The Greeley tribune., 1908-06-18
HELPED Much
LECTURES BY HENRY +. COPE
OF GREAT VALUE
Stimulating Influence Upon Sunday
School Work Of the City
Brief Synopsis of
His Talks

Sunday School work in this city
has been considerably stimulated the
past week by the lectures on the var
ious phases of this branch of religious
effort delivered by Henry Frederick
Cope, general secretary of the Re-
ligious Education association, whose
headquarters are in Chicago. Mr..
Cope besides being lecturer on Sun
day school topics, is also an author
of note in religious works, and reg
ular contributor to the Chicago Tri-
bune. The World Today and the Sun
day School Times.
In all, five lectures were given at
different churches in the city. Sun
day evening in the Methodist church
union meeting was held at which
Mr. Cope discussed the work Of the
Religious Education association. Civ
ing in some detail what had been ac-
compished and what was being done
at present by the as ssOciation.
The feature of the Sunday School
upon which Mr.. Cope probably laid
most stress in his lectures was How
to organize Sunday School" First
of all it is necessary, he says, to have
this question: What is the precise
purpose of this institution His
answer is: The Sunday School
exists that people, especially the
young, may be trained in the way of
the religious life, the Christ life in
the Christian Sunday School, teach
,ltnS the. Dihle - the means to this
end. and not teaching the Bible Is
the end itself sought
Continuing he says: The church
in all its services has practically the
same aim, the development of Christ
ian character. the training of its peo-
pie in Christian usefulness. The dis
tinguishing mark of the Sunday School,
that which separates it from the 9th
er departments of activities OF the
church is, that it seeks to accomplish
this purpose by teaching. 1t is en-
gagged in educational work. 1t is not
meeting, 1t is not wOrshipping as
sembly. it is not a creche in which
children may be deposited. it is not
little organization planned and sus
tanned to give a few people chance
to hold office and to go through
stunts. 1t is the special education
department of the church. l should
define a Sunday School as an edu-
once week under the direction OF
the church engaged in teaching re-
ligious truth and training in Christ,
ian character and service.
The great thing. the first and deci
sive thing in Sunday School organiza
ton is to realize that this is teaching
institution, to provide good teachers
I provide for their teaching, arrange
right courses, and see that they are
, taught. The rest will practically take
, care of itself.
\ 1T is perhaps necessary to say
right here that by teaching l do moi
mean that to which teaching is tech
nically limited. instruction, still less
simply talking or telling. but here
teaching means all that good teacher
a will do In training. guiding, develop
2 ing, cooperating with and stimulat
, ing the pupil.
Sunday School organization would
be simple matter indeed If each
school had simply one teacher. The
fact we have many and that they
of many ages complcates the stua
ton We cannot have these teachers
, working at random. we cannot have
, them meeting at various seasons
, teaching subjects without reference
one to another or conducting their
, classes in blissful unconsciousness OF
: wilful ignoring one OF another. we
, must therefore have groups OF teachers
, under a supervisor or superintendent
who direct the work. set times and
, bounds and seasons. In the larger
schools there must often be several
: divis ions according to the great, broad
/, life grades or divisions Of the pupils
under the charge Of a division direc
tor. It makes little difference what
you call these officers, except for
convenience in understanding one an
other, so long as you grasp the sim
pie proposition that. these officers
are to bring together. unity. direct