THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
English consul; it was followed by a few others, but continued only a short time. In 1851 P Palmquist of the same city saw the exhibit of 7. In Other ,sunci;1y.school work in the great exhi- European kMon at London, and began a Sundayschool for the poor children on his return, which became the germ of the system of the free (Baptist, Wesleyan, and Congregational) churches of Sweden. In 1853 Lady Ehrenburg began a similar school, which introduced the system into the State church. For twenty years the new system had a slow growth. In the first five years of this century, greater activity in extension and improvement of Sunday-schools has been secured through special missionaries, though in 1909 there were districts and provinces where Sunday-schools are unknown. Holland has a strong Sunday-school society, chiefly supported by the free and Evangelical churches, that for several years has promoted the extension and improvement of Sunday-schools, resulting in about 200,000 children in 2,000 schools. In Switzerland Sunday-schools are popular in all the German Evangelical cantons. The system has been adapted to the special conditions of the people, training of teachers, and the latest improved methods are studied in the land of Zwingli and of the Reformed churches. In the French cantons of Switzerland, the modern Sunday-school method has been in use for over fifty years. " Childrens' services " have been held, the children being grouped in classes, each class in charge of a teacher for " catechetical exercises," followed by the general address of " instruction " by the minister, the course of study being Old-Testament history and New-Testament doctrines. In the land of the Huguenots, Sunday-schools early found a footing, but not a hearty welcome. The upheaval in civil affairs, the domination of the Roman Catholic priesthood, and the disruption of Church and State in France in this century have prevented a wide extension of Bible-study. Lately there has been a revival of interest, the Protestant churches have a wide-open door, the Gospel can be extended freely by the best Sunday-school methods, and the opportunity for a large increase of the 1,200 Sunday-schools (with 74,000 members) never was brighter in France than since the separation of Church and State. Russia, under rigid laws, has hitherto frowned on Biblestudy save by those only who adhered to the Greek Church. Among the few dissenting or free churches of the empire, some Sunday-schools were founded. It was reported in 1910 that there were about 1,000 schools having about 66,000 scholars in Russia, taught in different languages, on the Dnieper, Volga, and Don rivers, and along the Black Sea. The system of Bible-study by the Sunday-school method is not welcome in the Greek Church. Bohemia, the land of Huss, has about a quarter of a million of Protestants, among whom Sunday-schools find favor; the greater number of Bible scholars, however, study at home; the home department generally outnumbering those in the schools. Italy was late in receiving the Sunday-school. It has a national committee and " Union " formed in 1891, which is still doing effective work in the extension of Sunday-schools in the face of great difficulties.
In Spain the Sunday-school exists by sufferance as do all Protestant bodies, though the spirit of religious toleration is gaining strength in the Spanish mind (see Spain, Evangelical Work in).
In the other countries of the world, except in India, Austria, and the Philippines and Hawaii, Sunday-school extension is dependent upon Protestant missions maintained by the missionary societies of Christian lands. The Sunday-schools are comparatively few, and can not be increased except through mission agencies. The efficiency and economy of the Sunday-school, modified to meet conditions in non-Christian lands, fit it for a far wider usefulness in propagating the Gospel than almost any other means within reach of the Church.
II. Sunday-school Societies. 1. In Great Britain : The magnitude of the task of " teaching the Bible to the world " attracted the attention of Christian philanthropists, and after several public conferences in London, William Fox, Jonas Hanway, Henry Thornton, and Thomas Raikes (brother of Robert Raikes) with three others formed The Society for the Support and Encouragement of Sunday-schools in England, Sept. 7, 1785. As its work extended beyond England, the title was changed some years later to include the British dominions. Owing to the long title, it was popularly known as " The Sunday-school Society." It leased rooms, employed teachers, and provided Bibles and books gratuitously. In 27 years it founded and aided 3,730 Sunday-schools, having 303,981 scholars, donating 8,001 Bibles, 70,537 Testaments, 329,695 spellingbooks and primers, and expending £4,383 15s 4d. After 1811 its work was limited to grants of classbooks and Scriptures. This society dissolved in 1864.
As the advantages of voluntary teachers and wholly gratuitous instruction became apparent, schools discontinued paid teachers altogether. Rowland Hill, pastor of Surrey Chapel, 1. London London, England, formed a Sunday- Sunday- gj.jjQQj on this purely voluntary plan. Union William Brodie Gurney, a young Christian layman, fired with zeal for this service by meeting William Fox, John Howard the philanthropist, and others, proposed a conference, to consider the extension of schools with voluntary teachers only. This was held in Surrey Chapel, July 13, 1803, and resulted in the formation of the London Sunday-school Union. This society is conducted by members of different Evangelical denominations, through a general committee of fiftyfour persons, who render service gratuitously. For more than a century, it has promoted the work in Great Britain by publishing suitable record and reading-books and other requisites at a low price, and by issuing cards, periodicals, and helps for teachers. The Sunday School Tcaclicrs Monthly Magazine, founded by its secretary, W F. Lloyd. in 1813, was a pioneer in that line and was conducted with rare ability. TJic Sunday-School Chronicle, now issued by the London Union each week, is the foremost periodical of its class in Great Britain. The Union, by means of auxiliary unions, extended the system throughout the British dominions. It has provided a system of teachers' training-classes