Pictures—Religious instruction—Specimens of picture lessons on Scripture and natural history—other means of religious instruction—Effects of religious instruction—observation.
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"The parents of Dr. Doddridge brought him up in the early knowledge of religion. Before he could read, his mother taught him the histories 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 make strong and lasting impressions upon his heart"—See his Life.[A]
[Footnote A: This gave me the idea of introducing Scripture pictures for the infants; and that they are successful can be vouched for by hundreds of teachers besides myself.]
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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 children as soon as any thing, they eagerly inquire 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.
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 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, others 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, 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 shall be of before their tempers and inclinations are well known. Every one is best in his own profession—and this should not be determined on rashly and carelessly.
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 particularly to the Scriptures. Many difficulties lie in our way; 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, indeed, 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 a single 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 do either, when no ground-work has been laid at the time when they received their first impressions and imbibed their first ideas? Every one comes into the world without ideas, yet with a capacity to receive knowledge of every kind, and is therefore capable, to a certain extent, of becoming intelligent and wise. An infant would take hold of the most poisonous reptile, that might sting him to death in an instant; or attempt to stroke the lion with as little fear as he would the lamb; in short, he is incapable of distinguishing a friend from a foe. And yet so wonderfully is man formed by his adorable Creator, that he is capable of increasing his knowledge, and advancing towards perfection to all eternity, without ever being able to arrive at the summit.
I am the ardent friend of religious education, but what I thus denominate I must proceed to explain; because of the errors that abound on this subject. Much that bears the name is altogether unworthy of it. Moral and religious sentiments may be written as copies; summaries of truth, admirable in themselves, may be deposited in the memory; chapter after chapter too may be repeated by rote, and yet, after all, the slightest salutary influence may not be exerted on the mind or the heart. These may resemble "the way-side" in the parable, on which the fowls of the air devoured the corn as soon as it was sown; and hence those plans should be devised and pursued from which we may anticipate a harvest of real good. On these, however, my limits will only allow a few hints.
As soon as possible, I would have a distinction made between the form and power of religion; between the grimaces and long-facedness so injurious to multitudes, and that principle of supreme love to God which he alone can implant in the heart. I would exhibit too that "good will to man" which the gospel urges and inspires, which regards the human race apart from all the circumstances of clime, colour, or grade; and which has a special reference to those who are most necessitous. And how can this be done more hopefully than by inculcating, in dependence on the divine blessing, the history, sermons, and parables of our Lord Jesus Christ; and by the simple, affectionate, and faithful illustration and enforcement of other parts of holy writ? The infant system, therefore, includes a considerable number of Scripture lessons, of which the following are specimens:
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 abort, 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, understand the nature of a dream, he may proceed as follows:—
Q. What did Joseph dream about first? A. 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? A. 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, he is also 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 moon and 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 the sky at night. Q. What are they? A. Some of them are worlds, and others are suns to give them light. Q. Who placed them there? A. Almighty God. Q. Should we fear and love him for his goodness? A. Yes; and for his mercy towards us. Q. Do you think it wonderful that God should make all these things? A. Yes. Q. Are there any more things that are wonderful to you? A. Yes;—
Where'er we turn our wondering eyes, His power and skill we see; Wonders on wonders grandly rise, And speak the Deity.
Q. Who is the Deity? A. Almighty God.
Nothing can be a greater error than to allow the children to use the name of God on every trifling occasion. Whenever it is necessary, it should, in my opinion, be commenced with Almighty, first, both by teacher and scholars. I am convinced, from what I have seen in many places, that the frequent repetition of his holy name has a very injurious effect.
SOLOMON'S WISE JUDGMENT.
Q. What is this? A. A picture of Solomon's wise judgment. Q. Describe what you mean? A. Two women stood before king Solomon. Q. Did the women say any thing to the king when they came before him? A. Yes; one woman said, O my Lord, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I had a child there, and this woman had a child also, and this woman's child died in the night. Q. To whom did the women speak when they said, O my Lord? A. To king Solomon. Q. What did the woman mean when she said, we dwell in one house? A. She meant that they both lived in it. Q. Did the woman say any thing more to the king? A. Yes; she said the other woman rose at midnight, and took her son from her. Q. What is meant by midnight? A. Twelve o'clock, or the middle of the night. Q. What did the other woman say in her defence? A. She said the live child was hers, and the other said it is mine; this they spake before the king. Q. When the king heard what the women had to say, what did he do? A. He said bring me a sword; and they brought a sword before the king. Q. Did the king do any thing with the sword? A. No; he said, divide the child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Q. What did the women say to that? A. One said, O my Lord, give her the living child, and in nowise slay it; but the other said, let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Q. What took place next? A. The king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in nowise slay it, she is the mother thereof. Q. What is meant by slaying? A. To kill any thing. Q. To which woman was the child given? A. To the woman that said do not hurt it. Q. What is the reason that it was called a wise judgment? A. Because Solomon took a wise method to find it out. Q. Did the people hear of it? A. Yes, all Israel heard of it, and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment. Q. What is meant by all Israel? A. All the people over whom Solomon was king? Q. If we want to know any more about Solomon where can we find it? A. In the third chapter of the first book of Kings.
