The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-23

"The minister whether he occupies a
church where there is a coordinate
teacher, or Ii pastor over church
where he must alone bear the dual
name of pastor and teacher, should be
such a master Of modern sociological
and pedagogical movements that he
can intelligently guide into its appro-
pirate methods Of manifestation the
teaching function Of the church.
TT was with thought in mind that
Hartford Seminary last winter began
to organize within the institution a
course in religious pedagogy which
should have its place of equal right and
privilege side by side with the other
courses of the seminary curriculum. If
the church is to face its immediate and
imperative obligations 1t must see to
it that in the teaching of it's ministry
there is provision made for the ministry
Of teaching. For the new century there
must be a new ministry which is
equipped to teach-to teach the new
Bible to the new child, reared in the
new home-therein lies a summoning
calling to the young men of our day."
A conference followed Prof. Gillett's
address which was led by Rev. DR..
Willard Scott. He spoke on the same
thought of the Importance of teaching
in the church "Have we any means
of comparing" he said, "the amount
of money and thought which is ex-
pended by the city fathers to give our
children an education that will fit them
to become good citizens of the state
with the amount of money and thought
which is expended by the churches to
! make the children good citizens of the
kingdom of God?
For a church of $50 resident fami-
lies, one pastor is provided who is also
the teacher. What pastoral work can
he do? He must be man who will
please people, he must have the de-
livery of a baseball pitcher; and he
must not only be able to get off things
well but he must have something to
get off And good teaching is not a
thing one can get off very effectively
! without time and thought.
For this hortatory business, all you
need is a good heart and a good pair
of lungs.
1.-The problem of the scholarly pastor
is hard one. He is at his wits end
how to find time to read and think,
how to come in contact with scholarly
men, how to keep track Of the chang
ing drift of the times. A great demand
is made upon him to add members to
| the church.
There is the least preparation in the
church for the culture of youth than
in any civilized community in any other
direction.
"No one person can ever do the COM
| pulsory work for any considerable
] sized church. There is need either of a
/ dual ministry or an auxiliary. l believe
we need a teaching arm. Not to go
| about among the people, want to do
that myself-not to do the preaching
want to do that myself, too. We
! want teachers to give new organiza-
| ton to old knowledge, to draw around
| them those who are willing to take up
/ lines of study, normal work, Bible
classes; to tell the people the best that
| is known on vital questions.
1.-THE parents used to know it all
now they don't dare to tackle the
| questions which their children ask
| The High School is doing great things
sharper than lightning. The parents
are embarrassed by their questions
/ and the Sunday School teachers would
| be too Of they appreciated the situa.
ton. One of the ladies of my church
high officer in the Woman's Club
told me she did not dare to face class
of young people How we can lei
| things go on as they are do not know
Sunday School teachers ought to have
l TedCnGu d CtIl6ll llOi MAJ 3 eut, anu al
4 their classes grow older the teachers
equipment should be higher. But yol
say, if this were insisted upon it woult
break up the Sunday Scnuol. Perhap
that would be just as well the wa,
things are going now"
Rev. o. C. Bailey spoke of the powe
of the Holy Ghost as a teacher.
Rev. George f. Dodge asked that tn
present results accomplished by tn
Sunday School be not minimized:
Rev l. L. Wilcox asked that bette
tools be given to teachers to worl
with by the leaders of religion
1 thought. He said he thought the teach
ers would respond.
Rev. DR.. Alexander Lewis suggested
| that the conference unite and supper
trained teacher who should go from
one church to another teaching an(
| suggesting ideas to the pastors anC
| Sunday School superintendent.
Prof. Gillett said the Hartford Semi
nary would be glad to furnish such {
teacher.
The meeting adjourned a little after
o'clock Rev. DR.. Scott pronounced
| the benediction.
The morning session began at Il
o'clock After an opening hymn anC
prayer these committees were appoint
| eQ. OH TeSOlullOllSB new OHhli S0 W
| Carpenter Oxford; Rev. George b
Frost, Portland; Hon. C. A. Denny
Leicester; on credentials, Rev. Lyman
Nevis, Rev, Lawrence Perry, and 3. f
Josli.n
REV. Inman L. Wilcox, pastor Of
! Park Church, welcomed the associa-
! ton to the church in a brief address
Devotional services were led by Rev
| Arthur H. Sedgwick of Shrewsbury
! ATre Dartbo GrieyVo16 Denny sang a
solo.
The first address was by Rev. e. H
! Stickney, of Fargo, N. D.. superinten-
dent for the Congregational Sunday
| school and Publication society, who
spoke on Real Missionary Work in
| the West" He began with relating per-
sonal experiences in Sunday school
work in Dakota. Speaking of town
which was saloon-ridden when he first
went to it, he said: I'VE are trying
very hard and we are succeeding very
well too, to have a state in which our
| boys and girls may grow up without
knowing what a saloon is" He showed
a very hopful outlook for the work of
his society in the west. discussion
followed
Rev. ]. A. Seibert said that work
such as Mr.. Stickney had described was
direct work and gave visible results.
personally" he said. Il know that
the Congregational Church is taking a
tremendous stride toward bringing the
West into the church of Christ.
Rev. Geogre B. Frost of Rutland
spoke Of his acquaintance with Mr..
Stickney at Andover He said he
thought the latter had disproved the
opinion which has been commonly ex-
pressed lately that there is something
the matter with the Congregational
minister He said it took more man.