The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-09-26

least say Lord l believe. help
thou mine unbelief"
1t Is easy enough to have faith In |
what time has thoroughly demon
strated-as for example-the Mutual
improvement Association. But can
we not do little better, and bring a
little more faith to bear upon what
perhaps-still "remaln to be proved"
We believe that the Religion class,
Is most important and far reaching
influence 10 our church work; that 1t
deserves the attention and serious In.
vestigation Of parents; the cheerful
and enthusiastic care Of good teachers;
the heartiest support Of those In AL.
thority. That IL lacks (toa marked
degree) each and all Of these elements
OF success Is evident; and IL is also evil.
dent that, in the degree to which 1t
lacks them, II falls short OF Its ideals.
Shall we enumerate 10 regular order
these shortcomings?
Parents often doubt-criticise-n
lect. Teachers are sometimes incom.
petent, sometimes very careless.
In some OF the wards, where there
are ten reliable workers In auxiliary
associations there may be, two, for
the Religion class.
Where this condition prevails, it Is
keenly felt by Board members, who
are often filed with Encouragement.
Hence, Bishops think often, that
Board members are not alive to their
duties.
What can be done to remedy this
mutual misunderstanding, this lack
of understanding?
First let US try to realize the great
importance Of this work.
Let US try to make its aim more
generally understood.
Religion class work, as we under.
stand 1t, Is preparatory to the theologi.
cal work In the church schools.
10 quote: The whole Religion class
movement, is part Of the church school
s, stem, and operates, IN connection
with the officers Of the latter. In both
stake and ward activities. Hence, 1t
is not an auxiliary association In the
seuse that the Primary or the Mutual
improvement Is, but school, or bet
ter, = class.
How should its work compare with
that of other organizations with
the child In the public schools?
We think that the work, along lines
OF spiritual development, should at
least keep pace with that along lines
OF mental Development.
The subject matter has been chosen
wholly with q view to providing prac-
tical work for the natural activities
of children Of district school age.
"rhe keynote Of Religion class work,
Is the word, practical" That is why
1t Is called by this name. 1t Is class;
not u meeting, lin the ordinary sense, }
and 1t teaches religion, not theology,
trains the children In doing, not
merely knowing. One bit Of exper.
fence Is worth q thousand explana.
lions.
Acknowledgements we all must,
that the work which Is for eternity,
is immeasureably more important,
than that which Its us, for the activi.
ties OF this little me llal span, We come
to the question, Is the Religion class
a necessity, or-can the child get the
same results at other meetings?
Does he geL the ideal results at the
other meetings?
We believe that many missionaries
could contribute from their experience
much to emphasize the desirability OF
the earnest work Of Religion classes.
Knowledge Of many ordinances Is
acquired late, when first undertaken
In regular theological study.
Such knowledge would be much
more available and dependable, II de-
veloped gradually from childbirth,
through the practical work Of the Re-
ligion class.
4 Again, while we do not intend to
detracG from the appreciation, which
we feel, for the benefits to be. derived
from other meetings, We cannot fail
to admit that much depends upon the
spirit 10 which we, as ind .viduals ex.
hibit.
We are responsible for presenting
ourselves In the right spirit for spirit
ual help and uplifting.
The child Is not supposed 10 he re
nslble-that' is mol in the same dc
gree
The child's attitude toward spiri,
ual truth is largely matter OF hered
ity. temperament, environment, etc
I How often Is child blamed wheI
he deserves only the tendeIest pit.
and most loving sympathy
The soul is the one great and diYin