Those Juniors, Part 30: Six Honest Serving Men

by Eric B. Hare

Last week: A teacher’s voice should be cultured and clear. Voice culture should be taught to students, as well. You can put color and feeling into Bible verses, or anything else, by using expression in your tone of voice. It can be beneficial to omit pieces of a passage that will cause distraction in class.

We have already studied the deductive and inductive principles in teaching, and have noticed how the question method stimulates the thinking and discovery of inductive teaching. In this chapter we want to study the art of asking questions, for we recognize that some questions are weak stimulators and others are strong. In order to keep the principles of deduction and induction in mind, we will teach the first section on questions by the deductive method and the second section by the inductive.

Three Kinds of Questions (Example of Deduction)
There are three kinds of questions:

1. Rhetorical
2. Elliptical
3. Clear, direct, simple

Memory Text for December 28–January 3

Key Thought for Lesson 1, "Sowing the Seed"
God has placed the truths of salvation in objects He created. One important truth is that we can choose to plant seeds of goodness that will help us grow more like Jesus.

Memory Text:
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Project: Memory
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” (Psalm 19:1, 2).

Memory Text for December 21–27

Key Thought for Lesson 13, "Branches of the Vine"
Abiding in Christ is the only way to be true Christians. We abide through prayer, Bible study, asking for the Holy Spirit, and absolute surrender to Christ.

Memory Text:
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me” (John 15:4).

Project: Memory
Did you complete the memory project of learning Ephesians 6:1–18? Congratulations! We hope you've taken the chance this week to review.

Those Juniors, Part 29: The Echoes of Teaching

by Eric B. Hare

Last week: There is a great amount of difference between connotation and denotation. If these two concepts are clearly understood, the teacher will be able to help their students understand things better.

When Paul exhorted Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine,”1 I am inclined to think he included among other things, his words, his voice, and his manner of speaking, for Paul was very particular about being understood when he spoke. Writing to the Corinthians, he said, “I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”2

You will agree that an unknown tongue need not be a foreign language. If the one who prays buries his face in his hands, if the secretary mumbles and mutters so that we cannot understand a single thought, that is without doubt an unknown tongue.

Ellie's Christmas Prayer

by Ruth Scott

The sun hung low in the western sky as two weary prospectors plodded down a narrow, snowy road. Already the clouds resting on the craggy mountain peaks glowed pink and gold, and soon shadows darkened the travelers’ path.

“I reckon it’s at least five miles more to a settlement, Jim.” Bill Brand thrust his walking stick into the snow. “No way can we make it before dark, and I’m tired enough to flop right here in the snow for the night.”

Jim Fry snorted. “I’m for movin’ on, Bill, till we come to the first shack. Must be one not far around this next bend. Why should two lucky gold panners sleep out in the cold—and on the night before Christmas Eve, no less?” Jim lengthened his stride, and Bill huffed to catch up with him.

Memorization Club, Part 3: Your Own Club

by Sylvia Evert

So you’ve decided to start a Bible memorization club. You’ve set a goal, begun to get organized, and prayed for God’s blessing. Now you just need some members—and a plan to keep them enthusiastic and involved.

Memory Text for December 14–20

Key Thought for Lesson 12, "The Vine"
Just as the branch could not survive without the vine, we have no righteousness apart from Jesus.

Memory Text:
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Project: Memory
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

Those Juniors, Part 28: The Wreckage of Distorted Ideas

by Eric B. Hare

Last week: It is very easy to be misunderstood by our young people. These misunderstandings can be eliminated, however, by clear enunciation and accompanying gestures—things that will familiarize the child with what he is hearing. The teacher must be fit mentally, physically, and spiritually to accomplish his task.

Connotation is simply the meaning of a word in describing its qualities, while denotation tells the kind and gives it a name. It sounds simple enough, but there are two connotations, the universal and the particular, and that is where our difficulty comes in. The universal meaning of a word gives the qualities that are common to all of its kind; the particular connotation gives the qualities of the local species, the thing the child is acquainted with. And because the child’s world is small and limited, the teacher often fails to put the idea across.

