Article October 19, 1946 Issue

The "next lessons"

The Christian Science Quarterly lessons include twenty-six subjects which were compiled by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, under divine direction. Lessons on these subjects are essential to the progress of the Christian Scientist, and Mrs. Eddy has provided for them in the Sunday School teaching. In the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. XX, Sect. 3), after providing for foundational instruction in the Commandments, the Lord's Prayer with its spiritual interpretation, and the Beatitudes, she states, "The next lessons consist of such questions and answers as are adapted to a juvenile class, and may be found in the Christian Science Quarterly Lessons, read in Church services."

Such questions as the Manual requires do not include any instruction which could not well be presented in classes consisting of both boys and girls. If interrogatory instruction on the Lesson-Sermon is prayerfully and faithfully given in accordance with our Leader's plan, the teacher may confidently leave the results in God's hands, knowing that the divine Principle. Love, which the children have been taught will provide, in the right time and the right way, whatever individual guidance they may need, for, as Mrs. Eddy states in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 494), "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need."

Sometimes a teacher asks: How can a lesson consist of questions and answers if the pupils have not read the Lesson-Sermon before coming to Sunday School? Is it not necessary then to read the Lesson-Sermon in class? It is obvious that a session which consists of questions and answers cannot be devoted primarily to reading. Regardless of whether or not pupils prepare their lessons, the teacher should always be prepared to ask questions. Some of the answers may be acceptable, some partly correct, and others wholly erroneous. After the pupils have answered a question, passages from the Lesson-Sermon may be read to confirm, correct, or amplify their answers. Perhaps no better means than this could be found for arousing the pupils' interest in the study of the Lesson-Sermon, for questions quicken thought and show the pupil the value of the Lessons.

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