USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The Religious Education Association : proceedings of the first annual convention, Chicago, February 10-12, 1903 > Part 22
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5. Through the promotion of co-operation in procuring material and in devising methods of special value to the Association in its work for the physical, mental, social, moral, and religious betterment of boys and young men. The Association as a supplemental force to the home, church, and school, must know and apply the accepted results of scientific investigations in those spheres which relate to its work.
It is understood that the organization to be here formed will be made effective by the recognition of exist- ing agencies through which higher ideals and improved methods of biblical instruction may be largely promoted. The relation of the Young Men's Christian Association to such a national movement for the promotion of moral and religious education, directed by consecrated Christian educators, representing the great religious denominations, should be that of hearty and practical co-operation ; while its wide experience and broad field should make the Young Men's Christian Association a helpful factor in the promotion of the objects of such an organization.
REV. WILLIAM F. McDOWELL, PH.D., S.T.D.,I SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, NEW YORK CITY
It is not altogether easy to contribute to a discussion which one has not heard even in part. It is especially difficult to make useful suggestions at the end of a Con- vention which one has been prevented from attending. Profoundly sympathizing with the spirit and general purpose of the movement now begun, I beg to offer the following suggestions with reference to its relations to existing organizations. I am conscious, however, that much of what I say, since I have not heard the discussion that has preceded, may be altogether commonplace or entirely wide of the mark.
I Dr. McDowell was unable at the last moment to attend the Conven- tion, and therefore sent this address to be read in his absence.
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I. I am sure we can afford to take plenty of time to adjust ourselves in the most helpful and fruitful way to existing organizations. Haste might easily work delays. We must recognize gratefully what these organizations have done. We cannot be so conscious of their faults and failures as to ignore the great service they have already rendered to the cause we seek to promote. We are not coming upon a field which is wholly unoccupied. We are not beginning our work of religious and biblical instruction de novo. Our movement must make its place in the historic development with which we are familiar. I am sure, therefore, that our first effort must be to work such reforms as seem wise, and to effect such improve- ments as may be desirable and possible, within existing organizations. We have to remember that these organi- zations are for the most part the creations and servants of the churches to which we belong, and that our new organization is not formed with the purpose to supplant those already doing more or less perfectly the work of the churches, but to assist and supplement them.
2. I think our preliminary task (which possibly has been achieved before this paper is presented) is a defini- tion of what we propose to do. It is quite possible that an exhibit of what we have to offer will prove so attrac- tive to many existing organizations that we shall not be under the necessity of defining our relations to them at all. A definition of the relation seems to me the last thing, rather than the first, except so far as to declare our spirit and temper toward all existing organizations. Many of them are conscious of the very things that have drawn us together. Many of them unquestionably are waiting for the exhibit of what we propose to do, and the proofs of what we can do; and are waiting in a condition of readiness to accept promptly and gratefully all possible help from every possible source. I am quite certain that this is true with reference to the
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colleges and the Christian Associations, of which I may properly speak. These have been for several years seeking the best methods and adopting them as rapidly as they could be found. It will be the very strength and opportunity of this movement that it finds within the colleges and the Christian Associations so much splendid material ready to its hand. An exhibit of genuine worth will find quick and grateful response in these quarters.
I am certain that the most difficult and delicate rela- tion will be that to be sustained between this movement and the International Sunday School Association. Here too we must thankfully and fully recognize the excel- lence and extent of work done under many difficulties through many years. Anything immediately radical or revolutionary or pre-eminently academic would doubtless defeat the very purpose we seek to promote.
