacher' 1 was postponed until next Monday. Mr G, A. Buttle then moved a rote ef thanks to all who had contributed toward* proTfding trays for the tea, to the ladiei who had waited on the tables, to thai choir for the creditable manner in which the singing had passed off, and to Messrs Samuel and Henry Meackem, and Mr Vivian for the part which they had taken in leaning the children the

hymni. This wai seconded by Mr Mitchell, and carried by acclamation, and after tht 4oxologjr Urn ft9diMc« dispersed,