The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-10
A WORK OF IMPORTANCE.


 A work of considerable importance that has been quietly carried on for some months in this community is that of the Religious Educational Fed eration. Anyone who has knowledge of the changes taking place in religious thought and methods of work will un- derstand and appreciate the charac- ter of the work undertaken by this Federation. The special task is to re- construct the Sunday and to inpart such a spirit and method in the work of the Sunday-school as will be more in accord with the demand of modern life. That a readjustment of Sunday-schoo work is necessary for saving service with the present and future generations is becoming evident every day, There is no better place to begin a rebuilding than in the Sunday-school Here the prtrnary training must be given that will pro- vide a church equipped to meet the problems which 1t is for tho Christian church to consider and help tp solve. Not long ago Dr. Newman Srayth stat ed in what is now much discussed sermon that "Protestantism has lost power to give to the people c cod religious education It is not mscting much religious thought and question ing among It's own children" Only last week a distinguished clergyman in another State said: "The church has not met the needs of the gene -ation which has grown up with the changed conception of the world brought in by the vast increase of knowledge and the development of the scientific method.' In an editorial recently the Wall Street Journal discusses the de- >.line TT change In religious faith and forecasts that the change going on will affect commercial and industrial affairs. Ii points out that there is growing up generation uninstructed as our iatbers were in the study of the Bible" All this comment from Wall street to the pulpit about the need of more thorough grounding in fho hr f,f ho Il significance, The great end cf Sunday school work is such an intelligent study of this great book ard such mn appropriation and use of It's truths and spirit as will cultivate in young people-and old as well-Christian character and larger power to serve more efficiently humankind.
 lfi the past score of years the Bible has become new book Many pnr- tons which some good people have read in perfunctcry manner have become luminous because re-lntcrprct- cd In larger light It is said that the Bible has become popular. To this end no doubt the courses of tho Amer ican Institute of Sacred Literature. fostered some years ago by Dr. Will liam R. Harper. contributed much. Tn some of the colleges and universities the Bible is studied as literature along with Chaucer, Shakespeare, or Tenny- son. Some of the finest forms of lt orary expression are in the. Bible and should not be lost to tn student. There is a majesty and dignity about this book nowhere else to be found and no one can afford to be apart from the influence that comes to one through studioGs intirnacy witt it.
 The purpose in the study of the Bi- ble systematically is becoming educa- tional rather than evangelistic, al- though in q truer sense than hitherto recognized the evangelistic purpose is included in the educational. To use the Bible in order to induce a change in tine desires and motives of any is one thing. To use the Bible for build ing character and developing a nobler type of efficiency IS quite another. The latter work gives proper direction to the awakened desires and motives Tn use the Bible for the purpose of prov- ing some a priori theory is not the noblest use, or to bolster up some failing doctrine that has outlived it's usefulness. Let the Bible be free to create it's own atmosphere, unhindered by syndicated metaphysical ideas inn posed upon it.
 In such work as the Religions Ed ucational Federation is undertaking the most important is the training of teachers. ITO inspire and dicet thor ough religious instruction" says Pro lessor Charles Poster Kent of Yale. carefully trained leaders are needed The demand to-day is for a teaching as well as preaching ministry. with an apostolic sense of mission and message" Clearly the Religious Edu- cational Federation is working along the lines laid down in the richly sug- gestive last chapter of Professor Rents book on the origin and Permanent