RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 23729, 9 November 1940, Page 4

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

[By Forward.]

HOW TO TELL BIBLE STORIES. What is tho secret of success in telling Bible stories ? Those who have achieved success in the tolling of secular stories can answer that question, for in both types success springs from the same source. He who would tell a story must have cared for it deeply and appreciated it fully, for only then is it possible to pass on to others the delight and joy that have been felt by the toller.

The truth of .this was unconsciously realised by the small boy who, when asked by his mother if he had had a nice Scripture story at school that morning, replied; “ No, you couldn’t call it a story; it was nothing but interruptions.” Ho was right. A narrative that is broken in order to call children to attention or to ask them questions is ’no story. Time given to questioning is time well spent if the purpose is to find out how many facts are known, but the repetition of facts will never make a story. In all stories imagination has to bo brought into action; in those taken from tho Bible there is something of oven greater importance to be considered, and that is the realisation of tho underlying truth to be found in every story. The discovery of this truth is the teller’s first, task, and when ho has passed it on to his hearers he will have begun to develop and strengthen the God-con-soiousness that is part of the heritage of children. There are many ways in which he can tell when this has begun, for when ho looks at the expressions on tho faces of the children and overhears such asides as “A Jesus story to-day? Oh, good! Good!” or “I do love Jesus, don’t you. John ?” he knows that ho has awakened something deeper in the hearts of the children than ordinary interest in a narrative. ■Although the teller may hope to make others see and feel all that he has seen and felt, he will fail to do so unless time has been given to the preparation of the story. To some this means merely learning it. by heart, and the result is a mechanical repetition of the words that have been memorised. Such stories carry no conviction. It is only after the Bible narrative has been very carefully studied, with its context, that it can become living and vital; for with such study comes a deepening of the spiritual truth the story holds. To ensure that the.eveuts may be remembered in their right order, it is a wise plan to analyse each story. If the teller is inexperienced in his work it will he found helpful to enter the sequence of events in a story notebook, to bo kept not only for present use but also for future reference. As soon as the work of elaborating the story begins, the need for keeping tho right atmosphere and for providing the right background is realised. The teller should make himself conversant with the historical and geographical background, and also with the mode of life of the Jewish people, their manners, customs, and religious festivals. In this work, ‘ A Life of Jesus,’ by Basil Mathews, will bo found an extremely helpful book. Having used this and every available source of information, the teller will now have something with which to clothe tho bare outline of the story. In his imagination he secs a vivid series of word pictures. These he wants to pass on to ms hearers, and as he docs so the various characters become more Irving, their actions and motives arc better understood, and the different scenes are more clearly pictured.

Take as an example the story of the woman witli Die bent back (Luke xiii., 11-17). The following suggestions indicate the line along which this story could be worked ouc for the children:—Describe first of all the woman’s home, probably a oue-roomed, flat-roofed house; her daily work; the pain and difficulty with which she would', accomplish the ordinary household tasks, such as fetching water from the well and grinding the corn for bread. Picture her making preparations for the Sabbath; the Sabbath Day; her slow journey to' the synagogue; . describe what she saw i wlierr ■ she reached the synagogue. Give "some idea of what the message was which Jesus had to deliver that day and, the connection between this and the healing of the woman and the anger of the ruler of the synagogue. From that build up a word picture not only of the woman’s gratitude and joy, but also of the people’s happiness, as they caught from the teaching of Jesus and His act of mercy a faint glimpse of the new conception of the Fatherhood of God that Ho was striving to make them understand. No matter how well the story material ha.d been prepared, the teller may fail to reach his audience if he is self-conscious or worried by the fear that some port of the story may suddenly be forgotten. There is no better remedy for getting rid of fear and self-consciousness than that of repeating the story aloud in private as often as possible. Such practising will put confidence in the place of self-consciousness and the power of visualising' each scene instead of the fear of forgetting it. The power to attract the attention of an audience will depend ,very largely on the way the story is begun. If the opening scenes are arresting, attention will be held at once, and there will be eagerness to hear more. This .attention is kept when the story is told in a natural manner. Anything in attitude, movement, or gesture that is likely to prove distracting must be avoided. Sometimes, however, when a story is being told to little children a simple gesture, such as the movement of the hands to suggest the rise and fall of a boat on the sea, can be used very effectively, and the enjoyment of the story is shown by the readiness with which such gestures are imitated bv Hie little ones.

Because little or no gesture will be used, it does not that the stones are not to be told dramatically. All that the teller feels will be put into hh voice. Tt should show every variety of feeling—ioy, hone, hanpiness sorrow. It will give colour, light, aud shade to the storv. Its effeetivenoss will bo seen when a ehanve in the voice makes it possible for Ihe listeners lo toll which diameter is speaking or when it makes some incident particularly vivid. Having begun the story in an arresting wav, having used his voice in the most effective manner, the teller should bring his stow to a dramatic conclusion; _ making a slight pause ilist as the climax is readied. What effect his work has had on his audience he may never know. That must be left in God’s keeping, but he might feel the same thrill that once was experienced by one who at the end of a Scripture story was solemnly handed a much-treasured pennv by a small hoy—“ for the good story you have just told us.”—Margaret M'Crae, in ‘ Religion in Education.’