Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-19
EDUCATION TOPIC
AT FINAL SESSION
Prominent Speakers Heard at
Closing Service of Epis-
copal Synod.
ADMIRAL STOCKTON SPEAKS
Conference of Sunday School
Workers Will Be Held
This Morning.
ADMIRAL STOCKTON SPEAKS

This Morning.
| concluding services of the first am
nual session Of the Provincial synod
OF Washington were held last right II.
-. James Church, who're the topic of
religious education WAS discussed, and
the need Of such education in con-
Junction with secular teaching was
enlarged upon. The services Mere con
Quoted hy 1T. Rev. Rogers Israel H.
-, chairman OF the Commission on
seisious Education, and tho spca crs
"er" Rev. stewart l.. Mitman. field Sec
rctary Of the Provincial Board: Rear
Admiral Charles H. Stockton. United
states Nav. retired. president or
George Washington University. and
III. Rev. John Gardner Murray, D. D..
Bishop of Maryland and president, Of
the synod.
MIR. Mitman talked Of the opportuni-
ties presented in the educational field.
ana "f the vast need for increase in
the work; ADMIRAL Stockton told Of
the work which is being don" in the
colleges and in other educational in
stiiutions. and Bishop Murray talked
IN powerful and persuasive manner of
the responsibility which rests upon the
clergy for the religious education Of
! the people.
There was q large audience present.
composed of clergy and laylncn Of the
Episcopal faith and of men who fol-
los in other creeds. but wh" are AS
Nitaliy interested in the general worl,
OF the Church Of Christ.
SEEKS TO IMPROVE WORK.
OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Mr. Mitman. the first speaker. intro
duccd b. Bishop Israel. spoke on The
Field: Its Present Condition and Pros
pectivc Growth" II. gave statistical
figures showing that the church had
not performed the task which had been
allotted II. and referred To the num-
ber of people to whom direct appeal
has not yet been made He said that
the field OF the Washington Province
consisted OF twelve diocescs, IL which
there are 100000 people. Among
this population there is tremendous
need. he said. for influence directed
through the sunday schools. though
they had done we'll in 1915. vhen SIG
064 was received through their sources.
The aim OF the sunday schools. he
said, is to occupy the whole field adc-
quately. In 1907 it was reported that
there were fourteen counties in South
western Virginia which wc-e without
sunday schools. Since that line how
ever. conditions hay" improved. and
the gospel iS being spread ~ that dis
trict through tn. agency Of the sun
day school" lie said that the sunday
schools should be strengthened, and
that they should he so directed that
more candidates for holy orders might
be procured from the boys. The solu-
tion Of the problem of the lack OF can
didates for the church. he said. de-
pends in the last analysis in the
teaching force.
MAKES STRONG PLEA
TO HELP COLLEGES
Admiral G. Stockton SPOKE on The
Task: the Need and Value OF the Re
ligious Education OF American Citi-
zens." He said that the most important.
and Al the same time. the mosy difficult
thing in the world which con-. onts
the church in its educational work. IL
| the imposing OF the mind az Jesus
Christ on the world. And in this con-
nection. he said. citizenship in the
! United States demands the highest at
! tributes OF honor, honesty, virtue and
patriotism. Education. he thought. is
| the practical application OF the Chris
| tian virtues. and the practice OF social
! service is one Of the most important
branches OF education OF young men.
But. great as the need is. religion and
patriotism are only inf"rentially
taught, whereas. they should hc part
| OF the general curriculum; \ part of
the education which is supposed Ia tit
men for their duties iii the world. lie
thought that the day OF the deronina-
pn11n iS ifll in.r
ing that it is better to cooperate with
colleges already existing than to build
new ones 10 teach dcnomiuational
creeds.
"rhc definition OF education" .td
niral stockton said. "is the shaping OF
the mind Of the adult TO the path
which will lead him into following the
ideals of Christ"
Bishop Murray. president OF the
synod. spoke on THE I.aborer: the Re
sponsibility Of the Clergy for the Re
ligious Education of the People of the
Church" lie had looked upon the re-
ligious situation OF the day. and heard
that loud clamor. which alleges that
Christianity has failed. rs that sup
posed failure has been instanced and
described by those who believed that
religion fell when Europe was filled
with war and every nation was bat-
tling against the other.
SAYS TROUBLE LIES
WITH FAMILY HEADS
But Christianity" he said, "in the
light of its seeming failure, is not to
be censured. The church is not 10 be
condemned. 1t is YOU and I who are
responsible for these conditions. If
there has been failure, ii lies, not in
Christianity. not in religion. but i'm our
| own lack" He said that every OBJ
ject and purpose of the church is estab-
lished and founded upon some relation
ship, Relationship which must be
established between God and His chill
dren II was his message. he said. TO
talk about the relationship between the
children of God in the laity and the
children Of God who are represented
by the clergy.
| ..'Hho fret rala ion shin hu