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Show THE CHURCH REVIEW. <br><br> Territorial S. S. Association. <br> (Continued from last week.) <br> Its object is to advance Christ's kingdom among boys. The experience every where in Brigade work has been that it helps to keep boys from temptation and increases their attendance at church and Sunday school. It helps boys at a time when they need help most and when the Sunday school has the least influence over them; it helps boys who feel that they are outgrowing such a thing as Sunday school. The Boy's Brigade then becomes a department of the school. The idea of wearing a uniform pleases boys and they willingly consent to the religious part of the system, and it is not long before they become equally enthusiastic in both military and Biblical teaching. I have only to mention the Boy's Brigades of Rev. Mr. Bartlett and of Mr. John Axton, of Salt Lake City, to show you what can be accomplished in this direction. The means used in Brigade work are a weekly military drill, a weekly Bible class and a monthly missionary meeting. <br> Among other ways to further the aim of the Sunday school, I wish to mention one which has worked wonderfully well, when tried by one of the churches of Salt Lake City. Every Saturday afternoon the Sunday school room is open to young women and girls who wish to learn plain sewing and dress-making. The whole neighborhood became interested and large classes were formed, industrial classes you might call them, where moral and Biblical instruction were also given. It was not long before many of the scholars were applying for admission to the Sunday school and within six months forty-five scholars were added, many of them entering the Bible classes. This plan could be followed equally well in smaller places. <br> Social clubs also must be formed, one for men and one for women and perhaps one for men and women. Exclude, if you will, at first direct Christian efforts and make the club purely social, but so interesting that, the members can not afford to stay away from the meetings. The good literature committee of the Sunday school will supply papers and magazines and occasional talks and lectures will keep up the interest. This method forms a most effective introduction to church life and from these clubs large numbers can be recruited for the adult Bible classes. <br> I read recently of one Sunday-school superintendent who suggested to some of his boys that a little gymnastic exercise would be interesting; they caught at the idea at once and began buying their own dumb-bells. The boys of the neighborhood became interested and soon the room where they first met became too small. One large class in that school is known as the gymnasium class, because they were brought into the school by means of that special work. <br> Is it not a mistake to keep the doors of our Sunday school room locked during the week, while our boys and girls are obliged to go elsewhere for amusement? If we have a library why not let the children and young people use the books at will. The room could be used as a reading room during the week. Games could be furnished and some light gymnastic apparatus secured. If this was done, we would see crowds of children flocking to the Sunday school rooms weekdays as well as Sundays. <br> All of these various works employ the Sunday school children. They become so interested in these different channels of work, which are thus brought to bear upon them, that the church and Sunday school become to them a loved home; when this happens you have secured the children, you have solved the Sunday school problem. Boys and girls in large numbers are then at easy command at any moment for any service. One minister says: "The school is growing, being recruited from the boys club," another remarked, "My conviction is that the work we are doing for the boys and girls has acted as a feeder for our Sunday school and will so act in the future still more." E. V. S. <br> (To be continued) <br><br> Remember Territorial Sunday school day, the last Sunday in September. <br><br> Sunday School Social. <br> The Sunday School social in the Y. M. C. A. rooms last Monday was thoroughly enjoyed by all present. Mr. Thos. Weir, the president of the Association presided over a short informal business meeting. It was decided to have regular monthly meetings hereafter. The next meeting will be held Monday evening, April 15th. A good program committee was selected and we may look for a very interesting session. All those interested in Sunday school work are heartily invited to come. These meetings are going to be helpful to all who attend and YOU need the help. SECRETARY. <br><br> The Board of Foreign Missions has 3,000 laborers and 557 missionaries at work among 100,000,000 people. <br> Tufts College receives $70,000 from the estate of Cornelia M. Jackson of Providence, R. I., to erect a building for its students who are women. <br> "The life of Christ was God's love made visible." <br><br> |
