AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE
©AX, MARCH 11, 1926
VOL. XL VIII.
WHAT ARE THE BEST METHODS OF
STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPING
MISSION SUNDAY SCHOOLS?
By Prof. A. A. Adair. Sabbath School Missionary
(Paper read at the Annual Workers' Conference, held at Brain
erd Institute, Chester, South Carolina.)
Some one has said that any
kind of a Sunday school is bet
ter than no school at all.
No mission Sunday school is
ever organized with every de
partment properly graded and
with every officer and all the
equipment that is necessary to
make it a standard school.
Hence every mission Sunday
school will need strengthening
and developing, if the school is
to meet the needs of the com
munity and keep pace with the
Program of Religious Education
that is being continually devel
oped.
If one should organize a stand
ard school or rather a school
that would be complete in every
way it would not be practicable.
1. Because it would be ixnj
possible to run it successfully
without specially trained teach
ers or leaders which are not
available in rural districts and
towns where most of our mis
sions are located.
2 It would require the con
tinued service of the missionary
to keep such an organization
going, to the neglect of other
fields of service, especially that
of organizing other mission Sun“
day schools. f -
3. It would be placing the
technique of methods and the
system of grading above the
spirit and motive of th§ mission
- ... rlWW
though the literature would be
granted by our department
would be too heavy for an ex
perimental enterprise.
The best method of develop
ing our mission schools is. to put
in the grades and departments
that can be handled by the lead
ers on hand, and add to these
from time to time such feat
ures as • the occasion demands.
The best schools are those that
are built around the local lead
ers and not around the mission
ary.
The missionary’s visit should
be one that is looked forward to
with great anticipation, as he
should be a source of informa
tion and inspiration. He should
bring new ideas for the develop
ment of the school and hold con
ferences with teachers and lead
ers. For if the school is to be
strengthened it must be done to
a large extent through the offi
cers and teachers of the school,
as they are the ones who must
work the plans and keep up the
interest and enthusiasm when
the missionary has gone else
where.
Therefore the next step is the
development of leadership in the
school. This can be done to a
large extent during the winter
months through institutes, con
ferences and Teacher-Training
classes. At such meetings, es
pecially the institutes, much em
phasis should be placed upon
grading and organization of
classes and Young People’s So
cieties, also the Program of Re
ligious Education and the obser
vance of the special days of the
Church.
Whatever interest that might
be awakened in the institutes
could be followed up in the
Workers’ Conferences, where
leaders may be found for certain
v groups and organizations effect
ed througn such leaders.
Mn our Teacher Training Class
the course cannot be taken up
in a systematic way, but special
lessons can be taken up with the
leaders, who may be left to work
out the studies for themselves.
While many books might be
recommended Oliver’s “Prepara
tion for Teachers” will be the
book for our mission schools be
cause of its simplicity and few
references to other books than
the Bible, as few mission schools
possess libraries.
In such classes an immense
amount of good may be done by
the study of the Sunday school
lessons with the teachers. In
this way new ideas of teaching
may be gained and the hard
places in the lessons for the en
tire quarter gone over. In some
of our schools the following pro
gram has been successfully car
ried out:
1. Song Service—The learn
ing of Sunday School Hymns and
new songs for special occasions.
2. Lesson Study—Teacher
Training.
3. Talks on Early Heroes of
the Church.
4. Bible Study—Current les
sons for the quarter.
A week spent with such a pro
gram is well worth while because
of the interest that it creates
in the mission school.
Another way to strengthen
and develop the mission school
is to make it a community
school. The question of denom
ination should be kept in the
background. The only question
that should be asked of those
willing to help are, Are you a
Christian, and, Are you willing
to work for the Master? The
more different denominations
you have in the school the bet
ter it will be. f
. Often we hear the argument
-iPraar
byterian Sunday schools. If the
same argument was used in ref
erence to our parochial and high
schools; that is, enroll only Pres
byterian students, the schools
would have to go out of busi
ness.
jjo not understand me to say
that the community should be
kept in ignorance as to the
Church that is fostering the
movement. This should be
made plain at the outset. But
the fact that you are working in
the interest of the community ir
respective of denomination will
naturally win for our Church the
respect and cooperation of the
people.
Another means of developing
the community spirit for the
Sunday school is through the
Daily Vacation Bible Schools.
