Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-06
Main Topic Discussed at Church
School Teachers Convention
Yesterday Afternoon.
ADDRESS BY NEPHI /. MORRIS
Mondays Program Put Forward To-
day In Order TO Permit Attend
ancc at Summer school.

Yesterday was very lively day for
the Church school teachers oonven-
ton, With the exception of President
Brimhalls paper on tithing, nothing in
the gathering thus far has provoked SO
much discussion as the papers and talks
yesterday on the teaching OF the Bible.
The subject OF how to telch the Old
Testament, which should have been
given n, the morning session by Prin-
cipai Daily of the Rexburg academy,
was carried over to the afternoon ses-
sion. President Young's paper on
ethics and athletics, which was pro-
grammed for the afternoon, was given
this morning.
Principal Dalby would lay most
stress. he said. on the development of
| character IN the Old Testament. And
he lnstanced the separation Of Lot and
| Abraham, as serving to show the diff
ference In character between these two
men---I4ot with not little aelf-interest,
Abraham altogether unselfsh. Some
books he would pass by entirely. as not
containing the material for character,
except In a negative way.
The discussions which followed drew
forth variety OF viewpoints and meth
DDS OF teaching the Hebrew Scriptures.
One thought, for instance, that 1t was
necessary to tie tho course together by
giving historical treatment, including
geography, society, law. philosophy,
and prophecy In the Jewish life. An
other would lay stress on the hand
dealing of God with the Jews, and
slight many points In biography.
THE NEW TESTAMENT.
A paper on the New Testament was
read by r. A. Hinckley. He laid moro
emphasis on the necessity of giving in
an Introductory course such historical
and geographical Information as would
put the student in a better way OF In
terpreting the sayings and acts of
Christ and His apostles He would not
exclude other things. however for he
made the Interpretation and application
OF Jesus teachings the prime purpose
of the study OF the Sav,or's life.
At the conclusion OF the afternoon
meeting 1t was decided to put Mondays
program forward TO today In order to
allow those teachers who wished to do
so to attend summer school. This att
ernoou and evening, however. are being
spent by the pedagogues at Wanda
mere.
PRESIDENT NEPHI l. NORRIS.
The address by President Nephi L.
Morris was given last evening as an
nounced. IT was one Of the most
thoughtful and most pretentious ef-
forts of the conventional scholarly
and well-organized address on the
subject of self-trust. The speakers
theme was. that in the school of ex-
perience, where there was In vogue
compulsory system of education, the
most blessed and improving thing that
God has ever done for man was to
throw him out into a hard environ
ment, whore il was necessary for him
TO work The subject was treated
largely from the basis of history. Ell
der Morris pointed out tho conditions
that have prevailed at various stages
OF the world, from the first to the pres
ent time. out of which have come the
best in man by reason OF the putting
forth of his effort, under compulsion.
The thrusting out of man from the
garden of Eden was in reality a bless
ing in disguise. God did nothing for
man, he was compelled to do every
thing for himself and thereby grow.
The Lord made man as unfit as pos
sible for an easy life. He endowed
him, however, with the necessary or
gans for development, of which the
speaker instanced the hand-the real
soepter of the world. Our teacher
President Morris went on to say, Is
nature, and nature alone. True, we
have been sent interpreters in the
form of prophets. poets reformers;
but the great teacher has ever been
nature, The last part of the lecture
was devoted to the point that 1t Is
only our difficulties--the things We
have 10 wrestle with--that bring out
our character and reveal us 10 our
selves No saying is more profoundly
true than that OF Paul the apostle,
when / am weak. then am | strong"
The singing WAS furnished for the
whole day by the b. Y. u, The work
OF the chorus of IL voices was es-
pecinlly commendsble both In the ar
ternoon and the evening"