The Washington herald., 1911-11-01
GOSPEL TO TOILERS
URGED AS A DUTY
Protestant Churches Told to
Put on ArmOr.
MUST REACH WORKING MASSES
Needs Pointed Out by Speakers Be-
fore District Sunday School As
sOciation-Rev. Joseph T. Watts
Speaks on "Layman's OppOrtu-
nIty"-SearchIiSht on District.

Salvation of the masses. need of carry
ing the Gospel to the toilers whose hours
of labor forbid access to customary
church agencies, and failure of Protes-
tant churches to assert themselves in
the battle for righteousness were the
notes sounded in the great gathering of
the District Sunday School Association
in the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church last night
Rev. Joseph T. Watts. secretary of the
Baptist Sunday School Conference of Vir-
ginia, proclaimed his belief that Protes-
tantiSm will never receive its rightful
heritage until IL formulates a plan for
carrying the message of Christ to the
thousands OF toilers.
Layman's Opportunity.
William Knowles Cooper, general sec
retary of the Y. NJ. c. A. for Washing
ton. dcplored the fact that the church
was not proving itself the salvation of
the masses. He urged the formation of
clubs and mission bands to carry the
Gospel to tOilers whose hours of labor
forbid their presence at regular church
exercises.
The session opened with devotional
exercises by the Rev. Frank ]. Goodwin,
while the song service was led by James
A. MacEIwee. President MILAN an
nounced the topic of the first address by
Mr.. Watts to be, The Sunday school
as the layman's opportunity Mr.
Watts referred to the high calling of the
Sunday school teacher, saying that next
TO the ministry it was the greatest field
of service afforded by the church to its
members. He declared that the work
of the teacher is not confined within
the walls of the school room, but if he
entertains the right conception of duty
ne will carry the word of God to those
denied the privilege of Sunday schools
and churches.
Mr. Cooper's topic was The men and
religious forward movement" He said
the only trouble with Protestant churches
is that they fail to assert themselves, and
consequently do not exercise the power
for Righteousness that they might He
told of the progress of the laymen's
movement through the Western States,
and prophesied a better spiritual life for
Washington as a result Of the meeting
Of $500 laymen in this city next April
under the auspices OF the forward move
ment in religious work.
Mr.. Cooper alluded TO the standardiza-
tion ef social conditions, and urged that
the churches of the city turn the search
light Of their Investigations upon the
conditions right here at home.
Reports Of the teachers training and
adults departments showed substantial
progress made during the past year.
Boy Scout Movement.
The afternoon session was largely de-
voted to an exposition OF the Boy Scout
II,v vrsnvut, AMI itr adnPtob:Iity for serv-
ice to the Sunday schools +. s Martin,
executive secretary of the local council
OF Scouts, speaking on the National as
pect of the Scout movement" told Of
its originatiOn in America by Ernest
Thompson Seton and Daniel Beard He
said il was made necessary by the rapid
influx of population to cities that the
world membership had passed the 1000
0C0 mark. and that the Scouts were
in no sense, a military organization.
Saying that the slogan of the Scouts is
BE prepared" Mr. Martin declared that
the slogans broader meaning was to be
prepared for service to country and God
and lauded the movement as an inCul-
Gator Of patriotism. He urged cO-Opera-
tion of the Sunday schools in the char
acter building accomplished by the Scouts
A. NJ. ChelSey. of the Y. NJ. c. A. and
member of the local council of the Boy
Scouts, laid stress on the value of '.ap-
pliCation"
Manual methods" in the Sunday
school, was the topic OF Rev. Joseph T.
Watts, Sunday school secretary of the
Baptist General Association of Virginia
He said that if the political history Of
countries referred to in the weekly les
son could be studied it would add zest
to the ScripturaI studies.
Carleton R. Ball, Norton NJ. Little. DR..