Many that would be skeptical
about sending their children to
Sunday school would permit
them to attend a Vacation Bible
School. Here is where the men
tal, moral, physical and spiritu
al side of the child life is devel
oped. The natural results will
be a strengthening of the mis
sion through the community
spirit.
Another way of strengthen
ing our schools is through the
Presbyterial Convention and
School of Methods. While the
missionary endeavors in a small
way to carry out many of the
ideas advanced by these organi
zations, there is nothing that
helps so much as to have a dele
gate return from these gather
ings with inspiration and a new
vision, of service.
Anoiner way oi ounaing up
our mission Sunday schools is
througn family visitation by the
missionary. It is in the home
and around the family fireside
that we get nearest to the indi
vidual. Perplexing questions
may be asked | and answered,
helpful advice given and inter
est built Up for our mission
schools.
While all of these means may
aid, much depends upon the in
terest and consecration of the
missionary and the leaders in
charge, who should carry these
schools in prayer daily to the
throne of grace, and who should
realize that those schools are
their own personal responsibili
ty.
INTERESTING
GEORGIA LETTER
Missionary Conference at Mid
viUe.
On February 20-21, Rev. J. L.
Phelps held a Missionary Con
ference at Rand Memorial Pres
byterian church, Midville, Ga.
Several representatives were
present from each society of the
five churches under Rev. Phelps’
care. Upon invitation I attend
ed these meetings and ad
dresed the women four times,
giving them, as best I could, the;
information and inspiration they
needed to help them do better
work in their locals.
They promised to strive ear
nestly to get their money in
quarterly, also saying that they
would send more than their quo
ta this year, to help pay the in
terest on borrowed money. I
think, after this meeting, more
interest will be shown by the
women in our churches in
Burke county.
February 22nd I spent the
day at Boggs Academy, looking
over the modern buildings, new
electric plant, water works, etc.
I was very much pleased with
the excellent work being done
by Rev. and Mrs. Phelps and
their excellent teachers.
Prof. Wigfall is a great asset
to tne school. He teaches the
boys cabinet making, trains
them in athletics, and also has
organized a Glee Club which
makes beautiful music. They
have already made their appear
ance in several cities. Really, the
church work and school work of
our churches in Burke county,
as in others, would make rapid
progress if more consecrated
ministers, - "hot- afkdn
woux^ go there and help carry
on and build upon the interest
Rev. Phelps has created in the
hearts of the people. I hope, in
the near future, to hear of more
ministers at work on this field,
to help take Burke and adjoin
ing counties for Christ. It is a
field of rich soil and their only
need is more workers to plant
and harvest the grain.
Christ rresbytenan Church,
Augusta, Ga.
Just a little more than one
year ago Rev. J. R. Harris came
to Augusta to reorganize Christ
Presbyterian church with a
view to erecting a church edi
fice on the lot purchased when
the church on Telfair Street was
sold.
He left a very prosperous
church and school work at Wash
ington, Ga. It was his idea to
leave this field after 27 years
of service, while it was alive, and
not wait, as many do, until
everything was dead and no one
would want it.
For a number of years Christ
church has been dead and bu
ried, only two or three being
left to tell about it. Some have
died, some have moved away,
and others, tired of waiting for
a leader, drifted into other
churches. So with no building,
no congregation, but with unlim
ited faith in God, Rev. Harris,
at great expense and sacrifice,
undertook to put this church on
the roll again.
To shorten my story, he has
had the lot cleared of the old
houses, and has built a part of
the church, the Sunday school
department and a study for the
pastor.
This is a very neat little build
ing and will be used for all ser
vices until the main auditorium
is built to the front. This will
be done as soon . as sufficient
funds are in hand.
Services have formerly been
held in McGregor Hall at Haines
Institute. Miss Laney has been
very kind and generous toward
us in every way.
March 7th we held our servic
es in our own building and it
was a joyful time for the pastor
and his people. We have a splen
did Sunday school, also the writ
er very recently organized a
Woman’s Home and Foreign
THE NEW MINISTER.
•nary Society, hoping in
near future to have some
mg people’s organizations;,
Wa are very hopeful for the
. here. We have now about
25 members and are expecting
others to join us, now
it they see we really mean to
r e a church. Our friends
[ust pray for the success of
tis work. Several ministers at
the Workers’ Conference prom
ised me to send a donation when
they returnd home. I am ex
pecting them to keep their prom
; some have already done so,
' "LLIE B. HARRIS,
esident Hodge Presbyterial.
