Teachers' Notes on History of Old Testament Times

This Course of a Year's Lessons on the History of the Hebrew People is designed for scholars of from 12 up through adult age. Those who take these lessons should have already had the Junior Life of Christ, and should follow the present Course with one on the Life of Jesus Christ the Messiah, unless the period from the Return to the Advent is to be studied more in detail than in the one lesson of this Course. The number of Lessons in this Course, including Review and Supplementary Lessons, is just forty. Schools requiring a larger number can easily find material for them in this Course, as many of the Lessons include matter enough for several Lessons, and the Reviews can be studied with profit for more than one Sunday each.

It is of the utmost importance that the answers, to those Questions to be answered in writing, be written out by each pupil for every Sunday's Lesson. Experience has shown that the plan of writing the answers, either on separate sheets of paper, or in special note books, or in the lesson books themselves, is practicable and advantageous. These answers should be corrected by the teacher and preserved by the pupils. In following this plan, it is desirable that the answers be full enough to mean something, when standing alone. For example: If the Question reads: "How many sons had Jacob?" the Answer should include the Question, and constitute an independent statement; thus: "Jacob had twelve sons."

It will be observed that in these Lessons no references to the verses containing the answers are given, except in cases of special difficulty or where the verse required is outside of the Lesson Chapter. It is believed that to give

the reference with each question is a hindrance rather than a help, since it permits children to become expert in finding the answer, without understanding the point.

Attention is called especially to the Review Questions at the beginning of each Lesson. Their purpose is fourfold: to aid memory through repetition; to test knowledge; to aid thought by combining related facts; and to prepare for the new Lesson. It will be noted that in carrying out this purpose, it is not always possible or desirable to base the Review Questions on the Lesson immediately preceding.

The Review Questions at the end of each Half-Year are designed to group essential facts in such way as to give a view of the whole, and to suggest meanings. It is strongly advised that teachers become familiar with these Review Questions before beginning to teach the First Lesson of the Course, in order that, knowing the end from the beginning, themselves, they may be able to lay stress on the points to be mastered by the pupils.

Many teachers will doubtless feel the lack of Questions designed to arouse emotions and thoughts regarding the application of these Lessons to personal conduct and character. Such questions have been omitted purposely, in the conviction that Questions prepared by a Committee and printed in cold type cannot take the place of the living word of the teacher. Questions of fact lose nothing, but rather gain, by being prepared beforehand and put in print. Questions bearing on heart and life must suit the occasion, and must fit the individual pupil; they should come fresh from the heart of the individual teacher.

It is to be noted that no Memoriter Work is provided for in this Course of Lessons, as it is found that scholars of this advanced age are not easily induced to perform it,

and assigned work left undone is productive of positive injury. Should teachers and scholars, however, desire such work, it is suggested that Hymns from the Hymnal and Chants from the Prayer Book Services will furnish ample and suitable material.

A number of attractive Pictures (Prints and Stereographs) have been mapped out for each lesson in order that the teacher may secure good illustrative material. A Bible Picture scrap-book thus formed by the teacher or the class, will serve admirably to recall details of events only outlined here. Should Teachers desire to secure Pictures illustrative of the Lesson Topics, either to distribute to the scholars or for personal illustration, communication with the Sunday School Commission will secure them.

Special Instruction Chapters on Graded Note Book Work and Illustrated Essays will be found in A Complete Handbook of Religious Pictures, obtainable through the Commission for 5 cents, postage 4 cents extra. Vols. II. and III. of The Commission Bulletin (25.cts. per vol.) contain a complete series of articles on Graded Manual Work (Pictures, Stereographs, Map-making, etc.) as used in progressive Sunday Schools.

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Teachers' Notes on History of Old Testament Times, Parte2