Methods and principles in Bible study and Sunday school teaching

Preface

No departure from accepted metaphysical science is attempted. The aim is to apply the latest and best matured psychological principles to the training of the intellect, emotions, and will through a reverent study of the Scriptures ; to present methods of developing the mind at different periods ; to aid in securing attention ; to assist the memory and imagination ; to develop correct habits in thought and life ; to inspire an intelligent belief; to aid in making right choices.

In a few instances the author has recast illustrations that he had previously used editorially in the American Teacher, and would acknowledge his appreciation of, and indebtedness to, Sully's Sensations and Intuitions; Bain's Emotions and the Will ; Sully's Outlines of Psychology ; Hamilton's Metaphysics ; Bain's Senses and Intellect; Carpenter's Mental Physiology ; Bain's Mind and Body ; Calderwood's Relation of Mind to Body ; Jevons's Logic.

Introduction

PAGE

Prominence of Sunday-school Work — The Bible the Text-Book — What, How, and Why? — Popularizing Psychology — Mission of the Sunday-school — International Lessons — No Spirit of Criticism . . . . . . . 13

Chapter I. Mental Development

Aim 19

Drawing Straight line — Smarting a Tune — Teacher's Responsibility — He needs the Key-note.

Principles .20

Knowledge of the Nature and Activity of the Child's Mind — What is to be attained — What is Mental Growth ? — Mental Development — Secular Education — Skill in Mechanics, Arts, etc. — Exercise of the Mind — Requirements of Christian Living — Art and Philosophy — Thinking, Feeling, and Choosing — The Bee — Mental Development not necessarily a Blessing — Ingersoll — Moody — Character Development — Memory Age — Inquisitive Age — Analytical Age.

Individual Texts — Care in Selection — Adaptation — Verses or Paragraphs — Point their own Lessons — Rhythmical — Secret Art — The Foundation — Repetition — Verbal Memory — Relish for memorizing Scripture — Too early Development — The Strawberry — Revision Committee — Texts germinate Thought — Drudgery — Teach the Truth — Self-evident Application — Truth harnessed to Real Life — Life fashioned by Truth — Silk-worm — Ruskin's Texts.

Inquisitive Age 28

Circumstances and Associations — Geography — Cyclamen.

Analytical Age 30

Grouping Texts — Mortified at Ignorance — Will not ask Questions — Home — Mother — Sunday-school — Parental Authority — Biographical Grouping — Abraham — Temperance — General Outline — Fragrant Flowers — Weeds — Relation to Parents — To Children — To Friends — Enemies — Musical Development.

Chapter II. Art Of Thinking

Experience — Thought in Bible Study — John Jasper — Loyalty to Intellectual Leader — Soldier — Contentment.

I. Appreciation of Single Truths . . ... 48

1. Of Things Present.

2. Of Things Present through the Memories.

3. Of Things Present through the Imagination.

4. Of Things Absent.

II. Discrimination to Note Differences . . .51

1. Both Present.

2. One Absent.

III. Comparing Facts to Note Resemblances . . .55

IV. Estimating Consequences ... . • • 57

Theory in Practice — Patent Office — Physicians — Lawyers — Spider — Benefit of Truth — A Story — False and True Methods of Application — Rule.

V. Inductive Reasoning . . '. . . . 61

Definition — Examples — Rules.

VI. Deductive Reasoning ....... 63

The Art — Principles — Laws — Explanations — Each Law examined — Examples — Adaptation to Age.

Chapter III. Attention

Object of Mental Discipline — The Magnetic Teacher.

CONTENTS.

I. Involuntary Attention ... . . . .76

1. Non-attention.

How not to attend — Humming-bird.

2. External.

a. Interested through Senses . . . .77

Beaver.

b. Through Senses, disinterestedly . . . • . 78

Eagle — Sir William. Hamilton.

c. Abstract Attention without Objects present . . 78

d. Application to the Bible . . . . . .79

1. Learning Texts because of Rhythm.

2. Because of Truth we need.

3. To learn Higher Truths.

e. Results.

