How to Teach Religion: Principles and MethodsBetts, George Herbert
Religion
How to Teach Religion: Principles and Methods
Betts, George Herbert
Religion -- Study and teaching; Religious education
If it comes to the question of selecting between a director for the
adult choir and a soloist for the general congregation on the one hand,
or an efficient organizer and director of children's music on the other
hand, there should not be a moment's hesitation on the part of any
church to supply the needs of the children first. The aim should then be
to have _all_ the children sing, and allow none to form the habit of
depending on the older members or on a few leaders to supply the singing
for the entire school. Those who possess special ability in music should
be formed into choruses, orchestras, school bands, or similar
organizations. Not only will all this add to the interest and
effectiveness of the school itself, but, not less important, will be
helping to _form the music habit_ in connection with sacred music.
Training in giving.--The missionary enterprises of the church afford
one of the best opportunities for giving the child practical training in
the social aspect of religion. It is not enough that the children shall
be told the stories of the missionary heroes and given the picture of
the needs of the people in far-away lands. Once the imagination is
stirred and the emotions wanned by this instruction, an immediate and
natural outlet in expression must be found if these lessons are to
fulfill their end.
Children should early be led into giving money for missionary purposes,
and this as far as possible should be their _own_ money which they
themselves have earned. For the child to go to his father on a Sunday
morning for money for the missionary collection does not answer the need
on the educational side; it is the child's real _sharing_ that leaves
the impression and teaches the lesson.
There is also real educational value in leading children to give
clothing, food, or other necessities for the use of the needy. Here,
again, the giving should involve something of real sacrifice and
sharing, and not consist merely in giving away that for which the child
himself no longer cares. The joint giving by a class or the entire
school for the support of a missionary worker whose name is known, and a
somewhat detailed report of whose work is received, lends immediateness
and reality to the participation of the pupils. A strong appeal can be
made to the spirit of giving by the adoption by the class of some needy
boy or girl whose Christian education is provided for by the efforts of
the class, and to whom personal letters can be written and from whom
replies may be received.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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