Part 6

If on the subject of falsehood, we would impress our pupils with the fact that the degree does not affect criminality. An apt illustration will be found in "Eve and the forbidden fruit."

The Bible is full of perfect examples, if rightly selected. "Old Humphrey," the English writer for children, abounded in pertinent illustrations. I copy one: "Think not that because you look like other teachers or scholars, and undertake the same duties, that no difference is seen by those around you. You may look alike and be altogether different."

Illustration 1. "I came to two frozen ponds, so much alike in size and form that at the first view one might have been regarded as the counterpart of the other. This was, however, very far from being the case; for, after making a hole in the ice, I found one to be only a few inches deep, while with my stick I could not reach the bottom of the other."

2. "I picked up two walnuts as they lay among the dry leaves, under the tree on which they had grown; both were large, and I thought that each would be good; but, no! one was altogether hollow, while the other contained a capital kernel."

3. "I bought two apples at a fruit-stand--ruddy and ripe; I do not believe the man who sold them to me could have pointed out any difference between them; and yet, for all this, when I came to turn them around and examine them, I found one of them to be firm and sound, and the other rotten to the very core."

"As it was with the ponds, the walnuts, and the apples, so it may be with you. Some are shallow, while others have depth of understanding; some have depth of understanding, while others are shallow; some are full of knowledge, while others are empty; and some are firm and to be relied upon, while others are unsound at their hearts."

These are short and very simple, but excellent and to the point.

The Bible is full of perfect examples of illustrative teaching. The parables are mostly of this order. The parable of the sower, with the field and husbandman before him, as is probable, is a striking example of illustrative teaching. In the gospels, how constantly our Saviour began His parables with, "The kingdom of heaven is _likened_ unto," or is "_like_," etc. Said an old divine to a young preacher: "I see you do not follow Christ's example in your preaching; for you have no '_likes_' in your sermons." Do we _liken_ Bible truth to something with which our scholars are familiar, and thus help them to understand it?

Illustrations abound all around us. Some years ago there was published a work entitled "Spiritual Honey from Natural Hives." I do not know but it is now out of print; but it contained no less than 258 illustrations of various passages of Scripture--all drawn from the honey-bee, and most of them were valuable. For example: "Mercy comes naturally from God, like honey from the bee; but justice, like the sting, only when she is provoked." "If nature teaches the bee not only to gather honey out of sweet flowers, but out of bitter, shall not grace teach us to draw, even out of the bitterest condition, something to better our souls?" "Many hate not sin, nor fly from it, because it is _sin_; but as children do bees; not because they are bees, but because they have a _sting_. So do these persons flee from sin; not because it is _sinful_, but because it is _hurtful_."

The following convey important lessons to Bible-students: "If you do but take and pierce God's word, and do but stay upon it, as the bee doth on the flower, and _will not off_ till you have got something out of it; if you still be digging in this mine, this will make you rich in knowledge; and if you be rich in knowledge, it will make you rich in grace." Finally: "Some use flowers only for the beauty or the smell; the physicians, for health; the bees, for honey; so do wise and prudent persons apply their studies for the enriching and feeding of their minds."

The late eloquent Rev. Dr. Payson was accustomed to illustrate under the form of apt _suppositions_. For instance, said he: "Suppose you wished to separate a quantity of brass and steel filings mixed together in one vessel; how would you effect this separation? Apply a loadstone, and immediately every particle of iron will attach itself to it, while the brass filings remain behind. Thus, if we see a company of true and false professors of religion, we may not be able to distinguish them; but let Christ come among them, and all His sincere followers will be attracted towards Him, as the steel is drawn to the magnet, while those who have none of His spirit will remain at a distance." Again: On a visit to a weeping mother, who refused to be comforted for the loss of a beloved child: "Suppose, now," said he, "some one was making a beautiful crown for you to wear, and that you knew it was for you, and that you were to receive it and wear it as soon as it should be done; now, if the maker of it were to come, and in order to make the crown more beautiful and splendid, were to take some of your jewels to put into it, should you be sorrowful and unhappy because they were taken away for a little while, when you knew they were going to make up your crown? He can take better care of them than you could." The mother smiled through her tears at the thought that her jewel was taken from her but for a season, and said, in meek submission: "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

