South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-09-04
DEVELOPMENTS OF LIFE
IS THEME OF SERMON
Dr.. Burnett Says Child Life is
the Essential Life of
the World.

Preaching from the text, Train
up a child in the way he should go,
and even when he is Old ne will not
depart from IT," Rev. DIT. ]. A. Bur
nett, pastor Of the First Presbyter-
ian church, delivered an excellent
sermon on the development of life
at the Sunday morning services. In
part he said
The proverbs OF Solomon are
ethical and economic rather than
spiritual; and while we cannot elm
mate the moral element from any
phase of life, this is a proverb of
educational economy directing the
training of children from the child's
standpoint.
Our modern educators have come
TO the philosophy Of the Hebrew
sage and are seeking the develop
ment Of child life according TO its
way IL studies the characteristics
Of the child and thus determines the
method and matter Of its education.
All children cannot be cast in the
same mould; special attention must
be given to individuality. This is
the thought Of this text, and it
places the emphasis in child train
ing at the proper place.
Chad life is the essential life of
the world, it is the pledge and pro-
phecy Of the future, it is the deter
mining factor in social and civil des-
tiny. Within the next few days from
fifteen TO twenty millions Of children
will enter our common schools, each
a distinct personality and what these
children are TO be depends in large
measure on the methods Of develop
ment employed in connection with
the character and ability of those
who give the direction.
school Is Nursery of Life.
The public school is the nursery
Of life and the teachers and teach
ing should be the best available.
want this for my children, and every
child has the same right as mine.
I'VE must recognize the difference
between training and teaching. The
latter is simply the imparting of
knowledge; training is the develop
ment of life and character. Teach
ing is causing one to know. training
is inspiring one 10 do. Training be-
gins before teaching and that is a
wise instructor who is able TO keep
both in proper adjustment
Aim Of Education.
The aim Of education. therefore,
is TO arouse the faculties by bring
ing the child into touch with the en-
vironment appropriate to itself, and
the development OF its powers to
meet the demands Of all relations.
Here we touch the responsibility
Of the teacher who holds in her
hands the. secret of that life that
looks to her as it's ideal and is un-
consciously absorbing her own per-
sonality. The teaching profession is
one of the greatest to which one can
give his life, because of it's wide and
undying influence; it is the sphere
in which is manifested the very
highest self-sacrifice.
with proper training We hold the
child forever in the way of his own
fitness; that is what the text de-
cIares; and in so doing we have laid
a broad foundation for social and
national life.
I'VE must keep in mind the moral
bearing Of our thought. An educa-
ton without character is the curse
Of any civilization. There Is no true
wisdom except from the source Of
all wisdom; there is no true, helpful
character except that which is based
upon the teachings of Jesus. This
is the reason why we urge the use
Of the Bible in the public schools
IN every department of learning we
demand the best ext books on the
subject studied, why shall we ex-
clude the greatest and only text
book of morality when we know that
the moral training Of children is the
fundamental fact Of life. our linn
tied educational vision works injury
70 life in all its phases and rela-