Article April 16, 1955 Issue

Beginning the Study of the Lesson-Sermon

Teachers of the younger classes sometimes ask, "At what age should the Sunday School pupils be expected to begin the study of the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly, and how may it be introduced?" Experience has shown that as a general rule pupils are ready to begin daily home study of at least a portion of the lesson as soon as they are able to read fairly well. Some teachers of the younger classes introduce it gradually while the pupils are continuing the study of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and its spiritual interpretation as given on pages 16 and 17 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and the Beatitudes. The foregoing Mrs. Eddy designates as their first lessons. (See Manual of The Mother Church, Art. XX.)

Following is an account of one teacher's three years' experience with younger pupils:

"Some discussion of the current Lesson-Sermon was included in the classwork each Sunday. These pupils, embarking on regular daily study of the lesson, needed a good deal of introductory instruction. They were shown how to find the references in the Quarterly. The meaning and importance of each lesson subject, the relation of the Golden Text and Responsive Reading to the lesson as a whole, and the correlation of Bible and Science and Health references in different sections were discussed. Also the pupils were taught to study each section with a view to gaining a fuller unfoldment on the subject of the lesson.

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