RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 5

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

By Amplius.

_ In its highest expression worship is conndeuce, “The. Lord is my Shepherd,” in its profomidest expression 1 it is submission, “Thy Will, not mine, bo done.” PERSONAL. A happy little, function Was held- at tlie dose of the monthly meeting. of the Otago District. Committee of the Young vv omen’s Presbyterian Bible Classes, when Miss Taylor, the president, was present at a farewell function given in her honour by the members. Miss Nelson; an expresident; was chairwoman. After supper, Miss Nelson expressed the committee's regret at losing Miss Taylor, and their appie, iution of all, her Work, for the Bible' class movement. Every member wished Miss Lay lor happiness in her new sphere, and hoped , that the accompanying gift wopld remind her of many happy days spent among her Bible, class friends in New Zealand. Miss Taylor,'oh rising to speak, was received with musical,, honours. She said that she regretted that ner home was not to bo in New Zealand, for she was Tvi'r to sever her connection with the Bible class movement. She was going to miss the work ver- - much indeed, for-she had found much joy in'all she ha'd been able to do, and she would'take-this opportunity. of -urging, on all. members, especially the younger ones; to rally round those who. were guilding our affairs, and to resolve to “become- a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,” in the work of the Kingdom in the Dominion. Miss Taylor will leave early, in January for her new home in London.

Miss Winifred Sunderland, leader of the First Church Junior Bible Class, and a well-known and valued worker, was appointed to take Miss Taylor's place as president, and all Rood wishes go with her in her new sphere and responsibilities. : - SIX EMPHASES OF.THE WORLD'S SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION. 1. A new and more intensive study of the relationship between Christianity and the non-Christian cultures was requested by a Marge number of delegates. 2. The new bond of friendship between the eastern and western churches. Twentyfive delegates from the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian- Apostolic and Egyptian Coptic Churches were present at the sessions, and participated.in the discussions. 3. The increased emphasis on leadership training and the adoption of the laboratory method, rather than the theoretical instruction in the preparation of new leaders in our church schools. 4. The renewed stress on the important part : played by adults in the life of the church school. ' 5. There was a deeply felt need for increased expression of worship in the church school services. The dominant significance of devotions was frequently mentioned. ,-■...,-. 6. A wider curriculum was asked by the group conferences _of young people, demanding a recognition of all other interests in the life of youth besides the Bible and worship. Distinctive" among these are dramatics, arts, sex education, and citizenship. ; . PROGRESS.. „ ■ ■ ' Our thanks are;due to Mr ik. H. Reed for the latest' number of Progress, which still continues to gather together the most helpful arid choicest;articles for the Sunday school: and teacher. A seasonable and timely suggestion. "Th e -Sunday School and the Spirit of Christmas;" could be easily carried out by any school, large or•'' small,: with • the • " will to 6erve." Articles for the superintendent, the cradle roll worker; and others will all.be found inspiring and suggestive, while the contribution by, A.S.M., " Sunday School Teacher Training," is worthy .of the widest publicity, for the suggestions it .contains. No one should be without a copy of this splendid quarterly. : "I WOULD BE TRUE." Harold; Arnold Walters, who wrote these verses, was a Sunday school boy who afterwards;went,to India as a missionary. He, wished to send'a special .New Year's message to-his mother, far away from- any place " where greeting cards could be purchased. He wrote these verses as his .message. He gave his others-during.the great epidemic. I would be true, for.there are those who trust me; ..I" would 1 be puro, .for there are" those who care; ■ I would be strong, for there is much to suffer; ' I would, be brave, for there is much to dare. . I would be' friend of foe, the friendless; . . • I would be giving, and forget the .' ' gift; "I would be humble, for I know my -'. weakness; ■.•."■■■'. I would look up, and laugh, and love, and"lift. CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP.