Control of Circumstances — Men who influence us — Humming-bird. /. Methods . . . . . . . . . 81

Appeal to the Eye and Ear - — Familiar in Unfamiliar Surroundings — Question with Anima- '• tion — Vivid and Suggestive Questions—- Teacher must master the Class — Above the Self, above the Teacher to the Truth — Coleridge. g. Adaptation to Age . . . . . . . 84

In Secular Schools — In Sunday-schools — Melody — From Eight to Fifteen.

3. Internal 84

At Fifteen — Telescope — Mind educated.

II. Voluntary Attention ... . ! . . 85 III. Involuntary or Automatic Attention . . .85

Chapter IV. Art Of Remembering

Methods of Learning to Remember . . . . . 91 Definitely learned — Accurately learned — Firmly fixed in the Mind — Closely associated — Good Mental Attitude.

Recalling Past Knowledge 94

Involuntary.

Panorama — Natural Elasticity — Ladies' Satchel — Science of not forgetting Association — Success in Sunday-school Teaching — Keen Attention — Frequent Repetition. Voluntary.

Apply to the Bible — Teacher's Responsibility.

METHODS AND PRINCIPLES.

Objects of Memorizing . . . . . . . . 99

Words, i. e., texts, chapters, etc. Truth without words.

Parables — Incidents — Miracles — Fish taking air. Truth without incident.

Chapter V, Philosophy Of Habit

Bad Habits destructive — Good Habits conserve Mental Energy

— Righting Physical Deformities — Good Habits right Mental Deformities.

Susceptibility of Mind 108

Body Organism of Growth — Mind of Development.

Habit and Will 108

Conditions of Habit . 109

Creates Brain Power — Ice-cutting.

Method of Forming Habits. . .... 109

Early Rising — Intemperance — Physical Raforms through Habit — Change of Attention Important — A Shrewd Mother

— Current of Thought changed.

Habitual Indifference 113

Habit in Morality . . . . . . . . 114

Habit in Religion 115

Formation of Habit . :.. ...... : 116

Definite Beginning — Frequent Repetition — Uniformity of Action.

Chapter VI. Use Of Imagination

Influence of Imagination 121

Properly developed — Keeps from Mischief — Develops Virtue and Faith.

Neglect of Imagination 123

Development of Imagination 124

Chapter VII. The Emotions

Classes of Feelings 131

Influence of Emotions 132

CONTENTS.

I I

Pleasurable Emotions 143

Painful Emotions 134

Unstimulated Emotions 135

Excessive Emotional Natures . . . . -135

Erratic Emotional Natures 135

Development of Emotions 137

Influence of the Word of God . . ...... 140

Chapter VIII. Philosophy Of Sympathy

Importance of Sympathy ....... 145

Physical Sympathy . . . . . . . . 145

Intellectual Sympathy 146

Emotional Sympathy . . ... . . . 147

Sympathy of Will . . .148

Sympathy, Good and Bad ; . . . . 148

Sympathy in Amusements . 148

Sympathy in Church . -152

Intellectuality 156

Sense Influences 156

Hindrances 156

Chapter IX. Philosophy Of Belief

Belief . . 164

Doubt 168

Disbelief -171

Despondency .171

Despair . . .171

Desperation 172

Belief 174

Credulity . -175

Superstition 173

Expectant Attention 177

Expectancy . . 181

Faith . . 182

Hope 182

Peace 183

Character of Belief . . . . . . r . 184

Varieties of Belief 186

Adaptation of Belief . . . . . . . • . 186

Confession . .188

Faith in Action ... ... . . . 189

Motives of Belief . . . . . . , . . 190

Influence of the Bible 192

Chapter X. Art Of Choosing

Choice.

Circumstantial 201

Imitative 202

Deliberation 205

Decision %HUSO . . . . . . . . 206

Determination 208

Resolution 209

Major and Minor Choices 212

Motives . . 214

Wish -215

Covetousness «2I5

Future . 216

To Please Self . . . . . . . . .218

To Benefit Others . 218

To Please God . . 219

Special Divine Enlightenment . . . . . . 220

INTRODUCTION.

HE patriotic, social, and religious importance of the work attempted by the Christian men and women who distinguish themselves from other laborers in the Master's service by emphasizing Bible teaching in the Sunday-school, makes it certain that they will come into greater prominence as the fruit of their labor appears.

