The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-22
NE W ENTHUSIASM
 SHOWN BY SUNDAY. SCHOOL WORKERS.
Convention Speaker Suggest ed New Programs and New
 Ideas to Delegates

New Ideas ana new programs on Christian education were received by more than 1000 delegates who at tended the fortieth annual Alabama Sunday School association conven- ton, held in Birmingham, April IT. IS and l9, at the First Methodist church, and many other truths of Christian education were learned from the noted religious leaders who addressed the convention's sessions from time to time.
 This convention was considered one of the most successful ever held during the history of the organiza- ten and one of the paramount fea- lures was the 'reorganizat meet ing. This meeting was presided over by pr. Hugh S. Magill of Chi eago, general secretary of the Inter national Sunday School Council of Religious Education, and all details relative to the consolidation of the Sunday school Council of Evangeli- cal Denominations and the Ipterna- tional Sunday School association, which took place at Kansas City in 1922, were worked out by the state association. Following this merger in 1922 the name of the Interna- tIonal Sunday school Council of Re ESious Education was adopted and in keeping with the decision of the national organization the state as sociation adopted the name of the Alabama Sunday School Council Of Religious Education. This organiza- tion is built upon 50-50 basis, there being one-half of the execu- tive committee composed of repre- sentatives of the denominations while the other half are elected at large.
 Reduction of Debt.
 Another outstanding feature of this convention for which the mem bers of the association were most grateful was the reduction of the meeting of the convention Wednes- day night subscriptions were taken to the amount of S6,500, which will be paid on the s10,000 standing debt
 The success of the convention was keenly felt when the delegation ex- pressed a unanimous conviction that the church must provide more adequate system for teaching reli- gious education, one that would reach the quarter of million boys and girls of Alabama today, as it is touched by any kind of religious training.
 This subject was discussed by Gov. w. W. Brandon. who stressed the importance of religious training for the creation of good citizens, impressing the fact that this train ing must be given to the boys and girls of Alabama today. as it was they who will be our citizens of to- morrow.
 Dr. IIugk S. Magill of Chicago, general secretary of the Interna- tienal Sunday School Council of Re- ligious Education, placed special em phasis on this subject, stating that the only way to Christianize the world was for Protestant churches to cooperate and give their mem- bers religious training.
 An entirely new feature in Sun day school work was the introduce tion of fine arts and use of the beautiful in the Sunday schools and Smith of the depar.Ment of Fine Arts in Religion" of the Boston uni versity. Ii was clearly seen during the recent convention that the day has come when the Sunday school and church must reclaim the beau music and pageantry Pro1essor smith told of the time when the church was the center of music, art and pageantry. but that they were abused to such an extent that the reformers threw them out. However,
 
 church, declared MT. Smith. and combat the jazz, clap-trap and dog Eerel music and cheap pictures T think it Is time we had a great big bonfire and burned them all," said the professor.
 How We Have Failed.
 On account of the lack of culti- vating the dramatic instincts of child in the church, many of our young people go into the moving pictures We have failed to employ the dramatic instincts in pictures and pageants. Beautiful pageants are always enjoyable and not only do they please the performers, but best of music must be heard in the church.
 The pageant. "The Light of the World" written and directed by Pro- lessor Smith. was presented to ca pacity crowd Wednesday night in the auditorium of the First Metho- dist church. Another feature in this q "Temple of Fine Arts" where more than 300 prints of famous art masterpieces and modern art were shown.
 The convention called to Birming ham delegates who represented more than three fourths of the counties of the state, which proESathat the Sunday school association was far reaching in it's effect. The conven- tion next year will be held al Mont gomery, Ala, this decision having been reached following request made by Gov. W. W. Brandon, who represented a number of civic or ganizations of Montgomery and the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.