RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20870, 9 November 1929, Page 5

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

By AiiPUUS. A CBEED. Let me' be a little kinder. Let me be a little blinder To the faults of those about me! Let mo praise a little more. Let me be, when 1 am weary. Just a little bit more cheery; Let me serve a little better Those that I am striving for. Let me be a little braver When temptation bids me waver. Lot me strive a little harder To be all that I “should be. Lot me be a little meeker AVith the brother that is weaker. Let me think more of my neighbour, And a little less of me. THE MEANING OF- CHRISTMAS. It is not too early for church school workers and superintendents to begin to plan for the celebration of Christmas in their schools, one very effective way of being a “carol and gift service.” One school has tried this for a great number'of years, and has found it one of the most delightful and successful pieces of work they do in the year. "It has meant to both parents and children alike the deepening of the real meaning of Christmas, with its joy of helping to bring brightness and cheer to those less fortunate than themselves. What one school can do others can do, and if the Sunday school unions took this matter up, so that every school would participate, a very fine example of Christian giving would result, and many homes cheered by this practical proof of the Churches’ interest in them. The following is the plan adopted:— On a Sunday cbnveniently near to Christmas, all of the departments unite, together with parents and friends, to sing glad songs to Christ and, like the wise men of old, to bring Him their gifts. 1 Admission ” is by flowers, a potato, or an egg. Favourite Christmas hymns and carols are sung by all. There is an appropriate special item by each department, and a carol is sung by the school staff. At a suitable time, mysterious packages are lifted from under the stage, and the children pass out to the front of the.room in procession, placing their gifts of money, groceries, toy<, etc., oh’ the table as they pass back to their places.They minister dedicates the. gifts bv prayer and gives an appropriate talk. During the afternoon many bunches of flowers ■ have been made up, with tests and address tags attached. The names an 4 addressses of the sick and aged are called, and volunteers offer to deliver the flowers on their way home. After the service, the gifts are made up inte parcels for needy homes, orphanages, hospitals, etc., and a volunteer “Father Christmas” takes them round in his motor car. Careful preparation is, of course, needed for a service of this kind, but it is well worth it, and it cap be carried out successfully by any school, large or small. Try- it this Christmas, TRINITY METHODIST ANNI- . VERSARY. , On the last Sunday in September a very successful, anniversary was held by Trinity Sunday School. The weather wag beaua"d f , th erc were Very fine attendances at the three services. The' church was ,. decorated with lycopodium -and a profusion; of spring- flowers. The-Rev A, Mead gave a very interesting children’s tn d t- r hp S ,,cn -r e .aud/in addition to the ...usual special singing,-memory passages were recited by the juniors. In the afternoon primary department and baptismal services were-held, .with a nriraary department story. The Rev. AC. La wry was, in charge of -.the “remainder-of ■ Hi® vD r ” ce, TT an w 8a^ e .,? aplendid ' address Rev, H,. J 3. Belihouse . conducted a young-people s servicei.at night, and there were Scripture., passages, and • hymns by intermediate and Bible class members. Un Wednesday evening a departure was made, from the, .usual programme. The scholars’ tea was-held-first, but. .instead of the msual short service - and present ation of prices, ■a >. scholars’ concert • was given, cveryiQlasa being responsible for an y.® l } l !:' The -presentation of prizes and diplomas took place,, and the annual‘report was road. The evening was a great success, and the schoolroom was packed. An event 'of special- importance doubtless .also. helped to attract the audience, in the honouring of the' ex-superintendent aM his wife, Mr and Mrs A. ,H. Reed, who have now joined, 'the Mornington Church. They!-were presented with the first life membership certificate, ever' given by the school, and a, travelling rug and' afternoon tea set from the’teachers and scholars, while the' girls in Mrs Reed’s class presented her'with a bouquet. Mr Reed replied oh behalf of Mrs Reed and himself,, and the heartiest appreciation of their longhand faithful services was-en-thusiastically. given: expression to by the friends assembled.- ....

