El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-19
Words Sunday School
Gathering In Washington
GREAT CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION.

, of reasons chiefly political. Inc amer
| lean republic began its career win
| the clear understanding that chuici DO
state always were to be distinct anu
separate. The United States today, a1ter
1874 wears, remains the only nation IN
der the sun in which church and state
are absolutely Independent TO the ex-
tent that their relations are not even
q question in politics. On account Oh
this separation, the Development OF the
American public school system pro-
ceeded without making any provision
for religious instruction. The omls-
sion me- with the approval OF vast
majority of the people, for the reason
that they preferred to give their emil
dren religious instruction after the
manner and custom of their several
faiths
Thus the Sunday school became the
accented vehicle of religious instruction
! for Protestant peoples. In communities
where there are large numbers of Cath
olics. Catholic children attend the
parochial schools and receive both sec
| ular and religious instruction under
the tuteIage of the church. But TAX
| ing the whole country over. practically
all religious instruction is given by
Sunday schools. 1t is remarkable CO
/ incidence that the enrolment IN the
public schools Of the United States ana
! the Sunday schools of the country stand
.
| 100000.
| Religion In schools.
! In England the free schools CORE
| sponding 10 the American public
| schools are under control Of the state
church and five hours each week Is
! devo1ed to religious instruction This
/ system is opposed by the noncOnform-
/ lists and free church people, and thus
| the education bill is one of the chief
/ in
! American system of complete separation
and Of hearty support of Sunday
schools seems to be the best In the
| world.
And yet it is freely admitted that the
! Sunday schools, in the United States
and elsewhere, do not reach sreas
! many children who are in need both or
| religious and moral teaching The
problem of reaching these children, OF
/ getting them into the Sunday schools,
| of holding them there, and OF g1ying
them instruction which will be Of gen
} uine benefit is the problem which the
, devoted Sunday school workers of the
world are endeavOring to solve
Adds to Religion Generally.
Aside from the position of the Sun
| day school as the chief agent of re-
! ligious instruction to children, it has
| added greatly TO the effectiveness OF
general religious education. The Sun
!
| for intimate study and discussion which
was not available to any but the
! clergy in Olden times. The Sunday
T, schools have given thorough, and even
exhaustive, Bible training to men who
! would otherwise have had no oppor-
tunity whatever to make a thorough
| study OF any subject.
The Sunday school also has become
the chief recruiting ground Of the
evangelical churches. Sunday school
! pupils become church members as
! naturally as boy becomes a man. II
| is merely matter of growth In the
| United States the general system Of the
greater number of Protestant churches
! has left so much to Individual initi-
/ alive. and has taken so much away
| from parental direction and control in
( religious matters. that the Sunday
school IS the essential factor in bring
! ing young people into the church De-
cision Day" in Protestant Sunday
| schools is similar in effect TO
the first communion or confirmation
1t has no ecclesiastical feature, but it
means the transition from childhood
| 10 full religious responsibility.
Sunday Schools Mission
/ The worlds convention now meeting
| in Washington will take~a comprehen-
siEe view Of the whole mission of the
! Sunday school. education, social and re-
| ligious- feature of the meeting is
/ the exposition devoted TO Sunday school
work. This has thousands OF exhibits
/ showing methods used 10 interest and
instruct pupils. TO train them in Chris
| tan morals, TO teach them selfdeniaI
| and 10 lead them into an understanding
! or the fundamental principles OF true
/ piety and Christian devotion. Foremost
/ among the concrete exhibits will be
| the sample of Sunday school literature
department representing the labor Of
| thousands of men and the investment of
millions Of dollars of capital
( The convention will be presided over
! by Dr. F. B. Meyer. of London, and is
world wide character will be manifested
| by the reports which will be presented
! by delegates from every nation under
| the sun where a Sunday school exists.
! The ragged school, of Robert Raikes
\ has grown to tremendous proportions
/ In the 100 years since the first Sunday
| school met in Gloucester.
| Tomorrow: Congressional Apportion
ment.
| WAS in the form OF n }o-+ L. - l.