Southern Christian Advocate

AN INTERESTING FACT.

In the year 1817, the first Sunday School, we believe, organized in the State of Virginia, was opened in this town, in connection with the Methodist Episcopal Church; George Walker, Jas. McGhee and John Thurman--the last of whom still survives, a useful, venerable and respected citizen of Lynchburg. In a very short time two hundred scholars, of both sexes, were collected, many of whom had no other opportunity of acquiring the slightest education. It is not possible to say what amount of good may have been done by even a single year's operation of the School. We confine ourselves to an allusion to two cases which have been brought to our notice.

Among the first scholars who attended, was a slim, spare youth, who manifested a capacity and desire for improvement. That youth grew up—removed to the West—studied law and has long been known to the nation, as the Hon. William Allen, late a senator of the United States from the State of Ohio.

In the second year of the School, there was entered as a scholar a younger boy of prepossessing appearance and deportment. He was the son of one of three persons named as the founders of the School, and is now the Hon. Isaac P. Walker, a Senator in Congress from the State of Wisconsin. Two members of the Senate of the United States, therefore, during the last session, were among the first pupils of the first Sunday School establishment in our town, and, as we believe, in the State.-Lynchburg Virginian.