Published Monthly by LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW, 318 W. 39th Street, New York City. Entered as Second-Class Matter August 9, 1900, at Post Office, New York, N. Y., under Act of March 3, 1879 Subscription price, 60 cents per year. No. 3 TO OUR Within the past few weeks you have received bills if your subscription was due. Will you not remit immediately and help us go to the Fort Wayne Convention with a PAID UP SUBSCRIPTION LIST? DO IT TODAY! THE LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW 846 Drexel Building Philadelphia A Of the Church - By the Church - For the Church Luther League The Importance of the Intermediate BY REV. ARTHUR T. MICHLER. LL work that is attempted by the Church for the young people is important, but the period covered by the Intermediate League is of particular value. This is true because the boy and girl is passing through the most impressionable period of life. It is at this time that the boy, and, frequently, the girl, become restless and dissatisfied with things in general and with the Church in particular. Now is the time to keep them busy, to group them together, to appeal to them in a personal way, to show the value of Christ to them and to relate their noble spiritual emotions to practical Christian service. May Senior League members and laymen enter into this fine field of endeavor and work constructively for the boy and girl of the present, so as to strengthen the Church of the future! The following pages are not exhaustive by any means. Rather its aim is to be suggestive. It is therefore an outline of what can be done and what is practicable. Much has been written for the boys and girls of this age, but our purpose is simply to be of some service to those who are anxious to do better work as well as to stimulate the beginnings of more work. The program is viewed from the development of the entire life of the youth. It is therefore divided into the Devotional, Educational, Physical and Social. Be sure to keep the central idea well fixed-namely, to so relate activities as to assist in the development of that life which has been granted to these boys and girls in Holy Baptism. Unless this is done, this or any other program becomes a plan for welfare development. We profoundly believe in working with the youth of the Church from the viewpoint of the Church so as to inculcate her life, her spirit, her chief place in the world of affairs, her practice in the lives of our boys and girls. A simple system of credits should be given by the leader for each subject planned during the year in each main group, and at the end of the year's work a simple diagram can be constructed for each member, showing graphically the achievements and general progress attained for the effort made in the Christian life and service. A constitution for the Intermediates has been prepared and submitted to the Executive Committee of the Luther League of America. We hope that it will soon be available for use in our Intermediate League work. Various books on the different subjects can be consulted in our public libraries and in the catalogues of our publication houses. CHILDREN If the ideals of any nation are to be realized they must be planted in the hearts of its children. Experience has shown the Christian Church that its most fruitful service is among the children and youth of the nation. Jesus said to adult disciples, "Suffer little children to come unto me." He said to Peter, "Lovest thou me? Feed my lambs." Would you invest your time, talents, money, where they will bring the largest returns? Would you lay up treasures where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal? Would you alleviate the world's suffering, right the world's wrong? Would you advance the Kingdom of God's Son? Then put your life into the service of bringing children to Jesus Christ. Jesus Whoso leads a child to receive service. T "Of the Church, By the Church, For the Church" Official Call for the Fourteenth National Convention Fort Wayne, Indiana, July 13, 14, 15, 1920 HE Luther League of America has accepted the invitation of the Luther REPRESENTATION. Any society of whatever name, connected with a Lutheran congregation or a Lutheran institution of learning, and District and State organizations whose admission shall have been recommended by the Committee on Credentials, are entitled to membership with representations as follows: Each society admitted to membership shall be entitled to one delegate, each District League to three delegates, and each State or Territorial organization to ten delegates. Delegates to the Convention are expected and required to present properly certified credentials. The credentials should be signed by the President and Secretary of each organization, whether State, District or Local League. Delegates will be asked to pay a REGISTRATION FEE of $1.00. CREDENTIALS. Credential blanks for delegates should be secured at once by State, District and Local Officers from the General Secretary. All credentials should be filled out in duplicate, one part being sent to the General Secretary and the other part retained by the delegate for presentation to the Credential Committee at Fort Wayne. Uniform blank forms will be sent upon request. Credentials should be sent to the General Secretary not later than July 1st. GENERAL INFORMATION. The arrangement of the program is in charge of a sub-committee of the Executive Committee. An announcement of same will be made in the near future in the REVIEW. THE LUTHER LEAGUE REVIEW will furnish official information each month relative to the Convention and after the Convention will publish a CONVENTION