Reminder from the Founder

I came across this article forwarded to me by a BB officer about the Sir William Alexander Smith from the BB Australia website. The article began as usual with the introduction and background of the founder. However, the thing that caught my attention were the advices and reminders given by Sir William to all officers and churches involved in the ministry.

The nature of boys...
“In the religious side of the work of the Brigade we try to realise not only that ‘Boys will be Boys’, but that Boys ought to be Boys, and that it would be a thousand pities if they ever became anything else.”

“...And, in order to thoroughly adapt our methods to this Boy-nature, we must deal with Boys by themselves... We can thus leave everything out of our plans that we feel would mar the effect, and we can introduce everything that we believe to be helpful and right.”

Building rapport...
“We must go deep down into Boys' nature, we must throw ourselves alongside our Boys and get to know them, not merely by name and by face, but to know their hearts and their thoughts, their likes and dislikes, their prejudices and their sympathies.”

Approach to training...
“For the Boy everything must be short and sharp and clear and crisp. It must harmonise with his restless nature. He doesn’t want to hear long Sermons, to make long prayers, to read long dry books.”

Way to handle absentism...
“Don’t find fault with the attendance at the Bible Class. The Boys who are present are not the defaulters!”

Understanding boys...
“Never make Boys sing what they don’t believe...A Boy who sticks a pin into another Boy gives promise of being a finer man than he who sings demurely, “I want to be an angel.”

Officers togetherness with boys...
“If dinner does not turn out a culinary success, Officers should not immediately dine at the nearest hotel.” (He insisted that Officers and Boys should share in all the adventure, weather, sports, hardships and fun of Camp, and that they must be together at meals. )

The church's role...
“The Church with which it is connected must give its hearty sympathy and support. If there is not sufficient interest of the local Church in an effort to save and train Boys for Christ’s Kingdom and services it will be almost impossible to succeed.”

These phrases were indeed good reminder for all officers and churches upon their role in the ministry to advance God's Kingdom among Boys. As the year almost coming to the end, let us reflect on these words of wisdom as we review what have been done this year and make plans for the coming one.

Sure and Stedfast!