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NOTICES OF THE JUBILEE BY THE PRESS.

From the American Messenger.

SUNDAY SCHOOL JUBILEE YEAR.

The

The present year has been signalized by the Semi-Centennial celebration of many institutions in our land, which, during the fifty years of their history, have accomplished much for the glory of God and the welfare of man. year 1816 was distinguished for the extensive and powerful revivals that blessed large portions of New England and the Middle States, a marked result of which was the great impulse given to benevolent and religious efforts. That year witnessed the formation of the American Bible Society, the American Education Society, and the New York Sunday School Union, which a few years after merged itself, with a similar society in Philadelphia, into the American Sunday School Union. In various other places Sunday Schools were formed that year, which have been active and useful during the half century, have this year commemorated the event. Celebrations have thus been observed in Norwich, Conn.; in Washington, Penn.; in Charlestown, Mass., where the first Sunday School in that State was formed, under the care of Rev. Dr. MORSE; in Utica, N. Y., and elsewhere. One of these may be noticed as an illustration.

The Semi-Centennial of the School in Utica, October 20, was an occasion of hallowed interest, from the presence and reminiscences of many who had there received religious instruction, and from the letters of many others occupying important positions in the church and the State in different. parts of our own country, and at mission stations in heathen lands. It was stated that the sun never sets on the missionary fields occupied by those who were once connected with this Sabbath School. It has sent out seventeen ministers and fourteen missionaries, among whom were Rev. Dr. H.

G. O. DWIGHT, of Turkey, Dr. GRANT, of Persia, S. WELLS WILLIAMS, of China, W. F. WILLIAMS, of Assyria, JAMES GARRET and A. NORTH, of India. In addition to its own well-filled and active School, it has sustained several flour. ishing mission schools, and has continually been a nursery to the church, which has been distinguished for its Christian activity.

Two encouraging facts, among many others, were stated, illustrating the blessed results of the personal efforts of faithful teachers for the salvation of their scholars. WALTER KING, Esq., distinguished for his biblical attainments, for many years conducted a large Bible Class, during which time over a hundred members of the class gave evidence that the instructions they had received had been blessed in their conversion. A female teacher of the School who was one of its founders, a lady of high culture and of devoted piety, before her death could point to a hundred of her scholars whom she had been the means of leading to the Saviour. The tributes to the faithfulness of TRUMAN PARMELE, GEORGE S. WILSON, and others of the superintendents and teachers, were frequent and most affectionate.

This school is another illustration of the great results that flow from the feeble efforts put forth in honor of Christ. It was established in 1816, by five young ladies, who were among the fruits of a precious revival, and who, in the ardor of their first love, sought thus to benefit the children of the poor, stimulated to the effort by reports of what had been accomplished in New York, by the labors of Mrs. DIVIE BETHUNE, daughter of the sainted ISABELLA GRAHAM. The young ladies met with no encouragement from the pastor or the older Christians, many of whom regarded the movement as a desecration of the holy Sabbath; but with the ardor of youthful enthusiasm and love for the Saviour, they went on, in spite of coldness and opposition, until its fruits became apparent, and it was recognized and cherished by the church, to which, for fifty years, it has proved a faithful auxiliary. Few schools in the country have been more useful, and many in the eternal world will bless the memory of those five young Christian ladies who,

a half century ago, commenced an enterprise whose influence and results have been felt in all parts of the world.

From the New York Evangelist.

UTICA SUNDAY SCHOOL JUBILEE.

CENTRAL NEW YORK, October 25, 1866.

Eds. Evangelist:-The State Convention at Utica did not exhaust the interest of its citizens in Sunday Schools, but gave it a new impetus. For some time past the First Presbyterian Church had been preparing to keep the Semi-Centennial of their noble and noted school, and it is now safe to say, that the result has overpaid the labor and exceeded the anticipation.

I was fortunate enough to come in at the closing scene (re-union) at Dr. FOWLER'S residence on Monday evening, and I found all parties in a high state of satisfaction with the experiences of the Jubilee season, then in its third and final day.

There was good reason for celebrating the Fiftieth Anniversary of the First Church School. No other west of New York, has a more memorable history. Rev. W. F. WILLIAMS, missionary to Assyria, recalls how New Orleans merchants used to time their journeys to New York so as spend the Sabbath in Utica, and visit the First Church Sunday School. It is also among my boyish memories how conspicuous above all sanctuaries Central New York could boast, towered the great tall-steepled "First," with its immense congregation and crowded school-rooms, and how almost interminable seemed the walk to my seat at the further end of the gallery, the first time I marched in, in company with numerous other students of CHARLES BARTLETT'S High School. It was a sight for man or boy in that day, to "walk around" this "Zion and mark well her palaces.

