138 A HALF CENTURY. 



that of Mrs. Chester Hart who taught a class of young ladies, will be 

 remembered with gratitude. 



Before closing let me refer briefly to Mrs. C. B. Erwin and Mrs. G. 

 M. Landers, whose work and labors of love in the church and kindly 

 deeds of charity in the community will ever live in our memory. If I 

 were to express my feelings in regard to these workers in one word I 

 should say, they were faithful, and as such I believe they have received 

 the reward of those to whom it was said by our Saviour, "Well done, 

 thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few 

 things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the 

 joy of thy Lord." 



THE PRIMARY CLASS. 

 Mrs. Charles Peck, Superintendent of Primary Department, 



The primary class connected with this Sunday-school was first 

 formed about 1858 by Miss Mary Bassett, now Mrs. Mumford, of Phil- 

 adelphia. 



In response to a letter, asking for information concerning those early 

 days, Mrs. Mumford writes : ' ' The infant class was organized and 

 held its sessions, as long as I was connected with it, in a forlorn little 

 room in the southwest corner of the basement of the old South church. 

 I remember quite well a number of little German faces in that 

 first group, but recall the name of only one, Willie Siering, — this be- 

 cause he was a restless little fellow, I suppose. Poor little things! I 

 am afraid they did not learn much from their inexperienced and irre- 

 sponsible teacher, and their surroundings could not suggest much of 

 earthly or heavenly comfort. We taught them Bible verses and 

 hymns, and gave them attendance tickets and picture cards ; and I 

 have no doubt they were very glad when it was all over and they 

 were allowed to go home. The kindergarten light had not dawned 

 upon us then, and the new South church, with all its lovely incen- 

 tives, was but a dream." Some of Mrs. Mumford's pupils still retain 

 pleasant memories of her sunny face and kindly ways, and did not 

 find the sessions as tedious as she represents. 



Soon after, Mrs. Frederick North became the teacher, the class num- 

 bering about twenty. Mrs. North was eminently fitted for this work, 

 her personal charms and winsome manners making her most attractive 

 to the little folks under her charge. Every Christmas she invited the 

 children to her own beautiful home, beginning with a party of twen- 

 ty-two and increasing each year, till even her spacious parlors could 

 not accommodate her guests, and she was obliged to hold her Christ- 

 mas gatherings in the chapel. In Deacon Wiard's report, at the semi-cen- 

 tennial of the " Sunday-school Union," he says of her : " By her great 



