The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-02
DIR. R. f. GAINES ON
CHURCH EFFICIENCY
Speaks to the Baptist Bible
Training SchOOl-Attend-
ance Is Increasing

Large crowds and enlarged enthusla SIN
marked the second day of the Baptist
Bible Training School, now in session at
the First Baptist church. About 800 were
served lunch at clock
| Miss Annie L. Williams spoke at 515
on the curriculum for the beginners, pri-
mary and Junior departments Emphasis
was placed on the graded lessons as being
specially adapted to meet the needs of
the child
! In his third lecture in the series on
| Church Efficiency" Professor Gaines be-
gan by saying that one OF the outstand-
ing characteristics of today is the extent
to which has been carried cooperative eff
fort with the launching of gigantic en-
terprises, which bring into play both cap
| ital and labor on a big SCALE the present
generation has been forced to study eff
cheney as never before" he said THE
efficiency expert has come to stay, for
every step we take in the direction of
laying out business enterprises on a larger
scale makes new demand on his genius
for scientific organization
| ut is not strange. therefore, that in
whether it is possible to apply efficiency
| tests to our institutions for social and
| spiritual progress whether the church is
| able to stand such tests-whether in short,
we are conducting our main business on
a business basis. When we face this ques-
| ton frankly we must see that the great
majority of the churches of the country
| fall far below what the present day bust
| ness man would call an efficient organiza-
| ton.
But the question may be asked wheth-
err church is capable of efficiency at
all comparable to that which has revo-
lutionized our modern business and eco
nomic life.
I'm questions like this, it must be re-
membered that an ounce of experience
is worth whole ton of theory. Fortu-
nately, we have been conducting expert
ments all over the continent and have
been collecting the data and accumulat-
ing very valuable experience for the last
decade
"In the department of church finance
the church has made most striking prog
ress wherever the leaders have thought
it worth while to put the business side
of the church on systematic basis This
has been done In number of churches
scattered all over the country-churches
of every denomination, churches of all
sizes and of every type-the large and
the small church, the rich and the poor
church, the great city church and the
church far removed from the centers of
-.
rious effort was made the progress was
just as striking as that which we have
all witnessed In our business life.
But this is only one phase-though an
important phase-of church efficiency.
Along with this has come to such chuches
a deepening of the spiritual life and
| marked increase in spiritual power-a
| widening of our vision of the task of
| the church as force In the world for
both individual and social redemption"
The New Curriculum For the Sunday
School, was the subject of the closing
! address by Mr.. Leavell. He emphasized
| the graded lessons for juniors as being a
| telescope rather than microscopic study
of the Bible. Junior graded lessons COM
! prise four-year course covering the
| Bible by periods Into this historical back
ground is fitted the wealth Of memory
| work for each year.
The intermediate lessons cover the
Bible in four years upon the basis of
| the great characters In connection with
| these are given the related doctrine
studies to which one quarter of each year
| Is given. The fourth year intermediate is
entirely doctrinal
| The programme for today will begin at
| 6 o'clock with the third of the series of
addresses on Child Studies by Miss An
-