The first Sunday School was started
in
Lexington, Mississippi, by Professor L.W. Lee in
1908. Professor Lee was the Principal of the College at Natchez,
Miss. He was saved under Elder C. P. Jones in 1895. He was the
first Sunday School Superintendent of the Church.
In 1916 in St. Louis, Missouri Elder F. C. Christmas ( Father
Christmas ) led Sunday School classes with nine women and three
men. After two months he introduced quarterlies. Some of the
Saints battle against these books. Bishop
Mason was called to St. Louis, and after seeing the
results of the Sunday School saw that it was good for the Church.
In 1917, Overseer C. Bostic of Missouri had Eld. Christmas
come to the National Convocation to present the Sunday School
Professor Courts of Lexington, Miss. was in charge of the National
Sunday School. After hearing Father Christmas, Professor Courts
acknowledged that he was the man for the job. Mother Lizzie
Robinson also believed that Father Christmas was the man for
the job.
In 1924, Elder F. C. Christmas was appointed National Superintendent
of Sunday School by Bishop Mason. After building the Sunday
School Department in every state, a Assistant was needed. Elder
L. C. Patrick was added to the National Sunday School. In 1944
Bishop Patrick became the National Superintendent. A National
Sunday School Congress along with YPWW Congress began to meet
in 1946. In 1951, the First National Sunday School Convention
convened in Kansas City. Missouri.
In 1945 Bishop S. Crouch of Northern California appointed
Elder H. C. Johnson as State Sunday School Superintendent, He
in turn appointed Missionary Lucille Cornelius to be his Chairlady,
the First in woman to work with the women in the Sunday Department.
Mother Jones of Arkansas became the first National Field Representative
under Bishop Patrick. In 1967 Bishop C. W. Williams became the
National Sunday School Superintendent.
In 1968 under the direction of Bishop
Roy Winbush of Louisiana, the Publishing House
in Memphis, Tenn was started. In 1993 Bishop Jerry Macklin of
California was appointed National Superintendent. Along with
him is Sis. Gloria Smith of Washington as his National Field
Representative.
In Memphis 1999 the International Sunday School was truly
International, the Sunday School was live on the web during
the World's Greatest Sunday School. After the election of the
Bishop G.E. Patterson at Memphis 2000, Bishop
Alton Gatlin of Louisiana has been appointed to take
to Sunday School new and greater levels, Along with Missionary
Georgia Macklin-Lowe of Tennessee our Sunday School is in great
hands. Look for us to continue to make history.