112, 13th Street', Augusta,
iy Rev. N. R. Richardson,
(In Charlotte Observer.)
‘I think our new minister, is
t the man for the place,- is
>hrase that any Methodist
igregation will very often
hfear, and I sometimes wonder if
s think enough about the oth
side of the propositiori, are
* going to be just the right
,ce for our new minister? F.
M., in The^Nashville Chris
Advocate.
I quote the above paragraph
use it raises a : pertinent
a$d an important question, not
fir Methodism alone, but for
afcy Christian church.
| The congregation and Com
munity will affect the minister
much more than the church
membership is accustomed to
tpiidc, if they think about it at
In a young and rapidly grow
? city where the people1 were
thused and excited over the
great revival in business and the
the town’s first railroad, I heard
a minister say with a burdened
heart, “I did not come to M— to
lose my religion, but to build up
the church and save the people.”
That was in my first year as
a minister. The preacher’s
statement made a deep impres
sion on my mind. I have
thought of it with deepened so
licitude as the years have
passed. I am convinced that in
almost all cases; where the min
ister of the gospel, called of God,
falls short of the success which
jfthould result from his ministry*
the fault lies with the church.
Many a preacher has had his
spirit, hope and earnest enthu
siasm crushed by worldliness,
coldness and indifference to spir
itual values—watching the
minister with a Cold, critical at
titude, to ascertain if he was
measuring up to the standard or
gauge they had fixed for their
pastor; instead of assuring him
with the warmth of love and
confidence that they would stand
by him; not in words only, but
by prayer, personal efforts and
hearty cooperation in all his
plans as their leader, appointed
of God. Too many laymen stand
aloof—but not all—and by their
attitude seem to say, “we have
hired you and expect to pay you
if you accomplish anything
worth while; it’s your job, not
ours.”
ii an army should assume to
act that way toward the gen
eral, their commander and
leader, how many battles would
be won? Just as the general
must have the active coopera
tion of an his soldier force, so
must the pastor have the con
secrated and active cooperation
of the entire church member
ship, to accomplish the aggres
sive, spiritual work for Christ.
Some laymen haven’t the
time, or will not give the neces
sary time, to do the work that
no one else can do for them, and
too frequently officials of the
churches are numbered with
these slackers.
Yes indeed, “a church may
make, or it may break a pas
tor."
Surely very much depends on
the leadership of the minister.
Nevertheless many more meager
results are chargeable to lack of
part of
affiliation and h
tion of the church
than may be justly
failure of effort on
the ministei*.
A large proportii
ministers who change pastor
ates frequently, do ser because
the church is not; “just1 the
right place for the new minis
ter -if? ; '
of the
FELLOWSHIPS OF ’
TiONAL URBAN LI
IE NA
LGUE.
Opportunity For Young; Colored
Men and Women to Get Train
ing in Social Service.
In order that able yoting men
and women who wish to make
social service a life w$rk may
have opportunity to fit them
selves for such work, the Na
tional Urban League % provides
fellowships as follows:!
Fellowships at a minimum of
$70,00 per month fdr . eight
months, from about October 1st
to about June 1st, being part of
necessary living expenses.
Successful applicants will be
assigned at the discigj|ion of
the Educational Committee to
one of the following schools:
The New York School of So
cial Work, 105 East 22nd Street,
New York City.
The Chicago University
School of Social Administration,
Chicago, 111.
The Simmons College School
of Social Work, 18 Somerset
Street, Boston, Mass. I
The Pennsylvania School for
Social Service, 1302 Piiie Street,
Philadelphia, Pa, V ■
Carnegie Schop! of . Technolo
gy-, Pittsburgh, Pa. /,
University of Pittsburgh.
These^ellowships are open to
those who have made a definite
decisio^to^esgage insocial wprk
of some form approved by the
Executive Board of the League.
Such work includes secretary
ships of betterment organiza
tions, recreation and playground
supervisors, superintendents of
charitable institutions, v proba
tion officers and similar service.
Urban League “Fellows” ob
tain their practical experience
with local family case work or
ganizations and with local Ur
ban League branches or affiliat
ed organizations of the city to
which they may be assigned for
study and training.
Persons who make application
for these fellowships will be re
quired to pass a preliminary ex
amination. The examination
will be of a general nature and
designed to test the applicant’s
general education and knowl
edge. s It will be based upon en
trance examinations given in the
past years by the New York
School of Social Work. English
and composition will be careful
ly considered in marking exami
nation papers.
