Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1919

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 51SATURDAY FOEENOON.Same Place, 9:00 A. M.Synod was called to order by the Moderator. JohnColeman led in prayer.J. D. Edgar, Secretary for Young Peoples Work,led the Synod in fifteen minutes of prayer for theyoung people of the Covenanter church. The regularhalf hour of devotion was conducted by Charles T.Carson.The roll was called, the following not respondingto their names: John E. Foster and Boyd A. White,both of whom soon appeared.The minutes of the preceding session were readand approved.The report of the (Committee on Sabbath Schoolswas presented and taken up item by item for adoption.Items 1, 2 and 3 adopted.The report was adopted as a whole, and is asfollows:REPORT OP THE COMMITTEE ON SABHATH SCHOOLSThe Sabbath School is an institution which has passeddistinctly beyond the stage of an experiment. To make ourSabbath Schools successful we must see to it that they possesscertain features, well ascertains ' "s necessary.One of the first essentials for the Sabbath School is tobe interesting. The Sabbath School has to compete, moreand more, with things which are interesting in the communityabout it. One feature of interest and usually practicable isthe meeting of the whole school for opening and closing exercises.This brings to bear the encouragement of numbers,which is a help to most people, and especially to youngermembers. It tends also to develop and maintain mutual acquaintanceand appreciation among the different classes anddepartments, matters of vital importance. .pother elementof interest of very great value is good singing. Singing bythe children alone can be made a very attractive exercise forthe older members to witness and still more for the childrenthemselves to engage in. The sound of children's voices inpraise heard from a Sabbath School room is one of the finestdrawing cards to lead young and old to appreciate the SabbathSchool. Regarding these ways in which, the-Sabbath Schoolmay be made interesting, it is encouraging; that, according toreports -received, in eighty per cent of the schools the wholeschool meets for opening and closing exercises, and: in aboutthe same number of the schools a large proportion of thechildren join well in the praise service. In only quite a