3. I offer finally a single practical suggestion: that there should be appointed a general committee, thorough- ly representative in its character, which might be called a committee on relations. This general committee might be divided into special subcommittees on relations with the various bodies; one subcommittee on the relation to the Young Men's Christian Association; another on the relation to the Young Women's Christian Association ; another on the relation to the International Sunday School Association. Such committee and subcommittees ought to have the benefit of all the declarations which may now and immediately hereafter be made, as to the amount of assistance this movement proposes and is able to render; and also of the way in which this assistance can be rendered to the organizations interested, and through them all the churches which we propose to serve. In other words, it seems to me that our wisest plan is not to define in a hard and fast way the relations upon which we must insist, but to seek in an altogether fraternal and
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Christian way to develop the relations which we desire. It will surely be wise for us to move along the lines of the least resistance, establishing easy and good relations with the various bodies as rapidly as it can be donc. We must remember that there are many interests involved. We must also bear in mind that there are possibly other points of view which must be fairly considered. We ought to count ourselves fortunate if we are able to establish at once the kind of relations we seek with only a part of these organizations. If we neglect existing conditions while seeking idcal ones, we are almost certain to produce nothing of valuc. Therefore, it seems to me, we must recognize the importance of the unmistakable declaration of what we wish to do and are able to do, and the value of such a committee on relations as I have indicated.
RICHARD MORSE HODGE, D.D.
INSTRUCTOR IN BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND METHODS OF TEACHING FOR LAY WORKERS, UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, NEW YORK CITY
The relation of the new organization to existing or- ganizations is that of headship, and headship in the Pauline sense. Christ is "head" of his church because he unites the members. Hc is the greatest of the mem- bers, because he is the greatest servant of them all. The capstone of a business corporation is the board of direc- tors, or administration. The administration is the great- est element of a corporation because it does the most effective service of all departments. This is true of educational organizations and of the church. The grand- est thing about this Convention, and of the proposed Religious Education Association, is that it will unite the forces of both the church and the school, both min- isters and educators, as never before in the history of our country. We have builded conservatively here, as we have in the business world. First came factories, and then the corporation that united them. We have
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developed first our schools and colleges, and then united them in universities. We have our churches, Sunday schools, young people's societies, etc., and now we are to unite them and the educational units of our land under one head.
I. Max O'Rell has remarked of us that he never visited an American city that the people were not either just going to a convention, coming from a convention, or making preparations to hold a convention. But this is equivalent to saying that the American people are very busy making time to think. We have done some think- ing here; and it has been suggested that we shall do it annually !
It is well known that the best thing that can happen to many a business is to have one of the firm laid on a bed of sickness, in order that he may break his habits of work and come back to the business as an unbiased critic, plus the advantage perhaps of new ideas already reached on his bed, where he has had time to think, free from the preoccupations of office work. Summer vacations make Sunday-school teachers more open-minded in the autumn. An annual convention of a Religious Education Associa- tion will serve the same general purpose.
But conventions not only give us pause for thought, they leave organizations behind them, that think for us while we again bury our faces in our work. The thinking done for us by the new organization will extend throughout the country. Napoleon boasted that his mind was at the end of his arm; and the theory has been held by some anatomists that the mind is distributed through the nerv- ous system. So the Council of this Association will be distributed throughout the country, and the mind of this organization will do its thinking in the very localities of its motor activities.
2. The Religious Education Association will be a bureau of information. It will promote reciprocity. It
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will have ears for the Council, and a mouth as well to reply to inquiries from every quarter. The Secretary of the Board will answer our questions. A Sunday-school superintendent may ask for a curriculum that will dis- tribute each and every part of Scripture through grades according to the ages of childhood and youth respectively that can best assimilate them, and he can obtain an intel- ligent answer. Let him inquire for text-books and teach- ers' manuals for such a curriculum, and he should learn whether satisfactory books had been published, and, if not, he can ask to be informed whenever they might appear. Let one ask if the Bible cannot be taught in the public schools where the state laws have prohibited its use, and the answer can be that such a law has been passed upon by the supreme court of the state of Wis- consin, and that no law can exclude all of any book that may have passages in it that are of educational value, and that masterpieces of the Bible may be se- lected and used as text-books in literature, history, and morals.I
3. The Religious Education Association will conserve competition. The different sects of Protestantism com- pete with each other in the production of the highest types of piety. The Sunday school and other agencies compete in doing the same through educational pro- cesses. We only have to know what has been done by each other, to borrow ideas and compete the more vigorously; and let Failure chase the hindmost, and God be praised for the issue. The Religious Education Association will "unify, stimulate, assist, and create" effort in this field, as was said this morning.
