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Show Page 5<br><br>of the Sunday-school, was assassinated near the corner of Main and Third South streets. His body was carried into his Sunday-school room in Old Independence hall, which had just been built and dedicated (November 17, 1865). Mormon policy forbade the sale of lands to Gentiles. The occupation of certain Government lands by Dr. Robinson led to his assassination. Although this blow was not aimed at Dr. Robinson as superintendent of the Sunday-school, it was aimed at the Gentiles, and its effect was to terrorize the Gentiles of the city. Those were dark and gloomy days. Life in our church and school became extinct. Services in both were discontinued for six years, except for a short period of life in 1872, when Rev. Norman McLeod resumed his labors, but upon his resignation, before the close of the year, gloom again settled down upon the church. This continued until the beginning of 1874, when the Rev. Walter M. Barrows, having arrived under the auspices of the Home Missionary society on the preceding Christmas day, revived and reorganized the church and school. The first annual meeting of the church of which the church record gives us any knowledge was held in Independence hall, February 24, 1875. At this meeting the Rev. Walter M. Barrows was elected Sunday-school superintendent. Again, at the annual meeting of 1876 he was elected, but the records show no report of the Sunday-school for the preceding year. Prom 1876 to 1879 the church books show no record of any annual meetings being held. For a portion of this time Maj. Bradley was superintendent. In 1879 Judge P. T. Van Zile was elected to that position. At the annual meeting of the next year, 1880, Mr. L. E. Hall was elected superintendent, a position he filled for four years, a part of which time Prof. Edward Benner was assistant superintendent. In May, 1882, a teachers' meeting was held at the residence of Judge Van Zile. Very interesting, indeed, are the minutes of this first recorded Sunday-school meeting. In the school there were twenty-one teachers and officers, and as Mr. Hall reported: "For months all had been found in their places," a very remarkable condition of things, most surely. The names of these Sunday-school workers should be entered here in this history, for to these valiant workers is owing to a large extent the past success of not only the Sunday-school, but also of the church. Mr. L. E. Hall was superintendent; his assistants were Mrs. E. Benner, Miss Annie E. Chapman, Mrs. M. E. Jones, Mrs. E. T. Sprague, Miss Mary F. Fairchild, Mrs. M. G. Redall, Miss Lena Wakefield, Mrs. W. E. Smedley, Mrs. E. E. Blake, Mrs. Della R. Snow, Mrs. R. H. Robertson, Mrs. T. R. Jones, Miss Alice Keith, Mrs. L. E. Holden, Mrs. J. T. Lynch, Mrs. H. L. Anderson, Maj. Bradley, Professors Benner and Jones and Rev. Walter M. Barrows. At this meeting an average attendance of 114 for the school was reported. It is interesting to note that this was the highest average attendance in the history of the Sunday-school until last year, when the average was 116. We also note that there were 330 volumes at that time in the library. During these years Mrs. T. R. Jones was librarian. At the beginning it was stated that the fortunes of the Sunday-school have always been intimately associated with those of the church. Nowhere is this fact better illustrated than in the period 1884-1887. In 1884-'85 internal troubles caused a split in the church. The Sunday-school suffered with the church. For the next three years the average attendance fell to 87, 83 and 77, respectively. April 9, 1884, Mr. A. B. Peebles was elected superintendent, but upon his resignation, October 1st of that year, Mr. L. E. Hall was unanimously elected, and served until January 21st of the next year, when Mr. F. M. Bishop was elected, serving until 1889, when he was succeeded by Mr. Frank B. Stephens. More money was raised during the year 1884 for school, social and library purposes than during any other year in the history of the Sunday-school. In Mr. L. E. Hall's report for that year we find it stated: "Amount raised for Sunday-school and Christmas tree, $200; for library expenses, $63.75." January, 1891, Mr. A. J. Gorham was elected superintendent, holding office until January, 1895, when he was succeeded by Mr. A. W. Smith. The attendance reached its highest in 1894, being 116. During Mr. Gorham's administration much was done in the way of raising money for charities. In 1893 $65 was spent in food and clothing for the poor. In this same year the classes of Miss Bessie Sprague (Sharp) and Miss Austin raised $67.75, which went to the building fund of the new church. Our Sunday-school has been housed in various places. After its founding for a short period it was held at Good Templar's hall, Fort Douglas, after which it was moved to Daft's hall, on Main street; from there it went to Independence hall; upon the sale of that property it was held in Walker's opera-house until that building burned, when the school was held for a short time in the Salt Lake Theater, until the completion of Hammond hall. From Hammond hall it came into its quarters in the new church in the spring of 1892. <br>A. W. S. <br><br>Congregational Chinese Sunday-School and Evening School. This Sunday-school was started in September, 1881, by Miss Lena A. Wakefield (then a teacher in Salt academy), assisted by Dr. Barrows and Miss Annie E. Shepardson. At first there were but five Chinese present, but school grew steadily under their faithful labors. In a few months Miss Annie E. Chapman became a permanent teacher and [PHOTO: MRS. M. B. JONES] devoted worker. By the united efforts of these Christian friends, an evening school was opened July 12, 1883, in a small room over a Chinese store, but later was removed to Independence hall. With W. Gee Lee as assistant and Jong A. Loy as interpreter, Miss Chapman carried on the work for years after the other teachers were called away. These labors were greatly blessed with souls brought into the kingdom, and many members of the school united with the church. When Miss Chapman felt obliged to restrict her labors in this behalf it was a great loss to the work, which her Chinese friends felt most keenly. Others then rallied to the cause, and it may be truly said that the school has always had some friends who were willing and glad to stand by it in every emergency. On June 23, 1894, a new impetus was given to the work by the organization of a Chinese Christian association and evening school combined, under the auspices of the Congregational churches of Salt Lake City. These exercises, conducted by Rev. D. W. Bartlett, assisted by Mr. Chin King, resulted in twenty-three members to the school and ten members for the association. At this writing over 100 have been enrolled in the school, sixty-two in the Sunday-school, and twelve in the association. The first anniversary was celebrated by an entertainment with an audience of 800 people, and a collection of $9 for the cause. During five months of this time we have had the assistance of Mr. J. O. Loy, who, as teacher and interpreter, worked with untiring patience and faithfulness and won the esteem and affection of the entire school. The progress made is very encouraging. Five evenings each week are devoted to secular and two to Bible study. All can read in the Bible, and many are now able to use the fourth readers, also several have attended the public schools. The mission rooms in the First Congregational church are most comfortable and pleasant during all seasons, being well heated and lighted with electric lights. The school pays its own expenses and gives liberally to home and foreign mission work.<br><br> Christian Endeavor Society. The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of the First Congregational Church of Salt Lake City has an interesting and successful history. On January 7, 1887, the [PHOTO: MISS MAUD SMITH.] Society, being one of the first of the kind in Utah, was organized with sixteen active and five associate members. The Rev. J. Brainard Thrall, then pastor of the church, directed the organization. The initiative officers were R. A. Metcalf, president; Miss E. S. Danforth, vice-president; David A. Depue, secretary; Edna Kimball, treasurer. By the adoption of the constitution active members were declared to be "all young persons who believe themselves to be Christians," and associate members were "all young persons of worthy character who are not at present willing to be considered decided Christians." A perfect organization was effected, by which all classes interested in leading a Christian life could be reached. The "lookout committee" was appointed to bring new members to the society meetings, and introduce those who felt they were strangers. The prayer meeting committee took charge of all meetings, assigned the subjects and labored with others for the success of the |
