'CREED AND CHARACTER'

Evening Star, Issue 18741, 17 September 1924, Page 9

'CREED AND CHARACTER'

LECTURE BY DR HERRINGTON. Tho open night of the second term of the Otago School of Religious Education saw a large and interested assembly at Trinity Church, Moray place, to hoar tho lecture delivered by Dr E. N.' Herrington, of First Church, on the above subject, j The Rev. R. H. Knowles Kcmpton presided. After a hymn, short reading, arid prayer, the chairman addressed words of welcome to Dr Herrington. The welcome, he said, was without stmt and without limit. The doctor was noted for his clear and persuasive exposition, and he was sure the audience would have great pleasure in listening to tho lecture and participating in so worthy a anise. In, his opening remarks Dr Herrington congratulated Jthose responsible lon the establishment of the Otago School of Religious Education and the measure of success which had followed their steps. The city and province were fortunate in possessing such a lino institution in their midst, aiming at the greatest contribution to the future well-being of tho citizens—namely, Christian education. Much thought and sacrifice of time and energy had gone into this high form of service, and tho gratitude of the community, and in particular the thanks of the various branches of tho Church of Jesus Christ, -would lie readily accorded to all who so cheerfully and competently carried the burden of this work, inspired by the aim of raising the standard of religious teaching in the Sunday schools and Bible classes of the church at homo and in the mission field. The lecturer pointed out that all education, although there was a special place for Christian education, was religious, because the ultimate aim of all forms of education was one—character as the rarest and finest and noblest,fruit of human life. If we failed in this wo failed in tho long run everywhere. Our citizenship might he clever and export and athletic; but if it lacked character it lacked soundness and health and that true and enduring quality without which its boasted qualifications themselves were insubstantial assets reduced to feebleness. Religion essential to the production of character occupied a unique place In tho activities of the Christian society. Tho religious instruction given in church or Sunday school was invaluable; but tho primary influence in the young and tender life was exerted under the roof of the homo, largely within tho limits of the life of the family. Ethical societies formed in Great Britain and America at the close of the nineteenth century did not long maintain themselves as an active institution. Such movements could scarcely prosper except where Christianity had prepared tho way. _ Such things only grow out of a soil which had been formed by centuries of Christian tillage. Tho doctor referred to the Socialist Sunday schools as inadequate, but representing a protest against tho neglect of the church to teach the children that they had a duty to fulfil to society as a whßfe. Those schools appeared to deliberately discard the religious background of all life, social and moral, and to exclude God, from the school and tho idea of God from the mind of tho child. Tho supreme value in life was the life of the soul, the appreciation of the halftones of beauty, the experience of God in the heart and in the character, which alone could make for depth and power in the community. To achieve character needed a creed, a belief, and, above all, an experience of God. Tho belief which centred in Jesus would fill the mind of the teacher with abundant material for inspirational teaching. Faith in Jesus Christ meant the open Scriptures, not merely as unique literary and historical records, bub as tho most wonderful text, book for life and character In the whole- world. Individual belief should not be framed dependently of history and experience, as it was writ, large in the annals of Scripture, and the Church of Christ denominational dogmas were of slighter and more doubtful worth,, but the truths which composed the evangel of the gr.ve of God in Jesus Christ and the message of His kingdom on earth they could not afford to he ignorant of, or to omit from the education scheme of our community.

Ah the close of the lecture Mr J. Farquharson (president of the Otago Council of Sunday School Unions) proposed a hearty veto of thanks to Dr Merrington for his clear and inspiring words. This was carried by acclamation.