At last we are to be united with the Episcopalians, who have never been one of us under the International Sunday School Association. And we shall hope to have the Jews, whose Sunday schools are frequently the best
* Edgerton case, Northwestern Reporter, Vol. XLIV, pp. 973, 974.
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in cities where there are synagogues. Their schools meet generally on Sunday mornings, and their sessions are two or three hours long. And Christian Sunday schools will never do as good work, I venture to say, until Christians take Sunday-school work as seriously and allow it as much time.
4. The Religious Education Association will be a spiritual force. How strange it is that no one in this land can be found to object to a religious education con- vention but Christians engaged in religious education ! Why are any of them afraid? Some have been suspi- cious of this movement, conceiving it to be a concealed propagandism on the part of those who own to a par- tiality for the modern historical study of the Bible. The constitution of the Religious Education Association reported this morning has put that idea out of commis- sion. Radicalism needs conservatism as partner. A friend of mine, a great business man, tells me that he believes in team work and that he employs a thorough- going pessimist as an assistant to knock out his schemes -if he can! The suspicion aroused by this movement came because we did not know each other. This Con- vention has disarmed that suspicion by laying bare our hearts to one another. It has been a habit of the ages to take a gloomy view of human nature ; men are considered guilty until they are proved innocent ; they are heretics, until they are understood. This habit slew Jesus Christ. Association promotes understanding, and unites us in advancing the kingdom of God.
5. Thenceforth religion itself will command a respect unknown before the birth of this organization, because the Religious Education Association will be a giant. The learned will respect such a force in the educational world as this Convention will consummate, and its presence may stifle sometimes the boast on the lips of a fool that there is no God.
PRAYER
REV. FREDERIC E. DEWHURST,
PASTOR UNIVERSITY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCII, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who art the Fountain of Life, and in whose light we see light, we give thee humble and hearty thanks that thou art ever sending forth thy light and thy truth. We thank thee that through the inspiration of thine eternal spirit thou art ever leading us on to better things. We thank thee, our Father, that because we are thy sons thou didst send forth the Spirit of Jesus thy Son into our hearts, crying Abba, Father; and we bless thee that through the knowledge that has come to us, we are made free; we are no longer slaves, but friends of God.
We do thank thee that thou dost permit us to enter into thy purpose, to know something of thy will and thy way, and to help in forwarding thy truth. We thank thee for these days of fellowship, of inspiration, and of thought; we thank thee for their promise and their hope. Give to us, we pray thee, courage and strength and gladness of heart. As we separate now for a little, grant that we may still in spirit together carry on thy work and do thy will. We ask it as children of thine infinite love.
And now may God bless us and keep us; may he cause his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us; may he lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace. Amen.
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THE FIRST CONVENTION PROCEEDINGS AND MEMBERSHIP
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INCEPTION OF THE MOVEMENT
The first steps toward the Convention were taken at a meeting of the Senate of the Council of Seventy held in Chi- cago on August 20, 1902. The meeting was called to con- sider in an informal manner the question whether a suit- able time had arrived for the undertaking of a general move ment toward the improvement of religious instruction in the United States. The situation was reviewed, and it was voted that a further meeting of the Senate be held to take more specific counsel and action in this direction.
