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CHAPTER XIII.

PLAN FOR TEACHING INFANT CHILDREN BY THE AID OF PICTURES AND CONVERSATION.

The most barren ground, by manuring, may be made to produce good fruit; the fiercest beasts by art, are made tame; so are moral virtues acquired by education properly applied.

TO give the children general information, it has been found advisable to have recourse to pictures* of natural history, such as of birds, beasts, fishes, flowers, insects, &c. all of which tend to shew the glory of God; and as colours attract the attention of the children as soon as any thing, they eagerly enquire what such a thing is, and this gives the teacher an opportunity of instructing them to great advantage; for when a child of his own free will eagerly desires to be informed, he is sure to profit by the information then imparted.

* See life of Dr. Doddridge:-" His parents brought him up in the early knowledge of religion, before he could read his mother taught him the history of the Old and New Testament, by the assistance of some Dutch tiles in the chimney of the room, where they usually sat; and accompanied her instructions with such wise and pious reflections, as made strong and lasting impressions upon his heart."

We use also pictures of public buildings, and of the different trades; by the former, the children acquire much information, from the explanations which are given to them of the use of the buildings, in what year they were built, &c.; whilst by the latter, we are enabled to find out the bias of a child's inclination. Some would like to be shoemakers, others builders, others weavers, brewers, &c.; in short it is both pleasing and edifying to hear the children give answers to the different questions. I remember one little boy who said he should like to be a doctor; and when asked why he made choice of that profession, in preference to any other, his answer was, “Because he should like to cure all the sick people." If parents did but study the inclinations of their children a little more than they do, I humbly conceive, that there would be more eminent men in every profession, than there are. It is great imprudence to determine what business children may be adapted for, before their tempers and inclinations are well known; every one, it has been wisely observed, is best in his own profession-that which fits us best, is best; nor is any thing more fitting than that every one should consider his own genius and capacity, and act accordingly.

But as it is possible that a person may be very clever in his business or profession, and yet not be a Christian, it has been thought necessary to direct the children's attention to the Scriptures, even at this early age, and to endeavour, if possible, to lay a solid foundation of piety in the infant mind, by teaching them to venerate the Bible, and to fear and love its Divine Author. Many difficulties lie in the way of attaining so desirable an end; the principal one arises not from their

inability to read the Bible, nor from their inability to comprehend it, but from the apathy of the heart to its divine principles and precepts. Some parents are quite delighted if their children can read a chapter or two in the Bible, and think that when they can do this, they have arrived at the summit of knowledge, without once considering whether they understand one sentence of what they read, or whether if they understand it, they feel its truth and importance. And how can it be expected that they should either understand or feel its truths, when no previous ground-work has been laid, at the time when they received their first impressions, and imbibed their first ideas? Every man comes into the world without a single innate idea, yet with a capacity to receive knowledge of every kind, and is therefore capable of becoming intelligent and wise. In his infancy he would take hold of the most poisonous reptile, that might sting him to death in an instant; would attempt to stroke the lion with as little fear as he would the lamb; in short, he is incapable of distinguishing friend from foe. So wonderfully is man formed by his adorable Creator, that he is capable of increasing in knowledge, and advancing towards perfection to all eternity, without ever being able to arrive at it. The first thing that attracts his attention, even when in the cradle, is a light; and we may venture to say, the next things that attract his notice, are bright colours; it is for this reason, that pictures of Scripture history have been selected, such as Joseph and his brethren-Christ raising Lazarus from the dead-the Nativityflight into Egypt-Christ disputing with the doctors-Christ baptized by John-curing the blind and lame-the last Supper-the Crucifixion

Resurrection - Ascension, &c. &c. To begin with

Joseph and his Brethren.

The following method is adopted: The picture being suspended against the wall, and one class of the children standing opposite to it, the master repeats the following passages: "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, hear, I pray you, the dream which I have dreamed; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo! my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf."

The teacher being provided with a pointer, will point to the picture and put the following questions, or such as he may think better, to the children:

Q. What is this? A. Joseph's first dream. Q. What is a dream? A. When you dream, you see things during the time of sleep. Q. Did any of you ever dream any thing?

Here the children will repeat what they have dreamed, perhaps something like the following. Please sir, once I dreamed I was in a garden. Q. What did you see? A. I saw flowers and such nice apples. Q. How do you know it was a dream? A. Because, when I awoke, I found I was in bed.

During this recital the children will listen very attentively, for they are highly pleased to hear each other's relations. The master having satisfied himself that the children, in some measure, under

stand the nature of a dream, he may proceed as follows.

A.

Q. What did Joseph dream about first? He dreamed that his brother's sheaves made obeisance to his sheaf. Q. What is a sheaf? A.

A bundle of corn. Q. What do you understand by making obeisance? A. To bend your body, which we call making a bow. Q. What is binding sheaves? 4. To bind them, which they do with a band of twisted straw. Q. How many brothers had Joseph? A. Eleven. Q. What was Joseph's father's name? A. Jacob, who is sometimes called Israel.

Master. And it is further written concerning Joseph, that he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and behold the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

Q. What do you understand by the sun? A. The sun is that bright object in the sky which shines in the day-time, and which gives us heat and light. Q. Who made the sun? A. Almighty God. Q. For what purpose did God make the sun? A. To warm and nourish the earth and every thing upon it. Q. What do you mean by the earth? A. The ground on which we walk, and on which the corn, trees, and flowers grow. Q. What is it that makes them grow? A. The heat and light of the sun. Q. Does it require any thing else to make them grow? A. Yes, rain, and the assistance of Almighty God. Q. What is the moon? A. That object which is placed in the sky, and shines in the night, and appears larger than the stars. Q. What do you mean by the stars? A. Those bright objects that appear in

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