The Travelling Sunday School

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 158, 24 September 1927, Page 17 (Supplement)

The Travelling Sunday School

SIXTY YEARS OF SERVICE

(Compiled for THE SUN by F.R.) ‘’Tie public hardly realises the value of the work done in Sunday Schools, and yet the public is quick to appreciate integrity, service, mercy and truth. These are the qualities the Sunday Schools aim at stimulating and fostering. They are practical civic virtues; without them society degenerates into a competitive struggle—merciless and unscrupulous.”—Professor Lawson, Litt.D., NLA., Otago University.

Missionary Enterprise of the Auckland Union

f jf) MAN of simple ii»ay'afev !< S / tastes, accustomed j to sleeping in sheimiM buggy, often lib- ; UjFC 1 erally coa '- e <l With ! 3 mud and drenched 1 | with rain, the SunC ~~*-Tn —J day school miss oner carries his message into the backblorks of the X'orth. It is the message of the Christian Church conveyed through the medium of the Auckland Sunday School Union into tho innermost recesses of the King Country, to east and to west, and to the remotest spots in the Far North. , Roads which would not permit the driving of a motor-car and over which even a buggy cannot be drawn are traversed on horseback or on foot. The missioner —Mr. E. H. Pain—who has been doing the work for the past 1) years, must know the unbeaten tracks of the province as few can know them. Everywhere he is welcomed. He is a familiar figure this cheerful “sky pilot,” a man who laughs at hardslips and who travels his round year in and year out under conditions which even the hardiest would view with dismay. it is work which requires tile greatest endurance, physical as well as spiritual. To any but one wrapped up in the work the prospect of the never ending travel over long and lonely tracks, year in and year out, would be almost unendurable. To the missioner the journey’s end brings no rest. Travel worn and weary after a long day’s trek over rough bush tracks, he finds work that must be done, and work which must lie done well In order that the journey will not be in vain. It. is a task that is never completed and it brings no reward other than the complete satisfaction that comes from service rendered to mankind. Missionary Enterprise The work, which, for nearly 20 years the Auckland Sunday School Union has carried on in the isolated parts of the North Island is without parallel in the Dominion. Its history reads like pages taken from the story of some missionary enterprise far removed from the amenities of a Christian land. The town-dweller, with churches almost within elbow reach, has only himself to blame if he knows nothing of the teachings and spirit of the Christian Church. In the country, however, churches and services are not fuite so common and it is no rare

thing for families to travel several miles to attend church. But there districts, sparsely settled, where there are nc churches and a minister of religion rarely seen. Young people have been known to grow up to adult Ute without ever having been to church, and this not through iudifference, but because there was no church to attend.

There are homesteads miles from a railway line, reached only by packhorse over what are for a large part of the year, almost impassable tracks, boine of these may be visited by a c'ergyman once in three months, six months, once a year or perhaps never risked at all. And n th-_ :e homes invariably there children. None of the attractions 01 the picture theatre or city amusem< nts for them. As a result of the »P endid service rendered by the correspondence department, under the control of the Minister of Education, ll “y receive their education. But spiritually, they are often illiterate, and this is not by choice. Stories reliably based on fact could be told of the ignorance of such children on matters relating to the Bible and religion. Some homes have never °* Qe d a Bible and there are children have never seen one and who are totally ignorant of the names of its chief characters. The missioner takes with him where Possible his lantern, sheet and slides, 'here no hall is; available and no Parlour or kitchen big enough, he jastens his sheet to the outside of the hoase or ties it to trees and on that screen he shows pictures that are talked of long aifter by the children and their parents. Pictures of foreign travel and Dominion views, scenes in Palestine and 'host important of all—a beautiful set

of pictures of the life of Christ. As the pictures are shown, the missioner reverently tells the story of the Son of Man and this story heard often for the first time makes its appeal. Wherever possible a Sunday school is formed, a teacher found, instruction given, suitable literature sent from headquarters and the missioner passes on to another needy part. In the course of the years scores of these small Sunday schools have been established and many valuable workers in the larger centres received their first instruction and training in these small country schools. An important feature of the missioner's activity is the selling or distributing of good literature. Bibles and New Testaments are bought by Maori and pakeha. Story hooks for the children and good reading for the adults find their way into homes far removed from hook stores. Where people are too poor to pay for Bibles, these are given to them. The British find Foreign Bible Society co-operates with the mission in this branch of its activities. In the Early Sixties The account of how the Auckland Sunday School Union came into being reads like a romance and its story will not be lost upon those who knew Auckland and its post office in the early days. The name of the late

