[Ill.u.s.tration; The Story Hour--Sunday Afternoon--Camp Wawayanda]
CHAPTER VIII--MORAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE
THE RELIGIOUS INSTINCT NATURE"S TEACHINGS SUNDAY IN CAMP BIBLE STUDY HOW AND WHEN TO TEACH THE BIBLE COURSE OF CAMP BIBLE STUDY BIBLE STUDY COURSE FOR BOY SCOUTS DEVOTIONS IN TENT DAILY BIBLE READINGS A "NOVEL" BON-FIRE READING OF STORIES ON SUNDAY PURPOSEFUL READING CHAPEL SERVICES BIBLIOGRAPHY
The aspect of nature is devout. Like the figure of Jesus, she stands with bended head and hands folded upon her breast.--Emerson.
Camp life should help boys to grow not only physically and mentally, but morally. Religion is the basis of morality. The highest instinct in man is the religious. Man made the city with all its artificiality, but, as some one has said, "G.o.d made the country." Everything that the city boy comes in contact with is man-made. "Even the ground is covered with buildings and paving blocks; the trees are set in rows like telegraph poles; the sunlight is diluted with smoke from the factory chimneys, the moon and stars are blotted out by the glare of the electric light; and even the so-called lake in the park is a scooped-out basin filled by pumps. Little wonder that a boy who grows up under these conditions has little reverence for a G.o.d whose handiwork he has not seen."[1]
[Footnote 1: Walter M. Wood in a.s.sociation Boys, June. 1907.]
Nature"s Teachings
When a boy"s soul is open to the influence of nature he feels the presence of the divine in the forest. There is an uplift, an inspiration, a joy that he never experiences in the city. He does not know how to express himself, but somehow he feels the spiritual atmosphere pervading the woods which his soul breathes in as really as his nostrils do the pure air, and he is ready to Go forth, under the open sky and list to Nature"s teachings.
-Bryant.
For as Martin Luther said, "G.o.d writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but in trees and flowers and clouds and stars."
Sunday
Sunday in a boys" camp should be observed by the holding of a service in the morning, with song, scripture reading, prayer and a short talk. The afternoon is usually occupied by letter writing, Bible study, or reading, the day closing with a vesper service in the evening just as the sun is setting. Boisterousness should not be encouraged. Unnatural restraint, however, is contrary to the spirit of the day. The day should be different from other days. Many camp boys date their first real awakening to the best and highest things in life from a Sunday spent in camp.
Every real camper has experienced a Sunday similar to this one described by Howard Henderson. "A quiet Sunday in the deep woods is a golden day to be remembered for many a year. All nature combines to a.s.sist the camper in directing his thoughts to the great Author of all the beauty that he beholds. "The heavens declare the glory of G.o.d; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork." The trees under which one reclines rear their heads heavenward, pointing their spire-like minarets far up toward the blue-vaulted roof. It inspires the very soul to worship in these unbuilt cathedrals with wilderness of aisle and pillars, which for elegance and beauty have never been equalled by the architects of any age. And the music of the trees combined with the notes of the bird songsters, give a joy which is unknown in listening to a city choir."
Bible Study
The Bible becomes a new book to boys when studied under such an environment. As one boy wrote home to his father after a Sunday spent in a camp where Sunday was observed in this manner, "Dad, it is so different here, from a Sunday at home; I understood the talk and the Bible study was great; it was a bully day!"
The following Bible course was worked out by the author and has been used in scores of boys" camps. These lessons were taught to groups of boys at eventide when nature seemed to quiet down and the boys were most responsive to good, sensible suggestion. The camp was divided into tent groups, each group being taught by their leader or an exchange leader, one group occupying a big rock, another the "Crow"s Nest," or "Tree House,"
another getting together under a big tree, another in their tent. No leader was permitted to take more than twenty minutes for the lesson. It is unwise to take twenty minutes for what could be said in ten minutes.
The boys all had a chance to take part in the discussion. Each lesson was opened and closed with prayer, many of the boys partic.i.p.ating in volunteer prayer. In teaching a lesson don"t spend too much time in description unless you have the rare gift of being able to make your scene live before your hearers. Talk plainly and to the point. Naturalness should characterize each lesson. Boys hate cant[1] and apologies and lack of definiteness. Your best ill.u.s.trations will be drawn from the life of the camp and from nature.
[Transcriber"s Footnote 1: Monotonous talk filled with plat.i.tudes.
Hypocritically pious language.]
In some camps these lessons were taught in the morning directly after breakfast, while the boys were seated at the tables.
There are "Sermons in stones, and good in every thing," therefore the purpose of these lessons should be to help boys hear these sermons and learn nature"s lessons of purity, strength and character.
A COURSE IN BIBLE STUDY
LESSON 1. THE HILLS-PRAYER
Psalm 121.
Christ going into the mountains to pray.
Matt. 14:23; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12; Mark 1:35; Matt. 6:6-15.
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS
Unnatural not to pray. Even Pagans pray, but they pray through fear.
More things are wrought through prayer than this world dreams of.
--Tennyson.
Pray to Christ as friend to friend. The Lord"s Prayer.
He prayeth well who loveth well Both man and bird and beast.
He prayeth best who loveth best All things both great and small, For the dear G.o.d who loveth us He made and loveth all.
--Coleridge"s "Ancient Mariner."
Strength received through prayer. A time and place for prayer.
LESSON 2. THE BIRDS--DEPENDENCE UPON G.o.d
Matt. 6:26; Psa.147:9; Luke 12:24; Matt. 10:29-31.
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS
G.o.d feeding the birds. How much more does G.o.d care for you. Not one forgotten, the most worthless, the most restless.
G.o.d loves the birds. He loves you. Show your love to Him by caring for the birds.
Isa. 40: 28-31.
Abraham Lincoln and the bird fallen from the nest.--"Gentlemen, I could not have slept tonight if I had not helped that little bird in its trouble, and put it back safe in the nest with its mother."
LESSON 3. FLOWERS-PURITY
Matt. 6:28-30. Beauty of flowers.
Isa. 55:10-13. Provision for summer growth and beauty.
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS
(Bring wild flowers to the cla.s.s.) Flowers come up out of the dirt yet unsoiled.
Possible for boys to keep clean and pure, surrounded by evil.
Evil thoughts determine evil deeds.
"My strength is as the strength of ten Because my heart is pure."-Sir Galahad.
Purity of character, the lily.
Know thyself. Keep thyself pure. 1 Cor. 3:16,17.
White Cross Pledge.
Virtue never dwelt long with filth and nastiness.--Count Rumford.
LESSON 4. TREES--GROWTH
Psalm 1. (Hold the session under the biggest and best proportioned tree.)