As we have studied the situation which faces the church in
America we have everywhere been made aware of impending
changes, of new movements in thought and in practice. We have
seen much that is inspiring and that gives us ground for hope. Yet
we are more than ever conscious of the distance which separates
attainment from ideal. No one of all these movements has yielded
a result commensurate with its promise. Individuals have been
earnest and active. Groups have succeeded to a high degree in
expressing the spirit of true Christianity. But the rank and file of
church members have for the most part returned to the narrow
realm of interests from which the war called them. To make satis-
factory progress with our practical tasks we must capture the imagi-
nation of these backward Christians. This is the work of Christian
education.

In many different quarters, attention is being directed to the
educational field and experiments are being tried which affect all
phases of religious education. ¹ Much time and thought is being
given to improving methods of religious instruction through the use
of graded lessons, more modern and better lesson helps, and the
provision of effective teacher-training classes. Efforts are being
made to supplement the inadequacy of Sunday schools by pro-

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