The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-03-20

SUNDAY SCHOOL, NOTES.


Rev. Fred w. Christ, being asked +
submit matter for the readers Of tn
Sunday School Association column
begs to present the following lette,
which puts the message he wcul
bring in much better form-'Eyan
gelism" is the big word fos TODAY
Pass on the message.
Rev. F. w. Christ.
Dear Friend:
The International Sunday Schoo
Association has always held, and will
continue to hold, place in the from
line Of organizations engaged in pro
melting religious education and i'm
proved methods of Sunday Schoo
work, and thus far our Fathers bles
sing has attended our efforts, whereo.
we rejoice.
But the fact that very large per
centage of our scholars leave thu
school without having made public
confession Of their faith has aroused
deep concern on the part of numbe,
of the members of our Eecutive Com,
mittee, that our Association should
take an advanced position in favor of q
more systematic effort to win oul
scholars to Jesus Christ. Perhaps We
should be reminded:
First--The critical age is between
twelve and fifteen years, and by com.
parison, few indeed of our scholars are
converted after passing the age OF
eighteen years. Parents should be
impressed with this solemn fact.
Second-Experience has taught us
that it is much easier to win ten chill
dren than one adult and other things
being equal, child won at the age of
ten is worth far more to the Kingdom
| than an adult won at fifty.
Third-The alurements to evil are
rapidly multiplying. Our children and
young people are constantly exposed
to temptations unknown to our faith
ers and as we all know, their only
place of security is under the protec-
ton of vital faith in Jesus Christ
as their ever-present and all sufficient
Savior.
Fourth-Many of the scholars, and
come from homes where the subject
of religion has little or no place, so
that if the Sunday School fails to
bring them into fellowship with Jesus
Christ, the chance of their ever con-
Tossing Him is reduced to minimum
Fifth-Unconverted scholars of
suitable age, by their presence in the
Sunday school, offer a promising OPP
portunity for the teacher to present
the claims of Jesus Christ, and oppor-
tunity implies responsibility. Uncon-
sciously or otherwise, each one of
these is candidate for enlistment I'M
der the Banner of the Cross, not few
of them waiting only for the invita-
tion-which, alas! many of their num-
Der never hear.
We cannot do better than to follow
the example of Jesus in His natural,
clear and direct talk with the Samar-
itan woman at the well, John 4, 1926,
1880, and s9-42. Observe not only
her confession to Him, but that "nany
others believed on Him through the
saying of the woman who testified,
''He told me all that ever did" 1t
is our privilege and duty as pastors,
superintendent, teachers and parents,
to lift up Jesus Christ from the earth,
so that 'He may draw all men unto
Himself"
The divine command is Seek We first
the Kingdom Of God" No one would
think of erecting the superstructure Of
Ia building without having first laid
the foundation. My object in address
ing you is to urge you to put first
things first" by giving Evangelism the
most prominent place in your pro-
gram for state, provincial and county
conventions.
BY the grace of God we find our
selves in place of unmeasured OPP
portunity to reap a harvest such as
the world has never witnessed. Thru
our Association we have facilities for
promoting the Kingdom such as no
other organization in the whole earth
enjoys.
This subject was the burden of my
last heart-to-heart talk with our late
brother, DR.. George w. Bailey. His
real anxiety, as he expressed it, his
hearts DESIRE" was that Evangelism,
which should bring to every boy and
girl in our Sunday Schools the oppor-
tunity to make the "Great Decision
should have the right Of way in all our
/ plans for our organized work; that the
state and county secretaries and 9TH
ers having in charge the making of
the programs, should see to it that
/ this important feature has it's right
full place. This was not the plea Of
weak man, but the plea of a spirit
ual giant. His face, eyes, and voice
were animated with his vision of the
results, and he could see them by
faith. I pass on to you these parting
words of our brother to me. earnest
ly hope and pray that we may all dc
what we can to carry out the plea, OF
I might say command, Of our loving
friend, DR.. Bailey. am impressed
with the thought that on the Heavenly
side we have Spiritual Partner who
is vitality interested in this movement
4 Will you pledge your support in q
consecrated effort to win the world tt
Jesus Christ, thru the Sunday School
If you desire the State Superintendent
Of your Department Of Evangelism OF
your State Secretary, if you have mo-
such superintendent, will send yol
suggestions as to methods of conduct
ing evangelistic services in the Sun
| = L 81 L