The second type of pictures, or those dealing with Bible topics, contain teaching power, but should be merged with the third, or true art, type.  That is to say, biblical subjects, moral lessons, and inspiring ideals should be treated by true artists and made a part of the religious curriculum for childhood.  Wherever suitable masterpieces executed by great artists can be found, copies should be made available for teaching religion.  Hundreds of such pictures hang in our art galleries, and not a few of them have already been incorporated into several excellent series for the Sunday school.

Further, the pictures offered children should be as carefully selected with reference to what they are to teach, and should be as carefully graded to meet the age, interests, and appreciations of the child as are other forms of curriculum material.  Some otherwise excellent picture sets of recent publication lose the greater part of their usefulness as teaching helps through the lack of this adaptation.

MUSIC IN THE CURRICULUM

Music as a part of the curriculum of religious education offers a peculiarly difficult problem.  No other form of expression can take the place of music in creating a spirit of reverence and devotion, or in inducing an attitude of worship and inspiring religious feeling and emotion.  Children ought to sing much both in the church school and in their worship at home.

Yet most of our hymns have been written for adults, and most of the music is better adapted to adult singing than to the singing of children.  The ragtime hymns which find a place in many Sunday school exercises need only to be mentioned to be condemned.  On the other hand, many of the finest hymns of the church are beyond the grasp of the child in sentiment and beyond his ability in music.  The church seriously needs a revival of religious hymnology for children.  In the meantime the greatest care should be used to select hymns for children’s singing which possess as fully as may be three requisites:  (1) music adapted to the child’s capacity, (2) music that is worthy, interesting and devotional, and (3) words within the child’s understanding and interest, and suitable in sentiment.

1.  Many persons think that teaching the child religion and teaching him the Bible are precisely the same thing.  Do you think it is possible to teach the child parts of the Bible without securing for him spiritual development from the process?  Is it possible to make the Bible itself mean more to the child by supplementing it with material from other sources?

2.  Do you ever find lessons provided for your class which are not adapted to their age and understanding?  If so, do you feel free to supplement or substitute with material which meets their needs?  Do you have sufficient command of the material of the Bible and other sources so that you can do this successfully?