But wouldn't you love to be living a hundred years from now? Could our grandparents and their parents open their eyes to-day to behold the wonderful utility and glory of the things with which we are surrounded; could they see as we see, and see again as they once saw, and contrast the material, educational and religious conditions of that day with those of our day, what great improvements, advancements and changes they could note; and surely [563] they would be compelled to exclaim: "What hath God wrought!"

      Sunday-school work of to-day is not as the Sunday-school work of former days. Changes have been made by the score, and every change has been an improvement. The work is now systematized and classified and adjusted. The conception of the Sunday-school has broadened and developed. And all are being sought out and fastened to the school, from the blessed little babe, cooing in mother's arms, to the grand old pilgrim, with silver-white hair lying on the weather-worn face, like moonlight on some strong old tower.

      The supreme work of the Sunday-school is to teach the word of God. That this may most effectually be done, the work must be committed to "faithful men who shall be able to teach." That they may be thus able, they must be trained. Hence out of this necessity

E. J. MEACHAM.

was born the teacher-training work. Already this department of Sunday-school endeavor has grown to large proportions, and while in 1900 there were but 2,000 people holding teacher-training certificates and diplomas, to-day there are over 200,000 studying the word of God and looking toward a diploma. Steadily have we been climbing "Unanimous Hill," until in the inspiration of present surroundings my soul hath seen a vision of the conquest of the world, because "the knowledge of God shall cover the earth."

      What of the future of this great work? Events are not pauses, they are occasions. And this movement, this enterprise, is not here by accident; it is here because God was in the beginning of this movement and is in it yet. It is here because God raised up such men as W. C. Pearce, Marion Stevenson, Herbert Moninger, Hopkins, Settle, DePew, Faris, Cook, Bryan, Gilliam, and other great souls, and gave them glorious visions of possibilities, and power to move on in the fulfillment of these visions and dreams.

      It is here because the time came when upon the stalk of Sunday-school effort is found the flower of the training-class work. The church needs this movement and is using it well, but we are just beginning to discover the real value and power of this teacher-training work. Protestantism is on trial as never before, and the hope of this cause is in training the people in the living word of God. This movement is the greatest now on foot in the world, and the church that fails to recognize it and use it will soon lose its place and power, and the church that uses it most faithfully will become the leading world-power in things Christian.

      Brethren, we are coming to our inheritance. When we review the past, and note how many thousands have enthusiastically taken up this training-class work, we are thrilled and filled with joy because we know that means more and better work for Jesus. But let us dare look at the future and see still greater things attempted and done. The pathway that leads through the future of training-class work may be accompanied with less of hurrah and less of flying banners and flourishing trumpets (and I am sure that it will be), but greater results and more permanent. As fuller facts shall be learned and more far-reaching fields shall be entered and cultivated, finer harvests shall be gathered.

      This pathway of effort and training will not be one of ease, but one of heroism. In this training-class work, we call for men and women who are willing to put on the whole armor of God and become skilled in the use of the "sword of the Spirit."

      This pathway of the future will be "the pathway of hopefulness." God does not use timid and discouraged people much, because he can't. We must and we will plan great things, and expect great things, and pray for great things, and push for great things. If we do that, ours is certain victory.

      Again, this pathway of the future shall be a pathway of holiness. By this training our teachers, our leaders, will be brought right down to purity of life lived out before God among men. This [564] for his glory and for the increasing of his dominion on earth. The only thing that counts is passion for Christ--the passion that burns out selfishness, and consumes our pride, and inflames us to teach the world of Jesus and lead it to his feet.

      God give us the men and women a time like this demands! And may a mighty multitude, a million and more of our people, be "trained for service" before the close of another year, that they may go out and win other millions to the master Teacher!

      Brethren, lift up your eyes, and look, look, LOOK! Let us believe that the glory of the Lord will yet cover the earth, from where the rising sun salutes the morn to where he lays his head of glory on the rocking deep. Let us believe that God's truth shall march on and on with triumphant power, until the whole wide world shall sit at the feet of the master Teacher.

[CCR 563-565]