Incidental Conversation.
Q. Now my little children, as we have been talking about king Solomon, suppose we talk about our own king; so let me ask you his name? A. King William the Fourth.[A] Q. Why is he called king? A. Because he is the head man, and the governor of the nation. Q. What does governor mean? A. One that governs the people, the same as you govern and manage us. Q. Why does the king wear a crown on his head? A. To denote that he governs from a principle of wisdom, proceeding from love. Q. Why does he hold a sceptre in his hand? A. To denote that he is powerful, and that he governs from a principle of truth. Q. What is a crown? A. A thing made of gold overlaid with a number of diamonds and precious stones, which are very scarce? Q. What is a sceptre? A. A thing made of gold, and something like an officer's staff. Q. What is an officer? A. A person who acts in the king's name; and there are various sorts of officers, naval officers, military officers, and civil officers. Q. What is a naval officer? A. A person who governs the sailors, and tells them what to do. Q. What is a military officer? A. A person who governs the soldiers, and tells them what to do. Q. What does a naval officer and his sailors do? A. Defend us from our enemies on the sea. Q. What does a military officer and his soldiers do? A. Defend us from our enemies on land. Q. Who do you call enemies? A. Persons that wish to hurt us and do us harm. Q. What does a civil officer do? A. Defend us from our enemies at home. Q. What do you mean by enemies at home? A. Thieves, and all bad men and women. Q. Have we any other enemies besides these? A. Yes, the enemies of our own household, as we may read in the Bible, and they are the worst of all. Q. What do you mean by the enemies of our own household? A. Our bad thoughts and bad inclinations. Q. Who protects and defends us from these? A. Almighty God. Q. Are there any other kind of officers besides these we have mentioned? A. Yes, a great many more, such as the king's ministers, the noblemen and gentlemen in both houses of parliament, and the judges of the land. Q. What do the king's ministers do? A. Give the king advice when he wants it. Q. And what do the noblemen and gentlemen do in both houses of parliament? A. Make laws to govern us, protect us, and make us happy. Q. After they have made the laws, who do they take them to? A. To the king. Q. What do they take them to the king for? A. To ask him if he will be pleased to approve of them. Q. What are laws? A. Good rules for the people to go by, the same as we have rules in our school to go by. Q. Suppose the people break these good rules, what is the consequence? A. They are taken before the judges, and afterwards sent to prison. Q. Who takes them before the judge? A. A constable, and afterwards he takes them to prison, and there they are locked up and punished. Q. Ought we to love the king? A. Yes, and respect his officers. Q. Do you suppose the king ever prays to God? A. Yes, every day. Q. What does he pray for? A. That God would be pleased to make him a wise and good man, so that he may make all his people happy. Q. What do the Scriptures say about the king? A. They say that we are to fear God and honour the king. Q. Who was the wisest king? A. King Solomon. Q. How did he become the wisest king? A. He asked God to give him wisdom to govern his kingdom well; and God granted his request. Q. Will God give our king wisdom? A. Yes, he will give him what is best for him. It says in the Bible, if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God, for he giveth all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Q. What is the best book to learn wisdom from? A. The Bible. Q. Is the queen mentioned in the Bible? A. Yes; it is said queens shall be thy nursing mothers. Q. Who came to Solomon besides the two women? A. The queen of Sheba, she came to ask him questions. Q. When he answered her questions what happened? A. The queen was so much delighted with his wisdom, that she gave him a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in abundance. Q. How much is one talent of gold worth? A. Five thousand, four hundred, and seventy-five sovereigns. Q. Did she give him anything more? A. Yes, she gave him precious stones. Q. What are precious stones? A. Diamonds, jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, amethyst. Q. Did king Solomon give the queen of Sheba anything? A. Yes, he gave her whatsoever she desired, besides that which she brought with her. Q. Where did she go? A. She went away to her own land. Q. What part of the Bible is this? A. The ninth chapter of the second book of Chronicles, Master. The queen is mentioned in other places in the Bible, and another day I will tell in what parts.
[Footnote A: This lesson was written in the life time of our late sovereign. It can easily be applied by the judicious teacher, and made to bear upon present circumstances, and I earnestly hope that her present gracious Majesty may become patroness of infant education. Not infant education travestied, but the thing itself.]
THE NATIVITY OF JESUS CHRIST.
