The journal and the Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1913-1920, 1917-02-02
DR. GAMEWELL IN
ARTICLE DEPLORES
NEW conditions
Says There Is An Absence of
Children From the Regu-
lar Worship at the Morn
ing Service.

AT a recent meeting of the board
OF stewards of Central church the at
tention of the board was called TO
the absence Of children from tho
regular morning services, said DR.,
). a. Gamewell in a communication
TO the Southern Christian Advocate.
Continuing DR.. ;amcwell said
mat "on every Sunday morning just
before the hour of worship the pave
ments near Central church are filled
with two crowds. one going To church
ana the other away from the church;
'he first was. made up OF the older
me emoers OF the church and some
young people: the other the children
ana many young men and women, all
OF Wnom had taken part in tac ever
ciScS Of the Sunday school These
were on their WAY home. feeling that
IheE t-d done their part in he
days service.
There was No. debate i'm the board
over this condition. All were agreed
lh"t Such state of affairs ought not
10 pe' There was a time when Meth
o"lSt children did attend the mora
lhi; service in large numbers. Jonn-
me and Mary were taught at ho,ac
be in the family seat on time aud
stay there until she end of the scrv-
Ice.
why the change in the point of
view of the parents now and of thusc
Heais ago in regard to the chl!d's
piece in the Sunday service?
During the half century Jlst
passed. ~" growth of the Sunday
school t.~ been Wonderful. The
h"I'l S,''''dy school now has its -.
s"mhly hail. its spccia! class roou;.>
to meet the demands or the syst,
matte giauation. its library of good
r"adirS. its faculty OF trained teach
crs. its own piano and choir. Moro
over, th'."c is the enthusiastic Sun
day :rh' o! agent who gives his e.
tire time 20 the schools cvcrywhrrr
ana keeping them in touch with the
n''St improved m"-;:"d.'. Now his
is al a. il should i., iut hn. net
all this forward movement in ono
hranc:, OF our chU:rh work m"dH
tire impression on ,Tc sands anI
hearts of parents thli :s far a.
their children N, cOnCe: ued the Siu,-
day school is the whole thing"
'"rhey forget this imrortan, flc,.
that the Sunday schools primar.' ~
tect is instruction. 1t is not w";'-
ship. OF course good seed may nc
sown by 4 spiritual teacher, but hoN-
ever fruitful this part of teachers
work, no Sunday school service can
take the place Of the hour of wor-
ship in tho life OF tho child.
THE service conducted 9y the su-
perintendent and teacherA Is one
.t"toS and the nour OF wofship CHr-
uIcted by the pastor is Fuitc 1'
other thing. The csscntial OF 'he
ono is instruction: the essential {.
tn" other is worship. The one is IL"
complement OF the other.
The old argument that u ,!ill
gets nothing from the hour OF NOT
ship except torture is ilimSy. Just
recently | sat in church by q boy o.
average intcllirence. All durinG III"
s"lmo. his head was down and N"
ticu his handkerchief into all kinds
of knots. Who would have Thought
that that hoy rrt anything out of thC
sermon.
~ test case was made of him in
tn, question of how old Il child
shOUld he before getting any %noi
out ol the hour -. worship. Not only
"id he. called on unexpectedly. give
q good outline of the sermon. hun
also recalled much Of the parts read
by the prc1CEer from ihC Bible.
".hC SUNDAY school for inStrur-
tion the II O'Clock service for WOr-
shin. Let every Methodist FANNY
with children carry this into pra"-
tice and We , i'll have a stronger AMI
better Nett odIsm. 1t, '"nirai tax"
the lead | ncli"Tc she Will.