Sabbath School Anniversary

Sabbath School Anniversary

Chautauqua County, NY


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The following was published in the Fredonia Censor newspaper  dated October 12, 1842


The Chautauqua County /Sabbath School Society met at the Presbyterian Church in Fredonia,  Sept. 1, 1842.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Raymond.  The Secretary being absent, Rev. E. Taylor was chosen Secretary of the meeting.

A committee was appointed to arrange the business of the meeting.  The Committee reported,
that a resolution be introduced by Mr. S. Rogers, seconded by Mr. Couch: 
2nd that a resolution be introduced by Rev. O. Street, seconded by Rev. Mr. Beardsley:
3d an Address by Rev. W. R. Rogers.
   
A Committee was appointed on nomination of officers of the Society for the ensuing year, which committee reported as follows:
H. Couch, President ; W. C. Nichols, A. W. Muzzy, John Hall, vice presidents; H. C. Frisbee, Secretary; 
J. H. Taylor, Treasurer; W. R. Rogers, Abram Jones, R. F. Fenton, H. M. Eddy, E. A. Dickson, Executive committee.
Executive Committee reported: Report accepted and referred.

Mr. S. Rogers presented the following resolution:
    Resolved, That as a generation is to be raised and trained with piety and moral courage
 sufficient to carry the gospel to the utmost limits of our world, no time should be lost in
securing the happy result ; which may be anticipated from the recent distribution of the
Testament in our County, and the advantages of Sabbath Schools.
This resolution was seconded by Rev. Mr. Beardsley:
    Resolved that every Sabbath School should consider itself an organized society, bound
    by the spirit of its constitution to use all suitable efforts to influence every child not already
    connected with some Sabbath School to form such a connection immediately.

Both these resolutions were sustained by appropriate remarks, and adopted. 
The meeting was addressed by Mr. W. R. Rogers.

Reports were made from the following towns,  viz:
    Arkwright -  3 schools;  182 scholars;  28 teachers;  327 books;   3 conversions
    Busti -          3 schools;  167 scholars;  28 teachers;    80 books;  43 conversions
    Charlotte  -  2 schools;  100 scholars;  15 teachers;  480 books;  21 conversions
    Ellicott -      6  schools   385  scholars  18 teachers;  590 books         
    Ellington -    1  schools;   75  scholars; 10 teachers;
    Pomfret -    13 schools  565  scholars; 78 teachers;   421 books;  21 conversions
    Portland -     8 schools  240  scholars; 32 teachers;   250 books   47 conversions
    Ripley -        4 schools  300  scholars
    Sheridan -    5 schools; 200  scholars;  40 teachers
    Sil. Creek (Vil.)        1 school   130 scholars;   21 teachers;  421 books;    1 conversions
    Villenova -  14 schools; 422 scholars;  75 teachers
    Westfield -   8 schools;  312 scholars;  65 teachers;  600 books  

[ It will be seen from the above, that while most of the reports made are very imperfect,
more than one-half of the towns in the county have made no report at all.  It is to be hoped
that the town directors appointed this year, and whose names are published in these proceedings,
will be prompt to forward full reports at the next anniversary.]

The children voted to send Rev. A. Montgomery to Cherry Creek and neighborhood
for one week, to organize Sabbath Schools.

    Voted: That the secretary of the Society be instructed to print the proceedings
    Of this meeting, and to notify each of the Town Directors in the County.

The following persons were appointed Town Directors for the ensuing year:

            Arkwright -   Elliott White
            Busti -  Thomas Danforth
            Carroll – Ebenezer Chapin
            Charlotte – E. B. Forbush
            Chautauque -  Seth Starr
            Cherry Creek – Clark Rosee
            Clymer – Luther Lakin
            Ellery – Henry Martin
            Ellicott – R. F. Fenton
            Ellington – Lewis Rice
            French Creek – A. O. Haines
            Gerry – Turner Partridge
            Hanover – Dr. Avery
            Harmony – Abner Lewis
            Mina – Isaac Hawley
            Pomfret – A. J. Cowels
            Poland – Sam’l B.  Winsor
            Portland – Warren Couch
            Ripley – S. M. Ely
            Sherman – Dea. Hall
            Sheridan -  N. Gray
            Stockton – Jason Crissey
            Villenova – Dr. Pierce
            Westfield – E. C. Bliss

After prayer, adjourned to meet at Jamestown during the anniversary week in 1843,
at a time and place and under an arrangement of business designated and published by
the executive committee. 


SOURCE - Fredonia Censor, October 12, 1842; copied by Donna Mills, 2002.