The picture being suspended as the others, and a whole class being in the class-room, put the pointer into one of the children's hands, and desire the child to find out the Nativity of Jesus Christ. The other children will be on the tip-toe of expectation, to see whether the child makes a mistake; for, should this be the case, they know that one of them will have the same privilege of trying to find it; should the child happen to touch the wrong picture, the teacher will have at least a dozen applicants, saying, "Please, sir, may I? Please, sir, may I?" The teacher having selected the child to make the next trial, say one of the youngest of the applicants, the child walks round the room with the pointer, and puts it on the right picture; which will be always known by the other children calling out, "That is the right, that is the right." To view the child's sparkling eyes, who has found the picture, and to see the pleasure beaming forth in his countenance, you might imagine that be conceived he had performed one of the greatest wonders of the age. The children will then proceed to read what is printed on the picture, which is as follows: "The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;" which is printed at the top of the picture. At the bottom are the following words: "And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."—We then proceed to question them in the following manner:—
Q. What do you mean by the Nativity of Jesus Christ? A. The time he was born. Q. Where was he born? A. In Bethlehem of Judea. Q. Where did they lay him? A. In a manger. Q. What is a manger? A. A thing that horses feed out of. Q. What was the reason they put him there? A. Because there was no room in the inn. Q. What is an inn? A. A place where persons lodge who are travelling, and it is like a public house. Q. What do you mean by travelling? When you go from one place to another; from London into the country, or from the country into London. Q. Is any thing else to be understood by travelling? A. Yes, we are all travelling. Q. What do you mean by all travelling? A. We are all going in a good road or else in a bad one. Q. What do you mean by a good road? A. That which leads to heaven. Q. What will lead us to heaven? A. Praying to God and endeavouring to keep his commandments, and trying all we can to be good children. Q. Can we make ourselves good? A. No; we can receive nothing, except it be given us from heaven. Q. What is travelling in a bad road? A. Being naughty children, and not minding what is said to us; and when we say bad words, or steal any thing, or take God's name in vain. Q. Where will this road lead to? A. To eternal misery.
Here we usually give a little advice according to circumstances, taking care always to avoid long speeches, that will tend to stupify the children. If they appear tired, we stop, but if not, they repeat the following hymn, which I shall insert in full, as I believe there is nothing in it that any Christian would object to.
Hark! the skies with music sound! Heavenly glory beams around; Christ is born! the angels sing, Glory to the new-born King.
Peace is come, good-will appears, Sinners, wipe away your tears; God in human flesh to-day Humbly in the manger lay.
Shepherds tending flocks by night, Heard the song, and saw the light; Took their reeds, and softest strains Echo'd through the happy plains.
Mortals, hail the glorious King Richest incense cheerful bring; Praise and love Emanuel's name, And his boundless grace proclaim.
The hymn being concluded, we put the following questions to the children:
Q. Who was the new-born king? A. Jesus Christ. Q. Who are sinners? A. We, and all men. Q. What are flocks? A. A number of sheep. Q. What are shepherds? A. Those who take care of the sheep. Q. What are plains? A. Where the sheep feed. Q. Who are mortals? A. We are mortals. Q. Who is the glorious king? A. Jesus Christ. Q. What is meant by Emanuel's name? A. Jesus Christ.
Here the teacher can inform the children, that Jesus Christ is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and can repeat them to the children if he thinks proper; for every correct idea respecting the Saviour which he can instil into their minds will serve as a foundation for other ideas, and he will find that the more ideas the children have, the more ready they will be in answering his questions; for man is a progressive being; his capacity for progression is his grand distinction above the brutes.
LAZARUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
The picture being suspended as before described, we proceed thus:—
Q. What is this? A. Jesus Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. Q. Who was Lazarus? A. A man who lived in a town called Bethany, and a friend of Christ's. Q. What is a town? A. A place where there are a great number of houses, and persons living in them. Q. What do you mean by a friend? A. A person that loves you, and does all the good he can for you, to whom you ought to do the same in return. Q. Did Jesus love Lazarus? A. Yes, and his sisters, Martha and Mary. Q. Who was it that sent unto Jesus Christ, and told him that Lazarus was sick? A. Martha and Mary. Q. What did they say? A. They said, Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick. Q. What answer did Jesus make unto them? A. He said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God. Q. What did he mean by saying so? A. He meant that Lazarus should be raised again by the power of God, and that the people that stood by should see it, and believe on him. Q. How many days did Jesus stop where he was when he found Lazarus was sick? A. Two days. Q. When Jesus Christ wanted to leave the place, what did he say to his disciples? A. He said, let us go into Judea again. Q. What do you mean by Judea? A. A country where the Jews lived. Q. Did the disciples say any thing to Jesus Christ, when he expressed a wish to go into Judea again? A. Yes, they said, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Q. What did Jesus Christ tell them? A. He told them a great many things, and at last told them plainly that Lazarus was dead. Q. How many days had Lazarus lain in the grave before he was raised up? A. Four. Q. Who went to meet Jesus Christ, when she heard that he was coming? A. Martha; but Mary sat still in the house. Q. Did Martha say anything to Jesus when she met him? A. Yes, she said, Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother had not died. Q. Did Martha tell her sister that Jesus Christ was come? A. Yes; she said, the Master is come, and calleth for thee. Q. Did Mary go to meet Jesus Christ? A. Yes; and when she saw him, she fell down at his feet, and said, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Q. Did Mary weep? A. Yes, and the Jews that were with her. Q. What is weeping? A. To cry. Q. Did Jesus weep? A. Yes; and the Jews said, Behold, how he loved him. Q. Did the Jews say any thing else? A. Yes; they said, Could not this man that opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Q. What took place next? A. He went to the grave, and told the persons that stood by to take away the stone. Q. And when they took away the stone, what did Jesus Christ do? A. He cried, with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth; and he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot, with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin.—Jesus saith unto them, loose him, and let him go; and many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen these things which Jesus did, believed on him. Q. If we wanted any more information about Lazarus and his sisters, where should we find it? A. In the Bible. Q. What part? A. The eleventh and twelfth chapters of John.
