The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-01-25
Bible School News.

OlUlc SCuOOl 1NcWSs
We have just closed the most sue
cessful year in the history of the
Double Branch Bible School. will
endeavor to state some of the ways
in which we have been most success
full.
We have increased our enrolment
60 above any previous record, the
total enrolment for the year being
100. Our average attendance also
made a steady increase over last year.
Our contributions have by far sur
passed any previous record and a
great deal more than doubled many of
them. Besides the running expenses
of the school we contributed to
Foreign, Home and State Missions, to
benevolence, church extention, min
isterial relief, educational and county
works. No other year in the history
of our school have we contributed to
so many different phases Of church
work.
But the above does not constitute
all the ways in which we have grown
Since the introduction of quarterlies
and other literature into the Bible
School there were more Bibles carried
to the Bible School the past year than
all other years combined. They not
only carry them but are using them
as they never did before. Quite a
number are reading their Bibles daily
of which comparatively few were do
ing before we began our reading cam
paign. A few have recently read the
entire Bible through, and quite
number have finished reading the
New Testament. Now some might
find fault with the way some are read
ing, but l believe that the time spent
reading the Bible, even though it is
not always read intelligently, is far
better than spending that time read
ing and filling their minds with the
contents of the trashy yellow back
literature of which so many people
Of today are guilty.
Now no one but the most skeptic
person could offer any criticism as to
the kind Of program we rendered
Christmas. There has been much
written about our present methods of
celebrating the birth of Christ. One
writer said, "The extreme was
reached, and the eyes of the Sunday
School world were opened to the fact
that in too many instances the Christ
was being entirely left out" How
ever the above could not be truthful
ly said about our program, for we
had Christ and His teachings in every
part of it. 1t consisted Of select read
ings from the Bible and well chosen
songs to illustrate each reading. AT
the proper time each class in the
school presented their gifts at the foot
of the beautifully decorated cross, and
then rendered the reading and song
selected for them in most pleasing
manner. The gifts amounted to
$1,000, which was sent to the Or
phan's Home in St. Louis.
One of the most pleasant features
about the work for the last quarter
was that every member of the school
belonged to the Booster Committee.
Perhaps every member did not boost
as much as he or she could; yet no
member was out of line enough to be
as kicker.
The school may we'll feel proud of
the Front Rank and Bible School
banners which are so proudly dis
played upon the walls of the church
building. Not that these banners are
Of such a fine piece of material or
but rather the benefits
received in complying with the re-
quirements necessary to obtain them.
Many more nice things could be
said concerning our Bible School, but
lest lead the out side world and
perhaps the school to believe that we
have finished the harvest and nothing
remains for the present year, will
conclude by making mention of a few
things that were left undone.
To say nothing about the individuals
who make no religious pretentions,
we still have many christian people
living in the community who have
not caught enough of the Bible School
spirit to consider it their duty, as we'll