Training in giving.—­The missionary enterprises of the church afford one of the best opportunities for giving the child practical training in the social aspect of religion.  It is not enough that the children shall be told the stories of the missionary heroes and given the picture of the needs of the people in far-away lands.  Once the imagination is stirred and the emotions wanned by this instruction, an immediate and natural outlet in expression must be found if these lessons are to fulfill their end.

Children should early be led into giving money for missionary purposes, and this as far as possible should be their own money which they themselves have earned.  For the child to go to his father on a Sunday morning for money for the missionary collection does not answer the need on the educational side; it is the child’s real sharing that leaves the impression and teaches the lesson.

There is also real educational value in leading children to give clothing, food, or other necessities for the use of the needy.  Here, again, the giving should involve something of real sacrifice and sharing, and not consist merely in giving away that for which the child himself no longer cares.  The joint giving by a class or the entire school for the support of a missionary worker whose name is known, and a somewhat detailed report of whose work is received, lends immediateness and reality to the participation of the pupils.  A strong appeal can be made to the spirit of giving by the adoption by the class of some needy boy or girl whose Christian education is provided for by the efforts of the class, and to whom personal letters can be written and from whom replies may be received.

Social service.—­The children of our Sunday schools should be given an active and prominent part in all forms of community welfare service.  The successful enlistment of the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts in many valuable forms of community enterprises contains a vital suggestion and lesson for the church school.  Wherever good deeds need to be done, wherever help needs to be rendered, wherever kindness and service are necessary, there the children should be called upon to do their part.  If the tasks and responsibilities are suited to the various ages, there will be no trouble about securing response.  Nor, on the other hand, will there be any doubt but that the lessons learned will be entirely vital and will serve to connect the religious motive with everyday life and its activities.

Religion finding expression in the home.—­No system or method of religious instruction is effective the results of which do not find expression in the life of the home.  It is here in the intimate relations of children with each other and with their parents that the moral and religious lessons of forbearance, good will, and mutual service find most frequent and vital opportunity for application.