The Bible is the text-book of all ages in morals and religion, and upon its truths rest the justice and mercy of human law ; the stability of government, the permanency of commercial enterprise, the sanctity of the laws, the honor of man, the virtue of woman, the authority of the Sabbath, the precedent for Divine worship, the merit of the sacraments, the comfort of the afflicted, the consolation of the bereaved, the hope, peace, and joy of mankind.

In teaching this book successfully we must know what to do, how to do it, and why. By a variety of means, through type and voice, we have been aided in teaching the individual lessons with a thoroughness that we have no disposition to criticise. But the great underlying principles of mental action upon which success depends have not been emphasized, reliance having been placed upon the how rather than the why, upon the indications of immature experiment and experience rather than upon the philosophy which has commanded the respect of the best intellect of all ages. Hence the demand for popularizing those feaures of psychology upon which ultimate success in Sunday-school teaching must depend. The child is not taught effectively until he thinks, feels, and wills habitually within the lines, under the laws, and from the inspiration which God has given in the Bible and conscience.

If at times we shall seem to criticise existing plans and methods it will not be intentional. The uniformity of Bible study under the International system has been too great a blessing to the world to be lightly esteemed, and the system is too dear to the hearts of the multitude who have profited by it to make it wise or courteous to comment with light and easy grace upon those defects that begin to appear as we reach a higher plane. We may well question whether we should have been qualified' to see the better way but for the light radiated by the International lessons.

Those who indulge in panegyrics on the glorious old days when the Bible was committed to memory by the chapter, and call for a return to those favored methods, ought to know that the effectiveness of the present system is to that of former days as the dawn to the midnight, and if there is to be improvement it must be in advance and not in retreat. The purpose of this work is to present principles by which we should be guided, and indicate methods of application. It is not our aim to defend or antagonize existing systems.

The leaders, official and otherwise, who have furnished the impetus and developed the wisdom by which present attainments have been gained, and the teachers who have, through self-denial and devotion, made present success possible, have earned the respect and won the regard of all friends of humanity to such an extent that we have neither the intention nor the desire to utter one criticism upon their spirit or methods. Let no word of ours be so construed.

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

" Our pleasures and our discontents Are rounds by which we may ascend."

— Longfellow.

" Each mind has its own method." — Emerson.

•'Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." — 2 Pet, 3 : 18.

" Nature never stands still, nor souls neither ; they ever go up or go down." — Julia C. R. Dorr.

" Notwithstanding a faculty be born with us, there are several methods for cultivating and improving it." — Addison.

METHODS AND PRINCIPLES.

Chapter I. Mental Development

MAN with an artistic instinct does not draw a straight line hesitatingly, for that makes it rough and uneven. Neither does he strike it off thoughtlessly at a single stroke, for that would curve or wave it. He makes two limiting points, then runs his eye from one to the other to fix the direction, and with a single movement makes a line as straight as an arrow.

The more perfect one's musical skill, the more careful is he never to sound a note until he has the key and has mentally caught the melody of the chord.

The Sunday-school teacher has entrusted to his care the mental, moral, and spiritual development of immortal beings. The way he attempts to teach indicates his comprehension of the responsibilities involved, and appreciation of the methods and principles to be employed. He should know what he has to deal with, and what he must accomplish. The teacher needs the key note and the chord as much as the musician.

The first thing, therefore, is to consider the principles of mental development. There must be knowledge of the child's mind in its nature and activity. There must be, also, a distinct knowledge of what is to be attained by training the mind through the study of the Scriptures.

There is an important psychological distinction between mental growth and development; the former being gradual increase in amount and improvement in quality of knowledge, while the latter is the elaboration of the materials acquired in growth and increase of facility and power to use knowledge. Secular education has often brought itself into disrepute by giving undue attention to the amount of knowledge attained and retained. The Sunday-school has

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

too generally tended in the same direction. Those who have moulded and controlled the world in mechanics and arts, in commerce and war, in literature and religion, have been those who have become skilful in using knowledge with greatest readiness, wisdom, and force. They have acquired the art of training the mind through every exercise for greater accomplishment with the same exertion, or the same result with less effort.

