November 14 Today in OPC History

On Saturday, November 14, 1936, the Committee on Christian Education through its secretary, the Rev. John Clelland, addressed the Second General Assembly. In speaking for the Committee, Clelland said, “In presenting its report, the Committee on Christian Education wishes to express its conviction that the triumph of unbelief in the old organization was due in no small measure to the prostitution of existing educational agencies through compromise with unbelief, on the one hand, and to the lack of a full-orbed and consistent system of Christian Education on the other. Consequently, if the Presbyterian Church of America is to be a truly reformed Church, activities in the sphere of education, however humble, cannot be initiated too soon.”

In keeping with its admonition to the Assembly, the Committee proceeded to make the following recommendations:

1. That the General Assembly urge sessions to supervise carefully the materials used in the Sunday School in view of the fact that so much literature designed for Sunday School is tainted with unbelief or is defective in its presentation of the doctrinal position of our church;

2. That the General Assembly urge pastors and sessions to advise with young people’s societies in their particular churches in the interest of securing the attendance of the young people upon the regular services of the Church;

3. That the General Assembly call the attention of the churches to the need of caring for the training of Sunday School teachers and other Christian workers in a knowledge of the Bible and the doctrines of the Church;

4. That the General Assembly urge that in the worship of the Church, hymns and hymnals be selected which are in harmony with the teachings of Scripture and of the Reformed Faith.

Picture: John Clelland