that the child always loves "my church," before he loves "The Church," and he begins to love "my church" by loving first his own little corner of it, the Sunday-school room, where his class or department meets. Does its order and attractiveness and comfort matter? Every feeling which the place itself arouses unconsciously becomes a part of the child's feeling toward the Church and religion as a whole, so the teacher is working definitely towards the goal of her work, the love for these things, by every picture or vase of flowers, every freshly laundered curtain and comfortable chair, every touch which adds something to the charm of the room. But the value of service for the church in kindling love for it must not be overlooked. It is a law of life that we love most that for which we do the most. The child who sings in the junior choir in the church service, the child who puts his bouquet of flowers on the pulpit, the child who does an errand for "my Pastor," or the church board, the child who contributes something in some way however small to the work of the church, has grown in love for the church just so much. The little lad who came with the shining face to tell his mother of a letter which the Board of Trustees had written him, asking him to place the offering envelopes in the pews before the service each Sunday morning, concluded by saying, "Mamma, don't you suppose that if I do this well, they will give me a bigger responsibility after a while?" That is the language of love.

Most powerful of all, however, in its effect upon the love of the child for the Church, will be the fact of his belonging to it. We love our own. While elementary grades should not urge, they should help the child to feel that when he loves the Heavenly Father, his natural and rightful place is in the home with the rest of the Father's family. But you say, "He doesn't know enough." Was that the test you applied when the little stranger from Heaven came knocking at the door of your home? Did you say to him, "how much do you know?'' It was because he lived, you welcomed him to the very inner circle of your home. It is the fact of spiritual life and that alone that ought to outstretch every arm in the Father's household towards the child; then in the nurturing love of the household of faith the child will grow in knowledge and in love. A bolted door does not foster love for the home in the one outside.

The fourth and last love of which I shall speak is a love of service for others. There is an inherent joy in service, and to find that joy of service, means to have a love for service. But we forget that joy cannot be told, it has to be experienced. This is a weak spot in our

elementary work today, indeed in all our Sunday-school work. We talk about doing, we teach lessons on the duty and privilege and delight of service, but we do not definitely, constantly and intelligently give to the child the opportunity of finding that joy in service for himself. Consequently he grows into manhood without a love for it. All the text-books in the world, all the lectures by a staff of experts on the care of a baby, cannot make love for the task. But the one whose privilege it is to perform those tender ministries for the little life God has given her, knows the meaning of both joy and love in service. It is only when the children in the Beginners, Primary and Junior Departments are given the opportunity of doing something for some one in the home, the church, the neighborhood, the country and the world that they can learn that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Such opportunities ought to be given, not once or twice, but constantly and ever broadeningly, for in so doing love is not only developed but made permanent. How? All love, love for Christ, love for the church, love for others, seeks to express itself. As love expresses itself, it grows stronger. The stronger it becomes, the more it seeks expression, and love that constantly expresses itself never dies. The child who has learned such love for God, the Bible, the Chuch and Service, has obtained the greatest good which the elementary grades can give to him. He may lose every fact of Bible history and geography. He may forget the songs and memory verses. He may come up into manhood through fiercest fires of temptations and deepest waters of sorrow. He will some day face the valley and the shadow but he will never, never lose out of his life, these things he has loved, for they have become himself.

་

The story of what is now known as the Secondary Division is comparatively new, this being the first report ever made to the great International Convention, of which it is a part. Therefore, perhaps, a bit of history should be given.

It was during the meeting of the Intermediate Department Committee held at Conference Point, Lake Geneva, Wis., nearly two years ago, that the problems of the departments covering the "teen age" of the Sunday School were most earnestly discussed. We were brought face to face with the fact that the church and Sunday school have suffered excessive losses from these departments.

"How to more thoroughly interest the boys and girls of the 'teen age' in the Sunday school and in the study of God's Word, and thereby save to the Church this seemingly unnecessary loss," was the question that commanded most earnest study on the part of the committee.