Mr. Seering H. Matthews will ever be associated with the founding of the union a close connection with which he kept up tor over 50 years. Mr. Matthews, while still a very young man, became a member of the teaching staff of the Wellesley Street Baptist Sunday School —the forerunner of the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle.-

Talking one day rn the early sixties with the postmaster, the latter informed Mr. Matthews that they had several packets lying in the post office which they had been unable to deliver. These were addressed to “The Superintendent, Sunday School. New Zealand.” Mr. Matthews expressing interest in the contents the postmaster gave him these undelivered packets. They proved to be reports sent out annually by the London Sunday School

Union. They were indeed as “bread cast upon waters.” Mr. Matthews read these reports with avidity, dreamed of a local union of like usefulness and passed on the reports to others engaged in Sunday schoolswork. Late in the year 1864, at a teachers’ meeting in connection with the High Street Congregational Sunday School, the advisability of forming a Sunday School Union was suggested. Among those present that day were the superintendent of the school, Mr. S. HagueSmith, and Messrs. Seering H. Matthews, John Ellyett and J. E. Lincoln. After discussion, the meeting deputed Mr. Ellyett to visit the Wellesley Street Baptist and the Edwardes Street Primitive Methodist Sunday Schools, and to present to the officers and teachers the case for the formation of a union. At Wellesley Street Mr. Ellyett was received and welcomed by George Plummer, Robert Fry, Gilbert Carson and Frederick Battley. At Edwardes Street—now Airedale Street —David Goldie received the deputation. The results of the interviews proving favourable, other schools were visited. In the end six schools resolved to unite for the objects agreed upon, and by February, 1865, the union was launched and under way.

Settled government had only been in existence in New Zealand a quarter o£ a century when the founders of the Auckland Sunday School Union adventured on their enterprise, little dreaming whereunto the thing might grow. "They builded better than they knew,” as the history of the union—its expansion, its widened influence, its larger usefulnessabundantly proves. The following were the first officers and committee of the union:—President, Mr. S. H. Smith; vice-presi-dent, Mr. Benjamin Cunningham; corresponding secretary, Mr. Gilbert Carson treasurer, Mr. Edward i Glanville; committee, Messrs Bird, Colborne, Goldie, Pheasant, S. Matthews, J. M. Lennox, J. Jenkins, F. Battley, S. Wells, J. Cousins and —. Cook. The schools forming the union were Edwardes Street, Newton Congregational, Wellesley Street, Albert Street Congregational, City Mission and High Street. The number of teachers reached 112. There were 992 scholars on the books, with an average attendance of 659. During the first year, 295 scholars were added to the schools and 52 joined the church. Objects of the Union The objects of the union were—as they 'still are —to promote a spirit of unity among Sabbath school teachers and thereby to extend the usefulness of Sabbath schools: to provide a depot for Bibles, books and tracts, etc.; to

assist in the formation of Sabbath schools; to eideavour by every means to disseminate useful knowledge among the young. ® One of the first acts of the young union was to set about forming a trade department. A room, roughly answering the purpose, was secured in the building of the Young Men's Christian Association and a trial order was sent to the English Union up to the value of £2O. The modest order included magazines and periodicals of divers kinds, together with tune books, reward books and tickets also "50 books suitable for scholars and 50 for the use of teachers, including Biblical dictionaries and concordances.” A monthly visitation of the schools was arranged and a district visitation for scholars was vigorously undertaken. In some cases of non-attend-

ance, poverty and sickness ■were pleaded, while a few declared “the Sabbath School was no place for their children, it being only for the poor.” A teachers’ training class was commenced in July, 1865. It is noteworthy that the High . Street School during the week held a secular Instruction class for those who were unable schooling, or could not attend day school.

