Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-16
$50 MEN AND BOYS were ENROLLED
IN BIBLE STUDY CLASSES LAST YEAR
Annual Report on Work at
7. N. c. A. Completed BY
Robbins 3. Anderson

this week. II has been carefully com
piled by Mr.. Anderson and Secretary
j. A. Urice and shows notable gains
both IN numbers enrolled and In the
quality OF the Bible work done IN
classes and clubs at the Y. N. c. A
during the past year.
A total Of $50 men and boys were
enrolled In some form Of Bible stud!
during the year at the Y. A. c. A
building. In addition to this number
153 were reached through the five
extension Bible classes conducted in
various parts Of the city. This total
was greater by Sc than the figures for
the preceding year.
The place Of Bible study IN the
association program.-The fundamen'
tai objects Of the Young Mems Chris
tan Association 10 to build character
Christian character. IN the young men
and boys Of the community. We re.
cogpise az worth while any activity
which contributes toward this end.
The games In the physical department
have character building value in that
they teach boys to get along with each
other, teach them fair play and re.
spect for authority. Our educational
department classes prepare young
men to earn better living and help
them TO gain q larger enjoyment of
life. The social contact which the
thousand or more boys and young
men who crowd our building each day,
have with each other, helps them to
more clearly regard and. respect each
other as brothers. Every feature of
our work has, In this broarder sense,
genuine character building value.
Boys clubs with games and bean
suppers are not promoted to entice
boys into q few minutes OF Bible
study each week, nor athletics and
games held up as y bait to get men to
study the Bible. These activities are
worth while in themselves. It Is not
bir to put ones finger on this or that
Particular activity and say, this alone
builds character We must recog-
size and seek to enforce. all through
: pur program, the values which tend
pward education In character and for
complete living. >..-.
Yet our work fails to accomplish
tts largest purpose IL such activities
are not given definite direction to-
ward higher living. All boys and men
have moral religious problems which
they find hard to solve. In our Bible
study classes and discussion groups,
men face these difficulties and get
definite help for meeting them.
Through a study OF the Bible they
come to know Christ as q personal
helper who inspires the highest Of
ideals. Thus Bible study is q practi-
cal and important part Of our pro-
gram, for Il meets. N q very definite
way, the religious and moral needs
Of the men and boys who are taking
part IN our activities
Methods Of organization. Boys and
men like to be formed into groups, and
practically al Of the activities Of the
association are carried on through
small organized groups. In the boys
department. there are the clubs nam
ed after the big league baseball teams.
The Red Sox,n The Pirates THE
Cubs. etc. In the intermediate de-
,partment, groups are formed along
racial lines, boys Joining with their
friends. The Strdent department
groups are made up Of boys from
various schools. With these clubs
Bible study Is one phase Of the four
fold club program, physical. social.
mental and religious. Twenty min
utes or more Of each club meeting IL
given 70 q discussion OF some lesson
or problem which has bearing on
the personal life Of the boy. This Il
not something forced on the boy but
Is made an expression Of his own life
and interest In the educational de-
partment, Bible study Il one Of the
subjects In the regular curriculum.
The boys meet for class and are given
their examinations and grades just
md In other subjects. TIE adult groups
are made up Of older faen who come
togethcr for study especially interest
ing to them.
Course followed.--At the conclusion
Of each class or club meeting, the
adult leader fills out report on the
session. do you feel that this lesson
had practical bearing on the lives
and personal problems Of the stu.
0CnScs - . QaCoSton 1uCluOCu III
this report. No lesson Is considered
worth while unless II has measured
up fayorabiy to this test. To q Dor
Biblical history and facts have little
interest and less practical helpfuiness.
Such study has no place in the Y. NJ.
G. A program. But boys, for instance,
are interested In men. They do admire
their heroes from Biblical as well as
secular history. They like Noah be-
cause he wasn't afraid to build hi3I
boat even though other folks were
making fun Of him for doing it." Boys
know what Il II 20 have folks make
fun Of them for obeying, and friend ]
ship with Noah intensifies their ideas
about those who make fun OF fellow
when he Is trying to do his best. The
boys In the intermediate department
study courses which, In the strictesi
sense, are not ~Bible study" but les
sons in the technical problems Of young
men and the moral phases OF their
economic problems. The teachings
Of the Bible are shown In relation to
the daily difficulties which boys find
A ao hard 70 meet Than there apn