When this is accomplished, the basis of good attendance is secured, and the foundation laid for later participation in all forms of church work.  Once the right spirit is created and right habits developed, unpleasant weather, bad roads or streets, getting up late on Sunday mornings, nor any other obstacles will stand in the way of regular church and Sunday school attendance any more than of day-school attendance.  And until the church has its children (and their homes) so trained that attendance on the church school is regular throughout the year, our instruction must of necessity fail to reach its full aim.

Learning to take responsibility for others.—­One of the greatest lessons a child can learn from his lessons in religion is that he is his brother’s keeper.  The instincts of childhood are naturally selfish and self-centered; the sense of responsibility for others must be gradually trained and developed.  A double purpose can therefore be served by enlisting the children of our classes as recruiting officers to secure new members, and to look up any who may have dropped out or whose attendance is irregular.  The sense of pride and emulation in such work, and the feeling on the part of our pupils that they are actually accomplishing something definite for their class or school will do much to cement loyalty and train the children to assume responsibility for their comrades.

This pride of the group is a strong force during later childhood and adolescence, and can be fruitfully used in religious training.  The boy or the girl Scout takes great pride in doing acts of kindness and service without personal reward, just because that is one of the things that scouting stands for.  “Scouts are expected to do this,” or “Scouts are not expected to do that,” has all the force of law to the loyal Scout.

The Sunday school class can command the same spirit if the proper appeal is made.  In its neighborhood work and on many special occasions the church and the Sunday school will have need of messenger service.  Errands will have to be run, articles will have to be gathered and distributed, calls will have to be made, funds will have to be collected, and a hundred other things done which children can do as well or better than anyone else.  And it is precisely in these practical acts of homely service that the child gets his best training in the social side of religion.

Laboratory work in religion.—­The wise teacher will therefore seize upon every opportunity to find something worth while for his pupils to do.  He will have them help with the distribution of supplies in the classroom; he will see that they volunteer to help the super-intendent or other officials who may need assistance; he will give them responsibility in decorating the church or classroom for special occasions; he will leave to their cooperation as large a measure as possible of the work to be done in arranging and carrying out class or school picnics, excursions,