75TH ANNIVERSARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 220, 16 September 1940, Page 2

75TH ANNIVERSARY.

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. CELEBRATIONS NEXT WEEK. Commencing with a procession of witness and thanksgiving service, the Auckland Sunday ScHool Union on Sunday next will begin the celebration of ite seventh-fifth anniversary. On the following Thursday evening a reunion banquet of Sunday school workers will be held and on the Saturday evening there will be a scholars' rally in the Town Hall. The Sunday School Union had its origin when in the early 'sixties the then Auckland postmaster, Mr. Seering H. Matthews, found himself with several packages addressed to "The Superintendent. Sunday School, Xew Zealand." which he was at a loss to deliver. Thev proved to be annual report* of the London Sunday School Union and Mr. Matthews passed them on to people interested in Sunday School work. Thus the foundation was laid for the establishing of * Sunday School Union in Auckland and in 1865 the scheme was launched. The original schools forming the union were the Edwaivies Street, Newton Congregational, Wellesley Street. Albert Street Congregational, City Mission and High Street, which together had a total of 112 teachers and 902 scholars. The union has now affiliated with it 344 schools, and 2COO teachers and about 2:j.000 scholars. Tlie first president was Mr. S. H. Smith, with Mr. Benjamin Cunningham as vice-president, Mr. Gilbert Carson as secretary and Mr. Edward Glanville as treasurer.