The first annual festival of the united schools was held in the Domain on January 2, 1567, and was a decided success. For many years this function was decidedly popular. On the festival day hundreds of young people bearing flags and banners marched in procession to the appointed rendezvous, and from thence to the Domain, where the day was spent in sports and pastimes and—feasting. Owing to failing interest these festivals ceased in 1902.

Speaking in February, 1867, the committee deplored “the lamentable fact that so far as we can ascertain not one-third of the children in the province attend Sabbath schools.”

During 1866 four new schools were admitted into the union, viz., Remuera, Hamilton, Te Arai and Port Albert. In the year ending November 30, IS7O, there were 19 schools in the union, including two notable additions —All Saints’ Church of England, Pon-

sonby and Wellington Wesleyan. The scholars had increased from 992 to 1,586, and the teachers from 112 to 220. « In 1574 the trade department took a distinct step forward. Its affairs had been administered up to this time by Mr. Matthews and Mr. Battley in conjunction with the Book Committee. At the beginning of 1874, Mr. J. H. Edmiston was entrusted with the charge of the trade department. Young, enthusiastic and energetic, the newly-appointed manager set to work with right goodwill. The schools

were canvassed as to their probable requirements, and an order for fresh supplies, running into three or four hundred pounds’ worth of goods, was placed before the astonished Book Committee for its sanction. The Committee cut down the order to £250. The English Union generously extended necessary credit and the goods eventually arrived. In less than three months time the stock was cleared, and further consignments were on the way out.

Under Mr. Edmiston’s fostering care, aided by his business acumen, the Trade Department grew to a large and profitable extent. Profits became available for the general work of the union. It became possible to make

small grants to new and struggling schools. From the same source the heavy expense incurred by the annual scripture examination was met. After more than 36 years of service as trade manager, Mr. Edmiston, in 1911, resigned, and entered into business on his own account. Another phase of the work undertaken by the union many years ago was the organisation of a number of industrial exhibitions. The first was held in 1874 and the seventh in 1897. The exhibitions certainly stimulated industry and aspiration after the refinements of life. The charge for admission was low, so that the patronage must have been great when one year the takings at the doors reached £268. A proposal, to hold an eighth exhibition was abandoned, because the Drill Shed, as it was then termed —which had been utilised on former occasions—was not again available for the purpose. Faithful Service During the 62 years of its existence the Union has had 16. presidents. Those occupying that office

are as follow: Mr. s. riague Smith, six years; Mr. J. C. Firth, 11 years; Mr. Frederick Battley, 16 years; Mr. George Winstone, three years; Mr. Seering H. Matthews, two years; Mr. A. J. Entrican, two years; Mr. C. M. Calder; two years; Mr. F. N. Andrews, one year; Mr. L. E. Falkner, four years;Rev. A. North, one year; Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, two years; Mr. J. Burton, two years; Mr. H. Dearsley, four years; Mr. F. Rowe, two years; Mr. J. W. Court, two years; Mr. W. D. M. Glaister, two years. In its secretaries the union has also been ably and faithfully served by men of considerable ability, the following list revealing the names of men who have occupied important positions in the public and commercial life of the community;—Mr. G. Plummer, two years; Mr. G. Carson, three years; Mh F. Battley, eight years; Mr. S. Wells, one year; Mr. S. H.

Matthews, seven years; Mr. W. H. Lyon, three years; Mr. J. Wilcox, one year; Mr. J. R. Randerson, one year; Mr. J. Buttle, one year; Mr. W. Cox, one year; Mr. T. E. Corkill, four years; Mr. T. F. Hill, seven years; Mr. H. C. Haselden, six years; Mr. H. J. le Bailley, seven years; Rev. W. R. Woolley, one year; Mr. H. Scott, three years; Rev. F. H. Radford, one year. The present secretary. Rev. L. B. Busfleld, has occupied the position since 1920. Training the Teacher It is perhaps not generally known that Auckland can boast of facilities for training Sunday school teachers second to none in the Dominion. Indeed, it is doubtful whether there is anything in Australia quite its equal. The training of the teacher has always been regarded as one of the special objects of the Sunday School Union. Schools are realising that the day when anybody would do for a Sunday school teacher has passed away. Hand in hand with improvements in the methods of secular education has gone the desire to lift up the standard of religious education. Boys and girls are quick to notice

