RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21668, 11 June 1932, Page 4

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

By Amplids. “It does not take great men to do great things; it only takes consecrated men. The earnest, resolute man through Avhom God works is the medium by which His greatest work is done”. Phillips Brooks. THE INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT. Intermediate boys and girls have reached the age when they want to do things. They have already reached this stage in the Junior Department. Now they are less ready to appear in the limelight, but, if anything, their.desire to serve is greater. They wan); to feel they are being of definite service. Days of childhood are beginning to pass, and as they enter the first years of wider service and outlook they present to us an opportunity and a challenge to enrol them as active members in the Fellowship of the Kingdom. In their own department come some of the greatest opportunities for service, and the purpose of this article is to suggest some. ways in which they can cooperate with the teachers in the better organisation of the department, and, chiefly, the encouragement of their talents, and theirjfirst steps in consecration to the work of the Master. The suggestions given will, in the hands of enthusiasts, be blit the start of many bright ideas. ■ ■ , , First, there is the worship service, and the place of the Intermediate in that service. Variety will be the keynote of success, and in no way can the leader provide variety better than in allowing the scholar to co-operate. In its simplest form this will consist of allowing the members, of the department to read verses of hymns, and to take part, collectively, in responsive orders of worship, and in prayers and collects. A simple ritual, judiciously used, will enable the scholars to feel,that the service is in very truth their - own. The leader must always, of course, make his own personality and leadership felt, but very great good will accrue if the classes in turn take the whole of the worship service. It is essential that leader or teacher keep careful watch:over the preparation, but (bis unobtrusively. In turn allow each Gass to plan the worship service—to compile its own prayers, select its own hymns, bearing in mind the aim of the lesson for the day, and choose its own Scripture reading. . Then, with all preparations well made, and parts apportioned and rehearsed, hand over the leadership of your department for the opening service to class. You will find, if preparations have been well made, that the boys and girls will be reverent, eager to do their part well, and that the rest of the department will listen attentively, and will help, in what ways they can. The service, conducted by the girls and boys themselves, is indeed a' first step in active Christian service. A record of these, 1 services, with names of those taking part, will prove of interest, and a further inducement to .careful preparation. It Bvill probably become a point of honour among classes to keep the page with their‘bwn service specially neat and beautiful. In the organisation of the department there will be plenty of scope for the willing service of the, scholar. There are a hundred and one, things to be done every Sunday. Girls’ classes will gladly undertake the task (or pleasure) of bringing flowers and arranging these tastefully before the service. Monitors will be required to bring out hymn books or large type hymn rolls, and other equipment. < v « There may be a department library, and an interested scholar is the person to enrol .as librarian, though it should be borne -in mind that' a scholar needs friendly advice about his books, and teacher or leader should always take an interest. It is hoped that every class will have its own locker containing hymn books, Bibles, chalk,'etc., and someone to keep it in order is required. A scout for helping the teacher to keep in touch with absentees is a useful office to have filled by a member of the class. There is an instinctive love in boys and girls of this age (even in the most troublesome) to keep order. A few select committeemen (elected by class members) will often make it a point,of honour to help in keeping the orderliness of the class. The class blackboard will employ some member in writing up I the names of those who will take part in 1 next week’s lesson period. It is not too much to ask some scholar to give a short prayer, and some treasure of-devotion, such as a hymn verse that, has' particularly appealed to them. In each class a treasurer is needed to take up the offerings and present them during the closing sex'vicfe. I' do not think that intermediates are too young to keep a record of class discussions and business, along Bible class lines, and this will certainly give work to some energetic member. In the intermediate department we do not always think of expression work. _ It is so natural to think of it in connection with the primary and junior departments. The intermediate has not outgrown the expression work stage, though probably team work in some form will _ interest them most. A class album containing the life story of a missionary, illustrated, or a series of Bible lessons, will provide absorbing interest, and add greatly to the interest taken in the lessons. Maps carefully prepared by scholars will always be a permanent. addition to the equipment of the department, and so will be especially valuable as co-operative work. To the progressive and enthusiastic leader, practical experience will show many activities for the ever-present. activity of the intermediate. It is a Godgiven chance to use their energies in the service of the Master,- and foster love for His following. Ernest Hayes has reminded us that the first commandment for the successful teacher is “Thou shalt let the boy teach himself through his own activities.” That has always been the teaching of the Master. For nearly 2000 years He has let His i followers depend upon their own initiative, though He has been the ever-present help, and His cause has prospered. In like manner He depends upon us to help !Hia Church members of the future to lit Ip themselves. —A. W. R. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND WORLD OUTLOOK. In an article with the above title, Stanley Sowton points out the responsibility that rests upon the superintendents of bur Sunday schools for the training of the children in the great idea that the love of Christ, and therefore the Church of Christ, has no frontiers short of \the farthest ends of the earth. “ Every Sunday school,” said Mr Sowton, should have a window open to the mission field —not only for what it can send through that window in the way of. practical help by gifts and prayer and 'personal service, but also for what it can get back in wider interests and stimulating fellbwship. The superintendent is the man responsible for seeing that there is such a window, and that it is wide open, summer and winter.” What a chance the superintendent has! For one thing, the heroism and romance of missionary work have an immense attraction for, and appeal to, the young. When a true missionary story is sympathetically told the attention of the normal boy or girl is easy to catch and to maintain. The chances are that that story will be the thing most surely remembered of the whole Sunday school period. Many of our best missionaries'chose their life work while still in the, Sunday school. Many of our church members who are most keenly interested in missions attribute that interest to | the missionary “ atmosphere ” which made its impression on them when very young. Among the members of our churches who are “ not interested in missions ” must be very few who were brought up in a really missionary Sunday school;, How is a superintendent to rise to Hie height of this, great privilege and opportunity’ Here are a few suggestions: 1. Hymns.-—An important factor in the choosing of a hymn book for the Sunday school ought to be the provision it makes in the matter of missionary hymns. 2. Prayers.—He particular. Avoid mere generalities. Remember by name any missionary known to the ■'flhildren. Introduce the prayer by telling the children what it is to be about, or by telling some incident which suggests a 'special need or opportunity. , ■ . ... 3 The Offering.—Always tell the children what its object is, and lead them in prayer for that object, and for the wise use of their money to further it. 4. Make a great deal of the occasional missionary lessons and of missionary illustrations for the ordinary lessons. '5. Have a missionary in'the school as often as possible.

6. Encourage the reading of . good missionary biographies, through the school library, and otherwise. 7. Keep green the memory of any former scholar now serving in the field. Have his photograph on the wall. What about an additional frame with the inscription, “For our next missionary”? Let the superintendent thrill with missionary zeal, and the school will soon thrill too. —Scottish S.S. Teacher.