RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 23681, 14 September 1940, Page 4

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

[By Forward.] THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD. “ ‘ Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.’ All too often I forget that beauty is an element in true religion, and that ugliness is an enemy not only of beauty and happiness and efficiency, hut also of the soul. And yet millions are living in homes and neighbourhoods where ugliness is rampant, and this ugliness is potent in breeding ugly lives. Surely a God who has flooded the earth with beauty desires that no child of His shall be robbed of its rightful heritage. A part of my duty as a teacher, therefore, is to help others to appreciate beauty, to understand the qualities in which true beauty consists, to strive to make their homes and surroundings more beautiful, not only as an aesthetic delight, but as one means of growing lovely souls. So shall I and those whom I teach help to fulfil the desire of the Psalmist, as we pray in the spirit, but in wiser words and ways, that prayer of Socrates: ‘ O Zeus and all ye immortal gods, make me beautiful in the inner man.’ ” International Journal of R.B. BE YE THOROUGH.

“ Show mo your cupboards and method of registration and I will tell you what kind of a school you have.” This is as true as Kingsley’s famous utterance on friendship. Where the cupboards are dirty and untidy, and the registration fails to give either addresses or birthdays of scholars and teachers, one can be fairly sure of the lack of vision and enterprise on the part of the officials. It is surprising how business men and women not only tolerate, but even condone, in church and Sunday school what would not be endured for one minute in business or home life. Good registration is absolutely necessary to a school that wants to keep in close touch with every scholar and worker. Otherwise how does one trace absent scholars, and bring to anchor that percentage of children who seem to drift from school to school according to the date of the summer outing? A register which merely gives names and attendances is as incomplete as a house without furniture.

As for cupboards—well, how often they hold tangible mementoes of the past 20 concerts, bazaars, junibje sales, and annual “ at homes ” in a state of conglomeration closely akin to a typical “ second-hand store,” and presenting a picture so customary to the eyes of the users that nobody gets smitten with a desire to have a spring clean. It is spring now—what about it? And then in future treat it ns a cupboard, not a dumping ground for rubbish that should be destroyed. One day the cupboards of a visited school revealed bundles of children’s expression work waiting to be packed and sent to China. It was six months since the missionary lessons had been taught, nnd nothing had been done. Failure to complete such a transaction is a very had example, and decidedly harmful to missionary and school work. The boys’ and girls’ enthusiasm and interest in friends overseas had been awakened; it only needed the acknowledged receipt and thanks from, a missionary to establish a link that would become stronger and closer as each contact in future years was made. To discover that their work had not been sent out, and was lying in the cupboard, would discourage all future efforts. “After all,” they would say, “ why bother _ to do one’s best if it really isn’t going any further than the cupboard? ”

If the-work undertaken through the stimulus of the missionary lessons cannot be completed during the expression work period on the Sunday, why not meet during the week? One or two evenings can be spent in finishing, packing, and addressing the parcels. Even when finally posting them it is good to take some of the children to experience the thrill of despatch. Continuing and completing Christmas gifts for fathers, mothers, and friends can occupy two or three weeknight evenings during December, when the thought on Sundays is emphasising the joy of giving. FACING A DECLINE.

In these days of motor cars, of excursions of one kind and another, there are many Sunday schools which are faced with the fact that their numbers are not what they used to be, not what they could be. This state of things must not be ignored. There are many causes which may explain such a decline, and no time should be wasted in merely deploring the drop in average attendance or in the roll number. Let a meeting of the teachers and those interested discuss the position, and ask themselves a few questions. 1. Has there been any recruiting to replace losses? The of the town or district is always changing, but new families need to bo approached. ■What about a canvass of the town, house by house? Volunteers might be secured, provided with literature, cards for the enrolment of new scholars, and the children themselves encouraged to bring others who are not attached to any other Sunday school. 2. Has there been regular visiting of the homes of the scholars ? All teachers should be urged to do this, and the cooperation and help of the minister, and perhaps other church members, might be secured.

3. Has the church shown a keen interest in the Sunday school ? The school is the responsibility of the whole congregation, and especially of the officebearers, who should do all in their power to encourage those who are doing the work, and to maintain the teaching staff at an efficient level. 4. Are the parents of the children in active connection with the church? Only as the parents themselves are vitally interested in the work of the church will they support the efforts of the teachers. Enlist the help of the minister and other members of the congregation. 5. Are tho school buildings suitable for tho work of the Sunday school, or are they hampering it? A graded school is easier to run and maintains the interest of the children and the parents.

6. Is there a teachers’ preparation class or training class? This will affect the quality of the teaching and the discipline of the Sunday school. If the reason for a decline is discovered something can be done to overcome the cause. We must face the facts and decide upon a course of action if we would arrest such a decline. HOW DO YOU GIVE?

Hudson Taylor, when on one occasion he was upbraided for not taking a collection, explained that he had left it to his hearers to find out what tho Lord wanted them to give. The next day his critic brought him £IOO, adding: “If there had been a collection I should have put in a pound, and been satisfied with that.” A speaker told the following story: —A small boy had been given a penny and a half-crown by his father. “ Which did you put in the collection ” he was asked later. “Oh, the penny, father! because I remembered ‘ The Lord loyeth

a cheerful giver.’ ” The audience laughed, and the speaker thrust a shrewd question home: “I wonder if any of you are laughing at yourselves?/’