RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21148, 4 October 1930, Page 5

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

. By Amplius. . “ The importance of religious education cannot be over-emphasised. Civilisation is the expression of religious' belief. If we are to preserve this civilisation, and add to it, it will be necessary to plant in the hearts of coming generations a strong Christian faith.” EXTENSION OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. Let me take you striding along in sevenleague boots, through the 150 years since that first adventure of Robert Raikes, in “ Sooty Alley.” The British and Foreign Bible Society was an indirect product of the introduction of Sunday Schools into Wales by the'Rev. Thomas Charles, of Bala. The great Religious Tract Society was also started to provide good reading for those who, through the Sunday School, had learnt to read, and for whom suitable books were wanted. .Then comes the story of the “Bagged” Schools. After a while Sunday Schools became more ■ respectable as the working classes became better off, and it was not easy to gather the very poor children with the boys and girls from the better* tcndo homes. Sp,/in 1830, John Pounds, a Portsmouth cobbler, thought out a plan in his little workshop, and very soon “ Ragged ” Schools sprang up in the larger towns and cities, and big-hearted men like Charles Dickens, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and, more recently. Sir John Kirk, helped on that new venture when it was, pernaps, more needed than it is to-day. After that came the birth of the Band of Hope. The religious leaders of that day saw that if they were ’going to combat the drink evil of that time they must first put the idea of temperance and total .abstinence into the minds of the children in the Sunday Schools, and right well they succeeded. Then came: the Sunday School .Centenary in 1880, when in every Sunday. School in the world there was a commemorative service, and great processions of children paraded the streets of cities and towns at Home, and abroad. Besides doing the kind of work Robert Raikes had in mind, Sunday Schools have also helped to make young people interested in all kinds of enterprises like, home and ■ foreign missions, children's 'homes and orphanages, and local hospitals. \ As I sat down on a seat in the Temple Gardens and looked up once-more at the statue of quaintly-dressed Robert Raikes, my mind full of the story of his work, I think I must have dozed off for a few minutes, for the strangest thing happened. 'lt seemed to me that the sturdy figure in the , long-tailed. coat and tight knee breeches' had come to' life again. He stood there on his pedestal taking the salute from a vast army marching past. I could see that they had come from pretty nearly every country in the world. They talked pretty well every language known on the tace of the globe. They were clad in all the colours of the rainbow.'Their skins were white and red and yellow and brown and black. They, had travelled from the sunshine of Algeria, from the vast spaces of the Argentine, from i the backblocks of Australia, from the wide prairies 'of _ Canada, - from the teeming cities of China, from the quaint villages of Holland, from. the tiger-haunted jungles of India, from the silk factories of Japan, from the stern fjords .of Norway; from the “Highlands and Islands” of Scotland, from the rolling velt of South Africa, from the : snow-clad mountains of Switzerland, and from many other countries—for to-day there are from all over the world 30,000,000 \of scholars and teachers enrolled in Sunday Schools. Fewer than 100 scholars l ' in ■ that tiny Sunday School in “ Sooty Alley ” in 1780; more than 30,000,000' in 1930.—5. Sowton. ; ANNIVERSARY SERVICES. The scholars of the North-East Valley Baptist Sunday School looked forward to Sunday, September 21, with glea and animation, it being their day, and the Anniversary of the school. Nor were they disappointed;'neither did they disappoint those who came to listen to thir singing. _ It was a day of joyfulness and blessing.- - The children’s choir, under the baton of Mr H. Wright, sang beautifully at each service, and many were the remarks of admiration of the manner in width ■ the _ children acquitted themselves. The morning service was conducted by the Rev. P. L. A. Crampton, whose address to the childreh was based on John 3:16. Mr Crampton gave a very prac-tical-demonstration of “The Gospel in a Nutshell.” Master - Leslie Bradshaw recited Psalm 121 as the , Scripture lesson. Miss Braid and Miss I. Benfell, with the children, of the primary department, had charge .of the afternoon service, and gave a demonstration of work done in that department, At the close the prizes were presented to the primary children by‘ Mrs J. Coombs, each child receiving a .book. The evening service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. A. An. stioe, who gave a short address to the children on “ Bells,” and a stirring address to -the congregation on “Keeping the Sunday School Linked with the Home," The lesson was read, by one of the. smaller, children of the intermediate department. Miss Joyce Madigan. Miss Ella Marks sang a solo, with' a chorus by the choir. One of the features of the morhing and evening services was a hymn sung by the boys only. Large congregations were the order of the day. On Tuesday," September 23, the church was filled, to' its utmost capacity when the annual concert was given by the children. The Rev. A, Anstice occupied the chair, and the concert opened with a chorus by the children. The primary children gave their programme, which was heartily applauded, this being followed by a programme of songs, recitations, and dialogues by the intermediate department. A display of physical culture by the Junior Bible Glass girls, and ' jazz band melodies by Mr' O. Benfell and. : his boys followed. The prizes to the intermediate department were presented by Mrs Anstice. During the evening a collection was- taken in aid of the Sunday school funds. The singing of the Doxology brought to a close what proved to bo - a very successful anniversary service and demonstration. At the Sunday services and on Tuesday evening. Miss A. Beadle presided at the piano and Mr Glen .Anstice at the organ. Sunday, September 28, was observed as Sunday school-anniversary in the NorthEast Valley Presbyterian Church. The church was tastefully decorated with foliage and spring, flowers, and the three services were led by a children's choir of oyer 80 voices. Besides leading the service of praise, the children sang several anthems at each service. The Scripture readings were taken by intermediate boys, . while the others . waited on the congregation for the offering. At each service the church was well filled, and the singing of the children was a delight 'to all. At the morning service Dr Howard Guinness, M.D., gave a most inspiring address, which was listened to with equal intercut by young and old. Those present felt it a privilege to listen to such an eloquent speaker, and his message will not soon be forgotten. At the afternoon service the superintendent of the Sunday school, Mr D. S. Beath, presided. The opening part of the service was prepared specially with the little children in view, whilst the repetition of Psalm xxiii by t&e whole congregation in place of a reading was most inspiring. During the taking of the offering the beginners marched round and placed their offering in the baskets held by two little boys. The Rev. R. Ferguson Fish gave the address, which, though given chiefly to the little children, was listened to with enjoyment by all. Tokens of jove were given out by children of the various departments to friends of the Sunday school, Mesdames George Miller, D. S. Beath, and R. F. Fish, and Sister Lysbeth receiving bouquets, while the Revs. Miller and Fish and Mr Beath received buttonholes. After the services - the children visited Ross Home, where they delighted the old folk by singing to them and presenting each one with a posy and a card. Some of the children visited the old ladies, others the old men, whilst others went to those in the hospital and those confined to their rooms. Bunches of flowers were also taken to the sick and aged of the church. In the evening the minister, the Rev, George Miller, conducted the service, addressing bis remarks specially to the young people on. the subject, "That I might not run in vain.” The children’s choir was conducted by Mr R. E. Macfie, who also presided at the organ.- The services throughout the day were well attended, and the occasion was one of gladness and joy in celebrating Ehe birthday of the Sunday school. On Monday the flowers were taken to the Caversham Hospital for the patients there. Thus the gladness of the services was carried out to help to cheer others.