Items of Interest February 22, 1936 Issue

Items of Interest

Teachers in Christian Science Sunday Schools have a great need to know about the Bible, to know its history, to know the Bible stories which will illustrate lessons for their pupils, for oftentimes one remembers better a lesson that is taught by illustration. Jesus knew this fact when he taught by parables. Some knowledge of Bible geography, too, is useful. One would not wish his pupils in the Sunday school to believe that Bethlehem, for instance, is a city that does not exist, except in myth; or that it is located in Arabia, or some other country than Palestine. Christian Scientists, and teachers and pupils in Christian Science Sunday Schools, according to their age and experience, should know the Bible as well as or better than others not so thoroughly instructed as they in the things of the Spirit.

Very definite effort should be put forth by the teachers and pupils in Christian Science Sunday Schools to study the Bible and learn from it daily, for the Bible is the Book of books. The Manual of the Mother Church contains a By-Law (Art.XX, Sect. 2), written by the Pastor Emeritus, Mary Baker Eddy, which says, "The Sabbath School children shall be taught the Scriptures." In the next Section she provides for the teaching of special features of the Scriptures as "first" and "next" lessons. In our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 24), Mrs. Eddy refers to the Bible as "the chart of life." Naturally, as our life chart, or plan, it will be studied early and regularly; it will be our constant companion, and we shall make the Bible, together with Science and Health, our regular guide and authority, pastor, and teacher, remembering our Leader's words (Science and Health, p. 241), "Take away the spiritual signification of Scripture, and that compilation can do no more for mortals than can moonbeams to melt a river of ice."