The question here arises, From whence shall Sunday-school teachers gather illustrations for use? I reply, generally, everywhere, and from everything; but to particularize: 1. From the home-surroundings, circumstances, and home-life of the pupils. 2. Facts and incidents that are constantly occurring around us. "_Facts_ are the arguments of God," said Rev. Dr. Chalmers. 3. History, biography, and geography--sacred and profane. 4. Agriculture, horticulture, and botany. 5. Proverbs, maxims, wise sayings, and poetry. 6. Emblems, similes, metaphors, etc. 7. Science and art; manners and customs.

I need not extend this list, for these will readily suggest many others to the teacher.

XII.

PICTORIAL TEACHING.

Pictorial teaching is only a slightly different form of Bible illustration, and, therefore, will appropriately follow the previous subject.

It presents, first, pictures and maps to the pupils for examination, in order that they may get a clearer view of truth. It consists, secondly, more particularly in picturing out in words, or in vivid, graphic description, so that the truth will appear real to the imagination of the child. It awakens interest and deepens impression, and all good teachers avail themselves, more or less, of its power.

"But," says a quiet teacher, "all this must be graphically done." I reply: "Of course it must;" and the answer returns: "Well, I can't use it, then, for I am not graphic." I will give all such teachers a recipe that will render them always graphic with children. If they would dwell clearly and plainly on all the little details in their descriptions to children, they will always be graphic. The imaginations of scholars of ten or twelve years of age are so vivid that much of the teacher's power over them, to interest and impress truth, will depend largely upon this power of "word-picturing." Words containing objects largely should be most used, instead of a mass of sentiments and principles. Let the objective words preponderate.

The following statement embraces about a dozen words in _principles_:

"It was David's _duty_ to _know_ the _will_ of God, and as he had great _faith_ in the divine _power_, he went forth without _reluctance_ to meet the _foe_, and the _result_ was the death of Goliath."

Let us now transpose the sentence into _objects_ mainly, and it will not be difficult to see which will make the clearest and best impression upon children's minds:

"Young David _stood_ in the _valley_ and slung a _stone_ into the _forehead_ of the _giant_, Goliath, and he _fell_ dead upon the ground."

Abbott gives many illustrations. He says:

"You tell a man, 'He went down to the shore, and got into a boat and pushed off.' You would interest a child more if you say, 'He went down to the shore and found a boat there. One end of the boat--the front part, which they call the bow--was up against the shore, a little in the sand. The other end was out of the water, and moved up and down gently with the waves. There were seats across the boat, and two oars tying upon the seats. The man stepped upon the bow of the boat; it was fast in the mud.' And so on, describing the water under one end, and sand under the other; the one end rocking and rattling the oars, and the man walking back and pushing the boat off," etc.

Be exceedingly minute, therefore, with little children. In all the details which you describe take very short steps, and take each one distinctly. The Bible narratives are wonderfully adapted to good pictorial teaching. Bible emblems, which so abound, must be carefully pictured out; as, "The Lord God is a sun and shield," a "rock," and "refuge." "As the hart panteth," etc. Detail it so as to make the scene as real as possible to the child, and enable him to see the hart, the mountain, the water brooks, etc. Suppose you were on the lesson of the apprehension and trial of Christ:

"Children, see that crowd of people wending their way through the streets of Jerusalem! Some of them carry torches or lanterns in their hands; others have staves or swords. See, in the midst of them there walks one who looks very kind, but very sorrowful. Who is it? It is Jesus. The multitude, led on by the cruel priests, have just been to the garden of Gethsemane and hurried him away from His disciples; and now they are going to take Him before their rulers, that they may have Him put to death. Then describe the High Priest, Pilate, and Herod; the judgment hall, the drops of blood, the soldiers, and crown of thorns; the cross, the angry cries of, 'Crucify Him!'"

