RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 20510, 14 June 1930, Page 23

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

[By Fohwaud.}

PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. Tlio monthly meeting of the union was held in Reed’s Buildings on Monday evening, when Dr E. R. Merrington gave an address on ‘ The Use of illustrations in Teaching.' He spoke of hte many advances that had been made in S.S. work as a result of study of child life and psychology and of educational methods. Advances had been made along the lines of building equipment, grading, grouping, methods of teaching, and the preparation of lesson helps. While nil these were valuable and most necessary, teachers should not allow them to take the place of personal consecration and vital contact with their pupils. He went on to say that no teacher could afford to lose any opportunity of acquiring skill in the art of illustration. Tho work of highest art is (1) to master technique; (2) to “conceal art ’’ so that the method is not apparent, and (3) to rise above art by expressing itself in life. In this sense illustrating is an art. “Illustrate 1 ’ means to throw light upon and to bring light into. Illustrations have been described as the windows of the lesson, letting in the light. Windows must be placed in accordance with the requirements of tho building; too few make a prison, too many a Crystal Palace. The teacher must take caro that the windows are 'subsidiary to the building—that is, that the illustrations are not so few as to cause the lesson to be dull and unilluminated, nor so many as to draw attention away from the real lesson. The grading system allows a just proportion, as illustrations may be adapted to the various ages and giouns. Thte value of illustrations lies in the fact that they hold the attention and arouse interest, and then pass that interest on to the subject in view. Ulustrations that do not do this fail in their purpose. A too elaborate story will leave the listeners thinking of something else. Illustrations must illumine tho subject. They also develop imagination in both teacher and pupil. They express individuality, for each child responds in his own way. They drive home tho application in an interesting manner without the addition of a, moral.. They also tend to develop character. Illustrations may be (1) material visible tangible objects brought to class, blackboard illustrations, pictures, sand tray work, missionary objects, etc.—there is scope hero for tho older boys and girls to express themselves in the making of suitable models; (2) verbal stories, etc. These latter must be good and suitable and well told. The magic of “ once upon a time ’ is well known. Every teacher should study the art of story telling. The illustrations chosen should be those that are most natural, most appropriate, and most vivid. One’s own personal experience an 1 , everyday happenings should be drawn upon. Stones must be appropriate to the age and circumstances of tho children. The speaker dealt briefly with the story interests of the various ages. Vividness depends on the age and experience of the children and the power of the teacher in telli nga story. Stones may bo idealistic or realistic. In closing, tho speaker urged teachers to make a study of the great ible stories, and above all of the parables of Jesus, the Master story teller, for they ha/ve never been surpassed as models. The tact that Dr Merrington had himself mastered the art of illustration was fully demonstrated in his address, winch sparkled with huomur and concrete examples of each point. . . , The address was listened to with keen interest and enjoyment, and a, hearty vote of thanks was accoideu Dr Merrington.

CRADLE ROLL SERVICE. On Sunday, June 1, a baptismal Sservice was held in the Young Womens Bible Class room, North-east Valley Presbyterian Church. The Rev. George Miller conducted the service, and associated with him were tho superintendent of the cradle foil department and members of the Home Committee. The Bible class room was made very attractive with floral decorations and pictures of the babe Jesus in the manger, of fathers, mothers, and children of other lands, of happy homes, while suitable posters adorned tho walls. The hymn ‘ When Mothers of Salem, played very softly, was the call to worship, and the service followed with Scripture reading, tho singing of the hymn ‘ For the Beauty of the Earth, and prayer. Miss Dora Allen then gave a short talk on ‘Home and .the Importance of Homo to the Little Child.’ We were told how Christ came and lived His life as a babe to show men how they might live. The task of the church was to grow Chnstlike characters. It was through these Christlike lives that the world was to be brought back to God, and it was only as the church influenced the homes that that could bo brought about. The speaker pointed out that the most impressionable years of a child s life were spent in the home. There he was being almost entirely developed by its influences. Ho was in constant touch with his parents and absorbing from his surroundings. _ Impressions that were indelible were being made on his sensitive soul. Religion was life at the truest and best. It was not a set of facts, but a way of living and religious interests and emotions should develop as part of the child s life from the beginning. Until the child was three years old he could not grasp much of tho thought of God. He could not understand, but ho felt.. He could not understand love, but ho felt it. That was why environment meant so much to tho little child. Then when in tho Sunday school the learned to tak> part in the services and to know that things all around him were from God. , , . Just as tho gardener prepared his soil before his little plant had begun to grow, so should the parents of the little child see to it from tho first that Christ should make tho atmosphere of their home. Miss Allen quoted tho beautiful verse ‘ A Child’s Thought of Horae ’: — I read of many mansions Within tho house divine, But need not go to find them. For one of them is mine. And when I say “ Our Father ” It seems so far away; To think of Heaven up yonder, I think of home, and pray. It was because of the importance of tho homo to tho child that we had tho cradle roll department. We were told that it was not merely a roll with the names of children belonging to the church, but that it existed for the com-

munity. The superintendent sought out those who had no church connection. It was an open door into the home, coming right into contact with parents and winning their confidence by the interest in baby. Every year the cradle roll secretary sent a birthday card to each child until ho was four years old, when he received an invitation to the Sunday school. The cradle roll was not only part of the Sunday school, but belonged to the whole church. After this interesting talk two little children wore brought forward by their parents to be baptised. The blessing was sung and the hymn ‘ 0 Happy Home.’ Then representatives of tho junior, intermediate, and senior Bible classes pasted tho name of four little children on the cradle roll, presented these with their certificates and each mother with flowers. The solo • Tho Master is Come Over Jordan ’ was rendered by a junior member. After the close of the service the Bible class leaders met the parents of tho new cradle roll members, and it was felt that a stronger link liad been formed between those two departments. An interesting ceremony took place in tho primary department of tho Northeast Valley Presbyterian Sunday School, when a new piano, the purchase or which was made possible by donations from friends of the school, was dedicated to the uso for which it had been obtained. The service commenced with tho repetition of part of the 100th Psalm, after which tho children sang their opening praise verse: “ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.’’ Tho minister, Rev. George Miller, then took charge of the service, and the piano was dedicated in prayer, after which the children sang a hymn of thanksgiving. Mrs Miller then turned the key and opened the piano, and declared it opened for the purpose of the worship of God in that department. Mr R. K. Macfie, the ' church organist, then played a solo, and the rest of the service proceeded as on ordinary Sundays.