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It was a good thought, also, to "tell it to the generations following." Hence the Jubilee gathering at City Hall, Saturday evening last, of the past and present members of

the school, presided over by Judge BACON, an old Superintendent of the school, who was assisted by those equally enthusiastic friends and teachers of children, Hon. J. F. SEYMOUR, R. S. WILLIAMS, and WILLIAM TRACY. The first two, after Judge BACON's opening address, read letters, from old teachers dated from almost all parts of the known world, not omitting one from Pekin, sent by S. WELLS WILLIAMS, and another from Mardin, by Rev. W. F. WILLIAMS, Messrs. SHEPARD, of Hudson, TRACY and BURCHARD, of New York, CLARKE, of Detroit, and SEWARD, of Utica, made pleasant speeches, only inferior in interest to the more numerous ones delivered in all parts of the great hall, when the ceremonies proper of the tea-tables had been fairly inaugurated.

Sabbath morning the congregation at the First Church was swelled beyond its customary huge proportions to attend upon that part of the Jubilee services assigned to this hour. Dr. FOWLER preached from Ex. ii:9: "Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages." The auxiliary relation of the school to the church. was exhibited, and the special debt of obligation which this church had incurred to its vigorous and faithful helper. The effectiveness of the discourse may be judged by the fact that at the close an offer of $1,000 was sent to the pulpit to provide still larger accommodations for the school, too much straightened in its present liberal-sized rooms. By request, the boxes were passed through the congregation, and brought in nearly $5,000 in aid of the same object. So that a new school edifice is the next thing in order.

The afternoon was given to the children, who filled the body seats of the great church, leaving the side seats and galleries to the adults. Addresses were made by Messrs. WARNER and VERNON, of New York, Mr. SEYMOUR, of Utica, and Mr. CLARKE, of Detroit, Michigan.

A still bigger crowd of people came out to the third service, at 7 P. M. After the devotional exercises, R. S. WILLIAMS, Esq., the efficient Superintendent, read an elaborate paper giving the history and results of the past fifty years of the school. One of its items will be sufficiently sugges

tive, viz; that more than thirty ministers and missionaries. have been furnished the Church from this school, and among them some of the brightest names that shine in the constellation of Christian worthies, as, witness those of Drs. H. G. O. DWIGHT and ASAHEL GRANT. Among her ministers are found the names of Rev. Drs. H. S. CLARK, E. D. MORRIS, and E. BRIGHT, Rev. Messrs. GEO. S. WILSON, E. WILLIAMS, C. STEWART, O. BRONSON, W. F. WILLIAMS, J. H. DWIGHT, A. J. UPSON, S. L. MERRELL, and others. Memorable too are the names and influence of such teachers as TRUMAN PARMELE, WILLIAM CURTIS NOYES, THOMAS MAYNARD, GEO. TRACY, Mrs. OSTROM, Mrs. CARROLL, Mrs. WILLIAMS, Mrs. CLARKE, and many others.

Addresses of marked interest were delivered by Prof. A. J. UPSON, of Hamilton College, and Rev. Dr. BRIGHT, editor of the New York Examiner and Chronicle. Thus ended

a series of Sabbath services such as are seldom enjoyed in the experience of any one church, and whose impression will not be easily erased from the memory of the many hundreds permitted to attend upon them. The re-union at Dr. FOWLER'S was a fitting finale to the festival occasion.

One thing, however, remains to be done to render the influence of the Jubilee service complete, viz: a carefully compiled volume in which the results of the past fifty years of this favored school shall be preserved, for the perusal and encouragement of all friends of Sabbath Schools.

That history would speak more eloquently for the great cause now so prominently claiming the attention of the Church, than the most labored argument of our ablest Sunday School advocates. I have heard that such a volume is contemplated, and hope it may be speedily forthcoming.

From the Sunday School Times.

"FIFTY YEARS AGO." RE-UNION JUBILEE. SUNDAY SCHOOL SEMI-CENTENNIAL IN UTICA, NEW YORK.

A great occasion has just closed at Utica. It was the commemoration services of the first Sabbath School planting in this city, now so full of Sunday School gardens, and

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