All this must be done with care and exactness, and before adopting it the teacher must make himself _very familiar_ with every part, so as never to hesitate or labor in it; and then afterward call it all back by questions, in the children's own language.

Again: Suppose you wished to make a lasting impression on a child while developing a single important thought; as, for instance, the omniscience of God. Talk candidly to the child somewhat as follows:

"Mary, do you know that God knows all things? He saw Adam and Eve when they hid themselves in the trees of the garden. He saw Moses when he lay in his little ark by the side of the river. He saw Timothy when his mother taught him to read the Bible. He sees every person in the world just now. You know in Africa there are a great many millions of men and women. They are black. They are called negroes. God sees them all, and he sees the missionaries who are there teaching them God's word; and at the very some moment he sees all the people of this country, and every person in this town. He sees you, Mary. He saw you when you were a little babe in your cradle; he sees you at all your plays, and in the school; he knows what you say, and what you think; he sees every tear that falls from your eye, and every smile that plays on your cheek; he hears you sing his praises; and when you pray, Mary, God listens to everything that you ask; and when you lie down, and the room is dark and still, and there is nothing moving but your pulse, and nothing heard but your breathing, then God sees you, for the darkness and the light are both alike to Him."

Thus dwell _amply_ on a thought until you associate it in the child's mind with many circumstances. For Bible-classes, of course, a teacher would not descend to all the details of some of these examples, yet in every age and class be graphic and life-like in word-picturing. The parables of the prodigal son, and of the good Samaritan, are divinely beautiful examples of pictorial teaching, for when our Saviour wanted to impress love to our neighbor he _pictured_ out for us the beautiful story of the good Samaritan.

The following example is from "David Stow's Bible-training," published in Edinburgh, and is the "Training System" pictured out in words:

_Example._

"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Ps. xlii. 1. The more common way that the pious teacher or parent takes, is to pass over the emblem, and at once proceed with the spiritual lesson--_thus beginning at the end_--without any natural picture having been presented to the mind's eye of the pupils, by which they maybe assisted to the analogy--_as_ and _so_, as the Natural, so the Spiritual--which is so uniformly done by the Spirit of God in Scripture.

_Points in the Natural Picture to be brought out._

1. Some points in the natural history of the hart--different names given to the animal--swiftness of foot--where generally lives. 2. Frequently hunted. 3. Where to flee to in a mountainous country, as Judea, when pursued--hills or valleys. 4. Heat, drought, dust--effect on the animal, particularly after running--thirst. 5. Running about seeking for water--increasing--not merely a drink, but a brook, where it may plunge in as well as drink. 6. Why, then, a brook, and not stream?--picture out a brook. 7. Brooks more likely to be found in plains--but animal pursued there. 8. The hart, heated and thirsty, therefore _pants_--what is panting? 9. Has the hart ever bathed in water brooks before? If not, would it have panted and longed for it? The full picturing out of these points (even in the incomplete and imperfect manner that can be done on paper) would greatly exceed our limits. The natural picture or condition of the hart being visible to the minds of the children, the analogy to the circumstances in which David was placed will appear, viz., pursued by his enemies, and especially by his own son, Absalom--fleeing to the mountains for safety--away from the sanctuary, etc., etc. He, no doubt, on seeing the harts near him panting and seeking for water brooks, mournfully and longingly expressed himself: "So panteth my soul after thee, O God."

_Teacher._--I must tell you, children, before we commence our lesson, that it is supposed this psalm was written by David, who was obliged to flee from his enemies to the land of Jordan, and that when there he probably took up his abode in the mountains, away from the public worship of ... _God's house_, and seeing the harts running ... Where? _about the hills_, and panting for thirst, most likely induced him to use the ... What metaphor or emblem did he use? Look at your books. David says: "As the hart panteth after the ... _water-brooks_ (read on, children), _so panteth my soul after thee, O God_."