Christian living requires that the mind develop ability to think, feel, and choose promptly and effectively by applying the truth learned in the practical affairs of life. The aim of the Sunday-school should be to teach the art and philosophy of moulding the thought, feeling, and choice of daily life according to the Divine will as expressed in conscience and Scripture.

The bee stings with painful poison, or delights with honey, according to the application made of nectar taken from the flowers.

Mental development is not necessarily a blessing to the world. It poisons or sweetens according to the use made of the power developed. An Ingersoll poisons the world at a thousand dollars a night, a Moody helps the poor, depressed, conscience-stricken sinner nearer God. Each has studied with care the art of influencing the mind and heart of man.

Mental development is of such a nature that it needs to have character development go hand in hand with it, and there is no line of study or instruction that offers such advantages as the Word of God.

In the unfolding of mind and character through Bible study there are three distinctions that may be clearly made, based on the nature of the human mind, on the changes involved in its unfolding at different periods, on the peculiar adaptations of the various phases of Scripture.

In teaching the Bible there should be an appreciation of three great natural characteristics of children as the mind unfolds, the earliest being memory age, followed by the inquisitive age, which in turn is followed by the analytical age. This classification we make, ignoring the relations of sensation, perception, etc., which apply in secular education as they cannot in Sunday-school work.

I. Individual texts should be early memorized.

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

Great care should be taken in selecting those sentences that are to be made permanent dwellers in the mind. Those should be selected that adapt themselves to every man, to every human experience. They may be single verses or paragraphs, like the twenty-third Psalm, but they need to be practically independent of all other Scripture. They must point their own lesson, unfold their own truth without special knowledge of their associations when uttered. They must be rhythmical, that the thought and life shall vibrate harmoniously with the truth expressed. They must have the secret art of weaving themselves into the memory of the child, so that it shall be easier to retain the words once learned than to forget them.

The foundation of all systematic study of the Bible should be laid in a ready command, accurate and appreciative, of a large number of peculiarly effective texts. It is not enough to have these learned for a day, but they must be repeated until they are recalled unconsciously when needed.

A large part of the earliest years of Bible study should be devoted to memorizing texts and paragraphs. The power of verbal memory is at its height from six to twelve. This is not saying that it may not be cultivated to accomplish greater results later in life by a masterly use of the will, of laws of thought, etc. ; but with the average — we may almost say the universal mind, the years of natural verbal memorizing are under twelve, or, at most, fourteen. With people whose after-life is not professional and scholastic, this is absolutely true.

The rule is that little Scripture will be accurately memorized and retained by those who do not acquire the relish and the habit under twelve or fourteen years of age. Children will memorize the rhythmical Scripture texts with delight as early as three years of age, if the texts are carefully selected. Before they are eight they may easily be taught almost indefinitely, provided they never have too much assigned, and care be taken in the selection.

The child mind is getting ready to study and think, and in this immature state it can feed profitably upon truths that are melodious, truths which stimulate its growth but make no effort to develop it. In the earliest years we have no

MENTAL D E VEL PATENT.

moral right to develop the mind in the strict sense. We may feed it, we may direct its growth. It is difficult to state periods of change in years, but to those who will make due allowance for variation in children it may be safe to say that eight years is about as early as we can wisely do much by way of developing the powers of the mind. If we try to make them think, we attain no end, and merely destroy their relish for thought when the years come in which they should enjoy it.

The strawberry is the first fruit of the season. It is peculiarly delicious in taste. Its crisp, luscious freshness makes it a universal favorite. But it must be the first fruit to command its accustomed admiration. The late strawberry is doomed to disappointment. It finds the taste of the .world otherwise occupied. So Scripture texts, the freshest, fairest, sweetest truth upon which the child mind can feed, if well chosen, in early years, are never the same in their relish afterwards. It is a matter of profound regret that the Revision Committee forgot the children when they took the verses out of the Bible, when they robbed it of its rhythm.

METHODS AND PRINCIPLES.

