Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-24
WHY Such keen
LOCAL INTEREST
in Bible STUDY?
General Secretary Of Honolulu
Asks Question aid Then
Cites Reasons-Due Per-
haps to the War and to Va
rious Other Things, He Says
BY Paul Super.


Is Ii due to the war and the conse-
quent seriousness OF the people that
so many men and women are enrolling
in Bible study classes In Honolulu
this fall?
The cause may net be readily found.
The fact OF men and women enrolling
in Bible classes Is very real. Differ
ent religious organizations are experi-
encing IL We notice Il at the Y. w.
@. A. in the increasing readiness with
which men are led 10 join the associa-
ton Bible study clubs.
Some years ago IL was difficult TO
enlist men in B.Dle study; and ! re-
call that the last year in the Old build
ing we had but is men and boys In
these classes. Then | compare with
this the fact that this year II Is the
exceptional man who refuses to Join
such class or says that he Is not In
terested. Our problem now Is not In
getting men to join. but In finding q
sufficient number OF qualified leaders
to direct their studies.
Monday night OF this, week eight
classes OF boys met In our association
building to study the Bible. Tuesday
night five classes OF men met for the
same purpose. These latter groups In
cIuded business and professional men.
clerks, working men; men OF college
education and graduates OF the hard
school OF experience.
Wednesday and Saturday nights
five groups composed OF young men,
ranging from is to 81 years old, meet
for Bible study. This makes q total
OF Is classes already organized and
there are still others to be formed.
The Y. w. C. A. and Central Union
church are also finding q ready re-
Spouse to the call to enroll In Bible
studl1 groups, and about as many are
being formed as can be provided with
qualified leaders.
In addition to the effect Of the war
in deepening peoples thoughts and
leading them to study the scriptures,
as a basis OF personal and national
morality and stability. several other
causes are operating IN making Bible
study enrolments more easily secured
than previously.
One Of these Is the elimination OF
the dogmatic spirit from Bible teach
ing and willingness to- give frank
consideration to the views Of members
OF the class. Believe this or 60 to
hell has ceased to be the spirit Of
the Bible study leader Of today, and
this increasing fairness Of teachers has
resulted In an Increasing willingness
to consider the claims OF the teaching
of the Bible.
Another cause which we find help
full in the Y. NJ. G. A. has been the
combination Of social and athletic fea-
lures with the Bible instruction 50
that Ejble study group at the asso-
citation Is now composed Of dozen
congenial men who first eat supper
together, then spend an hour or 50 In
Bible study and later bowl or play
basketball against similar groups. This
tends TO make Bible study normal
part Of q wholesome mans experience
and not something peculiar and apart
from everyday life.
At least one other cause Is operat.
ing. The courses offered nowadays
are eminentIy practical and have a
real bearing on practical life They
do not spend quite so much time dis
cussing the sins Of the Canaanites
and the Moabites, and go more deeply
into the sins OF the Bostonites, the
Chicagoites and the Honoluluites. Men
have found that the Bible has q bear
ing not on heaven and Jerusalem. but
on Hotel and Fort streets, Manoa and
Kalihi and Kakaako.
There are still those who claim
they have not time. In many cases
this means that the charms Of the
tango and the fascination Of bridgeare
more attractive to some than consid-
Grafton OF the things In life that are
worth while. But amongst the aver.
age young men this number Is de-
creasing, and the study OF the Bible
is finding place IN the program Of
hundreds OF our people