NUMBER containing full reports of the proceedings. Subscriptions should be made now to secure the pro-Convention Number of the REVIEW and also the CONVENTION NUMBER. Particulars as to hotels and other local arrangements will be furnished in due season by the local Convention committee. At this convention will be celebrated the TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY of the Luther League of America. Arrange your vacation to include July 13, 14, 15, and spend it at Fort Wayne. By direction of the Executive Committee. HARRY HODGES, General Secretary, 846 Drexel Bldg., Philadelphia, Pa. The Intermediate Luther League HE Intermediate Luther League is the of Luther League movement to the needs of the boys and girls of the Lutheran Church, whether in the country, town or city. Its aim is to interest in, hold to and train in the Church, the boy and girl of twelve years of age to sixteen inclusive. It therefore seeks to provide a normal, healthy, but churchly means to guide and direct the natural interests of our boys and girls of this growing period, along a positive and practical Christian life, within their own Church. Its distinctive purpose is religious and educational. This, together with a nice provision for meeting the natural recreative desires of our boys and girls, peculiar to each sex, is the fundamental idea underlying the Intermediate League. The form of organization therefore is twofold, i. e., one for the boys and one for the girls. Each is to develop its own League, with its own officers under adult supervision. In their development, however, care must be taken that the fundamental idea shall never be lost sight of amidst the many other activities in which the Leagues engage. The motto of the Luther League of America is the motto of the Intermediate League, and should be repeated at each of the weekly meetings of the League. The League should meet weekly, if possible. The central purpose of meeting,`as a League, should always be the religiouseducational, which is met by the boys and girls taking an active part in rendering the prepared program of Scripture and Hymn memory, Scripture reading, and prayer and the presentation and discussion of the Topic. This should not consume more than from a half to three-quarters of an hour. Whatever else has been planned can then be carried out. Regular business meetings (suited to conditions) should be conducted in which League plans are discussed and adopted, through which the members secure a fine parliamentary law practice. To conduct a successful Intermediate League, good adult leadership, is necessary. This requires those who possess natural qualities of leadership, combined with a strong love for and belief in growing boys and girls. Superior training is not essential. A willingness to begin and work in a small way and to always see the great good to be accomplished in these plastic lives is a great asset. Read the REVIEW and other literature on the subject. Get the fundamental ideas clearly in mind and then look over the Sunday school and see how many boys and girls there are who are either becoming interested in outside movements and need to be kept in touch to prevent loss to your school, or who are just waiting for something to be done along this line for them. The result may surprise you. Talk to a few boys and girls who are leaders and see how they respond. If they are eager for an organization of those of their own age, call a meeting of all boys or girls, as the case may be, and speak to them of your suggestion. If you are enthusiastic and they see that you believe in them, they will respond. Then appoint a time for another meeting and have a brief League program prepared. Talk over what can be done. Explain carefully the central idea of the Intermediate League program. Then after a few meetings, when you know the boys or girls, and they know each other better, organize with a president, vicepresident, secretary, treasurer and pianist, if you need one. You are now organized. Decide on your regular meeting days and adhere to this rigidly. Do not disappoint them, but careful planning, faithful devoted work, punctuality and a mighty big enthusiastic conception of your privileges, and a love for these boys and girls will mean a large success. The question, where to meet, will doubtless arise. Either in some room of the Sunday School or parish house building, or at some home. The former is preferable. Secure the use of a room where you can meet and have games and reading matter. If there is a nice basement in the church which can be utilized, either for mass games ra gymnasium, so much the better. If there is no gymnasium connected with the church the League might be successful in renting one (or a hall for the purpose) for a nominal sum. However, you need not wait until you have a gymnasium to begin work. A nice room to meet is all that is required to begin. Other developments can follow later. However, a gymnasium for winter and a camp or some kindred activity for summer are the two centers of activity around which continued and increased interest can be developed. When the weather is favorable the out-ofdoors can be utilized for games and hikes. The question now arises-what can we do? There are many things that can be done; but it is wise only to select a very few and do them well. As the League grows, other activities can be added. There are always things to be done in every church and Sunday School in which the Leagues can take a part. They can contribute to missions and local church needs. The pastor and Sunday School superintendent can be helped in various ways, such as distributing literature and assist |