If the texts are learned, they will germinate their thought under proper leadership as soon as the mind has maturity to appreciate it. When the mind is prepared to think clearly, keenly, it is annoyed by the drudgery of memorizing. A person who sings by rote until he is sixteen will find it difficult to sing by note after that.

Very soon we may teach enough about the truth of the text to make it clearly appreciated. There are many advantages in having a text beautifully clothed. There is a disadvantage if we content ourselves with verbal memory. The rhythm results from a slightly figurative cast of the language. The very beauty of expression which makes it so easily remembered causes the meaning to escape unnoticed.

After verses are memorized, special attention should be given to making the meaning in its simplicity understood.

When there is a self-evident application to the truth, when it readily illustrates itself by a little direction, time and thought should be given to making the application. A truth is of little avail that is not applied, that is not at

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

command and usable when needed. Every truth needs to be harnessed to real life, and the teacher must see to it that the child knows how to do it.

The life is to be fashioned by the truth learned in earliest years. In other words, the child is to learn how to adapt his life to the truth. By the age of ten or twelve it would seem reasonably easy to teach the important, standard, rhythmical verses, the truth they contain, illustrating and adapting them.

The mind in those years is getting its powers in readiness to think and reason. It is preparing itself and accumulating materials.

As the worm gives silk — the richest material for dress goods — to the world while he is getting ready to put forth his wings of beauty, so the mind, under proper training, may give to the entire character of a lifetime its richest vestments while it is getting ready to think and reason.

Ruskin tells us in one of his works that his knowledge of the Bible was largely confined to chapters that his mother had him memorize in boyhood. Upon these well-remembered passages of Scripture he has written and lectured much all these years. They are as follows : — Ex. 15, 20; 2 Sam. 1, from 7th verse ; 1 Kings, 8; Ps. 23, 32, 90, 91, 103, 112, 119, 139; Prov. 2, 3, 8, 12; Is. 58; Matt. .5, 6, 7; Acts, 26; 1 Cor. 13, 15 ; James, 4 ; Rev. 5, 6.

II. Teach the circumstances and associations of the truth as originally given. While many texts are clear without their setting, there are others that are literally meaningless until we know the customs of the times, the habits of the people. Teaching the geography or history as such is often ridiculed, but if these and other associative information are sought for the sake of making clear and vivid the truth of God, they are indispensable. In selecting texts to be memorized in early life, none should be chosen that need such explanation. The texts whose power is dependent upon an appreciative understanding of the time, manner, and circumstances of the utterance should come in gradually from eight to fifteen.

The associative aids of texts and truths are adapted to the inquisitive period of childhood, •when the mind craves all possible explanatory

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

2 9 and illustrative assistance. Special delight in biography, geography, and other incidentals of truth, begins gradually at about eight, and reaches its height at about fifteen, and then begins to wane. This period is nearly identical with the inquisitive years. The child under seven rarely asks questions inquisitively, except as they are suggested by some special need or striking circumstance. From twelve to fourteen the child will ask questions by the day, and that without anything, apparently, to suggest them. Much of the time he does not really care whether they are answered or not. He will skip from one thing to another with absolute revelry of delight in the mere privilege of asking questions. There are different degrees of this activity in different children, but the general fact abides that the inquisitive period begins gradually at about seven or eight, and ends at about fifteen.

During these years he should receive all the information possible. As we store his mind with texts in the early years, shading off our enthusiasm in them as he advances to the age of twelve, so we should begin to enlighten him regarding all the facts, incidents, customs, habits, etc., of the Bible at an average age of eight, and increase our attention to this matter up to fifteen.

The cyclamen, a rare little blossom, when it opens, rolls its petals back, curling them by the stem so as to bring the heart of the flower forward to the light. Thus the child, in the inquisitive years, seems chiefly desirous of having his mind get all the light upon truth that it can, and allows no pride or sensitiveness to prevent him from uncovering the truth to the light of every fact that be shed upon it. This is the time to teach everything that can aid the pupil to understand the Scripture.

