P }! 97 THE AMERICAN 777878 JANUARY, 1917 191 RAPID TRANSIT IN GEORGIA PUBLISHED BY THE CONGREGATIONAL HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY Clubs of Five or more-25 cents each. Clubs totalling one-fifth of the gross member- ship in the church according to the last Year Book-15 cents each. All magazines sent to individual addresses. Advertising rates upon application. When a change of address is requested, both the old and new address should be given and notice of change should reach us by the 15th of the month previous to the issue on which the change is to take effect. The office of this magazine simply has charge of the subscription list. on any other subject should be addressed to the different societies concerned. In sending donations to the Treasurers of the National Societies please remit in checks or money orders on New York or Boston as far as practicable; also please give MISSIONS IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOLS A united plan of missionary education and promotion in the Sunday-schools is presented by the seven societies, the women's boards, the women's unions, and the Tercentenary Commissions. It consists of an adaptation and development of the scheme used in Illinois last year, and called "The Missionary Efficiency" plan. Sound psychology is at the basis of the scheme. Three things are requisite in effective missionary promotion; knowledge, emotion, action. To promote knowledge, the scheme first attracts the attention, then presents information in an interesting way and calls for that natural expression of what is learned that makes it a part of the pupil's intellectual equipment. The emotions are rationally stirred by introducing the natural human touch which calls for wholesome sympathy. This is done by relating interestingly, concrete facts and stories from missionary experience. The heroic is also appealed to through the introduction of hero tales of the very best kind. The element of worship is also called into action and sanctifies the whole. Action is called for definitely. A specific time is set for specific subjects to be introduced when particular objects are presented, calling for actual giving of money, while every excuse for failure is removed by definitely presenting concrete methods of collecting the money. Then, before the very eyes of the school, the record of what is done is visualized by placing a colored seal upon an attractive chart. This introduces the element of contest, which plays so large a part in human nature. Eighty thousand persons gathering in one spot to see twenty-two men contend for the position of a foot-ball is evidence of the depth of the spirit of rivalry and contest in the human heart. This is particularly strong in the young. Finally, recognition of attainment is made by the presentation of pennants and by the publication of the records of the various schools. Superintendents and missionary committees are asked to correspond at once with W. W. Scudder, 14 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass., asking that samples of the literature and devises be sent to them, with a view to their use if the plan appeals to the school. Do it now! Schools which have enrolled through Chicago or local offices, for the Missionary Efficiency helps, are enrolled under this plan, for it is the same thing developed and applied to the whole country. Also, helps and plans offered by the several organizations for use in the Sunday-schools are part of the plan, which simply brings all into alignment for team work. C. E. B. |