Candidates who have kept up
with current history and have
studied appropriate courses in
Economics, Politics, Sociology,
Psychology or Biology ought to
pass an examination successful
ly
To be eligible a candidate
must
(1) Present a doctor’s certi
ficate of sound health.
(2) Declare his or her inten
tion to engage in some form of
social work.
(3) Have completed a course
in a college of good standing or
offer the equivalent of such a
course.
In choosing successful candi
dates the League will take into
account the applicant’s (1) pre
vious school work, (2) general
personality, (3) capacity for ex
ecutive duties and for leader
ship, (4) general intelligence on
current affairs, (5) ability,
knowledge of, and fondness for
outdoor sports and recreation.
Applications for fellowships
must be received on or before
April 15th of each year.
The League reserves the right
to reject any or all applicants.
Candidates who are selected
should be ready to report on or
before September 15th.
No payment will be made on
luccessful in
tool to which he waa ast
Persons interested
ite for application blanks Mo.
■ National Urban League, 127
Bt 23rd Street, New York
: CLOSING MEETSB
iTRICT NO. 2, CATA
PRESBYTERIAL.
The Missionary womi
fe-ict No. 2 of the Catawba Pres
byterial held their closing meet
ing for the year 1925-1926 at
W « st m i n s t e r Presbyterian
church, Concord, on Saturday
^morning, February 20. ^ ‘ ‘
; TBc meeting was called to or
der it 10 o’clock by its supervis
or, Mrs. M. J. Alexander, of Con
cord.! Mrs. M. J. Phifer, of* the
Huntersville church, had . charged
of the opening exercises as fel
lows: Opening hymn, “Just as I:
Am Scripture reading, : St.
Mark. 6:1-16, followed by prayer1
by lit. Logan, of Concord, and
Every Hour” was joyfully s
Rev, H. Wilson, pastor, of
Westminster church,. of Cjori
cord, ivas to have addressed us
on “Peasant Pioneers,” but we
regret to say, on account
his having been disposed that
day, he was unable to. dp so" Ad
a substitute for this address a
few very excellent, instructive
and upliiting short talks were
given Us by the following per
sons. First, Rev. T. E. Lewis,
D. D„ .of Scotia Women’s Col
lege, spii>ke to us about Eibr
lical teachings on missionary
work. In this talk Dr. Lewis was
at his best, for he held his au
dience’s Strict attention as he
explained 4nd pictured beautiful
it, as portrayed by the different
characters found in the Bible, * ,
Miss Cathcart, a former in
structor of Scotia Women’s Col
lege, held our attention a few
minutes while she impressed . Us
with the fact that “The Harvest
is plenteous but the laborers ate
few.”
Miss Chapman, also a former
instructor of Scotia Woman’s
College, spoke to us very beau
tifully about “Prayer and Mis
sionary Work.” She urged upon
us the importance of having
them go hand in hand, jtf
we are to be successful
in our missionary work. She
also stressed the importance
of reading literature bearing on
our work, so as tp broaden our
minds, and help us to under
stand, appreciate and enjoy the
work better.
Mrs. G. E. Davis, President
of the Catawba Presbyterial, in
her address, added very impres
sive remarks to Miss Chapman’s
speech in regards. to the vital
need of more study on Mission
ary work, so that we may be
come more helpful and instruc
tive to our fellowmen.
'I Need
Rev. Li. B. West, of Biddle
ville Presbyterian church,
Charlotte, favored us with; a
very interesting talk, compli
menting the colored wing of
the Presbyterian Church on the
splendid work it is doing in the
Missionary field.
Dr. Logan, of Concord, gaye
us a short and inspiring talk on
“The Purpose and Benefits of
the Missionary Work.”
Mrs. Annie Spencer, Secretary
of Overseas Work, talked briefly
about a box having been sent' to
Mrs. Carr, of Danville, Va., and
then she read a letter of accept
ance of the same to the audi
ence.
Collection was lifted by Mr.
Jehu Graham and Mr. William
Phifer, both of Hunt'ersviHe
church. The sum of $4.00 was
realized.
* Short talks were made by the
leaders oi the Missionary Soci
eties of the various churches as
to the success of their work for
the year. Nearly all of them
made good reports. The various
churches represented and their
leaders are as follows:
(Continued on page 4) *