5. Why then was Abel's offering accepted by God? Gen. 4:4-5; Heb. 11:4. 6. In what promise was Abel trusting? Gen. 3:15, the last part. 7. Are not we saved in the same way? John 3:16. 8. Why did God reason with Cain? Gen. 4:6-7. 9. Does not God also reason with us? Isa. 1:18. 10. How did God appeal to Cain's affection? Gen. 4:9. 11. What condition of heart does Cain's answer reveal? Gen. 4:9, last part. 12. Why should Cain be a fugitive the rest of his life? Gen. 4:12. 13. From what was he running away? 14. Was it unjust that Cain should suffer An Example of Preparation In one of the organized counties where the leaders meet regularly for a leader training institute. "Church Work With Boys," by William Byron Forbush, is being used this season as a basis for one of the studies. How well and wisely the County Secretary prepares for these institutes is indicated in the following synopsis of this little book which is in the hands of every leader of boys in his county: LEADERS' GUIDE TO FORBUSH'S "CHURCH WORK WITH BOYS" How are boys brought into the Christian life?-page 1, paragraph 2. Is boys' group work a fad or an essential?-page 1, paragraph 1. Why not do personal work for boys and do away with organization?-page 2. The boys' group is virtually a cross section of the normal life of the boy-page 3, paragraph 1. Harness the gang spirit-page 3, paragraph 3. Religious and social life inseparablepage 4, paragraph 2. There are well defined periods or epochs in a boy's life-page 9. The religion of the grammar school boy is the religion of sentiment-page 10. Character of the high school age, called by some the crazy period, by others the fool age-pages 11 and 12. Sex influence and religion-page 13, paragraph 1. Saved by service page 15, last paragraph. The three principles of successfully running a boys' group are leadership, play and friendship-pages 22, 23 and 24. What kind of a leader is necessary?page 22, paragraph 1. Play is not fooling but joy in workpage 23. Friendship sets the door ajar for entrance into a boy's confidence-page 25. Is there special importance in enlisting key boys?-page 24. Is the reading room, soup kitchen and gymnasium after all better than personality?-page 31. Did you ever have trouble in teaching a boys' Bible class? Two methods are practical in boys' groups. The biographical method-the debating method-page 51, last paragraph. The debating method-page 52. The test of the Bible class-page 53. Bringing boys to a decision. Is church membership the goal of boys' work?page 55. Should play be used as a bait for religious work?-page 61, second paragraph. How large should a group be?-page 61, third paragraph. Of what age?-page 61, last paragraph. In order to develop work without genius what must be done?-page 62, paragraph 4. Keeping up with the growth of the boy —page 63, paragraph 1. How to start a boys' group-page 73. graph. A typical evening in a boys' grouppages 75 and 76. The results of a winter's work-page 77. The bumptions boy suppressed-page 78. Missionary spirit among boys-page 85, paragraph 2. "Boyology," the subject of some practical talks by a county secretary to his leaders, and a contribution by a leader on the subject, "How I Trained An Assistant Leader," will appear in the next number of Rural Manhood under this Exchange. The Bible Study Course for Country Boys will also be continued. 1. Feasting after a "hike" and skating trip. 2. Sweeping their outdoor gymnasium floor. 3. Seeing what their standing is. Fellowship the result of athletic test. 4. Making the test. 5. At a social tug of war. 6. Iron County iron mine. 7. Italian boys at their game. 8. The principal of the school and the evening with his group. 9. Having a "wienie" roast after lathing the attic of the Presbyterian Church for a club room. Some Budding Agriculturists in Lake County, Ohio While limit of space forbids the printing of the admirable paper itself, County Secretary Donovan, of Lake County, Ohio, in forwarding it, wrote: "I am sending you a paper on the growing of strawberries that was written by Albert Parks, of Kirtland, Ohio, and read at one of the Association meetings. He is the secretary of the Kirtland Young Men's Christian Association group and is on the boys' and girls' agricultural committee. "This paper will give you some hint of what the Association has been doing in Kirtland this winter. It is just one of the many papers and talks that the boys have had on some practical line and they are interested in. A few weeks ago we had a talk on trimming and pruning fruit trees. After the talk one of the boys came to me and said, 'This meeting has been worth $150 to me, I expect to go into the orchard business and I have learned some practical things here tonight.' Last night they had a man give a talk on chickens; it was a very bad, rainy night and the mud was very deep, but they had fifteen boys and six men present, and I am sure every fellow was glad he came. "Next week we are going to have several stock judging schools in the county. We will have a man from the state extension school who will go to all the high schools and give instruction to the boys in stock judging. He will either bring stock to the school or take the boys to a nearby farm. This is to prepare the boys for the judging contest at the fair in the fall." A Demonstration of Co-operation A piece of magnificent co-operation was completed in Republic County, Kansas, recently, when the last meeting of a series of boys' and girls' institutes adjourned. Eight of these institutes were held in as many communities, which 995 boys and girls attended. The total attendance at the twenty-two meetings was 3,122. As a result 137 boys and 159 girls enrolled in the agricultural contest work. This work was unique in that it demonstrated what can be done when the forces of the county or community unite in a common program. The county Young Men's Christian Association took the lead and interested the Kansas State Agricultural College, the county school superintendent and the local school teachers, the leaders in the farmers' institute and the members of the community. A "team" composed of two young people, undergraduates from the college, the superintendent and county secretary, made the tour of the county and conducted the work. At each place dinner was served at noon in the school house or a nearby church. This added very materially