Donnerstag, 13. November 2014
History of Scripture Union - Child Evangelism
In June 1867 a British officer called Josia Spier took his Sunday School Children to a special event in London where an American preacher called Payson Hammond was preaching to the children.

In 1864 Hammond was writing a book: “Jesus, Friend of the Children”. He was explaining how important it is to preach to children in a way that they are able to understand the message. Hundreds of children were attending this event. The service was completely different from anything Spiers had seen before. The children were understanding the message, they were listening carefully and it was also fun.

This way of preaching to the children was really touching the heart of Josua Spiers. From that time on he changed his teaching methods completely.

On the 2nd of June 1867 Josia Spiers met with 15 children in the drawing room of Thomas ‘Pious’ Hughes’ home at 309 Essex Road, Islington, London. He tried to use the new approach to sharing Christ with children which he saw at the meeting with Hammonds. He was singing with them hymns and chorals and he was telling them stories about Jesus in a way that the children were able to understand his teaching.

He was so exited by himself. His teaching method was so different from the sermons at the churches of that time. The children were also exited and in the next weeks they came again together with their friends. The group was so much growing that on the 17th of November there have been already 50 children. Therefore they were moving to a classroom of a primary school at Islington.

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