Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-01-04
BONE Department.
HOW CAN THE METHODS OF
CONDUCTING OUR SUNDAY
SCHOOLS BE IMPROVED2

| OSTIOoGo DE ImT NONGOf
IA paper read before the Addison County
Conference of Congregational churches at
vergennes, May %, 1883, by r. H. Holmes
of Shorehaml
If you will turn to the revised version
of the New Testament in the 4th chapter
of I'd Timothy, Sd and 4th verses, you
will find these words:
"For the time will come when they
will not endure the sound doctrine, but
having itching ears will heap to them
selves teachers after their own lusts and
will turn away their ears from the truth
and turn aside unto fables"
When was requested to write paper
upon the topic of show can the methods
of conducting our Sunday Schools be i'm
proved?" | thought, there is another
indication that the restlessness so often
manifested in all our churches is not
satisfied by the ''sincere milk of the
Word" and looks for new and startling
methods of application rather than to the
spiritual imbibing which is profitable
unto all things which pertain to the
highest growth in the Christian graces.
So, while l may present some methods of
conducting Sunday schools, l shall at
tempt to make plain the fact that it is
not new methods we want so much as
more of the living fire which lies behind
the methods that already exists and
which has sufficient force of itself to
carry forward the Sunday-school work
to the desired end.
The question then arises, What is the
desired object we would attain to in this
most important branch of our Christian
work? Is it to give lessons to the
children in singing? Is it a place to
educate the young in declaiming and re-
citing, so that they may appear well on
review Sundays or concert exercises? Is
it an occasion for speech-making and
bell-ringing or artistic display on a
blackboard? But you may ask, Do you
propose to shut out the singing, the con-
certs, the blackboard, ETC., from our
Sunday schools? l reply, certainly not {;
but with equal emphasis l would say, Do
not make any of these things or all COM
bined the main object and study of the
week that outsiders may be attracted and
drawn in for a pleasant pastime on the
Lords day.
If, then, the Sunday-school is las it should
be, part of the church organization and
a means of bringing persons of all ages
into saving knowledge of the truth, the
end in views should not be lost sight of
in the application of methods which are
not in accord with sound doctrine but
tend rather to satisfy the itching ears
referred to in I'd Timothy.
First, then, shall take for granted
that the Sunday-school is part of the
church, with the pastor as its head. This
does not necessitate that he should be the
superintendent. In fact it is asking too
much of any pastor in addition to his
other duties to take charge of the details
of the Sunday-school, but do claim that
he should interest himself in it and see
that its affairs are directed in the right
channel and that nothing tends to draw
away from the spiritual growth and de-
velopment which should be seen in the
nursery of his flock.
Next to the pastor the very best man
or woman in the church who is adapted
to the position should be selected to con-
duct the affairs of the Sunday school.
The requirments of such person
might be given, but the list would be too
long for the limits of the paper, and
again refer to Paul's charge to Timothy,
who says "Ihat the man of God may be
complete, furnished completely unto every
good work" TO the superintendent
would give the special order found in
1st Cor, l4th chapter, 10th verse. namely,
"Let all things be done decently and in
order"
This cannot be accomplished without
method, and improved methods is the SUBJ
ject now under consideration. In order
to make the most of each Sunday school,
session no one needs to know the lessor
better than the superintendent. He
should seek by earnest prayer and study
to find the main thought in each lessor
toward which all other ideas point ant
towards which all the details of thu
Sunday School hour should tend, ano
this is the best method | know of tt
keep out of the ruts, and if any one has
any hobbies to ride,it will hoist him from
those most effectually.
A superintendent may become interest
ed in the use of the blackboard and starts
, out with his coored crayons and maste
! drawings, but if he wishes above all thing
to let the spirit do its work in the line o
the principal thought of the lesson III
, soon finds place where his blackboard
, somehow doesn't fit. Another may con
, slider singing principal part of tn
Sunday school and so puts the children
: through course of training and afte
d having beat the air with book and pointe