The Intermediate Manual

FOREWORD

Religious workers desire to make men and women out of the material that they find in the community. The task is a difficult one at best, but its difficulties are immensely increased if workers plunge into their labors badly equipped and with only a vague idea of the means they are going to employ to attain their end.

There is no excuse for Sunday-school work- ers' remaining in ignorance of the work in which they are engaged. There are books a plenty dealing with the problem from every conceivable angle. But it is different with the Intermediate Christian Endeavor society. Here and there articles have appeared about it. Talks have been made about it at conventions. But no handbook which might serve superin- tendents as a guide has thus far been published.

The Intermediate society is an instrument for the making of manhood and womanhood. The aim of the following pages is to give super- intendents a working idea of methods to em- ploy and of the nature of the young people with whom they will have to labor. The suc- cess of the society will always depend more or less on the superintendent and the way in which he leads. There can be little success without some knowledge of adolescent human nature and of plans to follow.

Intermediates can do most of the things that are done in the Young People's society. The difference between the two societies lies in the peculiar mental state of adolescent boys and girls. This must be studied and mastered. The superintendent will be guide, counsellor, and friend, a true leader and not a driver. And his success may be measured by the strength of the confidence with which he can inspire the young people. After all, the deep- est secret of leadership is love.

R. P. Anderson