I have had children at the early age of four years, ask me questions that I could not possibly answer; and among other things, the children have said, when being examined at this picture, "That if Jesus Christ had cried, softly, Lazarus, come forth, he would have come."—And when asked, why they thought so, they have answered, "Because God can do anything;" which is a convincing proof that children, at a very early age, have an idea of the Omnipotence of the Supreme Being. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness to the children of men!
PICTURE OF THE LAST SUPPER.
Q. What is this? A. A picture of the Last Supper. Q. What do you mean by the last supper? A. A sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ himself. Q. What do you understand by a sacrament? A. There are two sacraments, baptism and the holy supper, and they are both observed by true Christians. Q. We will speak about baptism presently, but as we have the picture of the holy supper before as, let me ask if it is called by any other name? A. Yes; it is said that Jesus kept the passover with his disciples, and when the even was come he sat down with them, and as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my body. Q. What took place next? A. He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it them, saying, This is my blood, the blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. Q. Did Jesus command this ordinance to be observed by his people? A. Yes; he said in another place, This do in remembrance of me (Luke xxii. 19). Q. What ought those persons to remember who do this? A. They should remember that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save sinners. Q. Is any thing else to be understood by the sacrament of the Lord's supper? A. Yes, a great deal more. Q. Explain some of it. A. When they drink the wine, they should recollect that they ought to receive the truth of God into their understandings. Q. What will be the effect of receiving the truth of God into our understandings? A. It will expel or drive out all falsehood. Q. What ought they to recollect when they eat the bread? A. They should recollect that they receive the love of God into their wills and affections. Q. What will be the effect of this? A. It will drive out all bad passions and evil desires; for it is said, he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him (John vi. 27). Q. Is any thing more to be understood by these things? A. Much more, which we must endeavour to learn when we get older. Q. How will you learn this? A. By reading the Bible and going to a place of worship.[A]
[Footnote A: There are many more of similar lessons, and, if any thing, more simple, which accompany the pictures and apparatus which I supply for Infant Schools; the profits from which will assist to enable me, if I am blessed with health and strength, still further to extend the system.]
Allow such things as these to be brought before the infant mind: let the feelings of the heart, as well as the powers of the understanding, be called into exercise; let babes have "the pure milk of the Word" before "the strong meat;" let as little stress as possible be laid on "the mere letter," and as much as possible on "the spirit" of "the truth;" let it be shewn that piety is not merely rational, but in the highest degree practicable; let this be done with diligence, faith, and prayer, and I hesitate not to say, that we shall have an increase of the religion of the heart.
Religious instruction may be given in other ways. Let the teacher take a flower or an insect, and ask the, children if they could make such a one; and I never found one who would answer, "Yes." A microscope will increase the knowledge of its wonders. The teacher may then make a needle the subject of remark; the children will admit that it is smooth, very smooth; let him tell them it is the work of man, and as such will appear imperfect in proportion as it is examined; and shewing them it through the microscope, they will perceive it is rough and full of holes. As a contrast, let him take a bee, obtain their observations on it as it is, give them a short history of it, and they will acknowledge its superiority over the needle. But on viewing it through the microscope, astonishment will be increased, and I have heard many say at such a time, "O sir, how good (meaning great) God must be!" The sting may then be pointed out, as unlike the needle, and perfectly smooth; and thus truth may be imparted in a manner the most interesting and delightful.
The influence of such considerations on character is obvious. When the greatness of God is spoken of, allusion may be made to our pride, and to the importance of humility; his goodness may suggest the evil of unkindness, and the importance of benevolence; and his truth may lead to remarks on its necessity, and the sin of falsehood.
A small plot of ground may moreover be appropriated to the children; some grains of wheat, barley, or rye may be sown, and they may be told that, at a certain time, they will spring forth. Often will they go, and anxiously watch for this; and at length they will say perhaps, "Please, sir, such a thing has come up; we know it is so, for it is just what you said it would be." Week after week the progress of vegetation will be observed, and the fulfilment of the master's promise will greatly tend to increase his influence. So great will he appear, that his words and commands will be more regarded; while it will be his object to trace the wonders which he predicted to their divine Source. I have frequently observed, on such occasions, what I should term an act of infant worship. Often has the question been put to me, "Please, sir, is it wicked to play?" as if the spirit were awed, and transgression against God were regarded with dread. Caution has been also discovered in the use of the divine name; and I have listened with delight to such remarks as these: "Please, sir, when we sing a hymn, we may say Gad, or if we talk about the sun, we may say God made it; and it isn't taking his name in vain, is it? But when we talk of God as boys do in the street, that is very wicked!"
