YOUTH WORK.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19643, 12 June 1929, Page 7

YOUTH WORK.

address to presbytery. The monthly meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery was held yesterday, the Moderator, the Kev. J. Miller, presiding. Reports concerning visitations to Waiau and to St. John's, Lyttclton, were received, the first being read by the Rev. J. Anderson on behalf of Mr W. E. Hutchison, and the other by the Eev. L. McMaster. "Youth Work" was the subject of an address by the Eev. B. M. Ryburn, who, in opening, said they were up against two very great difficulties. The first of th:se was the geographical difficulty. At present, he said, the'« was no vital connexion between the Church and the Sunday Schools, the result being that many of the latter became linked up with schools of other denominations. The geographical features of New Zealand, he added, were responsible for that. The second difficulty was selfcomplacency, which applied chiefly to the Sunday Schools. What was wanted to-day was the destruction of that element and a longing on the part of the teachers to do better. The sin of looking to the past was very great indeed. The speaker then made reference to the value of co-operation, saying that Melbourne had helped the work in New Zealand greatly, especially as regards the provision of printed matter. Mentioning the Religious Education Council in New South Wales, at which he was present, Mr Ryburn said Church of England men, who understood children 'a religious education most clearly, were co-operating magnificently _ with the other denominations. A conierence of a similar nature which would discuss the whole question of religious education for the children of New Zealand would be held at Canterbury College on September 3rd, 4th, and sth, the speaker adding that it was hoped that Bishop West-Watson would act as president for all New Zealand. "An outstanding need in our churches i. to train and teach our teachers said Mr Ryburn. "They must know to teach, but what to teach, thorough knowledge of the Bibie was essential. The Sunday Schoo. and Bible Class leaders were tne grafted of the Church, and it was their dutv, he said, to see that they were properly equipped. ih»y wcr. le .ar. ine from the old reference me.hod o. instructing number,. Smaller groups | together with a written course were now be'ne adopted Boys of the ages o* il, 12. and i 3 were tr -°, sc - V 1 must ' retain. continued Mr Ry'burn. To do this Sunday School must made ir.terestinz. Their dignity, which was developed early in Lun.an life, was broken if they v. ere placed in classes with javeniirs. What was needed was an intermediate detriment. There should be lilt'.e difficulty in brirging this about, concluded the speaker, as there was no reason why classes could not be separated.