the difference that exists between the trained and untrained teacher, the wise disciplinarian and the do-asyou-please type. Big requirements are made of the Sunday school teacher of to-day, if he is to effectively influence the moral and religious life of the junior or adolescent boy and girl. It is essential that not only should he be able to attractively present a lesson and sow living thoughts in the mind, but he should also know something of that growing mind. Studies in child psychology form therefore a prominent part in the training of The teacher. Three years ago a substantial sum was given to the union for the specific purpose of training teachers. This money was vested in a trust known as the Miss Emily Martin Memorial Fund. A wise provision of the rrust allows the trustees to spend the whole of the capital and interest within a

stated number of years. This has enabled the union to launch a scheme which is meeting with the hearty approval of educationists and Sunday school leaders In the well-appointed and comfortable lecture room which is a distinctive feature of the union's building, classes for teachers are held on three or four evenings a week. The panel of lecturers includes:—Professor A. B. Pitt, M.A., D.Fh., Rev. Principal C. H. Laws, D.D., Rev. Professor H. Ranston, Litt.D., Mr. J. W. Shaw, M.A., Miss A. Kennedy*, Rev. D. D. Scott, Rev. E. P. Blamires. and Rev. A. M. Niblock, while special lectures are given by scholars and experts distinguished in their field. Biblical introduction. Old and New Testament studies, child psychology and Sunday school method and organisation in all its branches are exhaustively dealt with. A carefully built up syllaDus has been carried out during the past three years and lecturers and students are very gratified with the progress made. The contribution which this teachers’ training centre is making to the development of a sound religious education in the city of Auck--1 land and the country districts can hardly be exaggerated. The work of the primary department of the modern Sunday school received- a distinct impetus during the visit of Mr. C. H. Archibald to Auckland in 1912. Every Sunday school teacher knows what is meant by the “Archibald " system: • This • -system has borne special fruit in the primary departffifuftd. The 613 infant class with its gallery has given way to a speciallybuilt and artistically-arranged room. Chairs built for the height of little •children, have replaced the old tiers of seats. Pictures, eand tray work, clay and plasticine modelling, paper cutting, crayoning are now the features of an up-to-date primary department. Five scholars to a teacher is the maximum. Marching, expression, music and “hush” music form an interesting and important part of the afternoon's ses•slon.* An association of primary department leaders and teachers meets monthly throughout the year to study }iatest developments in child education and practical work. Healthy Rivalry The question is often asked, are examinations worth while? Are thev a help or a hindrance in an educational system? Inquiries at the Auckland Sunday School Union reveal that considerable importance is attached to the enaminaton in scripture knowledge, which has been carried through annually for 33 years. I*robably no event in the Sunday school year is prepaied for so carefully as this examination. Keen and healthy rivalry exists between the schools for the possession of the banners awarded in the respective grales. An average of close upon 2,00 b scholars voluntarily sit for this examination every year. It is purely one of scripture knowledge, and is usually based upon selected lessons in the year’s course. Candidates are also expected to memorise certain well-known passages of scripture, and during th e average scholar’s attendance at Sunday school probably 20 such passages will have been committed to memcy. The examination this year was held on July 8 and was participated In by :.38 schools, who entered 2,854 candidates. “Every age has its own needs and aspirations,” states Professor Lawson, Litt.D., M.A., of the Otago University. “The present age demands a frank and fearless facing of religious and biblical difficulties. This the Sunday school can do—indeed in some measure it is doing it. More training will ensure further progress.” Auckland has its share of enthusiasts, and the absorbing interest -—:y take in their work is reflected in the high standard of efficiency that has been attained. Sixty-two years of unceasing labour directed into organised ch?- Is has had its effect. To-day, those connected with the union can look with justifiable pride upon what is undoubtedly one of the soundest movements of its kind in the Dominion. For service less than this names have been perpetuated in marble and stone. But the men and women who have laboured in this cause need no other monument than that which they have erected for themselves in tha building up of the Auckland Sunday School Union.