The first thing we must speak about in this picture is the ... _hart_. What is a hart? Can you tell me any other names given to the hart? _Stag_--_deer_--_gazelle_--_roe_. Very right; these are the names given to ... _this animal_, or ... _species_.

Well, the name of this animal or ... _species_, is called ... the _hart_. Is it a slow or quick moving animal? _Swift_. It runs ... _very swiftly_. What countries do harts chiefly live in? _Mountainous countries._ Why do you think so? _The Bible says, "Like a young roe upon the mountains._" And a young roe is ... _a young hart_. Well, that is one proof that they live in the mountains; but can they live in the plains? _Yes, sir; they live in plains in gentlemen's parks_, which are sometimes ... _plain_, or nearly ... _level_. Very well; but when allowed to roam and run about freely and ... _naturally_, they ... _prefer the mountains_. Is the hart spoken of in the psalm supposed to live in a warm or cold country, think you? _A warm country._ Why? ... Bring down the map, children, and show the country or countries you suppose to be meant. (The map of Palestine is presented.) Point out those parts you think harts live in. You think the Psalmist means ... _the mountainous parts of Palestine_. And Palestine is ... What sort of a country? _Mountainous country_, and ... _very hot_. Now, we must get smartly on. The hart lives in ... _a hot country_, and in the mountainous parts of ... _a hot country_. How does the sun shine? _Over head, nearly perpendicular_, and, therefore, the great part of the year the ground must be ... _very hot and dry_. In what state will the soil be? _Parched and dusty._ And in mountainous countries, where the sun is very hot, what happens to the streams or brooks? _The brooks dry up._ It is then a dry and ... _thirsty land_, and where ... _no water is_. If you turn in your Bible to Job vi. 15, it is said: "And as the stream of brooks they pass away,"--showing that the brooks in that hot climate are ... _very apt to pass away_, or ... _dry up_.

Tell me, children, what you mean by panting? Show me what panting is? This boy thinks it is simply opening the mouth. (Take nothing for granted.) Have you ever seen a dog walking in a very hot and dusty day, after having run a long way? _Yes, sir; it opens its mouth._ Does it simply open its mouth, as this boy did? _It pants, this way. It feels uneasy._ Why uneasy? Because _it is weary and thirsty_. Weary and thirsty from ... _the heat_; and a thirsty dog, that is weary and very ... _hot_, would--what would it wish? _To have a drink_, or, perhaps, to ... _plunge in the brook_. Of what had the hart drank before? _The brooks._ Well, the hart having both drank of ... _the brook_, and ... _plunged in the brook before_, longed and ... _panted to do so again_. In this sad condition, therefore--heated and ... _thirsty_, and running about, ... _panting_--how would the hart feel? Would he be satisfied to lie down? _No, sir; very anxious._ And what more? _Longing and panting for water._ Not at rest, because it ... _felt_--the ... _want of something_ it could not get at ... _that time_; and that was ... _the water brooks_.

Now, let us look at the verse, and see in what state or ... _condition_ the hart is supposed to be. Repeat it, if you please, each word, separately, slowly, and distinctly. "As, the, hart, panteth, after, the, water, brooks." What is a brook? _A clear stream_--not a muddy, stagnant ... _pool_. Do you think the hart had drank of a brook before? _Yes; else it would not have panted for it._ What makes the hart so very thirsty? _Because it runs about the hills, where there is no water._ And as the hart opens ... _its mouth_, and ... _pants for water_, and runs about, it raises the ... What do you think it raises? _The dust into its mouth._ And what does the dust do? _Increases its thirst_, and causes the hart to long more for ... _the brooks_--which are now ... _dried up_--or, perhaps, at a ... _great distance_. What would you expect the hart to do were it to reach a brook? _Drink plentifully_--and, also, ... _plunge into the water_. Why? _To cool_ and ... _refresh itself_. The application, or spiritual lesson, is by recalling the _hart_, on the _mountains_, _hunted by dogs_, _shot at by arrows_, _hot and thirsty_, _panting_ for _water brooks_, for a _plunge-bath_, and _drink_. So, David fleeing on the mountains for life, pursued by enemies, _longing_ for safety, and for the public worship of God at Jerusalem, _panting_ for the Lord's house, where _God's law_ was read, and the true God was worshipped, etc. He _desired, longed_ for, _panted_, _prayed_ for God, the living God. Children, do _you so long for_, and _pant after_ God, the living God? etc., etc.

