OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19240, 2 August 1924, Page 5

OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS

lir Auplius.

On the playground *h e child lives, while hi the schoolroom he prepares to live. Sister Lysiicth invil.nl tho mothers of the Primary, Hrg-innors, and Cradle Roll t/e.parl moots of tho North-Last \ alley Isunday Schools to an afternoon in the institu'o on a recent Saturday. There was u food gathering, presided over by the Rev (1. Miller. Soups ami recitations were given by some fit the teachers in these departments, and were much appi cciat ed. Mr R. Blair delivered a most interesting and instructive address on “The Home and Sunday School.” New ideas were put forward and discussed. Some of those Sister Lysbeth and her enthusiastic co-workers hope to put into practice in a modified form to suit the requirements of tho district. A pleasant and profitable afternoon was brought to a close with a cup of tea and refreshments. THE CENTRAL SCHOOL. When class work commenced last Monday evening those directly concerned wore more than satisfied with tho results of the first term’s work and the prospects lor the future. A fine spirit pervades tho work, ft was a real pleasure to welcome the ReVf Tnlloch Ynillo, who will lecture lor eight weeks on tho Pauline Epistles, The staff will bo in attendance from O.JJ p.m. next Monday evening for conference

and registration This also applies to tho two community schools. . , The Central School will receive a limited number of mature and adult students, while tho community work affords opportunity for all who care to profit by tho work LAYING DOWN GENERAL PRINCIPLES. At a recent mooting tho Central Class in Organisation and Administration of Religious Education unanimously adopted the following as its statement of the underlying principles of organisation and administration in a local church; dominionwide or world-wide system of Christian . r. •. T’ T) 1n n ->o "Dll*"

Education Unity. Economy. Balance, Purpose. Co-operation, Loyalty, Control, simplicity, Democracy, Utility, and Beauty. The following general principles were also approved (a) “Helicious education is the inalienable function of the Church.” (h) “The Church must adequate system of religious education." (d ‘‘This must provid e>t for worship, instruction. and expression,” (d) ‘‘This correlated programme must be made available for all over whom tho Church has oversight.” A GREAT SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADER. Ou May 1, Mr Marion Lawranco died ‘‘in harness” at Portland, Oregon. Ihc world has seen no more unselhsn worket in the cause of religious education. Ho died at 73 years of age, and for more than i 5 years had held important executive positions. . Eor 10 years (18d9-1899) ho was general secretary of the Ohio Sunday School Association; from 1889 to 19k0 he was general secretary of the International S S Association, and upon tho appointment of Dr Hugh S. Magill to that position Mr Lawranco was elected consulting general secretary for life. At the close of a written statement leit, to he opened after his death, this significant sentence occurs:—“l wish to express my love lor my associates and friends, and pray for them all God's richest blessings. VVe shall meet again. ‘He that livotn and belioveth in Mo shall never die. Jesus said this. X believe it.”—The Churca School. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS SUMMARISED.

The enclosed is tho answer of a .junior student of tho School of Religious Education to the question; “What is Christian education;' (a) What transference of emphasis has, during tho past rt) years, given it a wider and deeper outlook t (b) Comment on each point.” It serves to give an idea of the permanent value of tho work being done by the school. _ . Christian education is the training of character so as to attain the highest, and to teach and train the pupil in such a manner that ho may become a power for good ir, tho world. Christianity is not a thing apart from daily life; it is life and permeate? everything we do and every moment we live. Tho aim of Christian education is to give fourfold development, physical, mental, social, and spiritual, so as to produce a “four-square” man or woman. A nation is mado up oi men and women find its rise or full depends on those men and women. Therefore, jf a nation, is to advance, character building is the most important work that can be done for the nation and for the world. Only Onnst-liko ideals can raise a nation to its highest and beat, and tho task of the religious educator is to inculcate those ideals so that they become the ruling factor of life. A child is a being created in the image of God, with the power to choose good or evil, ond in this ho is the greatest of all created tilings. Tho religious educator is privileged to influence that choice in the right direction. lie is also privileged to be the guide of his pupil, that ho may show turn how to make the most of life norw, while he is s °lhe study of educators during the last 20 years has been the study of child life, ami has brought about tho realisation of many now facta. 1, Important among those new facts is that study of tho child has proved that he or she is net in any scn&o a little man or woman,but that ho or she is a being with different interests, different oharacterislics, different activities, different spiritual nr eels from those of an adult. His religious life is not to be expected to bo as that of an adult; any more than his physical life is. In times part the child was considered as a man in miniature, but that view lias entirely changed. 2. In olden limes the aim of education was the gaining of knowledge. In fact., it was “instruction,** not “education.” Tho