Let us take, for example, the word “priest.”

In Touch

Dear Young Disciples,

The words looking back at me told of love sought and won, and even though I knew it wasn’t pure, the story drew me in. Soon hours had passed. I felt defiled, but I didn’t stop: Other stories I found on the web soon allured me.

Fiction’s hold on me deepened as I began reading full-length novels. The more I read, the more unclean I felt, but the escape from reality enticed me more than my desire to do right. I didn’t try to stop.

One year later, my imaginary world collided with reality. I began teaching a junior class, starting with lessons on Steps to Christ. That’s when I discovered that I didn’t have a personal knowledge of God—the very thing I was trying to teach. Desperately, I began studying my Bible. As I learned of Christ, I found that true satisfaction comes only through Him. I determined that fiction would no longer control me.

Stopping wasn’t easy. Each day I tried and failed. I took steps to make the websites harder to access, but still I found myself there often. As I grew discouraged with my efforts, God began to teach me that victory is possible only through His strength. As I believed and claimed His power, temptation’s hold lessened.

Although it took years, fiction’s addiction no longer controls me. His power keeps me. I still must guard my heart and choose to obey, for I’m still sometimes tempted—but as long as I am connected to Him, I am sheltered under His wings. He is faithful. He keeps me true.

Seeking Him alone,

Bible Memorization Club, Part 2: Getting Ready

by Sylvia Evert

I was so excited about my Bible memorization program that I mentioned it in nearly every message I sent to family and friends. To my surprise, several people asked if they could join me. They even wanted copies of my calendar, so we could do it together.

I was surprised and thrilled. I went to work right away and made a calendar in Microsoft Excel. Then I sent it to all those that had requested to join. Before I knew it, I had a Bible memorization club!

As I kept up with my club, I soon learned something wonderful: In trying to motivate others, I motivated myself. I could hardly encourage my friends to do something without doing it myself. When you know people are looking to you as a leader, you don’t want to let them down.

How about it? Do you want to start a serious program of Bible memorization? Would you like to encourage your friends to do the same? Are you ready to start a memorization club? If so, here are some pointers I learned along the way.

Memory Verse for December 7–13

Key Thought for Lesson 11, "Kept Through Faith"
We can be kept by God’s power every moment when we trust Him even in what we don’t see or understand.

Memory Text:
“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

Project: Memory
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16, 17).

Those Juniors, Part 27: Unfailing Springs

by Eric B. Hare

Last week: We must study the mystery of the will—for only then will we understand the true power and force of the will, when applied for good or evil.

We were having morning worship; the Sabbath school lesson that week was about the second coming of Christ, and the memory verse was, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.”1 Five-year-old Lennie had repeated the first phrase, when he paused, looked into his mother’s face with big, wide-open eyes, and whispered in hushed awe, “Mother—when Jesus comes—will He—steal things?”

Now what was the trouble? Was it Lennie’s fault? Was it our fault?

In Oakland a few years ago in morning worship a mother was teaching her wee son the lesson of Jesus healing the deaf and dumb man and she said, “Jesus ‘put His fingers into his ears, . . . and touched his tongue.’”2

The little boy roused to attention at once, “But, Mother,” he objected, “Jesus couldn’t do that!”

“Why, yes, sonny, the Bible says Jesus put His fingers into his ears and touched his tongue.”

“But, Mother, how could He? He’d have to put His fingers into his mouth to touch his tongue.”

And the little boy was right. But there was something the matter somewhere. What was the trouble?

For the answer, let us study for a while the teacher himself, his words, and his voice. The book Education emphasizes these spheres in which a teacher should be developed:

1. Spiritually.
2. Physically.
3. Mentally.

Memory Text for Nov. 30–Dec. 6

Key Thought for Lesson 10, "Kept by the Power of God"
God has the power to keep us from every sin, great or small.

Memory Text:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3–5).

Project: Memory
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:14, 15).