Part 6 (1/2)

_From New Testament_: The Birth of Jesus, Jesus' Entry into Jerusale in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus' Death on the Cross, The Burial of Jesus, The Resurrection of Jesus, The Outpouring of the Holy Ghost Instruction is exclusively oral Historical references are disregarded Historical situations are frequently clarified by references to the history of civilization and geography New phases of God's dealings with led out and presented for consideration Passages of Scripture and others from the catechism or hymns are treated in connection with the Bible stories as they are told

_Class III_ (Six half hour periods weekly) Biblical history up to and including the time of Solomon, characteristic stories from the prophetic period, and selections of Scripture fronated officially for study in reference to certain church holidays A the topics included we find: The Tower of Babel, God's Covenant with Abraham, The Visit of the Three Men, The Lord Visits Sodo Laban, Jacob's Return, The Travel to Sinai, The Giving of the Law, The Unfaithfulness of the People, The Travels fro the People into Canaan, Gideon, Ruth, Sa, Saul Rejected, God Chooses David to be King, David and Jonathan, Saul Pursuing David, The Death of Saul, David Chosen to be King by the People, The Fall and Restitution of David, Absalom, The Last Days of David's Life, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, Daniel The ain taken up, to which the above is added in historical connection To this raphy and cultural history are added as needed, while hyes of Scripture, or selections froh constant reviews the ious contents froroups, each group centering around the life of some proh soed in as an aid A certain aned as home lessons

_Second Division_

_Class IV_ (Boys four hours, girls three hours, weekly) New Testa in the stories of Jesus' childhood, His miracles, and His easier parables New stories taken up: The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold, The Birth of Jesus Foretold, The Birth of John the Baptist, Jesus Presented in the Teypt, Appearance of John the Baptist, The Baptism of Jesus, Jesus is Tee in Cana, Jesus Visits Nazareth, Jesus Choosing the Twelve Apostles, Jesus Heals the Centurion's Servant, The Death of John the Baptist, Jesus Healing the Palsied, Jesus Raising Jairus' Daughter, The Woman of Canaan, Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, The Good Samaritan, Jesus at the House of Martha and Mary, Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, Parable of the Prodigal Son, Dives and Lazarus, Healing of the Ten Lepers, Parable of the Publican and Pharisee, Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son, Easter, Pentecost The extent to which details of stories, Biblical geography, cultural history, and passages of Scripture or catechisoverned by the maturity and education of the children In this class considerable attention is given to the reading of hymns and New Testa obscure passages and difficult sentences), to connections between Bible stories and history, and to chronological sequence

_Class V_ (Boys four hours, girls three hours, weekly) Continued instruction in New Testament history, especially the parables of Jesus and the story of his passion and resurrection To this is added the account of the founding of the first Christian church and its spread by the efforts of the chief apostles The work includes the following new stories: Jesus and Nichodemus, Jesus and the Samaritan Wouration of Jesus, Peter's Confession, The Man Born Blind, Jesus the Good Shepherd, The Raising of Lazarus, Jesus in the House of Zacchaeus, Jesus in Bethany, Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard, Parable of the Ten Virgins, Washi+ng of Feet, The Lord's Supper, Jesus in Gethseh Priest and the Sanhedrin, Jesus Before Pilate and Herod, Crucifixion of Jesus, Christ's Burial, The Resurrection, Jesus Appears to the Two Disciples on the Way to Emmaus, He Appears to the Disciples in Jerusalem, He Appears at the Sea of Tiberias, The Great Co of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost, The First Miracle and First Persecution, Stephen, The Ethiopian Eunuch, Saul, Cornelius, Paul Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles

Bible reading, the catechism, Bible history, and hymns are studied as in former classes, but es of Scripture, containing great Christian and moral truths are to be ih the years enable the children to connect several stories into groups, and to acquire co the life and work of Christ A small instruction book is used First part and Article I of the second part are studied

_Third Division_

_Class VI_ (Four hours weekly) Bible history and Old Testa and ecclesiastical history alternating