PROJECT LESSONS. .A method,of teaching-which might be used with-great success in the intermediate department is the project method. An example. of how this method has been worked-put has been given ,by Nellie C. iv. Wadhams in her book entitled “Project Lessons oh the Gospel of Mark" The coursei.of lessons being studred in Sunday ochool by a class of 12-year-old pupils was from the Gospel of Mark. In order to gam a more thorough understanding of the lessons, and to enrich the course in depth and background by using the methods and materials of the public school, these scholars undertook in a weekday meeting to learn more about “ What difference did Jesus Christ make in the world. Accustomed to methods’of socialised recitation in their day school they brought these methods to bear upon the problem; A glance through the book reveals how thoroughly the work was done, -the method enlisted the interests and cooperation of the scholars in an - intellectual project, rather than in one primarily manual. It afforded to’handwork and dramatisation their proper place as subr sidiary methods in the completion of the project. It stimulated discussion among th'ff pupils, and afforded, them opportunities to .make choices.. It also directed ‘h®. RupJs to the sources of information. ■ The author gives suggestions for the carrying out of such a project,, discussing, leadership,, size of the class,' the time given to worship, discussion, and handwork, necessary equipment, books of reference, methods and materials of handwork, and results to be- looked for. She then goes on. to describe hei" own experience The aim of the course, is stated to be: fo lead the pupils to form the habit of helpfulness to others, through the motive of love for Jesus and Imaltv to the cause for which He gave His life A glance at the Gospel of St. .'Mark will ? ~1 V i 1 0"” suitable, this aim was, for it is tuil of stones of Jesiis the Helper. Each day began with a worship period, and this was followed by the lesson study an ’d handwork. In the lesson’ period, the teacher, by means of leading questions Jed the pupils to formulate the problems to be discussed, showed them how to attack these problems, and where to find nooks of reference, and encouraged them to bring magazines, pictures, etc., which would throw light on the subject. During the first introductory lesson the plan of atta™ was analysed into three, points: 'Vnat were the manners aiid customs when j esuS began His work? (2J What did Jesus say and- do that He thought about them? C 3) How did people who believed in Jesus change tlreir manners and customs? From these standpoints the scholars discussed Jewish homes; the Jews, a subject people- • Jewish occupations, artisans, merchants nshermen. farmers, herdsmen, and shepherds, doctors; mourning and funeral customs: amusements of the Roman world; the food and clothing of the Jews of Jesus day; the religious and ceremonies: the position of women; the synagogue and schools; the expected Messiah: the children of Jesus’ day; the wealth of the Roman Empire; the Temple and its ritual; slaves and criminals in the Roman-,Empire; the holidays of the ancient Jews; the relationship between Roman and Jewish officials. Certain questions were planned for discussion on the following day. and the children visited libraries, and collected information and pictures during the week, bringing together their information on the next week-day meeting. The results of their discussion are very fully given in the book. ’ After the discussion period the children set to work to work out in handwork tiro ideas that had been gained and built up a model of a Jewish citv’ while individual occupations illustrated’ various phases of the study, aud notebooks were kept to record the information illustrated by pictures. A vast, amount of interesting information wit thus

stored up. After the lessons enumerated above had been taken, a series of studies on now the children themselves could be loyal helpers was taken up, and the children were given an interest in Christian enterprises at home and abroad, such as Hospitals, orphanages, home and foreign missions, leading up to th-e thought that they were all members of one large family. Uunng these sessions they made gifts for use in all these enterprises. The resuits o£ their study were demonstrated to their Parents and friends in the dosing exhibition, when the gifts were shown, ami the children presented a play entitled The Magic Word, ’ composed by themselves, and embodying all that had been learned. The book shows what a great deal might be done by through-the-week activities in the training of our boys and girls, and gives a very full description of the way to do it. The book makes interesting reading and gives valuable information.. “ Project Lessons on the Gospel of Mark ” is published by the Century Company, New York and London. •