into the way? If they do not enter the way, how can they be trained up in it? If this position is correct, the knowledge to be communicated to little children should be selected with special reference to its tendency to produce religious impression, and promote amiable and lovely dispositions of heart. It is true, that mental cultivation should never be lost sight of; but it should be made subservient to this first great object; and all the faculties should be developed together. The memory should not be cultivated at the expense of the understanding, Hor the understanding at the expense of the memory. Children must be taught to think, or they never will become capable of acquiring Information for themselves; and they must be taught to remember or they cannot retain what they learn. But little children are constantly surrounded with objects calculated to excite inquiry, and exorcise their minds; so that, for several years after they begin to learn, very little additional excitement is requisite to produce as great a degree of mental development as will be safe, either for mind or body. But it must be remembered that the heart is naturally wrong. If left to develop itself, it will be but as the growth of noxious weeds: the strengthening and maturing of evil passions, and the increase of alienation from God. Should it not, then, be the first business of education to counteract these evil propensities, and bring the soul back to allegiance to its Maker ? THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED. 1. The mind of a little child moves in a narrow circle. This must always be borne in mind when we would impart instruction for present effect. Ideas which appear perfectly simple to the mature understanding, may be wholly beyond the reach of the juvenile mind. Hence the teacher should repeat and illustrate, over and over, until he perceives that the truth is apprehended. And his illustrations must be drawn from objects which are familiar to the mind of the child. For example, the sailing of a vessel upon the ocean is a very good illustration of life; but it would be wholly unintelligible to the mind of a child who never saw a ship, and who has no definite idea of sailing. Or, an illustration drawn from husbandry would be like an unknown tongue to a child who had never passed the boundaries of a city or a town. 2. Instruction may be so simple and easy as to be insipid, even to a child. The human mind is so constituted that the exercise of its faculties, and the overcoming of difficulties, impart pleasure and satisfaction. If, therefore, the lessons of children are entirely free from difficulties, and so easy as to require scarcely any effort of mind, we lose an important auxiliary in our work. The lessons of children should not be so difficult as to discourage effort, nor so simple as to prevent it. This principle has been kept in view in the preparation of these ques tions; and it must be borne in mind by the teacher. TEACHERS' PREPARATION. It is to be feared that some teachers who use this book may think it so simple and easy as to require no previous preparation If they pur sue this course however, they will most assuredly fail of sucre By an examination of the lessons, it will be seen that the main design is, to produce practical impression. But if the mind of the teacher does not become interested with the truth contained in them, and his heart deeply affected, this object will be lost, so far as his influence is concerned. Every one of these lessons presents a subject for practical thought and spiritual meditation, of the highest importance; and there cannot be a Christian whose own soul would not be benefited by their contemplation. They embrace the most soul-stirring truths of the Bible. In addition to this, so many of the questions depend on the references, that no teacher can be prepared to use them who has not carefu..y consulted these references. They should be so fixed in the teacher's mind, from previous study, that he will feel no hesitancy as to the answer which ought to be given. But his chief aim should be, by meditation and prayer, to get such a lively impression of these truths on his own soul, that they will appear to him as living realities. Then he will be prepared, in the most forcible manner, to impress them on the minds of others. He must also deeply feel the necessity of the influences of the Holy Spirit to make effectual the truths communicated, or he cannot expect God will honor his labors with success. SCHOLARS' PREPARATION It is indispensable that every scholar should have access to a question book. If this is neglected, the object of this book will be defeated. Great care and attention will be necessary, both from parents and teachers, to secure thorough preparator on the part of the children. The teacher must visit each member of his class, explain the use of the question book, and patiently remove every difficulty, until the scholar is able to study by himself. And the parents should see that the lesson is studied early in the week. If it is put off till toward the close, it will, very likely, be neglected. In fine, the parents must become interested in this work themselves, or they cannot expect their children to be very much benefited. The children should be required first to commit the text to memory so perfectly as to be able to recite it with precision. The lessons are so short that this can be done without imposing a severe task on the children. No child can be well trained, who is not in the habit of committing to memory as much as this. Parents should require their children to study the text until they can repeat it fluently, without the least variation, before