The second meeting of the Senate was held on October 13, 1902. In order to discover the judgment of all members of the Council and of a large number of other men in the country with reference to the advisability of undertaking a forward movement in Bible study, a circular letter had been sent out on October 3, by the Principal of the American Institute of Sacred Literature, asking whether such a movement would be
I The Council of Seventy was organized in 1895. The organization, purpose, and plat- form of the Council are indicated in the following extracts from the constitution ; the officers and membership are also shown :
Purpose -The Council of Seventy shall consist of a body of seventy biblical teachers in the leading educational institutions throughout the country, united with the purpose : (1) to associate more closely those who desire to promote the historical study of the Bible, and of other sacred literatures as related to it; (2) to encourage properly qualified persons to engage in such study and teaching professionally, or in connection with some other calling ; (3) to extend and to direct the work of the American Institute of Sacred Literature ; (4) to conduct, through special committees, such investigations as will enable it better to fulfil its general purpose.
Declaration of Principles -The Council does not stand for any theory of interpreta - tion, or school of criticism, or denomination, but for a definite endeavor to promote the knowledge of the Word of God as interpreted in the best light of today. From this point of view also the contributions of other religious literatures are sought by the Council, that through the study of these literatures the teachings of the Scriptures may be more clearly understood. The Council is organized on the basis of a belief that the Bible is a unique revelation from God, and it strives in a constructive spirit to investigate the teachings of the Bible and to extend its influence among the people. While, therefore, a large liberty allowed to the individual teacher, the position occupied by the Council is altogether evan - gelical.
Officers - Frank K. Sanders, president of the Council; William R. Harper, principal of the Institute; Clyde W. Votaw, recorder of the Council ; Herbert L. Willett, treasurer of the Council.
Members - Professor Alfred W. Anthony, Cobb Divinity School, Lewiston, Me .; Professor Benjamin W. Bacon, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. ; Professor W. J. Beecher, Auburn Theological Seminary, Auburn, N. Y .; Professor W. R. Betteridge,
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wise and timely. The responses to this circular letter were presented to the Senate at this meeting; they consisted of more than two hundred letters from members of the Council, promi- nent educators, ministers, religious editors, Sunday-school workers, Y. M. C. A. officers, principals of schools, etc. There was an almost unanimous opinion, expressed often with very
Rochester Theological Seminary, Rochester, N. Y .; Professor E I. Bosworth, Oberlin Theological Seminary, Oberlin, O .; Dr. Charles F. Bradley, Evanston, Ill .; Professor James H. Breasted, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. ; Professor C. R. Brown, New ton Theological Institution, Newton Centre, Mass .; Professor Marcus D. Buell, Boston University, Boston, Mass .; Professor Sylvester Burnham, Colgate University, Hamilton, N. Y .; Professor Ernest D. Burton, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill .; Professor A. S. Carrier, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill .; Dr. C. E. Crandall, Milton Wis .; Professor Edward L. Curtis, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. ; Professor Samuel I. Curtiss, Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill. ; Professor T. F. Day, San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, Calif .; Professor F. B. Denio, Bangor Theological Seminary, Bangor, Me .; Professor George B. Foster, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill .; Professor Kemper Fullerton, Lane Theological Seminary, Cincinnati, O .; Dr. O. H. Gates, Andover Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass .; Dr. George H. Gilbert, North- hampton, Mass .; Professor G. W. Gilmore, Meadville Theological School, Meadville, Pa .; Dr. E. J. Goodspeed, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. ; Professor G. S. Goodspeed, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill .; Dr. William Eliot Griffis, Ithaca, N. Y .; Professor Thomas C. Hall, Union Theological Seminary, New York city; Professor Edward T. Harper, Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill .; President William R. Harper, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill .; Professor D. A. Hayes, Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Ill. ; Dr. Charles Horswell, Evanston, Ill. ; Professor Lincoln Hulley, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa .; Professor M. W. Jacobus, Hartford Theological