The first decade of the twentieth century marks a new era in the systematic study of the word of God. When the organized adult Bible-class movement began to fill our schools with thousands of new recruits, when the church adopted that latest and greatest motto, "The whole church and as many more in the Bible school," the church felt the need of trained workers to care for this growing host.

      This movement ought to be made unanimous, for it means an open Bible, trained teachers and workers, more intelligent pupils, a better knowledge of God's word, and a more enthusiastic church.

      Make it unanimous, for this was the plea of the Campbells. They plead for an open Bible and a united church built on the apostolic foundation. Above all else, Campbell and the pioneers plead for the study of the word of God, knowing that when the people understood its real teachings a united church would follow.

      Make it unanimous, because it opens the door of the Old Testament. To many the Old Testament has been like a majestic temple of truth about whose walls they had walked, and whose beauty had entranced them, but into whose splendid inner chambers they had not entered, because they seemed to be labyrinths of mystery, the solution of which was beyond comprehension. Teacher-training has opened the door and led thousands into this majestic temple.

      Together we march through these epochs, pausing to worship with the people of God at altar, tabernacle, [556] temple, synagogue, and later in the simple service of the church of Christ.

      The books of the Bible, apparently jumbled together, are seen to be fitted into place like the stones of a palace, each accomplishing its purpose and adding to the beauty and utility of the divine Book.

      The lives of Christ and Paul, the two greatest characters of the New Testament, are easily remembered by their periods and subdivisions. Bible geography is woven around rivers and mountains and cities until it takes no guide to lead the pupil of teacher-training through the Holy Land.

      It unseals and makes attractive the Old Testament, gives a clearer revelation of its purpose and place in God's plan of salvation and makes the New Testament far richer in its meaning, because of the better understanding of the Old.

      Make it unanimous, because it fits the need of all our churches, the great city church and the small country congregation alike.

      Make it unanimous, because of the vision it gives the teacher. The vision of the trained teacher furnishes a powerful motive for more faithful work because of its revelation of the value of the pupil's life and soul. Every child, every pupil, has the right to demand the very best that can be secured for that destiny-determining half-hour spent in the class.

      The trained teacher will be practical, helpful, instructive and interesting. Pupils demand something worth while. They come not to be entertained, but to learn. They must be fed. No eleventh-hour or inadequate preparation will suffice. To furnish our pupils with anything else than trained teachers is, in these enlightened days, a crime.

      Not that they must be college graduates with all the knowledge of the schools; that is impossible. But this kind of teacher-training lies within reach of all our teachers. Make it unanimous. Help them all to get the vision that is giving the Sunday-school such a mighty impetus, filling the churches with century classes, and crowding the doors with an eager throng, asking for the Word of life.

      Make it unanimous, because it develops church workers. In a struggling church, confronted for years with a great opportunity, but unable to take advantage of it for want of real leaders, a teacher-training class was organized.

      As I look over the list of my workers, I find that four of our teachers, all of our substitutes, the assistant superintendent, five out of seven members of the Sunday-school Council, the president of the Christian Endeavor, the Junior superintendent, several members of the official board, and many of the best workers in the church, are largely the product of the teacher-training course, while our old teachers and workers have been made far more efficient as the result of their studies in the teacher-training class. This work has revealed many a diamond in our congregation whose presence was hitherto unknown.

      The Sunday-school Times says: "There is a church in an Indiana town of seven

W. G. SMITH.

thousand inhabitants whose pastor got the vision. There was a Bible school of eighty-seven members and a Bible class of one man and four women. The pastor took the one man, organized him into an adult class and said, 'Get one hundred members.' He got 110 in eight months. The pastor's wife said to the women, 'Try to get one hundred.' They got 114 in the same time. Then the school adopted the latest, greatest Sunday-school motto, 'All the church in the Bible school.' That seems too far for most schools to go, but it was not far enough for this school. They added four more great words, making the motto read, 'The whole church in the Bible school--and as many more.' In this school they got all the vision called for, for the enrollment grew from eighty-seven to 620 in eight months."

      Since this experience, for it is C. D. Meigs' report of my own church, I have stricken the word "impossible" from my dictionary. We can do as much in teacher-training and in due time make it unanimous. [557]

      While our hearts are thrilled with the visions caught from the mountain-tops of this great Centennial Convention, let us resolve to go home and help make teacher-training unanimous.

      It is one of God's signals. Another pillar of fire has lifted. It bids you follow on until every church in the great brotherhood has been blessed with the inspiration and helpfulness of the teacher-training work. Yes, make it unanimous.

[CCR 556-567]