Article March 9, 1918 Issue

Teaching the Scriptures

ETHEL MUNRO GOSS

The first requirement in our by-law on Sunday schools (Manual, Art. XX, Sect. 2) is: "The Sabbath School children shall be taught the Scriptures." Bearing in mind that the object of all education is to develop, not to inform; to draw out, not to pour in; and to nurture the spiritual life of the child, how are we to teach the Scriptures, and what are we to teach? Human knowledge does not heal, but divine wisdom does. In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p.170), an extract from a sermon by Mrs. Eddy is quoted, in which she says, "The material record of the Bible ... is no more important to our well-being than the history of Europe and America; but the spiritual application bears upon our eternal life."

One of the motives underlying all religious instruction is to inspire the child with a reverent religious attitude toward life. One of the means of nurturing reverence and wonder in the child is the inspiration gained from the lives of the Bible heroes. Carlyle says, "Worship is transcendent wonder," and who that has looked into the uplifted, wondering eyes of a child has not humbly prayed for strength and consecration to feed these lambs. In the Christian Science Sunday school all the pupils, the older as well as the younger ones, are being taught the Scriptures, beginning with the First Lessons, outlined as the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer with its spiritual interpretation, which begins on page 16 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and the Beatitudes. These prepare the way for the study of the Lesson-Sermon on the part of all the pupils as they are ready to grasp its meaning, and also to apply it daily in the working out of their problems.

In the Sunday schools of other churches the primary classes are taught largely by kindergarten methods, in which the use of crayon, pictures, and songs are employed, and while we are not competing with any such attractions, we must be alert mentally to make our presentation of truth vivid and attractive. We must know that the children love the truth and want the truth for Truth's sake. We have the advantage of knowing that we can prove our statements, that we are teaching a demonstrable religion, and we must remember that the Sunday school is an important part of the church, of which Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 583), "The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick."

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