Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-09-05
: - 2
A HAPPY MAN.
BY o. M. Norlie, in the Lutheran
Church Herald. =

Church Herald. i
Happy is related to the words hap,
happen, happening. It means lucky, |
fortunate by chance, Unexpectedly
made fortunate or glad The man
have in mind who was thus unexpect- |
eddy made glad was the Rev. Mr.. j.
N. Andersen of Willmar, MINI. He had
been appointed by the Norwegian |
Lutheran church a member of Che
graded lessons committee. He had
been appointed by this graded lessons
committee to appear before the
church council to plead the cause o;
the graded system now on the mar
ket. He had read with deep sorrow
the almost bitter attacks upon the
graded lessons by the followers of
the older methods. He had been dis
couraged by professors and pastors,
though in most cases they had never
even taken the trouble to open one
of the beautiful books of the graded
lesson series, had nevertheless spok-
en- against them with conviction and
spirit of final authority. He himself
was aware that, in spite of the great
merits of the books of the system,
they were not beyond criticism. He
was somewhat afraid of the senti-
ment of the august church council be-
fore whom he was to plead an unpop.
ular and neglected cause. AS he
dropped into my Office yesterday
morning he appeared to me to be sad
at heart, and so was /, for had just
taken one Of my little ones to the hos
pital for consumptives. Well, he>told
me all about it: How, for example,
the parochial school was losing its
hold on the congregations, besides
being hard pressed by the public
schools; how the congregations would
have to make more out of the Sunday
schools than they did and not treat
them as necessary evil; how the
Sunday schools would have to be
graded and provided with graded
books and other helps for teacher and
pupil; how he himself had worked
for years and years in Sunday schools,
studying the problems, searching for
helps, trying to make lists of ques-
lions, pictures, maps, etc., besides
drilling mis- teachers. AS l listened to
him I was wondering whether our
Church in time could not get man 80
tried and enthusiastic to go frem con-
glegation to congregation<to- plead for
the children. was just wishing that
every one of our pastors were as much
in earnest about the Sunday schools.
If they could not get the parochial
school, they should do all they could
in the Sunday school. I found that
Pastor Andersen was thoroly con
servative as to the doctrinal contents
of the books and the Lutheran prin
ciple of pedagogios that the text OF
Luther's Smaller Catechism" should
Re learnt by the pupil whether he un
derstands it or not; or, rather, Mr.
Andersen found me to be conservative
in this regard, discovery which af
forded him some pleasure, since he
formerly belonged to the Minority
wing in the Norwegian Synod. 1 tried
TO cheer him up and encouraged hin
to meet the church fathers with {
stout heart and ask them to give thei1
moral support to the graded system
work. This he did. =
This morning, when I came to m,
Office, he had already been on hant
an hour waiting for me. His face
like the sun at morn, was rosy will
smiles. He was happy. He had me
the august church council, stated hi.
case, answered their questions ant
won their unanimous approval, of hi
cause. The council will therefor,
urge the congregations to TRY tn,
Graded System already prepared ant
adopted by the joint committee of tn,
Norwegian Synod, Hauge's Synod, tn,
Free Church and the United Church
Some of our best school men hav,
worked at it for many years and it de
serves trial before it is brushed
aside for some perhaps inferior out
put. 1t can be improved and will b,
improved. It can be enlarged upol
and will be. But it should be givel
a trial at once. 1 have used it Will
my own children for five years, an,
take my hat of to the honorabl,
men who have prepared a system o
books for religious instruction which
inspires the children to study, which
makes them learn the text by hear
and to understand it, which awaken
their mind instead of Supplies it
which makes them connect Bibl
story and Bible doctrine, the lesson
learnt at school and the way to wall
in life.
PICNIC A SUCCESS.
The annual picnic given by Handy
Lewis Motor Company for their en-