The following facts will illustrate the benefit of scriptural instruction.
A little boy, about four years and a half old, belonging to an Infant School, went to see his cousin, a little girl about his own age. At bed-time, the little boy, to his great surprise, saw her get into bed without having said her prayers. The little fellow immediately went up to the side of the bed, and put this question to her: "Which would you rather go to, heaven or hell?" The little girl said, "I don't know!" "Not know!" said the boy; "Why, wicked people go to hell, and the good go to heaven, a happy place." The little girl then said, "Why, I should like to go to heaven." "Ah!" but replied the little fellow again, "You did not say your prayers; and all that go heaven pray to God." She then said, "Will you teach me to pray your prayer?" "If I lived with you," said he, "I would; but if you go to the Infant School, they will teach you to say your prayers, and sing hymns too."
One day, while the teacher of an Infant School was speaking to his little children, from the conversation of our Lord with the woman of Samaria at the well, a gentleman present asked the following questions: "Where should we go to worship God?" When a little boy answered, "To a throne of grace." "And where is a throne of grace?" "Any where," answered the boy; "for where we kneel down, and pray to God with our hearts, we are then at a throne of grace."
There are times when the children are in a better state to receive religious instruction than others. A teacher of observation will soon perceive this, and act accordingly; if, however, the thing is overdone, which it may be, and which I have seen, then the effect is fatal. Hypocrisy will take the place of sincerity, and the heart will remain unaffected and unimproved.
A little boy, the subject of the following anecdote, being six years of age, and forward in his learning, I considered him fit to be sent to another school; and informed the parents accordingly. The father came immediately, and said, he hoped I would keep him till he was seven years of age; adding, that he had many reasons for making the request. I told him, that it was the design of the Institution to take such children as no other school would admit; and as his child had arrived at the age of six, he would be received into the national school; moreover, as we had a number of applications for the admission of children much younger, I could not grant his request. He then said, "I understand that you make use of pictures in the school, and I have good reason to approve of them; for," said he, "you must know that I have a large Bible in the house, Matthew Henry's, which was left me by my deceased mother; like many more, I never looked into it, but kept it merely for show. The child, of course, was forbidden to open it, for fear of its being spoiled: but still he was continually asking me to read in it, and I as continually denied him; indeed, I had imbibed many unfavourable impressions concerning this book, and had no inclination to read it, and was not very anxious that the child should. However, the child was not to be put off, although several times I gave him a box on the ear for worrying me; for, notwithstanding this usage, the child would frequently ask me to read it, when he thought I was in a good humour; and at last I complied with his wishes; 'Please, father,' said the child, 'will you read about Solomon's wise judgment' 'I don't know where to find it,' was the reply. 'Then,' says the child, 'I will tell you; it is in the third chapter of the first book of Kings.' I looked as the child directed, and, finding it, I read it to him. Having done so, I was about to shut up the book; which the child perceiving, said, 'Now, please, father, will you read about Lazarus raised from the dead?' which was done; and, in short," said the father, "he kept me at it for at least two hours that night, and completely tired me out, for there was no getting rid of him. The next night be renewed the application, with 'Please, father, will you read about Joseph and his brethren?' and he could always tell me where these stories were to be found. Indeed, he was not contented with my reading it, but would get me into many difficulties, by asking me to explain that which I knew nothing about; and if I said I could not tell him, he would tell me that I ought to go to church, for his master had told him, that that was the place to learn more about it; adding, 'and I will go with you, father.' In short, he told me every picture you had in your school, and kept me so well at it, that I at last got into the habit of reading for myself, with some degree of delight; this, therefore, is one reason why I wish the child to remain in the school." A short time afterwards, the mother called on me, and told me, that no one could be happier than she was, for there was so much alteration in her husband for the better, that she could scarcely believe him to be the same man. Instead of being in the skittle-ground, in the evening, spending his money and getting tipsy, he was reading at home to her and his children; and the money that used to go for gambling, was now going to buy books, with which, in conjunction with the Bible, they were greatly delighted, and afforded both him and them a great deal of pleasure and profit.
Here we see a whole family were made comfortable, and called to a sense of religion and duty, by the instrumentality of a child of six years of age. I subsequently made inquiries, and found that the whole family attended a place of worship, and that their character would bear the strictest investigation.