Seminary, Hartford, Conn .; Professor Charles F. Kent, Yale University, New Haven, Conn .; Dr. J. H. Kerr, Publication Secretary American Tract Society, New York city; President Henry C. King, Oberlin Theological Seminary, Oberlin, O .; President Charles J. Little, Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Ill .; Mr. R. R. Lloyd, Evanston, Ill. ; Professor W. D. Mac- kenzie, Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill .; Professor Shailer Mathews, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill .; Professor D. A. McClenahan, United Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Allegheny, Pa .; Professor D. B. McDonald, Hartford Theological Seminary, Hartford, Conn .; Professor E. K. Mitchell, Hartford Theological Seminary, Hartford, Conn .; Professor L. B. Paton, Hartford Theological Seminary, Hartford, Conn. ; Professor Frank C. Porter, Yale University, New Haven, Conn .; Professor Ira M. Price, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill .; President Rush Rhees, University of Rochester, Rochester, N. Y .; Professor James S. Riggs, Auburn Theological Seminary, Auburn, N. Y .; Professor G. L. Robinson, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill .; Professor C. J. H. Ropes, Bangor Theological Seminary, Bangor, Me .; Professor J. H. Ropes, Har- vard University, Cambridge, Mass .; Professor W. H. Ryder, Andover Theological Sem- inary, Andover, Mass .; Professor Frank K. Sanders, Yale University, New Haven, Conn .; Professor Nathaniel Schmidt, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y .; Professor Henry P. Smith, Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., Professor William A. Stevens, Rochester Theological Seminary, Rochester, N. Y .; Professor Clyde W. Votaw, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. ; Chancellor O. C. S. Wallace, McMaster University, Toronto, Can .; Professor Herbert L. Willett, the University of Chicago, Chicago, IIl .; Professor Irving F. Wood Smith College, Northampton, Mass .; Professor A. C. Zenos, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill.
Associate Members - The list of one hundred and twenty- four Associate Members is not given here for lack of space. They are persons who in various ways promote biblical knowledge, whether by instruction in seminaries or colleges, in the churches, Sunday schools, Y. M. C. A., or other organizations, in the religious press, or by other means.
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great earnestness, that the conditions were right for under- taking an advance movement. The whole subject was thoroughly discussed by the members of the Senate and a large number of the Council, all Councilors in Chicago and vicinity having been sent a special invitation to be present to take part in the discussion. A draft of a Call for a Conven- tion having been offered for consideration, it was unanimously voted by the Senate that the Call as proposed be issued. It was unanimously voted that the arrangements for the Conven- tion be put entirely into the hands of a General Committee to consist of the chairinen of all special committees. The fol- lowing appointments were made by the unanimous vote of the Senate :
Chairman of the Program Committee, President William R. Harper Chairman of the Invitation Committee, Professor C. W. Votaw; Chairman of the Finance Committee, Professor G. L. Robinson; Chairman of the Publicity Committee, Professor H. L. Willett; Chairman of the Arrange- ments Committee, Dr. W. F. McMillen; Chairman of the Transportation Committee, Judge H. V. Freeman; Chairman of the Entertainment Com- mittee, Professor Shailer Mathews; Chairman of the General Committee, Professor G. L. Robinson.
The Senate intrusted to the General Committee, consisting of the above-named men, all arrangements for the Convention with power to act.
The General Committee convened at the close of the Senate meeting and by unanimous vote fixed the place for holding the Convention as Chicago. The membership of the several specific committees was drafted by the General Com- mittee, and at a meeting of the Committee on October 30 the committees were approved and the time of the Convention was fixed for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, February 10-12, 1903.
The General Committee, acting in accordance with the instructions of the Senate of the Council of Seventy whose vote of the Call received the indorsement of a very large majority of the Council, proceeded with the plans for the Convention. Two official documents were issued setting forth the plans, the first appearing in November and the second late in January.
I The Call as voted by the Senate is printed in full on page 317.
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The personnel of the several Committees which prepared and carried out the plans of the Convention are herewith given, as also the names of those who contributed to the expenses of the Convention.
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