FIRST CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 22365, 15 June 1936, Page 14

FIRST CHURCH

BRANCH SUNDAY SCHOOL DEDICATION OF NEW RUSSELL STREET BUILDING The old building in Russell street that has been First Church’s branch Sunday school for 70 years has been replaced by a modern building that was opened and dedicated yesterday afternoon, when the building was filled to overflowing by a congregation comprising the Sunday school scholars and members and friends of First Church. Before entering the building the congregation sang verses 18, 28, and 29 of Fsalm 118, with the words commencing “ 0 set ye open unto me the gates of righteousness.” The ceremony of opening, the door was performed by Mr Ewen . Cameron, who for many years took a leading part in the youth work at Russell street. The congregation then entered singing the ‘■’Old Hundredth.' The service was most impressive, and was conducted by the Rev. W. A. Stevely, who was assisted by Professor .T. Gumming, Dr J. D. Salmond, the Rev. D. C, Herron, and also by the Rev. Dr Merrington, who offered the dedicatory prayer. Suitable hymns were sung and two anthems were rendered by a children’s choir under the direction of Miss Enos. The solo, ‘ How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings,’ was sung by Miss Nettie Bauld. Mrs Peter G. Dick played the instrumental music. MR STEVELY’S ADDRESS. Taking as his text the ninth verse of the sixth chapter of St. John, ‘ There is a Lad Here,’ Mr Stevely said that the disciple, Andrew, had eyes for the child. There was a day, now happily past, when it was said, . “ children should be seen and not heard.” In many respects the child was neither seen nor heard. History revealed the pathetic fact that in the past the nations had not been cognisant of their greatest asset—the welfare of the child. Many of the problems that perplexed the world to-day would not exist if the value of'the child had been recognised. By far the greatest question in the whole world to-day was the well-being of the children. The world awaited the momentous miracle of the child. It was significant of the national awakening to this truth that a little over a year ago His Majesty King Edward (then the Prince of Wales), at'St. James’s Palace. launched a scheme, as a national thankoftering for the late King’s silver jubilee, to assist voluntary youth movements throughout the country. In a sentence the Prince expressed what must be as the most powerful argument for his proposal, “ I can think of no call making so universal an appeal as the call of youth.” It was being recognised more and more that it was with the child that the hope of the world lay. The child was the to-morrow of the race. What New Zealand would be. in 50 years’ time depended upon the child of to-day. “ The child is father to the man.”

“ The growing recognition of the incalculable value of the child,” Mr Stevely continued. “ is a tribute to the °f Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. Chnst was the first to set the child in the jmidst. The world before Christ’s coming has been called a childless world. He was the first to place a Crown of glory on the child’s head. It is. from Christ the world has learned to calpe child-life. One of the first individuals to learn it was the disciple. Andrew. A multitude had followed Jesus. The day wore on, and the company grew tired and hungry. The easiest course would have been to send the people away. But Jesus never chose the easy way. He had too ranch compassion for that. ‘ There is a lad here,’. says Andrew to Christ. A little chap in a crowd is not easily seen. Jesus saw the lad; and Andrew, who was learning of Christ, also saw him. The lad had a little parcel of lunch which a thoughtful mother had given him. Little did that mother think what_ romantic happenings would he associated with the lunch she had made up_ for her child. ‘ There is a lad here,’ said Andrew, ‘ which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes; but what are they among so many?’ Andrew’s faith was shadowed bv doubt; yet ho saw possibilities in the lad and his small provision. Who could tell what Christ would do with a lad and his slender resources? The fact is. Andrew had eyes for the child. He introduced the lad to Jesus. That is the splendid f hing this man did. Andrew had not the brilliant gifts of bis brother. He was not the strong man Peter was. Vet it was he who introduced Peter to Christ. He plays the part of introducer. What he could do, he did well. Her* he introduced the lad to Jesus, ft was great service. He has won immortality by his act., A miracle followed! Arc we beginning to grasp the importance of such service? “ To-day there exists,” Mr Stevely said. “ a World Sunday School Association embracing 110 countries, with a total cn>-,]me’'t of aver 3(1.500.000 children Tne director of this great movement is Hr James Kelly, a man of inspired vision, and a liner of children. A' world Sunday school convention is held at rc«;nlar intervals in tin? ’•nrioiis capital cities of the world. What an impressive convention was that held recently when delegates from many ’ lands gathered under the banner of the Christian Sunday school! Here at what Hr Kelly said when sneaking orwhe value of the Sunday school: ‘ We live in times of transition ; changes are inevitable. Whether they will lead to increasing strife and unrest or prove stepping-stones to the creation in our day and generation of a spirit of peace and brotherhood wi'l depend in great measure on the religions teaching which is given to the childhood ard youth of the rations. As a means not nnlv of saving the spiritual life of Knrooe hnt also of averting war and maintaining peace hetwegn the countries of the world there is no "renter agency than the development of the work of Christian educa+ion bv means of the Sunday school.’ Our big 'task is to introduce the children everywhere to Christ. It is a task to which all are called. The home must help the Sunday school in this supreme service.- The journal the ‘ Irish Presbvterian ’ recently published the following test paper for parents of Sunday school children: — 1. Could you tell a R+r.»urr er what our Sunday schools are doing?

2. Could you outline the series of lessons your child is studying? 3. Do you know the teachers of your children, or must someone point them out to you? 4. Do you know the quality of the work your child is doing—whether it is excellent, mediocre, or poor? 5. Do you definitely plan a future of Christian work for your child, or does he drift into an uncertain future?

6. Could you mention the subjects in which your child is most interested, and the point at which he is most easily tempted? 7. Do you know what Sunday school work represents and the advantages it offers your children? “ In view of the great world problems, if. becomes a compulsory test,” Mr Stevely proceeded. “We shall have to equip ourselves with the loyal interest suggested by these questions if we desire to succeed in introducing the child to Christ. The present crisis demands that the children have Christ. Thomas Carlyle has said, ‘ There is not a shoeblack in London that all the financiers, all the upholsterers, and all the confectioners of Loudon or of Europe can' satisfy. Let them try to satisfy that shoeblack, let them try to make him happy, they will not be able to do so, for the shoeblack has a soul.’ Carlyle is right. The children have a greater need. They need Christ, and they can never be satisfied, or be what they ought to be, without Him. Educate them, give them culture, give them,a task in life, certainly, but we have not done the chief thing until wo have introduced them to Christ. For then the miracle happens. With the small resources the lad had Jesus achieved wonderful things. A multitude was fed and cheered.” It was a miracle Christ had often performed, added the speaker. A faithful worker some years ago introduced a lad to Christ. It seemed a small affair, and the Christian teacher himself might have soon forgotten the event. But what was the name-of the lad? Robert Moffat. In Robert Moffat was South Africa, and thousands of men and women there received the bread of life through Moffat’s labours. We could count the apples upon the tree, but who could tell the trees in the apple? The disciple Philip reckoned there would be 5,000 people, and he based his catering on the rate of a farthing a head. “ Two hundred francs’ worth of bread is not sufficient that everyone may take a little.” Philip’s arithmetic was unimpeachable. But where Christ was present a higher mathematic prevailed. “ They filled 12 baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.” How the situation changed when Christ came in it. Pie was greater than all men’s problems, sins, and fears. “ Let us not prevent any'mighty work of His through unbelief,” concluded Mr Stevely. “ Let us not withhold that through which Ho can work. Let us this day dedicate ourselves anew to Him that He may work His miracle of grace jn our hearts, and that it may become our passion to introduce the children to Christ. Suffer the tittle children to come unto him and forbid them not. and wc shall witness the miracle of the child.”