The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-11-18
STUDY OF THE OLD MAS7,EIeH.
No. L.
PICTURE TEACHING.

EDITOR ADVANCE: Looking over
the work of human masters in the art
of teaching, one is impressed by the
fact that in the earlier stage of our
race, ideas and princill,s were Of nee Q,
sity taught by peisonification. An idea
to be established in the popular mind,
to take a lasting hold on the popular
heart, must he picture for the eye and
4 tale for the ear. Thus with the lead
ing idea represented by a leading person
in the fore ground, his assistants in les
ser relief representing side issues. as it
were, and all the attendant causes ard
results furnishing the ground work, tie
picture il completed. The popular eye
being thus attracted, attention is held
by the varying cadence of the tale, UNI
til the whole is impressed upon the
mind never to be effaced.
Thus the Old Masters, with wonder
full tact, secured their ideas to coming
generations; the picture attracting the
eye and human sympathy with the
''person" inducing sympathy with the
idea to be taught, renders the lesson
permanent il its effect.
Seeking to make a lasting impression
upon mankind, these master teachers
sometimes left their lessons open to
misconstruction.
One effect Of this oversight or rather
lack of sight, is to make an impression
they did not wish to make, to teach a
lesson they did not wish to teach; but
the impression was just as deep, the
lesson no less permanent. Superstition
budded in the picture, hlossomed in the
tale and came to full fruition in the
very idea that WAS put forth to uproot
It.
Yet, let US not condemn the Old
Masters for what is mostly our own
fault-weakness if youlike. Rather let
US seek to correct the errors into which
we have fallen.
Superstition. which in the first place
was the result of ignorance, in the Sec
ond place is the cause Of it, for it is
fixed law of nature that each thing
seeks to perpetuate itself. This, true
of ami mails and Of plants, is equally true
of ideas. So, superstition being brought
forth by ignorance, seeksto perpetuate
the author Of its being. How it has
succeeded, the world knows but too
well.
10 uproot Superstition seems at the
first glance to be the easiest Of tasks
siuce all civilized mankind wish it's
death; but the trouble lies i'll knowing
it when we find it..
Like all tyrants, it demands unques.
tioning servility; demands that it's sub
jects exercise not their own reason,
use not their own powers only rs they
are moulded 10y the tyrant itself. So
when we find any idea or belief running
IN the mind Of man that admits TT less
than the mans full reason, or that finds
its support in anything but the reason,
we may safely put it in the catalogue of
superstitious.
1t requires no little courage and en-
ergy to seek knowledge successfully
and a Still greater courage to acknowi-
edge truth when found; for this tyr
ant promises the most terrible punish
ment the mind of man can conceive
Though knowing its inability to intlict
the punishment, it cautiously puts it
off to the unknowable future. Yet if
tile lance he sharp the wound of the
friendphysician loses it's pain in the
pleasure of having the cancer removed.
So, let us seek for Truth. Though at
first it may seem unwelcome, at the
last its presence will be welcomed by
the healthier state induced Ly the
knowledge it brings.