OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

Mataura Ensign, 24 February 1909, Page 2

OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

"A SLACKENING OF INTEREST.'

I'KKSBV I KHY DISCI SSION

At. ||k> narting n| tlii' Mataur» I'm l)\t»'ry v i.ju» discussion «m thn »Sabhatli Sclhmil jvporl, adjourik'd from hist-nu'i't>ii<r, was TinH«*v. A. (hmv cNpiohf-cl tho opinion that minister* did not thiMf SiiMuitli school.-. ;i i)(J it ]I;i11 strongly iiij|»iw.i : d vn him that tlh-v (tho 111 illisll*r."> jiii«/ln th> far noro hv stayinj; at home on Sundays mid tin- youuK jxoph.. Mr Ci;iy uoiil on Jo ivlcr ia ihr dilfiviilt<«i teaching and tin: ot helymi;', tlio teachers.

Ili« lU<v. \Y. K. tevans submitted interesting statistics showing tho gradual slackening ol" interest in church work in tin* younger branches of the congregations and supplied tlit- followiii" hgiires relating to tile. Mataura Presbytery :

c . , , i!tur v.m •Schools .19 .);•> Scholars KVifi itir, Average attendance l()lo J08!t Teachers li>2 17:,

A UKMEDY Sl'OGKS'l'Kl). "How \ver<! these things to be a) ternd."' was the question," continue.l Mr Kvans. Some forward skip, ho runsidorod, should bo taken bv tho Vrosbv. tery, and tile people should bo roused into action. There should be a Sabbath Schools Association established in the Presbytery. Until then he did not think tho difficulty could be coped "'itb. Ministers should make a givalei effort in their congregation*. They were not coming sufficiently into contact with the children even at the dav •schools, Wherever there was a larp'o township tlifi minister should have liis •Sunday afternoons free in order to meet, the young people. He knew there was a very good and energetic baud of teachers; it was the system that was inefficient. Ho considered-that historical and geographical facts should bo instilled into the minds of the scholars, and teachers should be trained to know exactly tho facts to be brought home to tile children. The solution of the difficulty was the establishment of a Sabbath Schools Association. the parents must be aroused into co-operation; they must, be phdkcd to assist, tor what could tho teachers do without the assistance of tho lathers and mother*'' Mr Evans then moved:' "That a protfrossise forward movement in tin* in- 1 honnill "l n l ' l ' l .'K' ,,n within the bounds ol the I resbvH.rv be decided inin'ilt 1 f . stlol, K committee of ministers and laymen be appointed to consider a course ol action and report: 'f .rnwl®' abl, » th Association be toimod in the J resbyterv; that one member of I'resbyten- be 'deputed hm Lk ' !\ fon .K l< 'Kations within it:, bounds in the intereM* of Sabhatli school work and to hold meetings with teachers and parents with a view to urn th, °p Cle i ni T cooperation; at the I resbyterv be responsible for ,ml A avc '" lu K. oxponst., „f the deputy xhe supply Ot his pulpit while enCaged m Saf.bath school work." Hie, Hey. D. Macleillian (Kdeudalel. in seconding tho motion, staid lis sorry to sec .so small au attendance as the work among the young Kuh most important. Every MSnister should gn-o a third llis tlltlu t|| the young people, and the olders it they jully recognised its iuiportance wou'd probably say to the Milliliters that they should give a Sunday occasionally to that noble work, rheie was danger in letting the matter go too far. lie thought WH Were near the end of tho ebb. und the How wus at hand.

EXAMIXATIOX QUESTIOX. Jlr ,V. Murdoch (Riversdule) said with r ogar d to geography and histoiv teachers tvero not alwaja capable oi giving instruction on theso subjects, Ho tried to touch his children not io know geography and history in connection with spiritual things but to ba prepared to meet their God. if thero wus. to bo uuy alteration in the system of teaching to&chers should bo informed at o&ce, so that thoy would know what text books to and not order books

. requ'd'i'd. Ho did nut thliiu ally, his 'lll<l,i\ -cliular,', ,w ere eouii t lUk'alit.s. schot'ls Vlh. iV I h'-lf W.'M' 1111 Hi's, and li<' al->n l.iii w uf laj lul •*h <m

account 01 tins 1 1" IJiu^ L while. "ile i.s llll'l a'sjsl.tliie in spelling.

1 A <ir.il. replied iii.it ii'• 1,. iji was allowed during the cx.iujiimlimii, Nil notice was lukeu of h|",ilmg |,y 1 lie examiners The exuminci 1. 11 .id only one text book—tlx? llil.le.

I'lie Moderator icinenibereil i) tlJ pnper to which Mr liuuu hud nTorrcit; lie find examined Itic impel mid the spelling did not coiinl against llie scholar.

