SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19062, 3 October 1925, Page 13

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

[By Forward.] Item* of Interest—short, bright paragraphs ol news, comments on these Notes, inquiries about difficulties—will be welcomed by “ Forward." “Most lesson systems expect tire child to receive where he should achieve.” It was spring Sunday. The earlycomers were helping one of the teachers make a spring picture on the sand table. Flowers sprang up on the hillside, round the home, and on the lakeside, the sunshine flooding the room and glorifying the scene. By the time the praise song opened the session every corner of the room was radiant, and it seemed that hearts united with voices in an expression of gratitude. Song, prayer, offering, and story carried with them the same thought, flow eager the little folks were in examining the birds’ nests and talking of the preparation of the homo for the baby birds I The highest point of the afternoon was reached in the expression work, when each class made up a bunch of flowers, to which was attached a small parcel containing a floral handkerchief. The disappointment, owing to a change in the weather, at not being able to be the bearers of the gifts to the children’s hospital was tactfully directed by the leader to tho thought that under the circumstances the teachers would deliver them with the best wishes of all. COMMUNITY INSTITUTE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION., Tho Advisory Board of the Otago Council decided at its last meeting that the iast Community Institute for this year should be held on November 2,3, and 4 (three nights only), instead of November 9 to 12. This alteration is made in order to avoid clashing with the meeting of General Assembly and also to allow more time for the necessary preparation in connection with the dig Exhibition. It is earnestly hoped that these dates will be kept clear by ■.nose interested. The Biblical course, die teachings of Jesus Christ, will be ■ a the capable hands of Professor Davies. It is the board’s wish that so •ar as possible the departmental class and general work should be in the same uands as the earlier institutes. “BUSY BEES.” Tho “ Busy Bee ” movement is one ihat should attract the attention of ~outh workers. “Busy Bees” is the name given to the children’s mission oands of the Presbyterian Church. No aoubt other denominations have similar societies working under different names. The need for week-day activities for Sunday school scholars is always a clamant one, and the busy beenivo provides that, and is an excellent training ground for developing "hat spirit of love, loyalty, and cooperation so necessary in Christian work. In most beehives the season’s work is now drawing to an end, and in' two of our city churches closing meetings were held recently. The children nad done practical work throughout the year, and in both hives small sales of work were held, and the money laised will be devoted to missions and other church schemes. But the moneymaking side was not the one i mpha«isod at these meetings! In one case che ‘‘spirit of the hive” was shewn by tho general atmosphere and in gifts given to helpers at home and abroad, in the other a definite programme was given by the children to illustrate tho aim of the .hive and to show how an attempt is made to cater for all sides of the child’s life. The spirit of play was illustrated by the smallest bees, die spirit of cheerfulness by tho older girls, and the spirit of courage and determination by the older boys. Then tho spirit of love and gratitude was shown in the giving of gifts to those whom the children desired to honor as leaders in their church. The value of co-opcratiou was illustrated in a recitation given by four little girls, gud then the children were encouraged to tell something of what they knew about the workers in the mission fields, and the programme concluded with a “song of service.” The children entered into it all so heartily that one felt they had really caught the spirit of the work, and it is to bo hoped that the Busy Bee movement will grow, as it meets a very-real need in Sunday school development A JAPANESE BOY’S SPEECH. Ernest Fujinaga gained a medal at a public speakmg contest at which fifteen ‘‘honor graduates” competed—Japanese eight, Chinese four, Caucasian threOj and Scotch Hawaiian one. “Character, u seems to mo, is the most important factor of an individual. It is what he is; not what others know about ■ him. However, it seeks outward expression through the mediums of his actions, manner, and speech, so that others to a very great extent can judge his character in terms of what he says and what he does. Let me depict to you my ideal character. “ I like to think of a simple person —■simple in manner, simple in speech, simple in dress. In such a person 1 find honesty, kindness, sympathy, willingness, happiness, ilis honesty’is not a one, but it is a true expression of bis inward seif. His kindness and sympathy, too, are real and true. Ho is kind to his inferiors as well as to his equals and superiors. Even to tiie lower forms of animals he is kind, and sympathises with them in the time of their distress. He is willing to help. He helps others cheerfully and joyfully. His happiness is real and permanent. By being happy ami contented himself he makes others happy and content. “I esteem highly a religious character. By a religious character Ido not mean that he goes to church every Sunday, knows nil that there is to be known of the Bible, and observes all the religious formalities' but I mean that he practises his religion in what lie says_ and what ho does, that he is with the spirit of Love, that In's life is one of service as that of the humble Carpenter of Nazareth was. Before such a person wealth, honor, and pleasure all disappear, and he is reduced to a simple and bumble being ready to do service to others. “ He who is my ideal character must possess high ideals—always striving upward, always attempting to attain a now and higher level in life. This, indeed, completes my ideal of character—a simple religious person with high ideals. “ Christ of Calvary was such a character. Pilate saw no fault in Him. The world sees no flaw in His personality. I, insignificant as I am, can detect no spot in His character. Into the family circle Ho brings joy, satisfaction, happiness, love. Into community life He brings tho spirit of philanthropy. He is the ideal of the nation. _ Before Him class distinctions all vanish away, and He becomes the ideal of the world. Is not He your ideal character? He who leads the army of the world, not with sword hut with love; He whose personality and character have survived 2,000 years; He who was simple, religious, ami with high ideals, unblemished and spotless, is my ideal of character.” “The Human Side of Hawaii.”