OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18872, 26 May 1923, Page 18

OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS

By Amplius. “ The Sunday School lesson of to=day is the code of morals of to-morrow. Too much attention cannot be paid to the work which the Sunday School is doing.”— Woodrow Wilson. NEWS AND NOTES. A number of census returns have still to come to hand, and therefore it is not possible yet to compile totals or draw inferences from the results obtained. It is often said that the only way to' get a satisfactory supply of teachers is to grow and train your own. Undoubtedly many schools have succeeded in solving the problem in this manner. Out of a staff of seven in one Dunedin primary department, for instance, six have gone through as pupns of the school in which they are now teaching; and five have been scholars in the primary department since it was organised There are many good Sunday school journals not so well known as they should be among Sunday school workers here. One of those assuredly is “Teachers of To-day,” more particularly described as “A\ monthly magazine for young teachers in graded Sunday schools.” It is ably edited by Miss Verona Doris Lester, and is already in the tenth year of its existence. Something of its calibre may ho gathered from the fact that G. 11. Archibald, Basil Mathews, and Miss Hetty Leo are among those who have promised to contribute articles this year. On its Advisory Committee are such well-known pioneers of progress as Ernest H. Hayes, S. Allen Warner, and Miss E. Mildred Nevill. “Teachers of To-day I '’ justifies its claim to be “the young teachers’ own magazine,” and the vitality and freshness of youth pervade its pages. Its contributors are not of those unhappy people who have learned everything, but impress the reader rather as being ardent adventurous spirits pressing on\ to know. The articles are on all sorts of practical Sunday school topics, and contain many helpful experiences and suggestions. The price •is only 2s a year, plus postage. SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. The School of Religious Education has secured the services of Miss A. M’Laren as secretary. Miss M'Laren’s address is 587 High street, ... The meeting of students of the Religious Education Training School hold at the -Uorav Place Congregational Church last Sunday proved a most successful one. For practical work and observation it was decided to divide the students into two groups—one group to bo supervised by Miss F. S. Warner at Knox Church Sunday School and one by Mr ,T. Reid at St. Andrew’s. Mr Reid addressed the students on the principles of the graded school and Miss Warner spoke to them on how to observe. The widespread interest aroused in the Sunday School. Council’s course of training continues to increase. The opening lectures of the series delivered last Monday evening at St. Andrew’s Bible School drew on attendance that completely,crowded out the room which it had been intended to use, and it was necessary to adjourn to the Waddell Hall. Tht' enrolments now number over 150, and the atteudance on Monday evening was close upon 200. Mr ,1 Reid gave a vivid and informative address on the geography of Bible lands, and Miss Warner delivered the first of a series of eight lectured on child Psychology. Next Monday evening Miss Warner will give her second lecture on child psychology, and the Rev. R, H. Knowles Kempt mi will'speak on “Jewish Artisan Life in the Time of Jesus.” CHILDREN’S EXHIBITION. The Children’s Exhibition Committee helda meeting on Tuesday evening. The Hall Committee reported that the Brydone Hall would be the most suitable place for the exhibition, but definite information as to its availability would not be forthcoming for a month. The exhibition dates Vere fixed either for the week beginning September 10 or the week beginning October 15, It was decided to enlist the co-opera-tion of the various children’s welfare organisations —these bodies to be granted courts for the exhibition of their work. They Would also be invited to take charge of an afternoon programme and give either an address or a demonstration. The Plunket, Society, the Free Kindergarten Association, and the Home Science School are to be invited. Model Sunday School Departments will bo set, out, and furniture firms will be invited .to exhibit suitable furniture and equipment. Children’s clothing, books, toys, food, pictures, confectionery, will all be given a place. THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE, The worship of God and the honouring of Jesus Christ should’be the central, pervading note in every Sundav school service. The atmosphere should be such as to make it easy to speak of Jesus our Master and His claims upon our lives at every session of the school. The public confession of Christ by a pupil should not bo regarded as an unusual or unlookedfor thing, but as a natural result of the atmosphere that is breathed week by week in the Sunday school session. This docs not mean that we are to stress publicly the formal acceptance of Christ at every session, and certainly it does not mean the simple standing up or raising of the hand, both of which are apt to become formalities with little meaning. Nevertheless, no method is to be despised that will accomplish tho results. If souls are not being saved in tho Sunday school it is time for those in charge to learn the reason and to remedy it. The evangelistic spirit, properly understood, is not inconsistent with, dr out-of harmony with, a buoyant, joyous spirit. Real religion is never pokey. “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”— Marion Lawrance in “The Standard Bible School Worker.” So far we’ve travelled Rom that mystic place Whence they have lately come. Thy shining face, Thy loving look, in dream time still they see. 0, Lover of young children, help lest we Should in our denseness bruise them unaware— These little hearts so netal-like .and fair. Bertha G. Woods.