The Unfolding Life: A Study of Development with Reference to Religious TrainingLamoreaux, Antoinette Abernethy
Religion
The Unfolding Life: A Study of Development with Reference to Religious Training
Lamoreaux, Antoinette Abernethy
Child development; Child psychology; Religious education
Such is the power of suggestion.
Two points, however, must be carefully guarded in deliberate effort to
arouse a feeling.
1. Care must be exercised not to over stimulate feeling, as an excess
beyond that which can be expended in action has an after weakening and
reactionary effect. This has its illustration in certain methods of
evangelistic work with children, where results are measured by their
hysterical condition when the meeting concludes. Contrast with this the
gentleness which breathes through the story of the Master's touch, as He
took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands upon them, when
He had said, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me."
2. It is as injurious to a child to attempt to force a feeling before
its normal time, as to a bud, to pry open its petals to hasten God's
processes. Even the Divine Child "grew." "That is not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual," is
God's law of unfolding life.
But these consciously presented impressions form only a small part of
the sources of suggestion to the child. The countless sights and
circumstances of his everyday life all have a voice for him, and a
feeling follows their message.
Every mother who has suffered mortification over the unaccountable
behavior of her child toward a guest, knows the sometimes untoward as
well as helpful working of suggestion from personality. Atmosphere has
the same power. "I don't know what there is in your home," said a
visitor to her hostess; "I can't define it, but it makes me want to be
good." Music may be suggestive, aside from what it actually says. It
would seem as if no sane superintendent would prepare for prayer by a
two step song, or follow the lesson on, "The Washing of the Disciples'
Feet", by, "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," but it was done. It would
seem as though no primary teacher could be so insensible to suggestion
from objects, as to try to teach worship in giving by taking the
offering through a hole in the tail of a jointed tin rooster, but that
self-same rooster is no myth.
The subject expands into endless ramifications. True nurture essays the
difficult task of analyzing the impressions that come from
suggestion--guarding against the harmful, and multiplying the helpful.
3. Impressions may be given and feelings aroused through doing the act
which would naturally result from the feeling.
This is the reason why a reverential attitude helps to arouse real
reverence, and a smiling face and cheery tone actually bring
cheerfulness in a case of the blues. Little children are so imitative
that they quickly copy the outward manifestations of a feeling, and the
inner state tends to follow. This is further a reason for leading them
into acts of loving service, that love and kindred gracious feelings may
gain strength through the reflex influence of the action upon the soul.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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