Page 182

180 Virginia Steer, con.

Sarah T. Miller’s offering was a thoughtful
paper, by one of our members, read at Phila., Y. M.
in 1909, upon “Education and the Religious Life”,
from which we can only borrow a few paragraphs.

"According to the teachings of Jesus and his
disciples, the supreme test of the religious life
is what a man is and does, in his soul and
with his body, not merely what he believes with
his mind. Beliefs may be largely a matter of
instruction, but being and doing, - character in short,
must be the result of an all around education.

If it be solely a training of the intellect, leaving
the moral qualities undeveloped; or if, being both
of these, it fail to teach to inter-relation of man to
man, the duty of man to his brother, and to God,
then it fails to be education in any true sense.

In our country it is no longer the highest
privilege of a privileged class, it is the birthright
of the whole people. In fact our ideal has
risen from intelligent citizenship to Christian Citizenship.:
In a thousand ways the obligation to
service, according to our opportunities, is
taught, especially in higher schools and colleges.

The study of economics, political science, and
kindred problems of every-day life, must give an
impulse towards helpful living, as well as the equipment
to make that impulse effective.”

Hallie J. Bentley read a clipping from “The
Star” “Mother Goose in the Garden.” A grandmother’s
effort to get the best of her small grandson, who
frequently corrected the former’s rendering of the
original “Mother Goose”, as being not exactly what
another grand-parent taught him.

Eliz. T. Stabler’s selection was the story of the
“curfew Bell” which is still rung in many Eng.
towns to send the children home at 9 p.m.
It originated in the time of Wm. the Conqueror
and the word is a corruption of old French meaning
“Cover-fire”.

Ellen Stabler brought a curious poem said to
have been written in a bar-room by a penniless
man as payment for a drink; - the subject being
“The Birth of Christ”.

Eliz C. Davis gave an interesting sketch of -