BIBLIOGRAPHY ON INTER-SUNDAY SCHOOL OR CHURCH WORK

Barbour (Editor).—­Making Religion Efficient (Boys’ Work Chapter) ($1.00).  This volume also contains the Men and Religion Charts.

Boys’ Work Message (Men and Religion Movement) ($1.00).

XIII

THE OLDER BOYS’ CONFERENCE OR CONGRESS[8]

This is one of the best forms of Inter-Sunday school work for boys.  If it is rightly handled, it will add much to the Christian enthusiasm of the older boys of the Sunday schools.

It is to be noticed, however, that it is an Older Boys’ Conference. This means that the ages are to be confined to the stretch between fifteen and twenty years.  Do not spoil your effort by “running in” boys under fifteen.  Of course the younger boy is important, but the type of work accomplished in these conferences is beyond him and his presence will nearly neutralize your effort.

The aim of the conference should be, not merely to put new Christian enthusiasm into the older fellow, but to get him to talk over the problems of the Sunday school from his own point of view.  Hundreds of these conferences have been held throughout the Continent, and scores of boys have been led into Christian service thereby.  The discussion at these conferences is also most intelligent, being often above the grade of adult groups.  The boy gets to know the Sunday school by talking about it, sees its problems, his own needs and the way to meet them.  He likewise gets a new idea of his obligations.

It is to be noticed again that it is an Older Boys’ Conference. This means that the boys themselves should direct the work of the Conference as much as possible, and that the Conference should be officered by boys. I have no sympathy with the men who cannot trust boys to do this work.  It is largely due to a fear that the boy will grow conceited because of his new-found opportunity.  It is due more, however, to the fear that the boy will act unwisely from an adult viewpoint.  Both of these fears come from adult conceit and the inability to trust the boy.  Such men should leave boys and boys’ work severely alone.

It is to be noticed for the third time that it is an Older Boys’ Conference. This means that the large part of the program and all the discussion should be by the boys themselves. No man should take part in the discussion save the man who leads it, and the future may also provide a boy for the leadership of the discussion.  The writer in over a hundred conferences would allow no man to take part, as the aim of the conference was to make it a boys’ conference.  If men may dominate and intimidate the boy, better settle the matter in an adult group.

The officers of the Older Boys’ Conference should be President, Vice-President (who in most cases should be Toast-Master at the Conference Banquet) and Secretary.  There should also be a committee of three boys appointed by the President (who may be helped to this end) to report at the banquet session on the papers and discussions.  In this way the summary of the conference is as the boy sees it.  This is the aim of the conference.