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BOARD FOR FREEDMEN

T

EDWARD P. COWAN, D.D., Secretary.

ALICE LEE ELLIOTT MEMORIAL HALL

HE Alice Lee Elliott Memorial Hall, which has just been finished, has been built with money given by Mr. David Elliott, formerly of Lafayette, Ind., but now residing in Minneapolis, Minn.

This contribution was made with the understanding that the school should hereafter be known as the Alice Lee Elliott Memorial Institute. It was formerly known as Oak

of the school for some six or seven years, and has done much in the way of securing more land at reasonable rates, and of organizing the school into an Agricultural and Industrial Institute than any of his prede

cessors.

Mr. Flickinger writes as follows:

"I have the desire to make this school a model industrial educational institution, and

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FREEDMEN

in all our plans of advancement. But now with the completion of the girls' hall we have made a good start forward, and the boys have discovered what they can do when rightly managed. Their interest has been awakened and enlisted. That interest must be maintained and utilized for the further benefit of both themselves and the permanent advancement of the institution. This can be done only by providing for them varied and some of the right kind of employment during term time.

"During the term all the boys are expected and required to work three hours at the close of every afternoon, after spending from six and one-half to seven hours at their books each day in the academy, and on Saturday from early morning until half-past two or three o'clock in the afternoon. They are not paid for this work. It is training work, the same as the work on their books in the school

room.

"Agriculture is taught from a dozen text books. Carpentry, painting, bee keeping, masonry and cooking are taught by rule from text books also provided.

"This work does not find place for any mention in our reports. We do not pay for it, it is part of the required return of the student for the privileges he enjoys on being received as a boarding student, at the nominal rate of twenty-five dollars for the term of seven months.

"The student labor that finds a place in my monthly and annual reports is that which is done by them during the vacation period, and the two farm boys who run the team, one in the forenoon and the other in the afternoon during the term.

"This opportunity to labor affords the boy without money the opportunity to work his way, and find a home in the school family.

"This statement of the work scheme indicates clearly that it is a constantly enlarging one, with an increasing enrollment of students, and that it should by all means be intelligently provided for beforehand, so all are kept profitably busy during the term period with permanent improvement work, and the farm work only during the vacation period, except when it cannot be conveniently otherwise arranged.

"We have this year a doubly large crop to gather in September, October and November.

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Six hundred dollars ought to be solicited for needed improvements, including a barn.

"I am aware that you will feel a little surprised at the aggressive suggestions just made, because the Board does not have at hand the funds for all these objects. I trust you will not put a check upon me, because I have frankly stated the lines on which we must make the next advance movement, and move as rapidly as the student force will enable us to do so in term time.

"I enclose my check for $100 more on the furniture, August tenth, and will follow it with other similar gifts on the furniture and proposed land purchases, that no serious embarrassment may come to the Board as a result of our pushing things along in the right direction at the right time at the Oak Hill Farm."

WHY HE WANTS A BOARDING SCHOOL

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N regard to making this school a boarding school we do not urge it. We have had some boarders each year. Their parents have asked us to take other children, and so urgent were their requests that we could not deny them. And as a rule they are of the class who cannot attend our other coeducational boarding schools, either because of their poverty, or because they can be spared from the farm only a few months in the year.

"To deny such the privilege offered here would seem like shutting the door of hope in their faces.

"Last winter we had three girls from the country. They came on the fourth of January. It was all well until it began to get a little warm. Just as soon as the hardest of the winter was over, their fathers sent for them. One left Friday afternoon. Monday morning she took her place at the plough. I suppose the others did likewise. Two of them wrote us thanking us for what we had done for them, even in that short time-only two months. The boys fall out even earlier than the girls. We are using all the persuas-. ion possible to get these fathers to make more sacrifices, that they may be able to give their children a better chance in life. They will do this when they see the light."

PUBLICATION AND SABBATH SCHOOL WORK

ALEXANDER HENRY, D.D., Secretary.

THE INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL CON

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VENTION

UNDAY SCHOOL workers, of all denominations, were interested in the Convention of the International Sunday School Association held in San Francisco, June 20-27, 1911.