more facia a person could enumerate, the better “educated" lie was. Psychology has taught us I hat instruction is not by any means education. Education is much broader; it is preparation for life. Emphasis is now laid on life and conduct, and the aim of religions education is to nflnenee life and conduct. Knowledge is not an end, but a means to an end. Farts are given, not for their own sakos, but for the sake of their influence. 3. The old-time idea (hat the child was made for the Bible has boon superseded by the knowledge now evident that the Bible was made for the child; that it is Ins chart, and compass to guide him through life; that, in it is the' rule of life to teach him how to live a noble and useful life. 4. Emphasis is now laid, not on what a child knows, bait on wbat he becomes. The aim of all secular , and religious teaming is to enable him to become, a good citizen of the community in which he is placed, ami in the wider eornmnnily of the world, and to these religions educators add (ho rum ef enabling lum to Income a good citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. 5. It Into boon shown in recent years that, our lives overt a greater influence tlnui our words. It is not what wo say, j m t what v.e are, and what wo do, that counts. Tiillnonce is greater than instruction, and example is greater than precept. KEEP ON. The favourite words of Dr J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Aiis-

sion. ‘■To In Ik with God no brwith is lost; Talk on. Talk 0:1. f l’o walk wilh God no strength is lost; Walk on. Walk on. To wait, on God to time i.-, lost; Wait. on. Wait on. To grind the a.xo no work is lost; Grind on. Grind on. r Hio work is <|iiinker, hatter done, dsor needing half the strength laid on. Grind on. Grind on. Martha stood, Imt Mary sat; Martini murmured much at that; Martha cared, hut Mary heard fastening to the .Master';; word, And (ho J.cnl her choice preferred; Sit on. Hear on. Work without God is labour lost; Work on. Work on. Full soon you’ll learn it to your cost. Toil on. Toil on. kittle i: miedi when God is in it; Much is little everywhere. Man's busiest day is not worth Gail's minute 11 Cfcxi tin- labour do not. share; (do work tor (uul and nothing’.- lost Who work.i with Him dot's boat and mor-.t; Work on. Work on. SUNDAY SCHOOL WOKK IN RLUUGKK CAMUS IN HRUKCK. “It is an ill wind that blows nobody good.” When tho 10 Greek and Armenian students preparing for Chruiian service in tho School of Religion, located in ConhLcuxtinople, were forced to leave because

of their nationality it looked as thong'll their life plans were seriously frustrated. It, was another case, however, of man’s extremity being God’s opportunity. These students, with two of their professors, found an open door in Athens, Greece, where they could continue their studies without molestation. When Dr W. G. Landes, general score (ary of the World's .Sunday School Association, visited Athens recently while en route to the general conference on Religious work in Moslem lands, which was held in Jerusalem, lie mot those students and was able to arrange with the Sunday School Committee located in Constantinople to send those well-equipped young men into the refugee camps located in and around Athens that definite Sunday School work might be carried on. They will give their entire time to this activity during June., July, August, and September. Two lim:drod and fifty thousand refugees axe located in those camps. The Greek Government has erected shacks for day school work and permission has been given to use these buildings for Sunday School work too, aa well as for other forms of Christian educational work. Ten camps will receive the service—one leader being sent to each camp. ITms in old Alliens, where Paul preached oneo on Mars Hill, a modern mission to the Athenians is again started. ITVR TESTS OF THE TEACHER. 1. An interest in his work which will bo contagious. 2. Thoroughness and resourcefulness. 3. Ability to got at the individuality of scholars. 4. Ability to treat scholars as' persons, with rights, aims, and aspirations. 5. A reverence toward fact and an obedience to law.—Synopsis of De Witt Hyde’s “five tests” from “The Teacher’s Philosophy.”