FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84  
85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   >>   >|  
in and secure until they have grown into habits. For example, it is wholly desirable to have the habit of attending church, of personal devotions, and of resisting temptation, so well fixed that the acts required for each take care of themselves with a minimum of struggle and decision each time the occasion arises. Not only will this method require less strain and compulsion on our part, but it will result in more uniform churchgoing, attention to devotions, and the overcoming of temptation. The age for habit forming.--The principle, then, is simple and clear. At the beginning of the child's contact with the church school he cannot grasp the broader and deeper meanings of religion; but he can during this period be led into the doing of right acts and deeds, and thus have his religious habits started. At a time when his brain is yet unripe, and hence unready for the more difficult truths or the more exalted emotions of religion, the child is at his best in the matter of habit-forming. For habits grounded in early childhood are more easily formed and more deeply imbedded than those acquired at any later time, and they exert a stronger control over the life. How habits grow.--But habits do not come of their own accord; they must be gradually acquired. Immediately back of every habit lies a chain of acts out of which the habit grows. Given the acts, and the habit is as sure to follow as night the day. Hence the great thing in religious instruction of the young is to afford opportunity for our teaching to be carried as immediately as may be over into deeds. As we make the desired impressions upon the minds of our pupils, we must see that the way is reasonably open for _expression_. The lessons should be so direct, simple, and clear that there is no difficulty in connecting them immediately with the daily life, and then we should do our best to see _that the connection is made_. As we teach we should have in mind the week that lies ahead in the child's life--in the home, the school, on the playground, in the community, and in whatever personal situations and problems we may know are being met. Then we should use every power as a teacher to make sure that we help the child meet the challenge of his daily life with the finest acts, best deeds, and noblest conduct possible for him to command. APPLICATION OF RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION TO THE DAILY LIFE One great purpose, then, in religious instruction is to attach the s
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84  
85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

habits

 

religious

 

personal

 

instruction

 

religion

 

devotions

 

acquired

 
church
 

immediately

 

school


simple

 

forming

 

temptation

 

pupils

 

desired

 

impressions

 
afford
 

attach

 

purpose

 

follow


expression

 

opportunity

 

teaching

 

carried

 

connecting

 

teacher

 
problems
 

challenge

 

command

 

RELIGIOUS


APPLICATION

 

conduct

 

INSTRUCTION

 

finest

 

noblest

 

situations

 

difficulty

 

connection

 
direct
 

playground


community
 
lessons
 

result

 
uniform
 

churchgoing

 
compulsion
 

strain

 

method

 

require

 

attention