The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-07-20
THE CHURCH AND THE YOUNG.

The increasing observance of Children Day
in the churches, as evidenced by reports in
our exchanges, together with the rapid and
phenomenal growth of young peoples socie-
ties for Christian work, in one form or an
other makes change for the better in the at
titude of the Christian Church towards its
young. To make the children and youth feel
that they have distinct place in the work of
the church, and to enlist them in the ranks of
workers during the formative period of their
lives, is to act wisely and well, and prophesies
good things for the church of the future. For
little more than century the Sunday School
has ministered more or less to the spiritual
needs of the little folks, but the regular ser
vices of the Church were as barren as the des-
ert of Sahara of any nutriment for the chill
dren. If the "lambs" were fed at all the food
was either placed so high in the rack that they
could not get hold of it, or else it was served at
intervals so far apart that the average lamb
would seek to allay its hungerings and ward
off starvation by little nibbling on its own
account in forbidden pastures where poke
leaves were quite as liable to grow as grass
We live, however, to-day in the children's
age. A literature for children-remarkable
for its volume and for its quality-has sprung
up in the past few years. Magazines, papers,
and books have multiplied with increasing
rapidity. Every wellregulated newspaper
had its children's corner, corner, by the way,
into which many an adult loves to stray once
in a while. In educational matters this reac
ton shows itself as well. The primary schools
have a constantly increasing Importance
They are no longer considered of comparative
ly little account, but are counted the founda-
tions of all future training and experienced
masons are engaged to lay these foundations.
Back of the primary schools are the kindergar
tens. In many places these have established
right to live and have come to stay. The
church has caught this infection and evidently
proposes to keep up with the procession. Chill
nic iC
this new idea. 1t gathers together at the regu-
lar hour for Sunday worship, makes the ser
vice appropriate and interesting, and empha-
sizes the thought that the child is in fact part
of the church and has place in it and owes
responsibility to it. This is good sense, for if
Christianity has any potency as truth, its laven
cannot begin to work too early. Train up
child in the way he should go and when he is
old he will not depart from it."
The easy growth of Christian Endeavor So
cieties and of kindred organizations shows that
the children and youth are readily diverted
into paths of usefulness and helpfulness when
once the way is open. These societies give op-
portunity for work. They not only train
the mind but they try the muscle. When
working in harmony with their dominant
idea, they begin at once to give a child a
chance to personally apply the ethics and
teachings of the Sunday school sermon, and
theory and practice are combined. The only
need is to multiply the children's days, not
by more distinctive acts, set apart for them,
and for them alone, but by simplifying the
regular work of the pulpit, by Introducing
something of interest to them in each sermon,
by lighting the homily up with illustration
and making them feel that the preacher is not
shooting over their heads. This can be done,
and the preacher who is wise enough to do it
will not only catch the boys and girls but will
find the adults in his congregation rising up
and calling him blessed.-Mdnchester (N. H.)
Union