Another form of pictorial teaching is, after questioning the lesson out of the scholars, and then in again, and explaining all the words, etc., to paint imaginary pictures of the events described in the lesson. Thus, in a lesson from Matt. xiv. 22-33, taught by the Rev. Edward Eggleston, of Chicago, he said to the first pupil: "Carrie, suppose that you were a painter with your canvas before you, what picture would you draw from the 22d verse?" She replied, "Christ sending his disciples and the multitudes away." "Mary, what from the 23d verse?" "Christ on the mountain, alone, in prayer." "Jane, what from the 24th verse?" "The ship tossed with the waves." "Lily, what from verse 25?" "Jesus walking on the sea." The next, "Peter sinking, Jesus saving;" and then, "The sea calm, all safe in the ship, worshipping Jesus." From these the lessons drawn are "Secret prayer," "Looking to Jesus for help in danger," "Not seeking danger," and that "Jesus is God," to control the wind and waves. The doctrine is the Divinity of Christ: "Of a truth, thou art the Son of God."

"Pictorial Teaching," by Hartley and Groser, on Illustrative Teaching, further illustrates these subjects.

XIII.

OBJECT-TEACHING.

This is presenting an object to look at, for the purpose of getting a clearer and more perfect view of the truth taught. It is simply calling to our aid the _eye_. The eye is one of our two great learning senses. It has been called "the king of the senses," and it is emphatically so with children; for little children learn the most that they do learn through the eye. Bunyan quaintly says: "Come to the mind and soul through Eye-gate as well as through Ear-gate." This is the most pleasant and effective way of giving and receiving some kinds of knowledge. It cultivates, also, the important habit of close and accurate observation. Says the Rev. Dr. Hill, the President of Harvard University: "It is the thought of God in the object that stimulates the child's thought." The great object is to teach the child more than you can express in words. In illustration, he says: "I was walking yesterday with my little girl, and showing her plants, insects, and birds as we walked along. We were looking at lichens on the trees, when she suddenly, and without hint from me, said: 'The maples have different lichens from the ash. I mean to see if I can tell trees by their trunks, without looking at their leaves.' So for a long distance she kept her eyes down, saying to the trees as she passed: Elm, maple, ash, pine,' etc--never failing. The difference was easy to _see_, but the difference could not have been so well expressed in _words_."

Our schools of public instruction are largely using this mode of teaching in the early years of school-life, with great gratification to the children, and, also, with great success. The size, form, shape, color, origin, and uses of many articles are thus taught, incidentally weaving in spelling, reading, and a vast amount of useful knowledge. If this were all, however, it would hardly avail much in our Sabbath-schools above the infant class. But we apprehend that in some particular Sabbath-school lessons, but not in all, object-teaching can be used to great advantage by all classes and conditions of scholars. Never force or crowd object-teaching, however, upon any lesson.

The simple difference between object-teaching and illustrative teaching is this: If you were teaching on the words "Though your sins be red like crimson, they shall be as wool," in _illustrative_ teaching, we should tell the children that the Turkey-red dyes are so firm that no bleacher's salts will make them white, and therefore, we make the Turkey-red rags into pink blotting-paper; in _object_-teaching, we hold up the Turkey-red calico, explain it, and then _show_ the pink blotting-paper--making it, by help of the two objects and the explanation, more impressive with children. In fact, there are lessons that cannot be plainly taught without the use of objects. They need, however, to be used with discretion; and upon Bible lessons only on those that will make the truths _better_ understood.