General Conference Bulletin, vol. 6

GENERAL CONFERENCE SABBATH-SCHOOL

L. F. PLUMMER

Sabbath Morning, 9:30

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY, MRS. L. F. PLUMMER

WASe

The first session of the General Conference Sabbath-school was held at 9:30, Sabbath morning, May 15, 1909, the school meeting in three divisions. The large audience, filling solidly the entire seating space in the large pavilion, made it impracticable to divide the senior pupils into classes. All joined heartily in the opening praise song, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” After the responsive reading of the ninety-sixth psalm, Elder R. M. Kilgore offered prayer. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.12

A review of past lessons in the Life of Christ series was conducted by Prof. C. C. Lewis. An impressive feature of the review was the concert reading by the school of a chain of leading texts setting forth the leading events in the life of the Saviour from his infancy to his baptism. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.13

Elder F. M. Wilcox taught the lesson for the day, based upon Matthew 3:13 to 4:11, giving the account of the baptism of Jesus and the temptations in the wilderness. One of the most helpful thoughts developed was that as Jesus was strengthened in the hour of his greatest temptation by his memory of the Father’s loving words, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” so we may be enabled to overcome every temptation of the enemy by remembering the relationship we are privileged to claim—that of being sons of God. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.14

In the kindergarten division, dusky, dark-eyed children from China and the dark continent joined heartily with fairhaired ones from America and Europe in the opening song and in repeating the Lord’s prayer. Mrs. Alice Bourdeau conducted the review, after which the little ones surrounded the kindergarten tables for the study of the lesson. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.15

An interesting feature of the exercises for the intermediate division was a missionary talk by Miss Ida Thompson, who told of the Chinese Sabbath-school in Canton, China, and described some of the peculiar customs of that country. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.16

The attendance in the senior division was 1,306; the number in the children’s divisions, 167; making a total of 1,473. The total donation to missions was $125.67. School closed by singing. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.17