The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-18

Stronger Leadership.
The international Committee has
had a numbe Of devoted leaders,
men, like g.. +. Jacobs, DR.. George w.
Balley. W. y. Hartshorn. and Marion
Lawrence. 1t has frequently been
charged, however, thai the grade Of /
men engaged in general Sunday
School work has not at all been up to
the level Of those working, say. in the
educational side of the Y. II. c.. A,
which is vastly less important than
the Sunday School.
lhere has been nc way for the re- |
sponslble church authorities to re-
strain the influence of a potent per-
sonallty whose ideas might be entire
~ contrary to those held by the ma
jority Of the churches. Because Of
the lack Of strong men in the rank
and file Of the general organization-
a criticism which does not apply to
the individual sunday School-it has
been possible for a few rich men to
use the association. as cOmmon criti-
clSm has 1t. for their own self-glOrifi-
cation. There has been no court Of
appeal beyond the descisions of the
International Executive Committee.
Now all this is likely to be changed,
50 that any man may be recalled from
the Lesson Committee or from the
executive body at the will Of his de-
nomination.
Graded Lessons.
For a few years past the Sunday
School world has been vigorously de-
batting the place and character Of
graded lessons. Critics of the uni
form International lesson. which were
provided for all grades of pupils,
from the infant class to the adult class
have been urging a grading of the
Sunday along the lines of the
day school. They have carried the
day Of late in International conven-
TONS, and an elaborate series of In
ternational lessons has been intro
, duced.
These, in turn, have come in for
even more militant criticism. The
:, lesson publishers object because of the
! increased expense involved in putting
out 50 many kinds of lessons for every
school. the officers Of the schools and
!. churches object to the cost and diff
: Guilty Of operation of this elaborate
scheme. They say that with only an
. hour a week at their disposal they car
9 not maintain the same elaborate sys-
l. tenn as a public school.
: Hints of Heresy.
Most serious Of all, has been the
widespread criticism of the ortho.
dOXy of these lessons. Some Of these
nave been fierce and unrestrained
= and it seems to lave been unwarrant.
ed. This is usually the case when the
question Of orthodoxy is raised. Thu
use Of other material, such as biOgra.
- phies Of church heroes and mission
aries, outside of the Bible itself, fol
text books, has been a bone Of cOn
tentlon. 1t is also asserted that tn
graded lesson advocates belong to tn,
~ school Of higher ethics.
In order to lessen the cost Of pro
ductiOn, several. of the denomination
incJ,,1irr tho NJ of o I;Ctx Nvo~th on.
- South, Presbyterians, and Congrega
;, tionalists, entered into an arrange
:, ment for the publication of syndicat
ed graded lessons, and these hay
:, been a center of attack.
:, On last Tuesday there was a meet
- ing in Philadelphia Of the specia
~ committee created by the Presbyteria.
~, General Assembly to look into tn
% whole matter Of graded lessons, wit.
authority to rip out any Of tn
curses found Objectionable, and t
va take any other action that condition
called for. A preliminary anvass Q
the situation was made. and the com
mittee will meet again during tn
- summer.
Victory for Conservatives.
In the light Of the ecclesiastics
assemblies Of last month. which too
action upon the subject, it is clea
that the orthodox or cOnSerVatlV
~ wing has scored a big victory. TIL
70 result will doubtless be a modificatio
Of the entire graded idea. Eve som
10 Of the graded lesson advocates them
selves, after seeing their plans j
practical operation, have admitte
that not all of their theories woul
- work. Nevertheless, a subStantis
change in the direction of pedagog
"a cal progress has been made in tn
workings of the Sunday School. TIL
will abide, even if the graded lesso
- plan should be radically modified.
The committee on graded lessor
~ has within the past few days been
40 session in Atlantic City. discussing III
~ conditions created by the reCer
=, storm of criticism.
- Worlds Convention.
- q ie'u' aaaaaair
io InlIauclpIlld 1ilSSli1S. liiS