The Sunday-school and Missions

#96.# "It is the whole business of the church, and it is the business of the whole church, to carry the whole Gospel to the whole world as speedily as possible." Missionary work is not _one_ of the features of church activity; it is _the_ one all-important work of every church, every Sunday-school, every Christian. Without intelligent missionary interest there can be little spiritual power. Every Sunday-school should be, in fact, a missionary organization, and set itself to definite, far-reaching missionary tasks.

#97. Missionary Secretary.#--Every Sunday-school should have a Missionary Secretary. He should be deeply interested in missions, and as thoroughly informed as possible. He should bring to the school from time to time the latest missionary intelligence, especially from those fields in which the denomination, the church, and the school are most interested. He will select the missionary books for the scholars' and the teachers' library. He should co-operate with the other officers and teachers in creating and maintaining a missionary atmosphere in the school.

#98. Missionary Committee.#--If the school is large, a Missionary Committee will be useful. It should be under the general direction of the Missionary Secretary, and should consist of one person from each department of the school. This will insure that all departments are brought into vital touch with the missionary activities of the school.

Such a committee will be most helpful in arranging missionary programs, selecting members for the mission study cla.s.ses, planning the entire missionary instruction of the school, and attending to the proper distribution of missionary periodicals and literature. This committee may also a.s.sist in securing a missionary training of the teachers in the teacher-training cla.s.ses.

#99. Missionary Libraries.#--Some of the choice, bright, interesting missionary books which are now very abundant should be in every Sunday-school library. If selections are properly made, the books will be sought for and eagerly read by the boys and girls. There should also be in the teachers' library some special missionary books dealing with methods (see Appendix), and the teachers should be urged to read them.

#100. Missionary Equipment.#--Splendid missionary maps, charts, pictures, and curios are now abundant and inexpensive. They may be secured from denominational publishing houses. Every school should have a supply, and they should be in the care of the Missionary Secretary. Large charts and maps may be made by the scholars under the direction of the Missionary Committee. Secure, if possible, a missionary map of the world, and a map showing the missionary activities of the denomination. Charts showing the relative strength and growth of the Christian religion as compared with other religions in all parts of the world are effective. A cabinet of missionary curios is most desirable.

#101. Mission Study Cla.s.s.#--There should be at least one mission study cla.s.s in every school. It is usually possible. Such cla.s.ses need not continue all the year. Ten meetings of one hour each, for ten successive weeks, will enable any cla.s.s that applies itself to the work to complete one of the elementary text-books relating to missions. The meetings should be held on a week-night, and they should not be obliged to divide the evening with any other meeting. The available time in the Sunday-school session is not long enough unless double the number of lessons are used, and this is not always practicable. The cla.s.s should be composed only of those young people who are deeply interested, or want to become interested, in missions.

Five to ten members are enough for a good cla.s.s. The leader should be an enthusiast who is not afraid to work. Such a cla.s.s maintained for a few years will create a missionary interest in any school that will reveal itself in larger offerings, and probably in volunteers for the missionary field.

#102. Missionary Room.#--If there is an available room in the church, it would be well to set it apart as the Missionary Room. Here will be found the missionary library, periodicals, maps, charts, and curios, properly displayed and cared for. It may be a cla.s.s-room, if no other room is to be had. The Missionary Secretary will have a table or desk here, and it will serve as his office. It will furnish a good place for the mission study cla.s.s, and will be the center of all the missionary activities of the school.

#103. Missionary Sunday.#--Missionary instruction should be given in connection with every lesson that will permit of it. Once a month, however, there should be special missionary exercises, whether the particular lesson lends itself to missionary treatment or not. Five or ten minutes' time during the opening or closing exercises can be profitably arranged for by the Missionary Secretary with appropriate music, missionary selections, recent items from the field, map drill, and display of charts and curios. Or, some of the elementary outlines of missionary study now available may be taught from the platform or taken up in the cla.s.ses.

#104. Missionary Concerts.#--A properly arranged missionary concert is interesting and instructive. Usually it is best to confine each concert to a given missionary field. Display a map of the field. Have partic.i.p.ants dressed to represent the natives. Appropriate music, recitations, facts from the field, and a short missionary address by the pastor or by a returned missionary will make an excellent program.

Secure from your denominational publishing house leaflets giving facts about the field under consideration, and distribute them to the audience. Once a quarter is none too often for a missionary concert.

#105. Denominational Boards.#--Every Sunday-school should contribute regularly and generously to its own denominational benevolences.

Contribute to one benevolence at a time, and let this one be definitely explained, so that the giving may be intelligent. Every school ought to be familiar with the great missionary movements of the world, and especially of its own denomination.

#106. Specific Objects.#--More interest can be created and more money raised for a specific than for a general object, and done more quickly. Denominational boards, recognizing this, have provided to meet it by enabling churches, schools, and individuals to contribute to a specific purpose, under the general direction of a given board.

Shares to the extent of the donor's contribution are a.s.signed in a particular station, the donor thus having a share in the entire work of the station. This is known as the "Station Plan" of giving.

#107. Reflex Influence.#--No church, school, nor Christian can honor the Master by endeavoring to carry out his last command without receiving a great blessing. The power and effectiveness of a local school in its own work are usually in proportion to its interest in the world-wide Kingdom. If it will "make a little cake" for others first, it will have all it needs at home. This rule is without exception.

