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Questioning is an art only when it stirs the imagination and leads to thinking. The true teacher can always stimulate interest by his wise questions. The questions at the end of Part I of this volume are designed for use as a review of the lessons given from "The Golden Book."
"The Golden Book" is especially rich in children's poems, carrying practical, helpful thoughts. Verses and couplets from these make beautiful Memory Gems.
The central teaching of a lesson, whether it be generosity, charity, forgiveness, or some other virtue, is brought home most effectively by illustration and example. As an educative force, emulation far surpasses exhortation.
From Foundation Stones, page33of this volume, may be selected the stories of all those men and women of the Bible who wrought out in their lives whatever quality of character may be central in the lesson. Here also such words of Jesus, of the prophets, or of the Psalms as emphasize and enforce the teaching, are grouped and may readily be found.
A great deal of Bible School teaching touches only the mountain peaks of history without traversing the connecting valleys. Study of lesson after lesson with no attention to their connections leaves but a series of detached thoughts.
Often lessons, which have become an old story to boys and girls, become interesting and fascinating when linked up with the history of the world in Bible times, or when the Bible events themselves are joined in connected narrative.
THE BIBLE STORY presents an unusual opportunity to a teacher for establishing these connections.
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(A) TheTable of Contents of "Hero Tales"suggests the chronology of Hebrew history as far as the minor kings.
(B) The chart on page236 T.J.links up the minor kings with the prophets in point of time.
(C) The life of Jesus may be traced out chronologically from the sequence of places given on pages109and110of this volume.
(D) The questions on The World in Bible Times beginning at page38of this volume will increase interest in Hebrew history itself by showing the relationship between the Jews and surrounding nations.
"Teaching, like pictures, must have background and foreground." The central group of characters in the lesson must have prominence, but their setting must be clearly defined, too, that the whole may be appreciated. By many pupils the Bible is regarded as a Book entirely apart from life. If asked to recall a well-known historical incident connected with Egypt or Assyria or Rome, a pupil does not naturally think of a Bible incident. A teacher may often open an entirely new field of thought for pupils by bringing the Holy Land down out of the skies and "placing it on the map."
InPart IIIof this volume are given a bird's-eye view of Palestine for general reference; questions on the well-known places in Bible lands and of especial interest because they refer to pictures which may be used in class; and questions which locate the Bible characters in the land. For the latter section it is well to use a blackboard or sand map in class to make plain the setting of each lesson. All ofPart IIIfurnishes helpful material for the teacher's study and presents interesting sidelights to give what has seemed a commonplace lesson new meaning and new interest.
To hold attention in class the question method is best. It is most effective because in order to give the answers the pupil must think for himself.
Questions are so important that a wise teacher will always prepare them in advance. If put in order they will form an outline or plan to be followed in presenting the lesson.
At the end ofPart IIof this volume are one thousand questions on the Bible passages listed according to names and periods for easy{164}reference. They are useful in many ways: As an outline for the teacher, as suggested above; as review questions when two classes may unite for a contest; and as an incentive to the pupils to study the lesson. Give out a striking question on the coming lesson each week instead of the general request to "study the lesson."
In teaching little children pictures have long been considered invaluable, but their practical value in the more advanced departments is not so generally conceded. The adult mind, however, has not outgrown its love for the truths of life as expressed in pictorial form and the teacher of adult classes who owns THE BIBLE STORY is fortunate indeed in having right at hand impressive illustrations for a great many Bible lessons.
There is a threefold advantage in using these pictures:--
To Save Time--Pictures suggest ideas more forcibly than words. For example, much time would be wasted in trying to convey by words any idea of such a ship as Paul used in traveling to Rome, but the picture on page464 L.J.is at once striking and accurate. Theindex of illustrationsin the back of the volume "Songs of the Ages" suggests the wealth of illustrations in THE BIBLE STORY and indicates their location.
