Norwich bulletin., 1919-11-08

One Of these ghosts of ours Is the word Sunday" as applied to the church school. It stands as a psiycho q logical barrier between the church and the parent, many of whom still con- fl ceive of morning or afternoon session on one day of the week, where theil children squirm in their seats, are har- anguedT Tby a sanctiTnoniouse gentleman with white side whiskers, are jbored5i with moaotonouSly untaught passages from hesScriptures and addled with 1iaInb pamby books which sunctiouslyl relate. the .seraphie- impossibiiities of
 little angel girls. Yes, many parents, in their ignorance still cling to this | fa1sity. Take them as a. whole, do i they actually. go to Sunday school 4or.i know anything about it? @r
 If they believe that Sunday school is 1 confined only to Sunday or that this | word. Sunday is only a ghost that l must be laid aside in place of some i larger word which will truly convey the | idea, of cofitinuous religious instruction ! in either case, what are they doing ] about it?'@9 Z Tt wifi of course take some time to lay this and ether ghosts of the past. But the truth is that he so- called Sun day school is slowly becoming, under
 wise and inspired leadership, great force for moral leconstruction It be-
 gins at the cradle. In many locaI- ties, it Is. erecting exclusive buildings.
 Its, activities extend ;. throughout, the
 week. It Is being recognized by the state. in 50 far as in. some places all ready the public schools are modify
 ing ,theirs schedules in. order that chil- dren may receive systematic religious
 instruction regularly, side by, side with fhn n1yAfi0s school ir7Sf X graded Sunday school lessons have been developed by the International Lesson committee in response to a de-
 n1and from pastors, parents and super lfntendents and others that it is time hat the Sunday school should occupy It's proper relationship to the church ] as an educational institution" It is reaching otit into athletics and devel- Oping the class and cofnmdnitv spirit. fttgfs using social instincts for it's own purposes. '-fIt is gradually beginning to create 8 Natural moral asmosphere Which there is good hope win enveiop every home. Not that all these things are now being done, they ought to be Idone. The Sunday schooi-by what ever new name it may be cal1ed-has mot yet "arrived". But it is beginning Ito arrive. All that is needed is know
 ledge; for popular ignorance is re- l sponsible for most of our sins. .An en- 1 f1ghtened public opinion in time must E-come to. the absolute conviction of the necessity Of continuous moral and re- | lig1ods discipline of our children. We
 are yet far behind, as the figures show. But we must catch up with ourselves, or give tip our station in the world.
 r Are American children heathen l? ! Several millions of them are, accord ling to the figures, for these children fapparently are receiving no more re-
 hgfous instruction than Hottentots.
 In conclusion, can only ask what are you going to do about it? What is the best method for your community.
 Communities differ. Some are rich
 and some are poor. Some are denseIy crowded; others sparsely settled As rule. the inhabitants of wealthy com
 lnunlties are more indifferent than the poorer ones. Wealthy people have more to amuse them. They are not
 so dependent upon institutions for their
 social reactions. Also they are more selfish, teacher friend of mine
 moving from a poor to prosperous community, was much struck with this I difference. The poorer people, parents l and children thirsted for the congen-
 lal atmosphere of the church school J The prosperous children resented dis i cipIine, were much more irrevernt and I indifferent There are, however, cer- \ tain fundamentals essential to a suc- l eessfm reconstruction religious pro-
 gram in any community: ss-
 T First-Tine and patience. Building
 up an efficient church school Xs like 4 establishing bnusiness
 I % Second--Teach chers. Teachers mus 5 make good with pupils who will tol-
 crate nothing else. Volunteer teachers , are undoubtedly the best material, be.
 caus. they are in the majority of cases 7 more deeply inspired and have more local pride-and this without an!
 criticism of paid teachers, most O , whom are devoting their lives to tht : worls and have to subsist. But unles volunteer teachers are trained the. are not effective For bow can vol i. ftrain others if you are >not trained ? yourself? A training school for teach : CTS, under the charge of the pastor 0 ! I the superintendent, is necessary. Afte a beginning has been made, 1t gener ally takes several years to build up al } Fadeq1ate teaching force. Adult Bibl 5 classes are immensely important be cause they supply recruits. One 0 : two paid teachers, especially in the be q ginning, will be found a great help. : Third Money. Every church schoc q should be properly equipped. The sim a pfest way is to begin with a complet q reorganization of the school itsel v When this has been done, ek-da s Lactivities, cooperation with publi $ ischools, the formation of classes, etc n may be developed. But a regular in @ come is essential, the amount depend n ing upon the character of the commun = ity To obtain this the pastor shoul
 fearlessly call all the men of tn - church together and put it up to then n Tn nine cases out of ten he will be sur V prised at the result. American busi r ness men are nobody's fools. Put . thing fairly and squarely and they wi d mot dodge. And they always take s tdeep interest in what they are payin e for. 1,e
 e L Fcurth-Parents. Parents should 2 If Ito Sunday school themselves This d 1.-the! best way to get them to send the l. children. With 8 proper understand I- ling of the need. they will see to it tn; $ their children obey the rules and Is home conform to the student require d ments. There is only one way to nal II them see the need, and that is to ca Is on them personally and get the
 , pledge. No other way will quite d