The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-19
PUBLIC SCHOOLS THEME OF SERMON
 BY DR. HENDRIX
Schools Are Church of the Young, and Teachers Un- ordained Ministry, Says
 Preacher

Dr. w. R Hendrix, pastor of the
 Highlands Methodist church, had for
 his sermon subject yesterday morn
 ing at the II o'clock service, "The Public School, the Church of the
 Young; the Public School Teachers,
 Our Unordained Ministry" Dr.
 Hendrix said in part:
 "rhe opening of our public schools tomorrow is matter of such tran scending importance as to make 1t the subject of devout reflection in
 every congregation of worshipers in
 our city today. A brilliant and deeply religious author has characterized
 our public schools as Xhe church of the young, and the public school teachers as Our unordained minis try
 Tomorrow morning thousands of our growing children are committed 1 own city, and the occasion calls for the most profound thought and stirs in our hearts the emotions of hope for our children, and loyal affection | for the men and women in charge of l our schools
 Acquiring Character Recent events have served to em- | phasize the solemn truth that every student while pursuing an education is also achieving moral character and that the supreme product of the schoolroom is, and ought to be, char acter. For centuries we have recog- nized the awful cost of ignorance and l illiteraey but it has been reserved for modern times to show us the tragic fruits of perverted intellec- tual training.
 Every well informed and un- prejudiced man among us knows that religion Is an indispensable factor In the producing of good character; he
 knows also that the mere mention of religious instruction in our common schools Is enough to arouse resent ment and set in motion controversies | damaging and embarrassing to the better interests of both education and religion in the community l Tn spite of the dense ignorance
 and inhuman prejudice which aggra- vate and complicate our religious Gi- visions, leaders of public education
 are making progress in giving larger
 place to religious motives and ideals In our schools. It is a tragedy that the results of our religious divis- ions should stand in the way of the
 best possible system of popular edu-
 cation, but we may reasonably hope
 that better day is at hand. Pointing the Way While churchmen are anxiously
 discussing what must be done to save ! education. may it not be that the 1 public schools are pointing the way
 to better understanding among religious bodies? It is of the very l essence of christianity to establish a living brotherhood among men. where there Is neither Barbarian
 nor scythian; bond nor free. If we compare the well disciplined 1 grade school with our best Christian | congregations, we may find this es-
 sential christianity being lived in the
 school, fully as satisfactorily as. in the church. These children come from the homes of the rich and the | poor. Jews and Gentiles, Catholics
 and Protestants, all sitting together, l lunching together, playing together, and sharing in common the spirit and privileges of the schoolroom and 1 life.
 Preachers and pupils united in the l fellowship which rests upon human rights and aspirations. living in the 1 consciousness of neighborly privi- | leges and obligations. The highest claims of that religion which is domi-
 nant in our own country Is that 1t brings into men a spirit which lifts them above the strife of class dis | tinctions and racial animosIties. and infuses them with spirit of broth 1 erly love, producing peace and neigh borly concord.
 If the adherents of the several re- l ligious bodies of any of our com munities would undertake to practice
 that nelghborliness among them selves which their several religious
 doctrines inculcate, the parents of
 our children might catch up with the
 church of t1f. young under the
 ministry, in the matter living and working together as human beings,
 rather than as members of classes
 and races.
 "Th Feeding wounds of suffer ing N are calling to the divided
 religious forces of mankind for that
 relief which only brotherly coop eration can ever afford. And still we stand and argue as to how we shall compose our differences The public 1 school teacher and the golden hea rted 1 children from our homes have | pointed out the way; the Son of Man Is calling; God grant us grace to 1 follow"
 rAuln ATa rr EAn