The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-03
400 ENROLLED IN
TRAINING SCHOOL
Miss Williams Speaks On
Sunday School Work-Dr.
Gaines Address

In the opening address at the Ban
list Training school, Miss Williams
spoke about the construction and tell
Ing of a story.
-Four things to consider" said Miss
lesson story are power, purpose. the
principle and the plan. The greatest
asset of the successful teacher OF chill
dren is to be able to tell story
Miss Williams speaks tonight on
THE Child in the Sunday School," a
study of missions
There are more than 400 enrolled In
the various classes. Lunch was served
to Eli people.
Dr. r. Il. Gaines In his address said:
I'VE have made substantial progress
In our recognition of the central place
which education occupies in the whole
Christian programme recognition
not only of the supreme worth of char
acter, but of the important part which
training plays In securing character
The Sunday schools and youfD peoples
societies are rendering fundamental
service through courses of instruction
and through securing self-expression
ana through the guiding of activities
of the young In preparing for active
Christian service.
THE Bible. of course, occupies the
central place In the whole teaching
process as not only revealing God to
| us but also setting forth In broad out
lire His programme for human redemp-
ton and for human growth and serv-
Ice. We need also to observe how this
truth has been unfolding itself in hui
man history. We have growing an
probation of the seed as we watch the
process OF growth. There is a growing
recognition of the fact also that as
Christianity Is a great force in human
life for both individual and social re-
demption 1t must come in contact with
our social forces in order to give them
direction.
Much is said these days about the
need of adequate preparation for sue :
cessful life; but we need to see the
value also of progressive preparation.
The education of the young for EN- :
Tagging the nature and giving an ade :
quate motive for service is basal, but
for the highest efficiency even among
adults there Is need of constant in
Ai'N VI ihIoTInhtiOH anu tndt OF " con-
crete sort, a continual widening of
our knowledge so as to sustain our In
terest in order that we may have fresh
| enthusiasm for each new task.
"A comprehensive scheme of educa-
ton in a church, therefore, should sup
plement the work of the Sunday school
with a variety of educational activ-
tiles for the various groups and for all
ages. For example, the preaching serv-
| ice. the mission study class. the prayer
meeting discussion, the distribution of
| literature, the use of charts and maps
all these furnish opportunity for dis
seminating information about the pro-
giess of religious work.
| zone Of the most significant signs of
the times is the marked development of
| the social consciousness. We are begin
ming to understand that the present ac-
celebration to the progress OF the world
! Is due in large measure to the fact
that civilized people are learning how
to work together for common ends.
| Now the church is pre- eminently a
cooperative enterprise. That Is the
church brings us together for the ex-
press purpose of cooperating I'm the
| accomplishment OF great tasks. How
little we have realized the Significance
of this Is revealed In the fact that even
yet our conceptions OF Christianity are
for the most part passive rather than
| active. 1t would seem perfectly evident
| that people cannot cooperate unless
| they are willing to operate a little
How often q church, in callipe a pas
tor. demands In him the finest quail
tiles of leadership and then denies him
| the use Of these gifts by merely re-
flsing to follow. What difference does
II make to you what sort of a leader
| you have II you are not going any
where? One cannot guide a church any
more than one can guide an automobile
when 1t Is standing still.
Every step we take in the direc-
ton of recognizing the church. not ~
a field to be cultivated so much as =
I great force to be directed, we are max
ing heavier demands on pastoral lead