The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-07-19
Address at kindergarten
Training School.
Delivered BY Rev. M. L. Berger
Developing From Within to
Right Thinking.

June 90. DIR. Berger's interest in edu-
cational work, and his earnest efforts
to promote a religious life among
young people made his address one
OF deep interest to the graduates:
A thousand years before the Angels
song announced the advent OF the Babe
OF Bethlehem the wisest OF the Uld
Testament sages declared Train up a
child in the way he should go and
when he is old he will not depart
from it." This Is the keynote OF kim
dergarten work, this gives the law
OF its advance and ensures its great
harvest Of good. This suggestion OF
training carries our thought at once
in Nature to the slender and tremu-
lous vine which we twine and secure
to the strong support and so prevent
its being whipped off by the wind, or
grovelling along the ground. The sue
cess or failure of the vine, as a thing
OF beauty or a fruit bearer, depends
upon the wisdom and thoroughness
WIN WHICH tIls WOTh iS uOnp. III uc-
cords with the true theory OF educa-
tiOn, as q process, not of examining
and forcing, but patiently regarding
and leading out in beautiful order the
natural forces that are evolved from
within. II regards the young mind
not as receptacle for thought SO much
as thought producer and 1t looks
FOR its finest results in that which is
evolved from within, only aiming to
direct the process and by wise touch
here and there conduct it along the
noblest lines.
Now the New Testament expression
OF the same idea is fuller, bringing I'm
an additional force to ensure the de-
sirable result. II Is not simply Train
the child,' evolving, developing from
within, the right thinking which pro-
duces the right feeling and this the
right action and so secures the right
kind of character, but Bring them
up in the nurture and admonitlon of
the Lord" A new motive Is here in
troduced which is to- effect power
fully for good both the teacher and the
taught. The process Is to be "a nur-
ture,' nonrishing process. a feeding
OF the mind on that which shall best
adapt II to the noblest activities. IL is
in the Lord" that the teacher Is to
md her Inspirations. her motive for
a patient. self-forgetful life OF sacri-
fee. not "wearying OF her well doing"
and not regardful OF the praises or
rewards OF men,-and by acquainting
her pupils with Him, his power, per-
sonal interest in them, compassion.
sympathy: lead them to know and
regard Him in such a way that He be-
comes most potent and all control
ling motive force in their lives. 1t is
only where HE Is known, loved and
adored that THE Child Garden" Is
found and its results secured. Human
nature Is too narrow, selfish. ignorant
and self-indulgent to do n work like
this apart from the Lord. And so the
true Kindergarten teacher has ever
ringing in her ears the sweet words
OF Jesus, Suffer the children to come
unto Me" and she has the best and
most satisfying success as their con-
tact and acquaintance with Him Is
promoted, and they learn to look to
Him every hour for help, and to do all
things in His Name"
She herself in gentle firmness strives
TO be an embodiment of this beautiful
Christ Spirit and wins her victories
by unwearying diligence and conf
dence which eventually sweeps all OBJ
stacles Of temper. evil association and
bad habit before II, and transforms
the lawless waif OF the street into the
confiding, cheering sunbeam OF the
kindergarten.
1t Is a work OF faith. She only who
can look beyond the external the
transient, the homely and too often
commonplace will prosecute it to sue
cess and secure its abiding result in
character formed for usefulness and
GUf. The rest win grow weary and
drop out.
1t is work of unselfishness. Self
glory and self promotion are neCessar-
lily ruled out. The true glory OF self
surrendered sacrifice is discovered
and the noblest 6ltruism is a service
rendered TO these little ones, the least
In the Kingdom of God Is embraced.
IL Is work for the future. While
The Immediate results are not incon-
siderable in Frightening the lives that
otherwise would he sad and impure
ana hlling minds that would otherwise
be vacant, with beautiful thoughts OF
Nature and God, the great end Is to
fashion well-balanced character that
shall be ready to respond anywhere to
the cries of the worlds need for help
IN solving its great problems and doing
Its necessary work.
IL Is a work for God He who said
taxing a little child and setting II in
the midst "Of such is the Kingdom
OF heaven also added, Take heed
that ye despise not one OF these little
ones No one can guess how princely
the soul may be that Is being trained
Tor the future, nor how much the use
fnhess OF that great future NAV be
determined by what may here be i'm
pressed upon Il.
] think II Jesus should revisit our
earth one OF the very first nIaces He
would go to would be, not the Halls
OF Legislation nor the great EccIesias-
tical Assemblies OF experienced ana
learned men, but these little, modest
kindergartens, where He would gath.
er the doci1e children about Him and
tell them OF His own beautiful chile
life In old Nazareth, before the ad
vent of this last institution, this mul