It was tried and cancelled.
*** jv 244-6 16 Meetings for Worship, Instruction, and Encouragement ***
Where
Young
Ones
Fit
InDuring the early years, the publications and the meetings of the Bible Students were not particularly geared to young people. They could attend the meetings, and some of them did so and listened eagerly. But there was no special effort to involve them in what took place. Why not?
The understanding of the brothers at that time was that only a very short time was left until all the members of Christs bride would be united with him in heavenly glory. The Watch
Tower, in 1883, explained: "We who are in training for the high calling cannot turn aside from the special
work
of
this
agethe work of preparing the Bride, the Lambs wife. The Bride is to make herself ready; and just at the present moment, when the last touches of adornment are being put on preparatory to the wedding, every members service is required in this all-important, present work."
Parents were strongly urged to shoulder their own God-given responsibility to care for the spiritual instruction of their children. Separate Sunday schools for youths were not encouraged. It was obvious that Christendoms use of Sunday schools had done much harm. Parents who sent their children to such schools often took the view that this arrangement relieved them of the responsibility to give religious instruction to their children. The children, in turn, because they were not looking to their parents as a primary source of instruction about God, were not motivated to honor their parents and obey them as they should.
However, from 1892 to 1927, the Watch
Tower did set aside space for comment on the text featured in the "International Sunday School Lessons," which were then popular in many Protestant churches. These texts were for many years selected by F. N. Peloubet, a Congregational clergyman, and his assistants. The Watch
Tower discussed these texts from the standpoint of the Bible Students advanced understanding of the Scriptures, free from the creeds of Christendom. It was hoped that in this way the Watch
Tower would find its way into some of the churches, that the truth would thus be presented, and that some church members would accept it. Of course, the difference was evident, and this angered the Protestant clergy.
The year 1918 came, and the remnant, or remaining ones of the anointed, were still on the earthly scene. The number of children at their meetings had also greatly increased. Often the youngsters had simply been allowed to play while their parents studied. Yet, young people, too, needed to learn to "seek righteousness, seek meekness," if they would be "hid in the day of the LORDs anger." (Zeph. 2:3, KJ) So, in 1918 the Society encouraged the congregations to arrange for a juvenile class for children from 8 to 15 years of age. In some places there were even primary classes for those too young to attend the juvenile class. At the same time, parental responsibility toward the children was again emphasized.
This led to other developments. The
Golden
Age, in 1920, carried a feature entitled "Juvenile Bible Study," with questions accompanied by Scripture citations in which the answers could be found. That same year, The
Golden
Age
ABC was published; it was an illustrated booklet for use by parents in teaching basic Bible truths and Christian qualities to their youngsters. A book entitled The
Way
to
Paradise, written by W. E. Van Amburgh, followed in 1924. It was adapted to "intermediate students of the Bible." For a time it was used at the meetings for younger ones. Additionally, in America, "Junior Witnesses" had their own arrangements for field service. In Switzerland a youth group formed an association called "Jehovahs Youth," for those between 13 and 25 years of age. They had their own secretarys office in Berne, and a special magazine, Jehovahs
Youth, was edited and printed on the Societys presses there. These youths had their own meetings and even put on Bible dramas, as they did in the Volkshaus in Zurich for an audience of 1,500.
What was taking place, however, was that an organization was developing within the organization of Jehovahs servants. This would not contribute to unity, and it was discontinued in 1936. In April 1938, during a visit to Australia, J. F. Rutherford, the Societys president, found that a class for children was being held apart from the convention for adults. He immediately arranged for all the children to be brought into the main convention, which was greatly to their benefit.
In that same year, The
Watchtower reviewed the entire matter of separate classes for young folks in the congregation. That study again emphasized the fact that parents are responsible to instruct their own children. (Eph. 6:4; compare Deuteronomy 4:9, 10; Jeremiah 35:6-10.) It also showed that the Bible provides no precedent for segregating young ones by means of junior classes. Instead, they were to be present with their parents to hear Gods Word. (Deut. 31:12, 13; Josh. 8:34, 35) When further explanation of study material was needed, this could be given by the parents at home. Furthermore, the articles pointed out that arrangements for such separate classes were actually detracting from the house-to-house preaching of the good news. How so? Because the teachers were staying out of the field service to prepare for these classes and to conduct them. So, all separate classes for youths were discontinued.
Right down to the present, it remains the custom among Jehovahs Witnesses for the entire family to attend congregation meetings together. Children are helped by their parents to prepare so that they can participate in appropriate ways. Additionally, a fine array of publications has been provided for parents to use in giving young folks instruction at home. Among these have been the books Children, in 1941; Listening
to
the
Great
Teacher, in 1971; Your
YouthGetting
the
Best
Out
Of
It, in 1976; My
Book
of
Bible
Stories, in 1978; and Questions
Young
People
AskAnswers
That
Work, in 1989.
*** yb87 139-40 Switzerland and Liechtenstein ***
OUR
GOD
IS
NOT
A
GOD
OF
DISORDERThis is what Erwin Saner in Basel used to say, pointing to the clock, whenever a child would arrive late for the congregations Sunday school.1 Cor. 14:33.
Sunday school? Yes, indeed. For a time we had a separate youth group for those from 13 to 25 years of age, and a Sunday school for younger ones, based on the publication The
Way
to
Paradise (edited in 1924 and "Dedicated to Youth for the Study in the Holy Scriptures" by W. E. Van Amburgh). Adult members of the congregations took turns instructing the children on Sunday mornings. Ulrich Engler from Thalwil explained: "We parents went preaching on Sundays, and it was not the custom at that time to take the children along, neither would we take them to meetings in the evening. So when a youth group was formed in Zurich, we were glad that the children from the Thalwil Congregation were also invited."
The association "Jehovahs Youth" even had its own secretarys office in Bern. A special magazine named Jehovahs
Youth was edited there and printed on the Societys presses. The preface to the first issue was written by Brother Rutherford. These youths conducted meetings and took an active part in the witness work. They also performed Bible dramas at bigger gatherings organized for the young ones. However, this was really an organization within the organization. The Bible shows that in ancient Israel the provision that Jehovah made was for adults and children to assemble together for instruction. (Deut. 31:12) When we came to appreciate this more fully, these special arrangements for youths were dissolved. This was done in 1936 at the time of Brother Rutherfords visit.
