6. The American Sunday School Union.—The earliest Sunday-school organizations in North America were a Sunday School Union in New York City in 1816, another in Boston the same year, and still another in Philadelphia in 1817. These were combined in 1824 into a national society known as The American Sunday School Union. This society, through its large corps of missionaries, plants new Sunday-schools, especially on the frontier. It conducts a large publishing establishment at its headquarters in Philadelphia, and has done and is doing a great work.

7. The National Sunday School Convention.—The first national interdenominational convention in the United States was held in the city of New York in 1832. Delegates were present from fourteen states and four territories. A second convention was held in the city of Philadelphia, the following year, 1833. Not until 1859 was the third convention held, and this one also in the city of Philadelphia. In 1869, in Newark, N. J., may be said to have begun the present series of great conventions in our country, for they have been held triennially from that time until the present. The fourth and last strictly national convention was held in the city of Indianapolis in 1872. Here the International System of Uniform Lessons had its birth. The International Lessons went into use January, 1873. They are selected by a committee appointed by the International Convention, co-operating with a similar committee appointed by the Sunday School Union of London. It was decided that the next convention should be international in character, and include the Dominion of Canada.

8. International Sunday School Movement.—International conventions have been held triennially since 1875.

The International Sunday School Association administers its affairs through an Executive Committee of nearly one hundred men, representing every state, province, territory and country in and belonging to North America. In its main Association, and through its auxiliaries, it employs a large number of Sunday-school workers in its various departments. It is supported by the voluntary offerings of Sunday-schools and individuals. Under its auspices are held annually about sixteen thousand Sunday-school conventions, the purpose of which is to give information, stimulation, and education along all lines of Sunday-school work.

9. Auxiliary Associations.—The various states, provinces, territories and countries of North America maintain associations auxiliary to the International Sunday School Association. The oldest existing organization is that of the Province of Quebec, which has been in continual operation since 1836. The states and provinces, for the most part, maintain annual conventions. Auxiliary to these auxiliaries are the associations of the counties or next smaller political divisions. In the thickly settled portions of the country, still smaller organizations are effected in the townships and cities.

10. The World's Sunday School Association.—The First World's Sunday School Convention was held in the city of London, England, in 1889, about two hundred and fifty delegates attending from North America. The Second World's Convention was held in connection with the Seventh International Convention at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1893. The Third World's Convention was held again in London in 1898. Three hundred delegates were present from North America. The Fourth World's Convention was held in Jerusalem, Palestine, in 1904. Over eight hundred delegates attended from North America, and nearly five hundred from Great Britain, traveling in chartered steamships. The World's Fifth Sunday School Convention was held in the city of Rome, Italy, in 1907, with over eleven hundred delegates. And there the World's Sunday School Association was organized, to hold conventions, gather statistics, and to co-operate with other organizations in increasing the efficiency of Sunday-schools throughout the world. The World's Sixth Sunday School Convention is to be held in Washington, D. C., 1910.

Test Questions

1. What is the Sunday-school?

2. Give instances of the earliest schools for the study of God's Word.

3. Describe what is known as the Raikes movement.