Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-08-19
as 40 .sUNREAM, .woRK.
"A Paper-The Why and How Of,
Sunbeam Bands"

~
minister. with he request to publish:
We live not OILY in an age where
youth is recognized and given a place
nlgn as never before in the history
or the race, but this is essentially
the ohiiiren's age. S,Ss
Look back over all our wisest leg
islation and you Will see that IL Is
the good of the children OF the ma
tion that is sought. The child OF
America Is her chief concern, and
rightly, justly SO. The children of
our dear land are its hope-the most
Important of its considerations.
Again, look at tho forces that
stand In array to train these chill
dren to be useful and capable citi-
zens-- parents, teachers, business
men.
What is the church doing toward
the training of the boys and girls
who mean SO much to herr She
waits for the Sunday school to do
ALTO teach her faith and doctrines,
to, give instruction In the Bible and
church history and evangelical eff
fort. The Sunday school cannot do
all this Our children need to be
trained to understand and love the
missionary enterprises Of the church.
There is not time for this training
In the Sunday school. Therefore 1t
must be given by other means.
The gathering of the children into
bands under the guidance of conse-
Grated leaders, who can teach wisely
the work and spirit OF missions, is
the best solution. Why do this?
Let us see further. What are the
things we remember best? Are they
not childhood incidents? What are
the nhjarto nf or o
The things that, as children, we
learned to love. The mind of the
child Is rich in imaginative power.
He can see and feel far more keenly
than the ordinary adult the needs
OF that little starving brown baby
in India. The sympathy he learns as
child will never leave him.. The
KIND, open. iearted man Is the one
who in childhood was taught-or
sometimes learned through bitter ex-
perience-to feel another,s woe.
Again, the child is born hero
worshipper. Where will you find
such heroes, living or dead, as the
church can show as hers? Let them
be told the, stories of Livingstone, of
Judson, of Carey, Of Henry Martyn,
of Robert Morrison, and of John vii,
liams, and Of all that noble army of
saints and martyrs whose praise goes
up to Him they served so brave,yy in
life and death.
We should have this special train
Ing of the children because it is the
best remedy for the existing ignor-
ance of missionary conditions and
opposition to missionary expendi-
lures. Remove the ignorance and
the opposition disappears at two
fold ratio. Children are still "little
pitchers. Let them learn OF all the
expansive work of the church, it's
aims, its needs, and it's accomplish
ments. They will pour out their
knowledge and interest TO their ell
ders and reach their hearts Us few
p, Init appeals can. 1t is n triism
that the child Of to-day IL the uan
OF 70 Ilolrcw. What about the tram
Ing OF cur coming preachers, e, an
gelfsts, missionaries and field work
ers? Shall we let them wait until
after conversion and maturity l.e-
fore we begin to teach them the sim-
pie truths of church history, the glo-
rious spreading of the good tidings
| and peace that are for all men?
Must they grow up comparatively ig-
| norant of the bravest, most inspiring,
| most uplifting deeds of some of the
greatest men that history boasts? ?
Never! We must gather them in and
teach them these glorious truths.
More than that, it is the command
of Him who said, "Feed my lambs"
and we must obey gladly.
And it may be that the children
| You have led with trembling hand
VIII be found among your jewels
When you reach the better land.
How shall we have an interesting
band? In this, as in all organiza-
tons, there are many means toward
the desired end. will suggest
l. Organize children that are
about of an age. Do not attempt to
/ keep In one band the babies Of the
infant class in Sunday school and
the boy and girl who are beginning
! to feel that they are about grown up
2. Keep everybody busy. Each
child must feel that he is needed.
Lead them to see that they are doing
the best thing possible in serving
their Saviour earnestly and lovingly
with their pure hearts and sweet
young lives.
3. Suit your subject and method
OF presenting to your hearers Sto-
ries of child life appeal to the little
ones, but to the big children tell the
stories of bravery and heroism.
4. Let your own heart be full
Like begets like. Come before your
band with something worth giving,
and then give 1t with all the real
naturalness you possess. AS a teacher
of expression once said, do not ape
nature. Be your own easy, hearty,
natural self"
| 5. Keep the main idea before your
band. Do not let side issues crowd
the most important object.
6. Nothing succeeds like sue
cess" When child feels that he
has accomplished something definite