First Sunday School Convention in Crittenden County

First Sunday School Convention

Our churches have always been an important part of our past history. From the archives of the Crittenden Press we learn of the first Sunday School convention held in Crittenden County.
Rev. James F. Price was there and shared this history with the Press.

June 7, 1888 - History of the Kentucky Sunday School Union In Crittenden County. By James F. Price.

One of the first Sunday school mass meetings in Crittenden County was a denominational mass meeting held at Piney Fork Church about 1875 or 1876. The schools were represented as classes, and each class sang by itself.

 The next meeting of this kind was held at Bethel Church in 1879. It was called a Sunday School Celebration, and was non denominational.

The next one was held at Union church in the summer of 1880, and was very successful. These meetings were prior to any organization of the Kentucky Sunday School Union in this county.

The next meeting of this kind was held at Piney Fork church in the fall on 1880.  At this meeting at Piney Fork which was a very enthusiastic and full meeting, Rev. Crumbaugh stated the relation in which he stood to the county as the representative of the Kentucky Sunday School Union, and the name of the bi-annual meetings were changed from Celebration to Convention.This was the origin of the organization of the Ky. Sunday School Union in Crittenden County.

The next convention was held at Chapel Hill in the spring of 1881. Both of these meetings were largely attended and full of interest.

At the Hurricane Convention the county was divided into four districts and a district superintendent appointed for each. This districting the county is due to the efforts of Uncle Wesley Minner.

The next convention was appointed for Marion, but for a want of cooperation the convention was not held.

The county convention having failed to meet in Marion, Oak Grove gave an invitation for the Convention to meet there; this was in the fall of 1882. This was a good meeting. At this convention it was decided to have only one convention a year.

The next convention was held at Crooked Creek church in the fall of 1883. The county was now reported in the minutes of the State Convention as a banner county; this is, completely organized. This organization had been perfected at Hurricane, two years before. 

The next convention was held at Lily Dale in the fall of 1884, and was one of the fullest conventions we have ever held, about 1500 persons present.

The next convention was held at Post Oak in the fall of 1885. It was a very unfavorable day, but the State visitor, S. F. Wishard, who was present, pronounced it a success.

In the fall of 1886 the Convention was held at the Lead Mines, and was marked for its earnest work and enthusiasm.

The last convention was held at Chapel Hill, in the summer of 1887. It was well attended and productive of much good.