It was generally admitted that the losses from the Senior Department were the heaviest and that the work which was being done for

this department, in connection with the Adult Department, was not producing proper results. It was conceded that the greatest need in dealing with the problem was a wider knowledge of this peculiar age, and that this could best be accomplished by combining the work of the Intermediate and Senior Departments under one general division. The committee, therefore, adopted the following resolutions:

"Resolved, (1) That it is the sense of this committee that the work of the Intermediate Department (which includes pupils of the Sunday School from thirteen to sixteen years of age, inclusive) and the Senior Department (which includes pupils from seventeen to ninteen years of age, inclusive) can be best developed by the formation of a new general division, to be known as the 'Secondary Division,' covering the work of both departments exactly as is done in the departments composing the Elementary Grades, each department, however, to retain its respective name and identity, and separate organization in the local school."

This resolution was presented to the International Adult Committee, then in session at the same place, and after conference it was decided to lay the whole matter before a joint committee made up of five members from each committee, including Chairman Hartshorn and Secretary Lawrance. The result of the meeting of the joint committee was the adoption of the following resolution:

"Resolved, That, in order to determine beyond question what plan would best solve this problem, a committee should be appointed, consisting of two members each of the Adult and of the Intermediate Department committees and the General Secretary of the Association. This committee was instructed to prepare a questionnaire, to be sent to experts in Sunday School and high school work, denominational Sunday School secretaries, editors and publishers, seeking to discover how the present Senior Grade (ages seventeen to nineteen, inclusive) could best be grouped for the most effective work."'

This resolution was presented to the Executive Committee of the International Sunday School Association on August 20, 1909, and the plan was approved, and referred to the Central Committee with power to act on the result of the questionnaire.

In accordance with the instructions given to the Central Committee, a questionnaire was sent out, with the result that nearly three-fourths favored the new division. The plan was adopted and the first Committee of the Secondary Division" was appointed, as follows:

Edgar H. Nichols, Chairman, Chicago, Ill.; Eugene C. Foster, Secretary, Detroit, Mich.; Frank L. Brown, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Dr. Frank Woodbury, Halifax, N. S.; S. H. Williams, Glastonbury, Conn.; William

C. Johnston, Denver, Colo.; John R. Pepper, Memphis, Tenn.; S. F. Shattuck, Neenah, Wis.; David R. Porter, New York City.

The committee began its work by preparing leaflets containing suggestions for workers and standards for organization; also adopted the "blue and white" button as the emblem for both the Intermediate and Senior Departments, and a certificate of recognition for classes complying with the standards adopted.

The work of the committee has met with most enthusiastic response, and the material prepared has been received by the workers, everywhere, with eagerness. The demands for help and new material continue to come from all parts of the country. It must be kept in mind that the committee, as well as others, have had to study new methods with which to deal with the problem-methods that would prove more fruitful. Most of the work has been done within the last twelve months, and particularly the last six months.

Organization of a Secondary Division has been effected in thirty-nine States and Provinces. Thirty-seven have appointed superintendents, one employed for full time, nine for part time, and twenty-seven render voluntary service.

Twenty States and Provinces reporting have counties organized. Nebraska leads with ninety; every county organized, with a superintendent in charge. Inland Empire, comprising eastern Washington and northern Idaho, has fifteen of the seventeen counties organized, and Colorado, Minnesota and Kentucky more than one-half.

For the assistance of superintendents, leaflet No. 1, 'Organization of Associations," was prepared. This gives suggestions for work in State or Province, County, District, etc. Leaflet No. 2, "Organization in the Local School," is intended to help in organizing departments and classes of the Intermediate and Senior Departments in the local school. More than 850 certificates have already been issued to classes organized according to the standard.

The Secondary Division button (royal blue and white) is being largely used. More than 18,500 have been sent out from the International office alone since March 26, 1910.

With the organization of departments and classes, making possible better teaching conditions, the teaching has been much improved. One of the greatest advance steps taken has been the introduction of the International Graded Lessons. Reports indicate that the first year of the Intermediate course has been very generally adopted and has proven interesting and valuable.

Not only has there been a search for better teaching material, but