One of the prettiest features of the service in this department is the offering of the birthday pennies.  All the members who have had a birthday during the week come forward to put a penny for each year into the basket.  Then the class stands up and recites a verse and sings a song on birthdays.  Very pretty and inspiring both verse and song are, and then the honored ones return to their seats, wishing, no doubt, they had a birthday every week.

The taking of the offering is also a pretty ceremony.  Verses on giving are recited by the children, then one small child takes his stand in the doorway, holding the basket, and the children all march by and drop in their pennies.

The intermediate department claims the next oldest children.  It is led by an orchestra composed of members of the Sunday School, and the singing is joyous and spirited.  The superintendent walks around among the scholars during the opening exercises, smiling, encouraging, giving a word of praise, urging them to do better.  The fresh, clear voices rise clear and strong.  Outside, on Broad Street, people stop to listen.  Men lean up against the windows and drink in the melody.  No one knows what messages of peace and salvation those songs carry out to the throng on the city street.

The classes of the senior department meet in the various rooms of the college, and the adult class in the auditorium of The Temple.  This Dr. Conwell conducted himself for a number of years, until pressure of work compelled him to use these hours for rest.  A popular feature of his service was the question box, in which he answered any question sent to him on any subject connected with religious life or experience or Christian ethics in everyday life.  The questions could be sent by mail or handed to him on the platform by the ushers.  They were most interesting, and the service attracted men and women from all parts of the city.  The following was one of the questions, during the year of building the college: 

“Five thousand dollars are due next week, and $15,000 next month.  Will you set on foot means to raise this amount or trust wholly to God’s direction?”

And the pastor answered from the platform: 

“I would trust wholly in God’s direction.  This is a sort of test of faith, and I would make it more so in the building of the College.  I do not know for certain now where the money is to come from next Wednesday; I have an idea.  But a few days ago I did not know at all.  I do not see where the $15,000 is to come from in December unless it be that the Feast of Tithes will bring in $10,000 towards it; that would be a marvelous sum for the people to give, but if it is necessary they will give it.  We are workers together with God.  I have partly given up my lecture work this month, as the church thought it was best, but suppose there should come to me from Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, or some other place a call to go and lecture on the 10th or