The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27


have already come upon better days. They
cannot find the ideal, but they have found
something so much better than they had
before that they rejoice.
Here i'm this church we are working on
the problem of the instruction or the
young along logical and biblical lines.
We have dropped the sentimental idea LOT
the scientific and practical. We have not
yet attained, but one thing We are DONG:
Leaving the things that are behind, we
are pressing toward an ideal. What are
we trying to do?
We are laying out a definite and perma-
nent course of study. We are seeming 70
adapt 1t to the ages and deveiopLnent
of the children. We are seeking 10 prlns
into II each year ali that should be tauSat
by the church to children of that age. we
are seeking to get beneath the cohVen- H.
tiOnal to the real; beneath the merel!
pretty. to the really beautiful; beneath
the sentimental to strength ana gram
deur. And. let me say for superintenueiits
ana teachers. they are doing II. Slowly,
definitely and surely they are laying
foundation OF scriptural knowledge whose
superstructure will, enc day, tower heaV-
en-high, a thing OF beauty ana a Joy lot
ever But / turn to another phase OF
my subject.
instruction alone. even though II be IN
the scriptures ana according to the pest
educational principles, from an lnlciIcSt-
ual point OF view, cannot produce al the
results the church is appointed to produce
I'm the young. All might. conceivably, be
given and vet child perish-in the sense
of the text There is an adaptation of in
struction not only to mental growth ana
needs. but to spiritual development, as
well. Somehow the idea Is widely held
that spiritual things are on dead leVel
and without any special laws Inc DouE
and the mind develop. The best educator
ITS his work nicely to the periods OF the
child's mind. But when il comes 10 the
spiritual life. the child Is expected To re-
spond to the same truths aS does the
adult. IL Is recognized that these truthS
must be presented in simpler intellectual
forms I'm shorter words, brlefer sentences
and smaller doses. but they must DE the
same in kind. 49,
his mind The development of the mind
follows hard after the body. the soul Al
longer interval. The soul develops Tor
eternity. and IL can afford slow growth.
This soul growth needs to be taken into
account ia teaching the child spiritual
truth for character development. FOitu-
10 old age. a teachers love makes IT'S
constant impression, even II other meth
cds are wrong. But love ought 10 be re-
enforced by right methods and by an un-
Outstanding of child nature and child
Jesus was formally Acknowledged as n
child Of the church when lie was taken
at twelve years of age to the tenn o. EV-
/ cry Jewish boy at that age had right 10
/ be thus presented and to become thence
/ forward "son OF the law This was no
| chance age. II was the age or natural
| cllIininatf0n Of the growth of the Hebrew
child hitherto. and thc beginning OF 4 new
phase of bodily, mental ana spiritual IKE.
I Under our American condition. with luI
! Auglo-SaNou blood. the elimination IOr
| the boy. AT least. comes st"htly later but
/ from twelve To fourteen IS the natural
/ time for the elimination OF al the sp!F-
/ ituai work thus far done for the child ana
| or his growing spiritual experience. NOW
I Is ne time for conscience. deliberate ana
final acceptance of Christ as personal
I Master ana Savior. II is the natural time.
I also for uniting with the church. What
''ever there may have been before OF the
spiritual, YOU may expect now q deeper
realization of Christ as life force. \ lew
years later another period OF intellectu n
aud spiritual fcrment Will come. If the
decision called conversion has then taken
place. now is the time 10 deepen IL snir-
I itual conceptions and experience. IT the
decision has not been fully confirmed ana
affirmed. now IS the time FOR parents
Z teachers and friends to secure the prayed
/ for result Pass this time and the proba-
/ bility ever lessons for the spiritual quick
eninr that every soul needs.
am not affirming that every teacheFE
should be such an expert student OF
I psychology and pedagogy as To be able 10
think out these things for hlmSeii. CnE
a small fraction Of our successiui publc
teachers are able 70 do the original think-
Z ing necessary for The correlation OF stn-
dies even. One Froehel PestalQzZi or Her
I bart can think along original nneS ahu
7 mark ont the pathway, while lo,OW lesser
minds can follow i'm his footsteps, see ne
reasons Tor each step. and apply the pfln-
Z ciplas i'm actual work The church must
I have It's Froebeis, Icstalozzis anu iicI-
harts-it has them In Or. Han. of WorceS-
I ter. and iu other yastigators or enid ma
turc and nurture. She has also the priqlc
Ciples Of all educators TO draw upon: J.,
I her teachers will realize that spiritual
/ character building IS the finest OF all arts,
/ based upon the finest of all sciences, ana
VIII seek 10y all means TO learn the art. IS
| they can. q new era VIII soon dawn IN the
church and upon earth.
/ II IS not the VIII Of God that q ehild o.
! the church should perish. IL shoNli 10
III
mighty. unconqucrable faith, that no
such child shall perish. II IS 20 thls iuS q
/ that We are humbb WORKING III Clt7
I church. In our Development OF 0tpt. u
/ meuts We are seeking TO send lnto ana
/ through the growing character Ql every
/ child the ibcrs of eternal truth love anu
\ life
/ / have no time To do more than suggest
\ the side of my subject relating 10 the un-
/ Christian and unchurched. II Is a.mo5O
/ the only practical AM efnclent method 70
! reach unchUrched homes To DIP 50 tAfouS n
/ the children. Scarcely chil3 IN any
/ community Is beyond the reach OF wise,
/ loving. Persistent effort to bring II into the
SUNDAY school. Then IF the church VIII
do its .ui work; II. IN lis Sunday school
] il viii interest. fascinatc. instruct anu
upl!ft: II IL VIII work IN accord with Hl.4I
| and soul laws; Il IL will stand with the
open arms Of It's Young Peoples society
! to lead on and develop II u Wall keep us
/ membership open To childhood with It's
] childhood experiences. with an incor-
/ ouerable faith 20 hold on throuSh ali the
! phases of youth. through which its every
/ deacon <nd dc2coaeSs, its pastor ana
! every sCdato member has gone-tf all tins
! Is found IN a living. praying, WORKING
4 warm hearted church. then the Kingdom
! Of God will come with power.
I The apostles once thought the work
/ of their Master too large 20 permit Him
/ to De bothered with children. With eye
/ flashing with Indignation and with voice
I stern with condemnation he rebuke1 them,
/ and commanded that no child should ever
i bc kept from His presence ana blessing.
! The church has great enterprises com
! mitted To its care. IT Is to III human
society with sweetness. human govern
/ mcnts. with righ ,eOusnesS and justice TO
/ banish all evil from the face If the earth
! and TO iill its place with all possible good.
| But back OF all and nv al IN producing
. these grand results, its mission Of missions
/ IS 10 the little ones Of the earth, that not
] one Of them may perish. When II succeeds
! here. Il succeeds IN all. If IL falls here, all
/ other successes win be scarcely above
! failure. 1t is not the will Of your heaven
/ " father that one of these little once
! shall perish See to it. O church. that HIS
| VIII shall be thine in mighty effort. DO
| thy work for childhood. and soon tie
! Kingdoms Of the earth shall become the
/ kingdom of our Lord and His Christ
TILLTTAN MEETS A PREACHER.
] L., laa