they look at the questions. This will promote a habit of quoting Scripture correctly; which is a matter of no small importance, as wrong impressions of the truth are often received from misquoting the Bible. After the text is thoroughly committed, the scholar should proceed to the examination of the questions for the purpose of obtaining answers. Many of the questions are answered by the text; some answers are given; some are left to the judgment of the scholar; and many others depend for their answers on the references. But the references themselves are not the answers: the latter are to be drawn from the former. To repeat the reference, therefore, will not answer the question: the refer ences must be studied, and the answers given by the scholar in his own language. If any other course is pursued, the design of teaching the scholars to think will be defeated. HOW TO TEACH LITTLE CHILDREN. Kindness of feeling and a winning manner are important requisites In the teacher of little children. When a teacher has acquired the confidence, and won the affections of his little charge, he has gained an important point. Unless he succeeds in this, it may be seriously doubted whether he will have any success in this work. The first thing to be required is the recitation of the text. If a single word is missed, the lesson should not be considered as thoroughly committed; yet the child should be encouraged to persevere in his efforts to have his lesson perfect. The questions should then be asked. If the child hesitates, as if the meaning of the question were not apprehended, the teacher should vary it until it is understood. The children should be encouraged to give answers in their own language; and however incorrect their answers may be, nothing should be said to mortify their feelings on account of their mistakes; and if they approach towards correct answers, they should be encouraged, and the teacher's correction should be rather a comment on the answers, so that they may feel that they have done something. Except when a reference furnishes a direct answer to a question, the recitation of the reference should not be received as the answer, which should be given in the child's own words. And in no case should a scholar be allowed to examine the references during recitation. If he has not studied them beforehand, he should be passed by, as unable to answer the question. The prac tice of permitting the scholars to look out their answers, either in the text or references, during recitation, cannot be too severely reprehended. It defeats every attempt to secure thorough preparation, and wastes the time appropriated to recitation, which is generally too short. If this practice is not abandoned, all hope of elevating the standard of Sabbath school instruction must be given up. It enables the scholars to go through the exercises of the Sabbath school without previous study; and thus encourages inattention and superficial attainments. Notwithstanding all that has been said upon this subject, I have great reason to fear that the old practice of looking out references during recitation still prevails in many schools; yet, I repeat my sol emn conviction that the continuance of this practice must, in a grea measure, defeat every attempt to improve the system of Sabbath School instruction. I ought to have said above, that the scholars should incorporate in their answers such portions of the references as prove, illustrate, or enforce the subject. Boston, 1838. HARVEY NEWCOMB QUESTIONS. LESSON I. fed is a Spirit, and must be worshiped in spirit and in What cometh? What now is? What did Jesus mean by the hour? ANs. The time. Whom did he say the true worshipers should worship? How should they worship the Father? Who is the Father? 1 Co. 8: 6. What is it to worship God? ANS. To fear, love, honor and obey him; and to pray to him and praise him. Whom does he seek to worship him? Who are meant by such? What is God? v. 24. What is a spirit? ANS. That which thinks and knows loves and hates, chooses and refuses. Can you think and know? Is it your head that thinks and knows? is it your hands? Is it any other part of your body? Is it your hands or feet, or head, or any other part of your body, that loves and hates? What part of you is it that loves and hates? Could you love and hate if you had no body? Can you choose or refuse any thing that you like or dis like? Is it your eyes that choose and refuse? Is it your ears! What part of you is it that chooses and refuses? Could you do all these things if you had no body? What is that part of you called, which thinks and knows, loves and hates, and chooses and refuses? Ans. It is called the soul or spirit. Can you see your spirit? Of whom is your soul the unage? Ge. 1: 26, 27. Can your soul or spirit be in the same place where your body is ? How can God Le in the same place where we and other things are? f.c. 17: 28, f. c. How ought you to feel, when you think that God is here? Ge. 28: 17. How must we worship God? v. 24, 1. c. As you have a spirit, how can you worship God in spirit? 1 Sa. 1: 13, f.c. Ep. 5: 19. Co. 3: 16. Is it worshiping God in spirit to kneel down and say your prayers, without feeling what you say? Eze. 33: 31. Is it worshiping God in spirit to sing solemn words to his praise, without feeling them in our hearts? Of what are they guilty, who sing and pray what they do not feel? Ps. 78: 34-37. How were Ananias and Sapphia punished for lying to God? Ac. 5: 1-10. How ought you to feel, when you go before God, to wor ship him? Ps. 4: 4. How should you behave in the house of God? Ec. 5: 1, 2. In whose name must sinners appear, when they come to worship a holy God? Jn. 16: 23. Ep. 5: 20. |