Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-31
First Meeting
Toward Religious
Education Held

1IuuCdCIO1t1 1C1u
A large number of church people at
tended the union service held last eve
ming at the Methodist church on Pleas
ant street in prelude to the Community
School of Religious Education to be
held at Coburn Classical Institute jan
uary I to March "a.
The first speaker of the evening was
Rev. w. A. Smith of the First Congre
gational church, who took for his sub
ject What Is Religious Education?"
Mr Smith spoke in part as follows:
Religious education is n method by
which the church is endeavoring to
obey the command of Christ to make
disciples of all nations. teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever" He
has commanded.
The belief is firmly held by the fol-
lowers of Christ that the way of life
which is revealed by His teaching and
example is most conducive to the good
the happiness and the usefulness Of
those who follow it; that it has in it
the promise of peace among men whent
it shall have been adopted by men gen.
orally. They believe that this way of
life taught by Jesus Is in accord with
divine law. and there Gore means the
harmonzing of life for the individual
within himself and among his fellow
mon.
To teach what this way of life is
to induce men to adopt it as the prac
teal rule of life. and to present it i'll
childhood as we'll as to mature minds
in such a way as to enlist the interest
and devotion of the heart SO that men
shall desire to pursue it, is the object
of religious education.
The next speaker Rcv. Walter Quar-
rington. pastor Of the First Baptist
church. gave an address, taking for
lis subject THE Need of Religious
Education"
Mr.. Quarrineton began his talk With
n quotation from James s. StowelfS
book The Child and Americas Flu
ture" in which he said:
THE most imDortant task facing the
Christian church in America is the re-
ligious education of American youth"
The speaker pointed out some of the
evidence of spiritual iliteracY and
rrobed from the committee on war and
religious outlook on American men.
which say 1.-The average young Amcri-
can knows very little about God,
Christ, prayer and faith"
The speaker then declared: The in
terchurch survey showed 27.0o0.000 UNI
der 81 years of age who are not rcceiv-
ing any systematic religious training
This is 69.S per cent. of all the Pro-
testant American youth.
TIE lack of the religious training
is an irresponsible loss to America. he
cause religious training has to do with
making of character. intoxicating high
ideals and moulding conduct and even
though we give attention to making
healthy and clean bodies and alert and
well equipped minds. and neglect rHlie-
iouS training. Il distinct loss would be
felt in building an all-around CharaC-
ter.
Recent utterances of prominent mon
we're noted in which they deplored the
lack Of genuine religion in the coun-
try. for they felt it WIS., necessary to
save civilization, in giving necessary
dynamic inspiration and interpreted
ton to live.
Professor Albearcr has said that the
foes of democracy are ignorance and
Eodlcssness, and we realize that no ma
ton can be permanently strong that
does not anchor her life in the great
spiritual realities.
1.-The hope of a nation S in her
youth. We must build into the lives
of the boys and girls of today the
things we expect in the life of the
nation tomorrow.
II raise the question, How long
can a nation endure and be strong
and useful with 60 per cent of her
youth receiving no systematic re-
liqiouS instruction upon which our
democratic government is built?
Our weakest place is these 21,OOO,OO0
spiritual illiterates.
THE late lamented President.
Warren G. Harding, said:
childhood is the basis of the
future and l believe in religious in
struction of the American youth.
The future of the nation cannot be
entrusted to the children unless their,
education includes their spiritual
development. This time therefore
that we give our attention to the
religious instruction of the children
of American. not in the spirit of in
tolerance, nor to emphasize distlnc-
tons or controversy between creeds
and beliefs, hut to extend religious
teaching to all in such form that
conscience is developed and duty to
ones neighbor and to God is under
stood and fulfilled"
Mr.. Quarrington closed with an
appeal to men and women 80 better
fit themselves to be sharers in the
great work of religious education
ne ldSl Sptdhtt u tlS NN'ul'ieo
was Rev. Fletcher II. knollin Of
Fairfield. who spoke briefly on the
work which will be taken up at the
school He called attention to the
pamphlets which are being issued
and the requirements of registration.
Mrs. H. l.. Newman of - West
court is the registrar and all appn-
cations may be sent to her or made
at the first session of the school.
The school opens next Monday eve
ming and continues on every Mon
day evening for II weeks. 1t is open
to all who are interested in religion,
education and the teaching of re-
ligion in the home, church. or the
community.
It is in purpose a training school
for leaders. There has never been
u time when leaders were more urg
emily needed than now. Cntraind
teachers in the church school is the
usual situation: trained teachers are
the exception. This school is an at
tempt to reverse this situation:
trained workers ought to become the
rule and unframed workers the eX-
ception.
Following is the weekly program:
Milestones in o. r.. History, Mr..