Descriptions of the Convention have appeared in the religious press, but little has been said of the resolutions. It is understood that the resolutions of an International Sunday school Convention are intended to embody the views of the delegates upon some of the more vital and pressing subjects that would naturally claim their attention.

It will be impossible to quote the resolutions in full, but readers of THE ASSEMBLY HERALD will be glad to see a summary of them as full as our space will allow :

The Thirteenth InternaGeneral Survey. tional Sunday school Convention, meeting in San Francisco, reviews, with gratitude to God, the marvelous progress made by the Sunday schools of our field since the Louisville Convention, and looks forward hopefully to yet greater progress in the years

to come.

We recognize in this gathering of Christian men and women, members of so many denominations, a conspicuous evidence and manifestation of the essential unity of the Church. We believe that no other organization has been more helpful in bringing about this unity, and we pledge ourselves to strive, in the future, as in the past, to promote the fellowship and cooperation of Christians of every name. Rejoicing in the service the International Sunday School Association has been able to render to the denominations in the providing of lessons and the improving of methods of work, we are desirous of being yet more helpful as we learn the ways in which we can most effectively plan and work together.

Meeting in the City of the Golden Gate, we

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We recognize, with thanksA World-wide giving, the widening and Vision. deepening missionary spirit manifested in every department of Sunday school work. We rejoice in the cooperation of the International Sunday School Association with the World's Association, and hope that the Sunday school workers of the International Sunday School Association will feel an ever-growing interest in the effort to carry the gospel into every land, and particularly to give to missionary lands the advantages of the organized Sunday school work that we enjoy. We favor the organization of missionary departments in every state, province, and county association. We urge our schools to appoint missionary committees; to give systematic missionary instruction; to enter into the missionary policy of their respective denominations in order that increased offerings for missionary purposes may be secured, and the boys and girls of our Sunday schools may grow up filled with enthusiasm for the work which is hastening the day when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

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SABBATH SCHOOL WORK

its influence. We should, therefore, strive, as we increase the efficiency of our schools, to enlarge the number to whom they minister. In every community there are many not now attending the Sunday school who should be enjoying the opportunity it affords for the study of the Word of God. Let an earnest appeal go forth from this Convention to Sunday school workers everywhere to endeavor, unceasingly, to increase the membership of their schools and thus enlarge their opportunities for service.

Evangelism in the Sunday school.

Realizing how easily we may become absorbed in the pursuit of things not essential, we would remind ourselves and our fellow workers that the supreme end of our Sunday school work is the salvation of souls. Unless this be secured, we toil in vain. Let us, therefore, plan and work and pray for this result, and be satisfied with no achievement that falls short of it. Relying upon God's promises, we will faithfully labor, assured that He will bless our efforts in the salvation of many precious souls.

The Bible in the Public Schools.

In consequence of the exclusion of the Bible from very many of our public

and other week-day schools, millions of our youth are growing up without any adequate knowledge of the Word of God. We are strongly of the opinion that the Bible should be found in every school. We therefore express our appreciation of the efforts of the legislators who have arranged for the use of the Bible in the public and week-day schools of their states or provinces. and we urge all Sunday-school workers to continue their influence in persuading legislators in other states and provinces to follow the good example.

We commend earnestly to The Promotion all Sunday schools faithof Temperance. fulness and diligence in such use of the Temperance Lessons as shall educate every member for Total Abstinence, the Destruction of the Liquor Traffic, the Extinction of the Cigarette Habit, and the surrender of every self-indulgence which impairs or destroys the power to render service to God and to man.

Recognizing the value and importance of the World's Temperance Sunday as a special occasion of temperance instruction and temperance pledge signing, we urge the observ

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ance of that day in every Sunday school; and we earnestly request that in the schedule of Graded Lessons, as in the Uniform Lesson Plan, World's Temperance Sunday school Lessons shall be provided.