III. Group the truths of the Bible with reference to human need. Group all the texts, incidents, historical facts, parables, etc., that bear upon the given subject. Without this systematic work we have not accomplished our mission. Above the age of fifteen, on the average, the mind makes new demands. It now seeks opportunities to use what it has acquired. The same spirit that gives uneasiness and the wish to leave school and get into business leads

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

the youth to desire opportunity for original, independent, mental activity. He is no longer content with verbal memorizing, no longer desires to ask questions. The lad that at twelve asked questions indefinitely, even about things of which he did not care to know, will not, at eighteen, ask for information that he is really desirous of obtaining. He seems mortified that he does not know, and looks upon it as an exhibition of ignorance.

Teachers of young people from fourteen to twenty complain because they will not ask questions. It is not natural. It is not the inquisitive age. But, if properly handled, they will do more valuable work, will think for themselves with relish ; but they must be started right. Their minds are naturally interested in classification, in analytical, logical considerations.

There is a tendency in youth to retire from the fireside, to be reticent with parents, and to drop out of Sunday-school. If their interest in home or church is to be retained, there must be a change in the method and manner. Even the affectionate, motherly way that was so caressingly tender and so warmly appreciated at twelve is sometimes repelled at seventeen. Parental authority has to be asserted judiciously or there is rebellion. Wise parents find ways by which to retain the affection, companionship, and control of their children through these years. Some teachers have an intuitive art by which they hold the interest and attention of the boys through these years, but more do not have the tact or secure the results. We must not be content until we retain most of the youth, and develop them into keen, devout, loyal students, and associates of Christian people.

There is no branch of study that will interest so many youth so thoroughly as the Bible, when it is analytically studied. Let pupils do their own searching, with such suggestions as the teacher may think wise to make. It will be slow work at first, but it pays in the familiarity it gives with the Bible, and the power attained to estimate the meaning of truth.

This practice will fix the texts in the mind more firmly, will give them new meaning, will impart intensity to their authority by emphasizing their utility.

This grouping may be made to take the place of doctrines, which are so loudly and indefinitely called for in some quarters. There are many biographical names about which texts may be grouped to advantage. Any name specially identified with the development of truth offers such advantages. For illustration, group the texts that relate to Abraham, throwing light upon his life and mission. Better than any amount of theory or abstract comment on the indorsement the New Testament gives the Old is the experience young people get in learning all they can of a patriarch like Abraham, finding references to him in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, James, and Peter.

There is no better temperance lesson possible than to have the pupils search out for themselves all the texts that command sobriety, that emphasize the evils of drunkenness, that present a penalty for drunkenness, etc.

The Commandments gain immeasurably by the grouping about each such other Scripture as explains or emphasizes it. The Beatitudes in the same way gain greatly by grouping around each, texts that enlarge upon it.

For a general outline of grouping texts, historical incidents, parables, etc., there are advantages in taking them in this order, those relating to man, to Christ, to the Holy Spirit, to God.

Each of these would naturally be subdivided. It would follow the theological line better to reverse the order and group the texts that relate to God first, but our aim is to get results. The logic of results is to touch the pupil where his thought will count for most. The youthful mind will respond most readily to interests nearest at hand, most personal. The Word of God everywhere teaches of the Lord. Every text, coming as the authority of God, reveals somewhat his character. Beginning with God, our reasoning is inevitably abstract, and as the purpose of the Sunday-school is not to teach theology, but God's Word, we shall do that most effectively from the concrete side.

There are those who seem to have conscientious scruples against adapting even the thought or speech to youth, preferring to adapt youth to the standard of mature methods.

Fragrant flowers are always notional, and will never thrive except as the cultivation is adapted to them. Theoretically, plants need the sun, a warm climate, much moisture, and rich soil. Multitudes of plants will only grow away from the sun, others demand a cold climate, a dry soil, or sand. He who would raise plants on an abstract theory of the adaptability of sun, soil, climate, and heat, would find himself killing off most of the beauty he would possess.

It is a surprising fact that scarcely one fragrant plant meets the ideal requirements. Weeds are not notional ; they always respond when abstract theories are applied. But weeds are never fragrant, — in the accepted sense. If we would develop youth in the love and power of the truth and its personal Author, we must adapt ourselves to the age, experiences, and necessities of those whom we would develop. The world is filled with weeds by means of the best endeavors ill-adapted to the end in view.