The following anecdote will also shew how early impressions are made on the infant mind, and the effects such impressions may have in the dying moments of a child. A little boy, between the age of five and six years, being extremely ill, prevailed on his mother to ask me to come and see him. The mother called, and stated, that her little boy said be wanted to see his master so bad, that he would give any thing if he could see him. The mother likewise said, she should herself be very much obliged to me if I would come; conceiving that the child would get better after he had seen me. I accordingly went; and on seeing the child considered that he could not recover. The moment I entered the room, the child attempted to rise, but could not. "Well, my little man," said I, "did you want to see me?" "Yes, Sir, I wanted to see you very much," answered the child. "Tell me what you wanted me for." "I wanted to tell you that I cannot come to school again, because I shall die." "Don't say that," said the mother, "you will get better, and then you can go to school again." "No," answered the child, "I shall not get better, I am sure; and I wanted to ask master to let my class sing a hymn over my body, when they put it in the pit-hole." The child, having made me promise that this should be done, observed, "You told me, master, when we used to say the pictures, that the souls of children never die; and do you think I shall go to God?" "You ask me a difficult question, my little boy," said I. "Is it, sir?" said the child, "I am not afraid to die, and I know I shall die." "Well, child, I should not be afraid to change states with you; for if such as you do not go to God, I do not know what will become of such as myself; and from what I know of you, I firmly believe that you will, and all like you; but you know what I used to tell you at school." "Yes, sir, I do; you used to tell me that I should pray to God to assist me to do to others as I would that they should do to me, as the hymn says; and mother knows that I always said my prayers, night and morning; and I used to pray for father and mother, master and governess, and every body else." "Yes, my little man, this is part of our duty; we should pray for every one; and, I think, if God sees it needful, he will answer our prayers, especially when they come from the heart." Here the child attempted to speak, but could not, but waved his hand, in token of gratitude for my having called; and I can truly say, that I never saw so much confidence, resignation, and true dependence on the divine will, manifested by any grown person, on a death-bed, much less by a child under the tender age of seven years. I bade the child adieu, and was much impressed with what I had seen. The next day the mother called on me, and informed me that the child had quitted his tenement of clay; and that just before his departure had said to her, and those around him, that the souls of children never die; it was only the body that died; that he had been told at school, while they were saying the pictures, that the soul went to God, who gave it. The mother said that these were the last words the child was known to utter. She then repeated the request about the children singing a hymn over his grave, and named the hymn she wished to have sung. The time arrived for the funeral, and the parents of the children who were to sing the hymn made them very neat and clean, and sent them to school. I sent them to the house whence the funeral was to proceed, and the undertaker sent word that he could not be troubled with such little creatures, and that unless I attended myself the children could not go. I told him that I was confident that the children would be no trouble to him, if he only told them to follow the mourners two and two, and that it was unnecessary for any one to interfere with them further than shewing them the way back to the school. I thought, however, that I would attend to see how the children behaved, but did not let them see me, until the corpse was arrived at the ground. As soon as I had got to the ground, some of the children saw me, and whispered, "There's master;" when several of them stepped out of the ranks to favour me with a bow. When the corpse was put into the ground, the children were arranged round the grave, not one of whom was more than six years of age. One of them gave out the hymn, in the usual way, and then it was sung by the whole of them; and, according to the opinions of the by-standers, very well. The novelty of the thing caused a great number of persons to collect together; and yet, to their credit, while the children were singing, there was not a whisper to be heard; and when they had finished the hymn, the poor people made a collection for the children on the ground. The minister himself rewarded one or two of them, and they returned well stored with money, cakes, &c. This simple thing was the means of making the school more known; for I could hear persons inquiring, "Where do these children come from?" "Why, don't you know?" replied others, "from the Infant School." "Well," answered a third, "I will try to get my children into it; for I should like them to be there of all things. When do they take them in, and how do they get them in?" "Why, you must apply on Monday mornings," answered another; and the following Monday I had no less than forty-nine applications, all of which I was obliged to refuse, because the school was full.[A]
[Footnote A: This circumstance took place in the heart of London, and some of the chief actors in it are now men and women; and should this meet the eye of any of them, I am sure they will not forget the circumstances, nor entirely forget their old teacher.]
NATURAL HISTORY.
When teachers are conversing with their children, they should always take care to watch their countenances, and the moment they appear tired, to stop. An hour's instruction when the children's minds and hearts are engaged, is better than many hours effort, when they are thinking of something else. In addition to thirty-four pictures of Scripture history, we have sixty of natural history, each picture having a variety of quadrupeds, birds, fishes, and flowers. The first thing we do is to teach the children the names of the different things; then to distinguish them by their forms; and, lastly, they are questioned on them as follows: If the animal is a horse, we put the pointer to it, and say—
What is this? A. A picture of a horse. Q. What is the use of the horse? A. To draw carts, coaches, waggons, drays, fire-engines, caravans, the plough and harrow, boats on the canal, and any thing that their masters want them. Q. Will they carry as well as draw? A. Yes, they will carry a lady or gentleman on their backs, a sack of corn, or paniers, or even little children, but they must not hit them hard, if they do, they will fall off their backs; besides, it is very cruel to beat them. Q. What is the difference between carrying and drawing? A. To carry is when they have the whole weight on their backs, but to draw is when they pull any thing along. Q. Is there any difference between those horses that carry, and those horses that draw? A. Yes; the horses that draw carts, drays, coal-waggons, stage waggons, and other heavy things, are stouter and much larger, and stronger than those that carry on the saddle, and are called draught horses. Q. Where do the draught horses come from? A. The largest comes from Leicestershire, and some come from Suffolk, which are very strong, and are called Suffolk punches. Q. Where do the best saddle-horses come from? A. They came at first from Arabia, the place in which the camel is so useful; but now it is considered that those are as good which are bred in England? Q. What do they call a horse when he is young? A. A foal, or a young colt. Q. Will he carry or draw while he is young? A. Not until he is taught, which is called breaking of him in. Q. And when he is broke in, is he very, useful? A. Yes; and please, sir, we hope to be more useful when we are properly taught. Q. What do you mean by being properly taught? A. When we have as much trouble taken with us as the horses and dogs have taken with them. Q. Why, you give me a great deal of trouble, and yet I endeavour to teach you. A. Yes, sir, but before Infant Schools were established, little children, like us, were running the streets.[A] Q. But you ought to be good children if you do run the streets. A. Please, sir, there is nobody to tell us how[B], and if the man did not teach the horse, he would not know how to do his work.