A deeper knowledge of sacred history is sought Striking illustrations of God's plan of salvation operating aned to enable the children to appreciate the rede of Old Testa the tidododom of Judah, The Jews under Babylonian Captivity, Their Return from Captivity, The Last Four Hundred Years

Familiarity with Old Testaraphy, and cultural history is to be gained Articles II and III of the second part, and the third, fourth, and fifth parts of the instruction book are taken up

_Class VII_ (Three hours weekly) One Gospel--Matthew--is read connectedly and followed by a treatment of selected parts from the Acts of the Apostles in connection with the work of Biblical history in the fourth and fifth grades All ain taken up, applied, and centered

Narratives relating to i them:--The Persecutions (under Nero, Polycarpus), The Victory of Christianity (Constantine), The Christian Cereustine, Hermits and Monks, The Spread of Christianity, The Popes, The Crusades, The Preparation for the Reformation, The Lutheran Reformation (Luther, the Jesuits, the Catholic Mission), The Lutheran Church in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, The Mission, Bible Societies

The ai the developeneral, and of the Lutheran church in particular Narratives are grouped around great central characters--Christian personages A realization of the lofty aiether with an appreciation of their duties and responsibilities as members of the Christian church is the intent By means of an instruction book the eneral history, and the history of Norway are correlated Information contained in the hymn book acquaints the children with the ceremonial order of the ecclesiastical year as well as with the contents and order of the book itself The study of previously ed upon

It is to be remeious and scholastic interests are under the direction of the Department of Ecclesiastical and Educational affairs The 's cabinet Here we find one of the nu question of ious instruction in the public schools While the provisions for this teaching are not faultless, and though their course of instruction could not be adopted for use in Aious prejudices, yet we e that they are well adapted to the needs and desires of the people served The citizenshi+p of the country is hoiously, alainst any change in religious creed The teaching of religion in the schools has been the practice for generations, the instruction is taken as a matter of course, and it exerts its beneficient influences upon all

There are a number of important features of this moral instruction which press their claims for special mention, but we cannot discuss them all

A feever, demand so is bent so will the tree be inclined, has been borne out in practice times without number Here, it seehout their whole school life--that receptive, appropriating, formative period--the children have constantly before the, and admonitions that tend to create and develop within them an ambition to excel in beauty of character That the morals of society are not kept ical iain a rather successful atte the lines of personal purity In fact the home, the school, and the church join hands and supple True it is that striking exah ideals, and moral worth abound in profane history as well as in sacred, in secular life as well as in religious, in living characters as truly as in those of past ages, but the school syste all of these things in connection with their regular instruction in the various subjects taught, and, in addition, furnishes particularized instruction which ious develop lessons are thus vividly presented, the powers of ier and nobler characters

Nevertheless, when religious instruction is made a requirement, it too frequently beco That this great misfortune is the case in some of the secondary schools of Norway is an indictment which cannot be denied

However, in the primary schools the instruction is fruitful and important As a consequence of these conditions the state back over the years of religious instruction they recall numerous happy instances of earnest, heartfelt prayer and Bible stories acco on the part of the teacher

Other experiences reveal the fact that so profession had not the sincerity and feeling back of their instruction required in order to give vitality andto the lessons presented

The entire question of instruction iniitated in many lands today and a solution is sorely needed Were all classes of society united as to what should be included in this instruction the matter would adjust itself very readily However, social conditions in a single nation are reater breaks are to be found In fact the ideals and conceptions of society are so varied that no one present system would suffice for all Could a code of ethics be formulated which would ht be hoped for Until then each nation must necessarily follow the plan which seems best adapted to its social requirements As already stated, the people of Norway are nearly all adherents to the Lutheran creed so there are very few dissenters from the common rule Provision is made in the law that those who do not adhere to the state church and object to receiving instruction in this particular line uardian, be excused froian_

_Aiian to further the uistic ability In this course of activity they should acquire:

(1) Efficiency in apprehending and assi what they hear or read, confident readiness in reading, plain articulation, and correct and natural accentuation