In hearty cooperation with other agencies, the Sunday school pledges itself to unceasing warfare against the legalized saloon, looking with unfaltering confidence for the coming of that day when we may join the song of triumph-"Thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

The teachings of God's Marriage and Word are continually vioDivorce. lated by the increasing number of divorces granted in our own and other lands. In the consequent breaking up of families multitudes of children are made to suffer grievously. The International Sunday School Association would favor the submission of an amendment to the Federal Constitution relegating the control of all questions of marriage and divorce to the Federal Congress; and it exhorts all American states and provinces to take action to secure a uniform marriage law conforming to the highest standards.

International Peace.

The International Sunday School Association, having learned through an experi

ence of more than thirty-five years, how good and pleasant it is for brethren of different nations to dwell together in unity, declares itself as favoring, most heartily, the promotion of international peace, and the settlement of all international questions of dispute by arbitration. Representing an enrollment of more than 16,000,000, we unitedly lift up our voices asking our respective governments to adopt the arbitration treaty already negotiated, and to do all in their power to hasten the day when men shall learn war no more, and shall be free to devote themselves to the pursuit of peace.

In addition to the resolutions given above, there were resolutions upon the Advanced, now known as the Secondary, Division; the "Men and Religion Forward Movement;" the death of two of our state secretaries, Mr. W. C. Shaefer and Mr. E. A. Fox; together with the expression of sincere thanks to the many friends who helped to make the convention so delightful and helpful.

S

REV. A. N. KEIGWIN, D.D.

HALL the Presbyterian Church fall behind in the great forward movement of the age?

There is no branch of industry where provision is not made for its aged servants.

Railroad corporations have for many years cared for their old employes.

Great mercantile establishments have more recently felt the throb of human interest in the welfare of those who are sedulously caring for their interests in the production and sale of merchandise. The government provides pensions for the officers and enlisted men of the army and a movement has recently begun looking towards a pension for lettercarriers, mail clerks and others in its employ.

All the great cities in the country are providing for the aged and infirm who serve the public interests in arduous and hazardous employments.

Boston has for a number of years retired the members of her fire department on half pay at the age of sixty-five years, and the acting mayor of that city has recently signed a bill providing annuities in old age for the public school teachers.

On July 24, Mayor Gaynor of the City of New York, signed a bill providing a pension system for the humblest employes of that great city, the street cleaners.

Germany has for years pensioned the aged, without reference to public service, simply on the grounds of sympathy for those who have lived beyond the period of productiveness.

England is moving in the same direction. Political economists in every civilized nation are urging the movement for such provisions upon economic grounds. It may therefore be called a world movement. It indicates a world-wide awakening of the conscience of mankind. It appeals to humanity with a pathos that stirs the coldest and hardest hearts. Now, we ask again the question, Shall the Presbyterian Church fall behind in this great forward movement of the age?

The General Assembly at its last meeting in Atlantic City, placed great emphasis on this

cause. The Church has, through the Board of Relief, been for years making a limited provision for ministers and their widows and orphans in confessed want.

Now, the Assembly feels that something more ought to be and can be done for its aged and infirm servants. After carefully considering the subject, it has organized for this forward movement, The Ministerial Sustentation Fund. This is a plan upon a purely business basis. It has been carefully worked out by reliable actuaries of life insurance. It is therefore not an experiment. It brings to the Church a plan that is perfectly safe, and which commends itself to the best business intelligence in the Church. It offers a method by which the gifts of Christian people can do good now and continuously through generations to come. It provides an annuity or pension for aged ministers and their families by a plan which the ministers themselves can feel that they have been sharers in making effective. In nearly, if not all of the pension systems referred to, the prospective beneficiaries are required during their years of active service to contribute a share of the cost. About the only exception is that of the United States Army pension system. But the fact must not be overlooked that a Church has not the authority or power to levy a tax upon its membership, as the government has upon the people, in order to meet the cost of a pension system for its ministers.

The funds must be secured through voluntary contributions and the membership of the Church will contribute more freely and generously to a pension fund to which the ministers themselves contribute during their years of active service. It is always a pleasure to help those who are disposed to do what they can to help themselves.

The Sustentation Fund is an agency that should arouse the interest and sympathy of the entire membership of the Presbyterian Church.

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