While morning service is being conducted in The Temple, a Young People’s Church is held in the Lower Temple.  Dr. Conwell has not forgotten those wearisome Sundays of his boyhood when, too young to appreciate the church service, he fidgeted, strove to keep awake, whittled, and ended it all by thoroughly disliking church.  He wants no such unhappy youngsters to sit through his preaching.  He wants no such dislike of the church imbedded in childish hearts and minds.  So he planned the Young People’s Church.  Boys and girls between three and fourteen attend it, and Sunday morning the streets in the neighborhood of The Temple are thronged with happy-faced children on the way to their own church, the youngest in the care of parents, who are able later to enjoy more fully The Temple services, since they are not compelled to keep a watchful eye on a restless child.

Before the services begin, the children are very much at home.  No stiff, silent formalism chills youthful spirits.  They are as joyous and happy as they would be in their own homes.  As the moment approaches for the services to begin, they take their seats and at a given signal rise and recite, “The Lord is in His holy Temple.  Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”  A hush falls and then the sweet, childish voices begin that beautiful psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” and without break or faltering, recite it to the end.  Songs follow, bright, cheerful songs full of life, which they sing with a will.  Then responsive readings and the Lord’s Prayer and always plenty of singing.  A short talk is given by the leader, often some one especially secured for the occasion, a talk not over their heads, but into their hearts, a talk whose meaning they can grasp and which sets young minds to thinking of the finer, nobler things of life and inspires them to so live as to be good and useful.  Sometimes lantern exhibits to illustrate special topics are given.  The mere sight of their bright, happy faces in contrast to the dull, bored expression of the usual child in church proves the wisdom of the work.

The children, as far as possible, perform all the duties of the services.  A small boy plays the music for their songs, two small girls keep a record of the attendance, children take up the offering.  But it is a church in more than mere services.  Committees from among the children are appointed for visiting, for calling on the sick, to plan for entertainments, provide the games for the socials, and to look after all details of this character.  There are also two officers, a secretary and treasurer.  An advisory committee of ladies, members of The Temple, keep an oversight and guiding hand on the work of the children.  The instruction is all in the hands of trained teachers, mostly from the college, including as Director the lady Dean of the College, Dr. Laura H. Carnell.

In the afternoon the Sunday Schools meet.  The youngest children are enrolled in the primary or kindergarten department.  This has a bright, cheery room of its own in the Lower Temple, with a leader and a number of young women scattered here and there among the children to look after their needs and keep them orderly.  Hats are taken off and hung on pegs on the wall and the youngsters are made to feel very much at home.