to the social life of the day. A committee of men to have charge of the boys' work and one of women to look after the girls' club was appointed. In the mornings the girls sewed seams and made patches, the boys studied corn and live stock; dinner was served at noon. The county secretary, assisted by the teachers, then gave the entire institute an hour of active play, including maze running and tug of war, in which at some places as many as 150 took part. A program followed until four o'clock. The evening was given over to a community program with lectures and addresses along the line of social and community better ment. Out of a New Field of Mining From Iron County, Michigan we learn that practically 200 boys are enrolled in Bible study and there are ninety to 100 men in English classes which the county committee of the Young Men's Christian Association is promoting. The county secretary indicates that there are four more groups to be organized, which will make a total of seventeen groups, with a total of 250 boys. (See also the full page group of illustrated activities opposite). The Country Boy's Creed Influence in Yolo County, California From Mrs. H. J. Shute, the principal of the Esparto Union High School, came this recent appreciative letter: "My seeming slowness to thank you for your liberal supply of copies of 'The Country Boy's Creed' is due to the delay incident to consulting our county superintendent, Mrs. Henshall. She knew the 'Creed' before she received one of your copies, and at once gave hearty assurance that she would like to see a framed copy in every school under her care. She is giving a copy to every teacher of the county of Yolo, with the statement: The school funds of your district are available to pay for the framing.' I have seen to it that the county library, the county superintendent's office, the Esparto grammar school and my own have framed copies on their walls. Accept my thanks for so much of wholesome influence in our Yolo County schools." The Esparto Exponent, one of the county press, said in an interesting account: "As usual Lincoln's birthday was observed in both rooms of the grammar school. Appropriate for the occasion, a framed copy of "The Country Boy's Creed,' by Edwin Osgood Grover, was presented to the school by Mrs. Shute. This was hung by request of the boys under the flag in the upper room. Accompanying the gift was a letter of hearty greeting from which these words are copied: ""This seems a good time to send it to you, that in celebrating Lincoln's birthday you may remember that we need Lincolns on the farm as well as at the capitol at Washington--boys and men Hunterdon County, VI, N. J., Ushered In New Jersey's sixth county swung into line with the general Association County Work movement under most auspicious circumstances on Monday, March 30. A splendid county committee of representative men of the county were chosen who in turn elected Alton C. Roberts as their county secretary. The entire first year's budget of $3,000 has been practically secured. From "New Jersey State Notes" we quote: "Mr. Roberts is about twentyfive years of age, a graduate of Harvard University, both born and bred to the county and rural work. The first sixteen years of his life were spent on a farm in the open country. At seventeen he became a volunteer leader in Randolph, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, and thus came under the direct influence of the 'School of Prophets' of the County Work. "For seven years he has been active in Association work; as assistant to Don S. Gates, the boys' secretary of Boston; as a leader and later as assistant superintendent of the well known Camp Durrell and more recently as secretary of Carroll County, N. H. He has spent two seasons at Silver Bay, where he leads his class." Leaders in Charlevoix County, Michigan, who share life with their own boys and those How Nine Boys Committed Themselves It was in a little rural community in one of our organized counties. One of the pastors suggested that the "C" had better be taken out of the Association initials, Y. M. C. A., as it conducted only athletic activities. He did not know what had happened in a little group gathering where nine boys took forward steps toward the Christian life and committed themselves in writing. This pastor had the privilege of reading their briefs, which the County Secretary sent him in a letter, as follows: "Quit bad habits." H. N. "Stop telling bad stories and swearing." C. E.. "I will give up my life to Jesus Christ and do all I can to help others and make this town a fit place for ladies." K. B. "I will give up my life to Jesus Christ and I will do my best to help others; I will give up all my bad habits." A. W. "Having accepted Christ, I will try to do all things to please Him." F. P. "I am going to give up my life for Jesus Christ." M. H. "I am now trying to lead a Christian life, but it is hard work, pray for me." G. A. M. "Quit bad habits and give my. life to Jesus Christ." C. M. "I am willing to give all of my bad habits to Jesus Christ that our people of our village will be proud of us and to be Christians." P. B. It afforded ample opportunity for the willing and tactful Christian workers in that community to lead these boys into a full commitment to the Christian life, to the church and their community. A Challenge for Virile Christianity in Rural Wisconsin During March and April nine deputation teams have gone out from the colleges of Wisconsin into towns in the organized counties for three and four day campaigns in Gospel work. Beloit sent a team to Clinton, the home of State Chairman H. A. Moehlenpah, where in the Sunday afternoon meeting every boy in the senior group took a stand for the Christian life. Carroll College teams worked in East Troy in Walworth County and Mukwanego in Waukesha County during the spring vacation, and go to Randolph in Columbia County, May 1, 2 and 3. Mukwanego is the village located near the Wisconsin State boys' camp, where "going to Muk." has been a problem for the management of the camp to handle. Since organizing this village in Waukesha County, followed by the work of the gospel team, it is hoped the men and boys of the village will be able to enter into the spirit of Christian training which the State camp promotes. The Wisconsin University Association has co-operated with the County Work |