Early Confirmation.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XV, Issue 5, 1 November 1924, Page 461

Early Confirmation.

AND CHUECH ATTENDANCE. Presiding at a- Sunday School Cori-:ference.-,pf ls,.cler,gy and 118, teachers on lo,tioh : ef .' 4th j'the A^chbishopi ; pf .Brisfcan.e -said:— - ... „: . . : . |^i't^Eat e^er. our.: private : views, may .be. about .■ : tne.,:yajue . .or ptiiei^yi?e , , of early Confirmaiip'ii, , our C|uich seems tq favor i|. - May & warn r yqu .of. the r^sk- you, would ran m repelling childreri Ayjhp s.eeni to you to .be oveivyp.iing-.wJien they, say they want to be confirmed. A value of early Confirmation' is the habit of Communion formed. ; Let the children be taught Christian nabife,tbe habit of worship. Many children are taught next 'to flpthing ab^ut. worship, and are 'trained .'. m an "habitual rieglect pf th^e, Very |4ea.. of." sacraments.. Let them be taught the hajtiit of prayer an.c} tp expec| C-pnfirmatipn and. Holy Communion as a of course, ancl to look fgrward ". to them. Your teaching "shpul<i aim .at being 4ogmatic," .devotional, . practical. I am oldrfasiiipned enough tq believe that, itvis good to know .the catechism off by heart, and.'thyt..it,V^.-stand'.jis'iri gpodj. stead. We must grow m the. art of prayer purs.elves, for .we can.piily lead .pur bpya .and, girls by jthe way \ye ourselves. are treading.''' At abater stage p|. the eonferenee the' Archbishop said that, he belieyed the children came to love the. Holy Eucharist service , mbre than , any other. . The . benefit of teaching the qhil4r.en.tO' join, m the .worship of. the Cliurch, was, urged .by the .Rev. j. ,M. Meale, who .thought that the children ought to be taught the hymns used m the church services. Qn.this point Canon Garland also said that the use of separate hymn, boolrs, as substitutes f pr^.the Book of • Common Prayer, pr the hymn ; book generally used, did more harm than gopd. They \yere teaching ; the .child that . it had a child's religion, that was to be left! behind, later on. He .urged the ngee.s'sity .of training; children to come into phurfih during Sunday School life, .The: Rey.-,8. W. Shand, m : \; a pap.er on • ' ' Attendance at Cbi;rcii, ' ' said that children' should be %ugbt tpVattend the church services. To the cliild: llod was real. The. only t^ay to make, the children lpye divine wor^dp was to ! make ; them Attend Holy ■'■■"• Communion.— (l CKurph . Stjindard..''^ -" ".■'■'■ : ;. . . : "' V" : ' ~'\ '