Test Questions

1. Repeat the quoted sentence at the beginning of paragraph 96.

2. What are the duties of the missionary secretary?

3. Of the missionary committee?

4. What missionary equipment is desirable?

5. State how a mission-study cla.s.s may be conducted.

6. What plan may well be used for a Missionary Sunday?

7. For a Missionary concert?

8. What is usually the measure of the power of the local school?

Lesson 10

Organized Adult Cla.s.ses

#108.# Organized cla.s.ses have existed in small numbers here and there for many years; not until recently, however, has the attention of the Sunday-school world been especially attracted to them. When once their value became recognized the idea spread rapidly, and the organized adult cla.s.s is now one of the most prominent features of Sunday-school work almost everywhere.

#109. Organization.#--Elaborate organization will not be needed, except in very large cla.s.ses. It is best to organize men's cla.s.ses and women's cla.s.ses separately. Call together by announcement and invitation those who are interested in forming a cla.s.s, for conference. Furnish them with the leaflets on organized cla.s.ses furnished by the denomination or by the International Sunday School a.s.sociation. Explain the method and purpose of cla.s.s organization.

Endeavor to secure a definite number of charter members to begin with.

Adopt the suggested International const.i.tution, or some other if better suited to the needs of the cla.s.s; or appoint a committee to draft the sort of a const.i.tution desired. Secure the International Certificate of Recognition, which should be framed and hung upon the walls of the cla.s.s-room. It will be well to make the organization conform to the standard set up by the International Sunday School a.s.sociation, and outlined in their leaflets.

#110. Purpose.#--The real purpose of cla.s.s organization is to make the cla.s.s more effective in those things for which a Sunday-school cla.s.s exists. Genuine, faithful Bible study for the purpose of leading men and women to Christ, developing Christian character, training for service, securing their membership in the church, and setting them to work, is the business of the cla.s.s. Everything else must contribute to this. With this as the goal, any wisely conducted cla.s.s will succeed; but if anything else overshadows this, true success is impossible.

Thoroughly organized cla.s.ses will solve the problem of holding men and women in the Sunday-school, and are doing it continually.

#111. Officers and Their Duties.#--Elect a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, whose duties will be those usually performed by such officers. The president will preside, not only at all cla.s.s meetings, but at the regular Sunday session of the cla.s.s as well. The most important officer to choose is the teacher. Select the very best teacher obtainable, and one, if possible, who is well known and liked by the cla.s.s. The teacher and president should be ex-officio members of all committees. Other officers may be chosen as they are needed.

#112. Committees.#--Appoint but few committees to start with, and others as the need arises.

The Executive Committee may consist of the general officers of the cla.s.s and the chairmen of the various standing committees.

The Membership Committee will seek to secure new members, look up the absentees, and visit the sick. As the cla.s.s grows in size, part of this work may be a.s.signed to special committees.

The Devotional Committee will have in charge the devotional services of the cla.s.s on Sundays and at other meetings.

The Social Committee will welcome and introduce new members and visitors; it will also seek to cultivate the social side of the cla.s.s, providing such gatherings and entertainments as may be approved.

The growing needs of the cla.s.s will suggest special committees from time to time.

#113. Name.#--There is inspiration in a good name. It may be the name of some prominent person in the denomination or community, but it is better not to use the name of any one still living. Or the name may have the charm of secrecy--a word or initials--with a significance known only to the cla.s.s. Whatever name is adopted, make much of it.

Let it be prominent on all the cla.s.s printing. Many cla.s.ses adopt "colors," and decorate their cla.s.s-room with them; some choose a cla.s.s flower, to be worn on special occasions. Cla.s.s stationery and whatever else will tend to cultivate a cla.s.s spirit is desirable.

#114. Cla.s.s Meetings.#--There should be regular meetings of the cla.s.s, at least quarterly. The social committee will usually arrange for these meetings, but occasionally another committee should be in charge, as the literary or athletic committee. The great occasion of the year will be the annual meeting, when a special effort should be made to secure the presence of all members, past and present. The election of officers, a banquet, a fine program, and a glad reunion will be its customary features.

#115. Relation to the School.#--The organized cla.s.s should be a part of the Sunday-school with which it is connected. It will be better if during the opening or closing service the members of the cla.s.s can sit with the school. Their relation to the school should be the same as that of any other cla.s.s. Cla.s.s spirit is good, but school spirit is better. They should use the regular Bible lesson. Nearly all cla.s.ses which have turned aside from the Bible lessons have gone down. They should contribute to the regular school fund, and comply with all the requirements of the school. The influence of large organized cla.s.ses upon the boys and girls, thus emphasizing loyalty to the school, is very great.

#116. Relation to the Community.#--Organized cla.s.ses are now combined in a regular department of the organized or International Sunday-school work. Each organized cla.s.s should co-operate with others in extending and improving organized cla.s.s work and methods. Delegates should be sent from the cla.s.s to conventions and conferences, and make report to the cla.s.s upon their return. The International emblem, a small red b.u.t.ton or pin with a white center, will enable members of organized cla.s.ses to recognize each other when they meet. Much helpful literature for organized cla.s.ses is now in print, in the form of periodicals, lesson helps, and books for teachers, officers, and scholars.

#117. Benefits.#--A cla.s.s spirit is fostered. The cla.s.s becomes a working force and unit. The organized cla.s.s has something definite to do. It sets every member to work. It helps to hold the big boys and girls in the school. It interests men and women in the study of the Bible and in the church. It furnishes workers for the church and Sunday-school, teachers for mission schools, speakers and singers for evangelistic meetings upon the street and elsewhere. It gives strength and dignity to the school. It adds largely to the school's financial resources. Organization carries many a cla.s.s over the dead center of discouragement, or the weakening influence of being without a teacher. A well-organized cla.s.s will grow, for a time at least, whether it has a teacher or not.

Test Questions

1. Explain a method for organizing an adult cla.s.s.

2. What is the purpose of such organization?