[Footnote A: This answer was given by a child five years of age.]
[Footnote B: This answer was given by a child six years of age.]
Here we observe to the children, that as this animal is so useful to mankind, it should be treated with kindness. And having questioned them as to the difference between a cart and a coach, and satisfied ourselves that they understand the things that are mentioned, we close, by asking them what is the use of the horse after he is dead, to which the children reply, that its flesh is eaten by other animals (naming them), and that its skin is put into pits with oak bark, which is called tanning; and that when it is tanned it is called leather; and leather is made into shoes to keep the feet warm and dry, and that we are indebted to the animals for many things that we both eat and wear, and above all to the great God for every thing that we possess. I cannot help thinking that if this plan were more generally adopted, in all schools, we should not have so many persons ascribing everything to blind chance, when all nature exhibits a God, who guides, protects, and continually preserves the whole.
We also examine the children concerning that ill-treated animal, the ass, and contrast it with the beautiful external appearance of the zebra; taking care to warn the children not to judge of things by their outward appearance, which the world in general are too apt to do, but to judge of things by their uses, and of men by their general character and conduct. After having examined the children concerning the animals that are most familiar to us, such as the sheep, the cow, the dog, and others of a similar kind, we proceed to foreign animals, such as the camel, the elephant, the tiger, the lion, &c. &c. In describing the use of the camel and the elephant, there is a fine field to open the understandings of the children, by stating how useful the camel is in the deserts of Arabia; how much it can carry; how long it can go without water; and the reason it can go without water longer than most other animals; how much the elephant can carry; what use it makes of its trunk, &c. All these things will assist the thinking powers of children, and enlarge their understandings, if managed carefully. We also contrast the beautiful appearance of the tiger with its cruel and blood-thirsty disposition, and endeavour to shew these men and women in miniature, that it is a dangerous plan to judge of things by outward appearances, but that there is a more correct way of judging, which forms a part of the business of education to explain.
The children are highly delighted with these pictures, and, of their own accord, require an explanation of the subjects. Nay, they will even ask questions that will puzzle the teacher to answer; and although there is in some minds such a natural barrenness, that, like the sands of Arabia, they are never to be cultivated or improved, yet I can safely say, that I never knew a child who did not like the pictures; and as soon as I had done explaining one, it was always, "Please, sir, may we learn this?" "Please, teacher, may we learn that?" In short, I find that I am generally tired before the children; instead of having to apply any magisterial severity, they are petitioning to learn; and this mode of teaching possesses an advantage over every other, because it does not interfere with any religious opinion, there being no body of Christians that I know, or ever heard of, who would object to the facts recorded in the Bible, being thus elucidated by pictures. Thus a ground-work may be laid, not only of natural history, but of sacred history also; for the objects being before the children's eyes, they can, in some degree, comprehend them, and store them in their memories. Indeed, there is such attraction in pictures, that you can scarcely pass a picture-shop in London, without seeing a number of grown persons around the windows gazing at them. When pictures were first introduced into the school, the children told their parents; many of whom came and asked permission to see them; and although the plates are very common, I observed a degree of attention and reverence in the parents, scarcely to be expected, and especially from those who could not read.
It is generally the case, that what we have always with us, becomes so familiar, that we set little store by it; but on being deprived of it for a time, we then set a greater value on it: and I have found this to be the case with the children. If the pictures we make use of in the schools be exposed all at once, and at all times, then there would be such a multiplicity of objects before the eyes of the children, that their attention would not be fixed by any of them; they would look at them all, at first, with wonder and surprise, but in a short time the pictures would cease to attract notice, and, consequently, the children would think no more of them than they would of the paper that covers the room. To prevent this, and to excite a desire for information, it is always necessary to keep some behind, and to let very few objects appear at one time. When the children understand, in some measure, the subjects before them, these may be replaced by others, and so on successively, until the whole have been seen.
