Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-30
Co-Operation With
the Sunday School
a Sermon to
Christian I;ndcarOrers,
BY REV. FLOYD w. TOMkINs.
Text: 1. Cor. iii. 10.

Therc were divisions In the Corinthia
church and the people did not join
hands ana hearts in the worship and
work to which they were called; so St
Paul bids them to fellowship and
unity. assuring them that only az they
were united in the cause of Christ
could they hope for lis blessing. We
must take his message to ourselves
t"r there is not the fellowship in our
Christian work that there should be.
Sometimes there is jealousy as one
branch Of work prospers more than
another Sometimes there ~ indiffer-
cnce. and ono society does not know
what the other societies are doing. and.
particularly, the Sunday school is often
disresarded by the church members
and its splendid work neglected. We
nrst try to remedy this.
In some churches there is a general
yearly meeting OF the whole congrega-
ton. and reports are given by all the
societies. the pastor leading. and tell
ing OF the general condition OF the
church. and the treasurer following
with his report. In this way the whole
work OF the church in all it's branches
Is brought out. and the members have
knowledge OF what is going on. and
SO their interest Is increased II Is an
admirable plan.
SUNDAY SCHOOL SHOULD
HAVE ACTIVE COOPERATION
But as regards the Sunday school it
Is not cn0Sgh, for the Sunday school
Is the nursery Of the church: il is the
training school for the future, and IL
calls for cooperation and active in
tercst on the part OF all the church
members Particularly the young peo-
pie OF the Christian Endeavor Society
should take an active part In this work
Some OF them arc doubtless class mem
hers and members OF the Bible classes
Some are teachers and officers, and
some, perhaps. are in the normal class.
But every Endcavorcr should have a
share in the sunday school work in one
way or another. for It is an important
pa!t-the most important par,-ot the
church life
The Sunday school is the recruiting
ground .or. the Christian Endeavor So
cicty. TIE younger children should be
drawn into q junior society and the
Older children perhaps into ar inter
me Hate society. and the Bible class
into tho senior society. For the Chris-
tian Endcavor Society IL the great
spiritual training school where the re-
,ig!ouS life is made real and strong
through devotion and service. know
o: no organization so well fitted TO
prepare young people for church mem
nership or 10 help forward those who
have already joined tho church. Its
worship is so simple and natural that
1t calls out the voice and action OF all
and makes thcm realize God love and
care, and its methods Of work are SO
attractive that even those who hesitate
can find something TO do FOR the Mas
ter. To draw into It's fellowship the
SUNDAY school members is thcraror.
n Srea; opportunity not only 70 IN
crease tho RANKS, but 10 lead 10
earnest and practical Christian living
the young people.
MUST ISI:ET IN
ToJCfs WITH CHILDREN
II Is a great Thing 10 keep in touch
with children. |; not only continues
youth. for he who loves children and
associates with them never grows old:
but Il follows the teaching OF the Mas
ter. Who tells us tina; We must all be-
come as little children in love and faith
and purity. Children arc really our
teachers. The wise man learns more
from them than he learns from his
books. il is the study Of human nature
called In scientific terms Child
psychology" that advances all that is
best and most necessary In Christian
civilization. Preachers and teachers
often become confused in their ideas
and in their cnunciation of ideas and
speak above the heads OF people be-
cause they have not grasped the sim
pie ways OF thinking which children
possess. and In which they are often
wiser than their elders Grabbed and
narrow men and women IL brought
into touch with youth lose their
crabbcdness and narrowness and bios
som out into healthy and normal crea-
lures. ! have known q complete con-
version take place in people who have
been persuaded TO take a class in Sun
day school. Their whole spiritual and
mental outlook has been changed, and
they nave come 10 understand the low
ing kindness OF the Lord" SO there
are some ndeavorers-grown a little
formal and precise In their ways and
thoughts and cXpressions-who would
find new life and catch a fresh vision
IL they would go into Sunday school
work and meet the children frequently.
IMPORTANT TO GAIN
INOWLEDGE OF BIBLE
The knowledge OF the Bible gained
in Sunday school is invaluable heard
a minister say that his knowledge OF
Bible verses gained in his early Sunday
school days had helped him more in hts
pastoral work than all his study in the
theological! school. Perhaps that was a
slight cXaggcration, yet there is no
question as to the great value OF Bible
texts early implanted in the mind and
forming II very part OF the thoughts
and actions of life. Some Sunday
schools are called Bible schools" and
while we rightly cling TO the Old name
hallowed by generations OF blessed ex-
periencc. the new name brings MS tn ,
clear realization of what our children.
and grown people, too. need for their
struggle in life As We read the GospeIs
we cannot fail to note how constantly
our Lord quoted from the Old Testa-
ment. II, then, the Sunday school
stands for Bible study and an accurate
understandings of what the Bible is
and what 1T teaches. ii surely be-
hooves all church members To take an
active interest in it's work. Sometimes
cXrository preaching in church worship
helps in this regard. but there are few
OF us so highly gifted as DR.. Campbell
Morgan and DR.. Griffith Thomas. whose
cxDositions OF the Scriptures are Il de-
light and inspiration. And. moreover.
people need pretty direct preaching in
these disappearing bearing upon
various phases Of LIES duty and re-
sponsibility cXhortations 10 service re-
huking OF sins and guidance in the con-
fusinG order of things. But Bible
classes and Bible lectures and :hc work
Of the Sunday school in providing
these can be made so real and efficient
that the church will find rich and
greatly needed spiritual nourishment
MANY CHILDREN NOT
NOW IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
There is one phase OF our lesson
which must not escape us; 1t is the
effort to bring children into the Sum
day school, an effort in which there
ch no ct iva .N,.~