Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-31
SUCCESSFUL JUNIOR
CHURCH TOLD OF
Daily Letter by Frederic j. Haskiu

WASHINGTON. May 31:-cal-
vary Baptist Church OF this city has
been so crowded since President
%Ilarding's attendance there that a
junior church had TO be establish
ed for the children Of the congre-
cation.
The Presidents Church of each
administration is always packed to
the doors on Sunday morning by
visitors hoping to catch a glimpse
OF the Chief Executive. Seating the
congregation becomes a serious
problem, and all sorts of devices
from cards of admission and roped
off sections for the church men,
bers to extra chairs and seats IN
the halls adjoining the auditorium
are resorted to in the effort to meet
the situation. This is the first time
however, that the children have been
separated and organized into a
church of their own The Presi.
dents church has had its Junior
church for eighteen months now,
n it is a fourishIng organization
of more than 200 members.
This is not a brand new idea.
There are a number of such church
ss in different cities. But it is a
very modern idea, one that is becom-
ing increasingly popular. and that
is in consequence attracting atten-
ton.
Just how modern the theory realh
is can be seen if you compare the
children's church not 'only with
church worship of 500 years ago but
also with an ordinary adult church
OF today. Accounts Of Puritan child
rem attending services in old New
England tell of erudite sermons
two hours long, hard benches too
high to permit the children's short
legs to reach the ground, a church
etiquette which demanded a stiff
attitude of attention-no slumping
or leaning against your neighbor. All
these conditions seem remote and
medieval to us today, and yet there
is still a wider gap. between the
modern church and the junior
church so far as the child is con-
cerned.
Boys Sometimes Preach
The adult church is more COM
Portable now, and the sermons are
shorter and on the whole simpler.
But the child has no active part in
the work of the organization, while
i'm the junior church children hold
all Offices except that of preacher.
An ordained minister preeches and
takes charge OF aTairs as in any
church, though in at least one child !
ren's church boy speakers often fill
the pulpit.
In the Presidents church last
Sunday morning about 200 boys
and girls. mostly between nine and
fifteen years of age, filled the junior
church auditorium. A basket of
Easter lilies decorated the desk, and
an orchestra of two little girl vio-
linists and a pianis. shared the
platform with the minister. An adult
precentor led the singing of the
hymns.
The scripture lesson, FOR al
change" the minister explained,
was to consist OF Bible verses quot
ed by any OF the boys and girls in
the audience. The collection va
taken by efficient boy ushers While
the orchestra rendered d classic
melody. The sermon. of course, was
prepared for the audience and was
presented in simple language and
attractive form.
This is perhaps a typical Junior
church program. II shows how the
service is adapted to interest the
children. But it does not show the
work that goes on outside. All Of the
committees in charge of flowers,
social affairs, athletics, music, char
tiles. and finance are made up of
boys and girls. Boys hold the offices
Of deacon, trustee. clerk. and treas
urer. The girls visit the sick of the
Junior congregation. The vested
choir, now in the process of forms-
ton, is to be made up of both boys
and girls.
Rev. A. F. Anderson. assistant
minister of the Calvary Baptist
Church and head of its junior
church, explains that, while the
church atmosphere is always pre-
served, formality is not so strictly
observed as in the usual service.
The minister may pause in his SER
mon to ask his congregation If they
have ever heard of David Farragut
before telling an incident about him,
and the precentor may praise the
singing of a hymn or suggest that
the boys seem to be outdoing the
girls this morning
Monthly Patriotic Services
Once in a while the minister
varies the program by giving a
stereopticon talk instead OF a sers
mon. and once a month there Is a
patriotic service in which the Boy
Scouts take part.
The real advantages OF the junior
church. DR.. Anderson explains, are
.6Aah4 Mac aha .serr