' It ,is no. joke being a leader.. If he Is successful, ;he may get favours; but if he is. unsuccessful he is certain to get the •kicks. During- the war, a ■ lady -is said to /have . asked - Marshal;-JofFre whether rt was really on his decisions that the ’ battle of the Marne ■ was; won. “.Well, madam;” he answered, “that.is a difficult question as to who won the battle; but-.-. I know >very - well - who would have lost it, supposing it bad -been lost." The implicit suggestion; is painfully and permanently. true.. The leader may reap the , rewards of victory; he is sure to reap the penalties of failure. Whoever escapes danger, he ■ cannot. It ’ was a great day i° r md when he was raised from theranks and became a company but rt was the second lieutenants who bad to die. »

And yet, with all that, who would not be a leader if he could? One of the hopeful signs of to-day is the way in which the youth of the land offers itself “ , be ™. the : van. v For there is faith and.zeal m the spirit which seeks to lead. 1 here may be less worthy ingredients as iroil hastiness, self-seeking, and a touch of irreverence. But on the whole the movement is. noble. The world is not healthy; all is not well. The grey beards seem to have been blind leaders of the blind, Bo here comes youth—eager, impetuous, ardent—seeking to wrest the baton from feebler, fingers,. Well, in virgilg famous words, “Macte virtute fiber, —a blessing on thy valour, boy. Older people, however, mity retain one privileger—the privilege of giving advice. They know the pitfalls of leadership. Ihey have been taught in the school of their own failures the discipline that a leader requires; for he, also, is a man under authority. They know, for instance, that a man who would rule over c i^ r I T lust , first rule his own self; and that only the man whose heart is pure wi!l have the strength of 10. They know that Tennyson was right when he said the king who .fights his people fights himself. And above all, they know that he who loveth the pre-eminence, makes the worst kind of leader. One of the greatest figures in the Scottish Church during the past, rentury was heard in his last delirium To be repeating the words, Ton first; I follow.” It was the conscious expression of an ingrained humility ?• ln , which John Cairns laid the foundation of a mastery over other men. which was all the greater because it was never sought. - Apart- from these obvious ccmsidevatl0 ™’there are two exceedingly important qualifications for leadership which are emphasised as they should be in some religious circles The first of these is • plain, -informed brains; and the second is what ire may call the Cabinet-mind.” ‘ -{ JI .religion, we, of this genex-ation, are apt to forget that we are to lore the Lord our God with all our minds. We have any amount of enthusiasm; and the more the better. Pitiful sentiment is not lacking—as is natural in people who believe in the astonishment of God’s tender mercies, and renromber that love is land. Speed and energy are unmistakable marks of The church spirit of to-day. But anyone who will maintain that lie arc the equals of the mediicval schoolmen, or the Reformers, or the early I uritans in good, hard intellect is a rash controversialist. We tend mentally to be quick popular, and shallow, forgetting that truth is an austere master. This is the greater pity because we live in a time which demands consecrated intellect more than the earlier periods. The fi»i' n : lea r° n , fo V- the sickness which we icel in church life is that an increasing (1 ° not believe in the truth of the Christian system, and that no are not producing a sufficiency of the people who are able to make it t c ‘- e £ !bl « "i view of the discovers of t™A C i S 'i °c biblical studies, and of a good deal of modern philosophy. What we should pray for amongst the young generation is the appearance of masculinity of mind, and that patience of search by winch alone the truth is discovered. . c , rc k circlep, wc read magazine articles, and on the foundation of these, propound new truth and “ new ” vision of the message for to-day.” And meantime the scientist - spends his lone days

ami laborious nights, in the laboratory, s oivly unfolding the reality of created things. No wonder that people arc yieldi 1 res P to him,* which they do not yield to ns. If a new generation is to arise, that will lead, it must be a generation that has consecrated itself afresh to the hard and dull paths of slow inquiry and steady thought. We shall find our loaders amongst those who spend their evenings under a lampshade learning, and arc not content until they know. And. second, wo want the “Cabinetmind ’ amongst our guides. That is to say, we-want the mental temper which can distinguish between a prejudice and is willing to yield its prejudices in order to make decisions unanimous, that thus the Christian society can exercise its influence as a unity. That sounds a reasonable proposition; but it is easier to propound than to follow. We do so like our own way—especially when we have an ingrained prejudice spurring us on to seek it. But the truly strong man stands on a principle only. If he be clear in mind be will know a prejudice when he sees it, and he will, if necessary, vield on it. As he grows in grace, he will yield gracefully. But, above all, a leader must be a follower. The strongest of all must how to bis Master, who, very gently, but very firmly, demands our subservience even when He invites us to conic and rest in Him. “ Take My yoke upon you. and learn of Me,” says He. After all, if that servitude is fully admitted, then all the rest —the dedicated mind and the reasonable spirit—" Will be added unto us, and the world will find a fresh generation to load us into the promised land.