I lie lU'l . I). MacielllWil did Hot latol wrilU-n e\.,munitions, but rather oral ones, ns children going 111 for secular examinations could not always giM- in,. i,ine ate I then piireills ( ollsldcl ed II liuutellsunie Ul ul examination., |i a <j pi,,\,d quite workable in S.oiiajai, No iloubt tin) 1;u ' ~J 'be '"-'l Ulai e\aiiiuint ions coinciding with ill,- A-senility cxamiiiutions, anil I In- demands made upon scholar:,' 1 line jNIU ■success 01 die Asituil'h cxainmu lion as co(ii|i,ilei| »n,, u, U | ( j u , I'lesllV tel\ . A Week 01 luo belon; the, Asseuiblj cuuimaii n ili.-ic«ns a. vertuiii uiuuuut of uaiuuAnn, wiocn gave 1 lie clliidl'ua a disUisic .or liiblical matters.

The .Moderator suid that it was desirable to l)u\0 bUIMItO Se||t»i,| l u . lons in ilie puruiUuti, winch would would lu ing leathern ami Mini.-.Ui s together. Ill* higher aspect 01 Uie question would then w >Ue it sell. I'lie,V should liuh- Ircijiicia meeting'., which lie considered as import mil as any other pjnuw "l Church work, t'onsideralile interest in all blanches of the work would, lie lelt cerium, be bene|it,-d I llerel,\ 11 uould lie', come an admirable means ul eucour aging spiritual welfare ,u Ihe eongreg'at ions.

The Ke\. A. I.i n\ s.ud I lie discussion had been .i time well npviil, unit I lie l'ie.sb,\ 1 cry ucre in a great measure indebted In Mr Kwm.s lor Ins contribution mi the subject.

Hie Ke\ .U . I'. aiih Wits ot *>j»ju ■ inn thai the tide «as rising, ami they should go light on Willi ibu work, as the winter was coming on. Hi' did not want to force ma I tens, but (jljll lII' tliought, they ought to go on, us tin: lime wut> ripe. I hi' motion was carried uintuiiuuusly. '1 he Sunday School tajuiuiittce was iustruclrd lo carry out tin: suggestions thai had arisen out, oi thu discussion, anil report t„ tin- m-it liiwi ilig of till' I'lushytcry, Thu Session Clerk was instructed to writr to tin; Wnikaku cotigrega. lion asking that Mr Kvmis lie grant I'd leave lor one inonlli m order to visit thi' various .Sunday' school centres in accordance witli tin; resolu I ion.

"A CE.NKUATKIN OK HI-.aiukn-A letter appear-, in ,i recii;i i i„. of ') lie Dominion' 11 Mill Win. II I'omcll, Kcildifig, rclciTing to Ihe discussion at the last Alataui a i'resbyierv incel.ng | and the i etna rks made then cancel nh";; Sabbath school attendance, etc, It proceeds: "Sir,- In a lecitil iv-ue ol' \our paper 1 not'e, .1 a lelegr; (iorc, nude! tin- al„,,e heading. it appears thai a inccfiiig oj mi ni*-t <-r a was held, ai wlui- 1 ! tin- i ( ,i Sunday school attendance was discussed, various members loiidfx lamenting lluit the oncoming goucntioii wire heathen. Now, sir, I, together null another large section m the mine... take sllolig exception in the in I such a term. J presume that ilie i,-|,. gious body in ipiestion dcsii,i,.. as "heathen" all who cannot accint 11-in doctrines and dogmas Mi l.r.iv t i.ni .instilled in referring t . the | majority of thinking, pc.ple as occupj. illg a lower glade in ihe -rale <,| huniaiiily llian that n he-ii h>- liiih«-J| occupies. The Cllllfel, |e,: , , | dogmatic, 1,111 |ei ni, remind iho elvrgv tliat thai spirit i . i,i ! iK oi" out | has endow C.l man I, 'mind, and man is keginniu;; in ili.n mnif) "•"I llmili tor 'himself. \\'|l| ili,, Mill i t'll never la I hct so'l oi lhwl intolerant spirit which lu, , been mi ciiaiaeteristic of all her U'tll she Meter recognise i],,. | Mr | 11si those nlm do in 11 reason with her ~,■»■ ert hele-s leading ,"o.)d, n111,1.• 1)1,-r ami iheie lorn st run;: U object , "a'-l "he:; I lien." | <<|ted i 'v.iit, lock ti., ( 'niivh a-, '-li. allien" I,she does not »'» l ' '!••• 1..-K Oi modern ■"'''"'■ - li'i: I H.ll lev, I that «e. — ; Hi I l!i,- :i »)•■)« u, m jjtn- '■ I" " 'I I'e ■ e lie! !i.n\ unit |, t | Me HOIIIJ '"fie in I Ills tvi.l'l.l ' \ let ain snirit '■ Lionel lie «l.s..|'U'-l HI ~11 >! 11, i. "