Article January 6, 1945 Issue

The Children "shall be taught the Scriptures"

VERA CROSS

"Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." In these words to his disciples Christ Jesus pointed out the value of the child thought, its readiness, receptiveness, and spontaneity.

With wisdom based upon understanding of the Master's works and words, our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, ruled in the Church Manual that "the Sabbath School children shall be taught the Scriptures, and they shall be instructed according to their understanding or ability to grasp the simpler meanings of the divine Principle that they are taught" (Art. XX, Sect. 2). This rule can be applied in classes of the tiniest tots straight through the Sunday school.

A little girl of nine who had attended the Christian Science Sunday School for three years was invited by the mother of a little friend to attend her child's Sunday school. To make the invitation attractive she related the fun they had with lantern slides and story hours. But with spontaneous wisdom the little Scientist replied, "If Maralyn learns more at her Sunday school than I learn at mine, I'll go with her." Then, turning to her playmate, this serious little maiden asked, "Can you say, without looking at your book, all the Commandments, all the Beatitudes, the twenty-third Psalm, the ninety-first Psalm, and the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians, and do you know the stories about the men who wrote them?"

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