Some persons have objected to the picture of Christ being represented in the human form, alleging that it is calculated to make the children think he was a mere man only, and have thought it better that be should not be represented at all; the man that undertakes to please all will soon find out his mistake, and, therefore, be must do the best he can, and leave the objectors to please themselves; yet it is a great pity little children should suffer from the ill-grounded objections of those who cannot do better. On visiting a school, take notice of the pictures hanging about, if they are dusty, and have not the appearance of being well-used, be sure that the committee have never seen a good infant school, or that the teacher has never been properly trained, and, therefore, does not know how to use them.
CHAPTER XVI.
ON TEACHING BY OBJECTS.
Object Boards—Utility of this Method.
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"The eyes will greatly aid the ears."
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As I have before said that it is our object to teach the children from objects in preference to books, I will mention a method we adopt for the accomplishment of this purpose. It consists of a number of boards, of which, and of their use, the following description will convey an accurate idea.
The boards are about sixteen inches square, and a quarter of an inch thick: wainscot is the best, as it does not warp. These will go into the groove of the lesson post: there should be about twenty articles on each board, or twenty-five, just as it suits the conductors of the school; there should be the same quantity of things on each board, in order that all the children may finish at one time; this will not be the case, if there be more objects on one board than another. I will give an account of a few of our boards, and that must suffice, or I shall exceed the limits I have prescribed to myself.
The first board contains a small piece of gold in its rough state, a piece of gold in its manufactured state, a piece of silver in both states, a piece of copper in both states, a piece of brass in both states, a piece of iron in both states, a piece of steel in both states, a piece of tinfoil, a piece of solder, a screw, a clasp nail, a clout nail, a hob nail, a spike nail, a sparable, and a tack.
These articles are all on one board, and the monitor puts his pointer to each article, and tells his little pupils their names, and encourages them to repeat the names after him. When they finish at one post they go to the next.
The next board may contain a piece of hemp, a piece of rope, a piece of string, a piece of bagging, a piece of sacking, a piece of canvass, a piece of hessian, a piece of Scotch sheeting, a piece of unbleached linen, a piece of bleached linen, a piece of diaper linen, a piece of dyed linen, a piece of flax, a piece of thread, a piece of yarn, a piece of ticking, a piece of raw silk, a piece of twisted silk, a piece of wove silk, figured, a piece of white plain sills, and a piece of dyed silk, a piece of ribbon, a piece of silk cord, a piece of silk velvet, &c.
The next may contain raw cotton, cotton yarn, sewing cotton, unbleached calico, bleached calico, dimity, jean, fustian, velveteen, gause, nankeen, gingham, bed furniture, printed calico, marseilles, flannel, baise, stuff; woollen cloth and wool, worsted, white, black, and mixed.
The next may contain milled board, paste board, Bristol card, brown paper, white paper of various sorts, white sheep skin, yellow sheep, tanned sheep, purple sheep, glazed sheep, red sheep, calf skin, cow hide, goat skin, kid, seal, pig leather, seal skin, wash leather, beaver, &c.
The next may contain about twenty-five of those wood animals which are imported into this country, and are to be had at the foreign toy warehouses; some of them are carved exceedingly well, and appear very like the real animals.
The next may contain mahogany, and the various kinds of wood.
The next may contain prunings of the various fruit trees, all about an inch long, or an inch square.
The next may contain the different small articles of ironmongery, needles, pins, cutlery, small tools, and every other object that can be obtained small enough for the purpose.
The lessons are to be put in the lesson-post the same as the picture lessons; and the articles are either glued, or fastened on the boards with screws or waxed thread.
I would have dried leaves provided, such as an oak leaf, an elm leaf, an ash leaf, &c. &c. The leaves of ever-greens should be kept separate. These will enable a judicious instructor to communicate a great variety of valuable information.
On some things connected with such instruction I find I arrived at the same conclusions as Pestalozzi, though I have never read his works, and for some years after my first efforts, did not know that such a person existed. I mean, however, to give my views on teaching by objects more fully in a work I hope soon to prepare, to be entitled "The Infant Teacher in the Nursery and the School."
The utility of this mode of teaching must be obvious, for if the children meet with any of those terms in a book which they are reading, they understand them immediately, which would not be the case unless they had seen the object. The most intellectual person would not be able to call things by their proper names, much less describe them, unless he had been taught, or heard some other person call them by their right names; and we generally learn more by mixing with society, than ever we could do at school: these sorts of lessons persons can make themselves, and they will last for many years, and help to lay a foundation for things of more importance.
I am convinced the day is not far distant when a museum will be considered necessary to be attached to every first rate school for the instruction of children.
Sight is the most direct inlet for knowledge. Whatever we have seen makes a much stronger impression upon us. Perception is the first power of mind which is brought into action, and the one made use of with most ease and pleasure. For this reason object lessons are indispensable in an infant school, consisting both of real substances and of pictures. The first lesson in Paradise was of this kind, and we ought therefore to draw instruction from it. "And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name of it."