To Give Correct Impressions--For understanding Oriental conditions no agency is so helpful as pictures of Eastern customs and life. Many of these customs are referred to in Part 1 on page19of this volume, and much of the life of the Hebrews is brought out by the questions beginning at page100, which refer, for their answers, to pictures.
To Inspire Beautiful Ideals--THE BIBLE STORY reproduces many beautiful pictures by artists who have thrown their religious conceptions into their work and thus infused it with the highest devotional spirit. Holding these pictures before a class will often create the atmosphere most desired for teaching the story depicted. For example, a conception of the spirit of the conversation between Jesus and the woman at Jacob's well may be obtained from Hofmann's beautiful picture (84 L.J.). Many others may be used to instill the greatest spiritual ideas.
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A careful study ofPart IVof this volume will enable a teacher of adults to give from Bible characters and books many striking points appropriate to the lesson.
"Living with the Bible," beginning at page42of this volume, will suggest to the adult teacher many passages to use in developing the different lessons.
"Jesus' Character-Building Stories," on page32of this volume, will give Jesus' teaching on the various subjects taken up in the lessons.
Part IIIof this volume will furnish the teacher of adults with the lesson setting, both by picture and by map.
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"The knowledge of words is a gate to scholarship." --
Wilson
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Marked letters are pronounced as in the following words. Vowels found in unaccented syllables are unmarked and are given the natural, or long, sound.
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[End of "HOW TO USE THE BIBLE STORY"]-------------------------------------[Start of "VOLUME ONE: THE GOLDEN BOOK"]
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ARRANGED AND EDITED BYREV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTSANDREV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION AT SMITH COLLEGEAuthors of"The Early Days of Israel""Advanced Bible Studies" Etc.THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANYSPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTSCHICAGO, CLEVELAND
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COPYRIGHT, 1906,COPYRIGHT, 1917,BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
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The editors of this series believe that no task can be more important than that of winning the interest of children to their precious heritage, the Bible. The stories of the old Greek and Roman mythologies, the folk and fairy tales, have been given the child in beautiful form, suitably graded and arranged, with significant illustrations. The editors of this series attempt to do the same thing for the Bible: to take the matchless prose and poetry of the Bible and put it in the form which will make it most attractive to the child, to give the Bible an equal chance in the child's library with the "King Arthur Stories" and the tales of mythology.
Every parent desires to have the children of the home gain an acquaintance with the best that is in the Bible. Heretofore no text has been prepared which exactly met this need, giving appropriate passages for children of various ages. These volumes are especially designed to make "Sunday afternoon" reading attractive to children, putting the fascinating stories of the Bible in the same dress and on the same footing with the secular classics which have{10}always charmed. With such an arrangement it is believed that the child will read the Bible as freely as any book.
The plan of the Readers gives unity to each story and selection. Each story or episode is given in a complete form, and not merely as an extract. Passages which are clearly not relevant to the story or which involve unnecessary difficulties to a young reader are omitted. Obsolete words are modernized. Many versions, both ancient and modern, together with the original texts, have been compared in determining the translation. In every case the graphic, pictorial word which would appeal to the imagination of the child and enlarge its vocabulary has been sought. At the same time the effort has been made not to impair the literary strength and beauty of the older versions. Nothing has been omitted which is suitable to the mind of the child, and everything has been arranged with the end in view of meeting the needs of the child.
This series does not aim to supplant the ordinary texts of the Bible nor to take the place of the common versions any more than literature readers take the place of literature. The editors have endeavored to select such passages of the Bible as are particularly suited to the child's mind, to present them in a novel and attractive form, and thus to arouse the interest of children, stimulating them to more careful study in later years.
This series is not, however, intended simply for children's reading. The editors believe that for general{11}reading for the older members of the family no version of the Bible will be found more satisfactory.
There is no Book which so lends itself to illustration as the Bible. Palestine in relation to the New Testament has been called a "Fifth Gospel." For the child especially the actual locality is the best commentary on the text and the best means of arousing interest in the text.
