The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-14
CHILD,S CHURCH
URGED TO GUST
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Prominent Organizer Would
Have Combined Service for
Parents and Little Ones
ROGER w. BABSON SUP
PORTS PROPOSED PLAN
Latter Believes Sunday School,
a. Now Operated. Accom-
plishes But Little Good

Roger w, Babson, head OF the Bah.
son Statistical Bureau, which sup.
plies the country with information on
The business conditions, has issued the
following statement In regard to mat.
ters religious.
Whether or not the church Is today
fHlhlling its functions In the commun-
fly. will not now discuss as fear
that we might all diner as to what
q All these functions are | do believe,
however, that all Will admit that one
Of the church's most important tunc-
tons II to give religious instruction
10 our children. Every side of the
child--the literary. musical. athletic
and social---is provided for by public
or private interests, excepting the re-
Iigious. Children who are not taught
the fundamentals OF religion at home
do not get them at all. and this Is one
8 OF the causes for the present unsat-
isfactory social and Industrial condi
tons There Is Sunday school"
which In some cases Is partially doing
this work; but as rule the modern
Sunday school absolutely fails in most
81 its endeavors and speak as one
who has taught therein for over is
Years In TACT, j believe more young
PEOPLE would be connected today with
our churches II the sunday school, as
At present loosely operated. did not
exist. The respect Of more boys for
the church seems 70 decrease as their
sunday school experience lengthens.
However, IL II not my purpose to
criticise present conditions; but rath-
or to repeat Q recommendation whica
n the result OF talk with a great
organizer, q man whom l believe 70
have the keeneat insight into human
nature of any living American, COM
hined with an influence equalled By
very few. This man believes: "a
that the religious training of.the young
r. Just now the most important fune-
ton of the church, excepting the pro-
{vidinR OF q means Of worship; CA
that the other functiong have largely
been assumed by outside organizations
during the past twenty-five years and
may never be Fegained: (3) that
there y no use OF the church To at-
tempt today 10 continue half-hearted-
II n community certain other work
which, under changed conditions, IL
now being done better by other or
fanixations. Therefore. this man rea.
sons. n, most important work OF the
church n to interest the young people,
and 4 the present church and Sum
day scliool methods In certain com.
munities fail therein, why not for a
while IA such communities combine
the church service and the Sunday
school into one service and have a.
sChildren's Church,"
This would mean that one OF the
weaker churches In each community
could be taken over by the people In
said town or city who are anxious thar
their children become properly grounc-
"a and In place of the present slimly1
attended and non-productiye sessions
Of church and Sunday school, which
help neither the men nor the children,
they would institute one strong ser
vice every Sunday morning at 10:45
for children. or course the children
would be accompanied by their par.
cnfs who would not only enjoy being
with their boys and girls but also
would be interested In knowing what
they are being taught. In fact, be-
lieye that this children's church would
not only attract more parents than
the present service, but that the doc
trineb taught the children would do
the parents more good than II taught
&c the parents direct. The average
parent always gives more attention 10
and y more interested by talk to
children than by talk addressed d.
reoly 10 him. or course, this plan
depends upon obtaining a man who
can hold the attention of the children,
and TO obtain such man, II would be
necessary 10 pay a greater salary
than n paid 10 the ordinary preacher.
On the other hand, parents will not
object TO paying man who will de
liver the goods" and truly teach the
fundamentals OF life 10 the boys anu
girls who are everything 10 them. Such
church should be cheerful with fine
paintings and nature studies on the
walls, with canaries hanging In cages
from the ceilings and music adapted
20 the occasion There should also be
many other features which space does
toos not permit q deception OF here.
Ny purpose II 70 amply give these
rdngh Bnggestions, believing that most
81 my clients are interested In this
question and are. like myself, fumbling
IN the dark Tor q solution. We want
our children given religious educa-
tinns but we want v 10 be OF a proper
I,thnracfer and such will bear fruit.
we believe IN The church aud that II
has en- economic function In the com
nunlty: but we want II 10 perform
it, economic junction and We want Its
religious instruction TO be correct, for
only a. II II such, will II serve on:
children IN later years"
DIR. MeIvOR-TYNDALL