The Bible makes contact with the great civilizations in a way which is not fully appreciated. The attempt has been made to illustrate very fully the contact with Egypt in the Old Testament and with Greece and Rome in the New Testament.
The editors believe that the three hundred and fifty illustrations which have been provided form a collection which has never been surpassed in fullness and accuracy. Many friends have freely offered their fine collections. A large number of pictures taken by friends are unique in their individual interest, and have never before been published. We are especially indebted to the following: Prof. David G. Lyon, D.D., of the Department of Semitic Languages of Harvard University, Prof. H. G. Mitchell, D.D., of the Department of Theology of Boston University, Rev. Warren J. Moulton, Ph.D., of Athol, Mass., for the use of valuable private collections; the Departments of Greek and Latin at Smith College, the Public Library at Springfield and the Forbes Public Library at Northampton, Mass., for{12}constant courtesy and the use of rare books, photographs, and engravings; Miss Clara L. Bodman, Miss Julia W. Snow, Mr. S. E. Bridgman of Northampton, and Prof. Louis F. Giroux of the International College, Springfield, for the loan of photographs; Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether of Sedalia, Missouri, for selections from a remarkably fine collection of views personally taken while on a trip to the East; Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed, Ph.D., and Mrs. Goodspeed for unique and valuable views taken by themselves; W. J. Aitchison, Esq., of Hamilton, Canada, for fine views; the officers of the Palestine Exploration Fund, and the Detroit Photograph Company, for permission to use pictures in their possession; Prof. Arthur S. Cooley, Ph.D., of Auburndale, the well known lecturer, for permission to use unique views illustrating the journeys of Paul; Miss Mary Medlicott of Longmeadow for the use of a rare book.
We are also especially indebted to Prof. Henry D. Sleeper, head of the Music Department of Smith College, for the charming airs to which he has set some of the poems for children in the first volume.
On the literary side the editors wish to acknowledge their indebtedness to Miss Esther M. Carver of Northampton for suggestions from her experience as a teacher, to Miss Caroline M. Yale and Miss Frances W. Gawith of the Clarke School for the Deaf, to Prof. Charles F. Richardson, and Prof. Fred P. Emery of Dartmouth College,{13}Prof. Clyde W. Votaw of Chicago University, Mr. William Orr, Principal of the High School, Springfield, Mass. We are much indebted to President George T. Angell for suggestions for the chapter, "Little Brothers of the Air and Fields," in the first volume, also to a very wide circle of friends for their interest and for valuable suggestions, many of which have been incorporated in the work. The help of various versions of the Bible is also acknowledged, as well as the version of the prophets by George Adam Smith. Thanks are rendered to Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons, E. P. Dutton & Co., J. B. Lippincott, Biglow & Main, Mr. Theodore E. Perkins, and Charles Ray Palmer, D.D., for permission to use copyrighted material.
Without the co-operation of these and many other friends we feel that so large a measure of excellence as we believe the volumes possess could not have been attained.
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The editors have endeavored to make this volume a treasure house of all the good things, new and old, which would serve to assist in the moral training of little children. The volume includes a Primer, arranged on the plan of the ordinary school primer, designed to give the elemental religious truths in the simplest form. Any child who is learning to read at school can learn also to read these sentences. The texts at the bottom of the pages are to be read by the parent to the child, and may with profit be committed to memory by the child. The short Bible stories which follow may also be easily read by children. The hymns and poems and most of the pictures are "classic." They should be known by every child for their own worth, and as an antidote for the rubbish which constitutes so large a proportion of the reading of children. Parents will be pleased to find the fine old hymns of Watts and Jane Taylor, some of them set to delightful music by Prof. Sleeper of Smith College. These poems should not be allowed by neglect to pass out of the possession of modern children.
It is hoped that this volume will go far toward solving the problem of Sunday afternoon occupation for children, and will meet the constant demand for such a collection of religious literature.
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The Shepherd Boy Who Killed a Giant.
David and King Saul.
David and Jonathan.
David and His Three Brave Soldiers.
David and His Son Absalom.