The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-06-19

citation of Minneapolis. The authors
name did not accompany the manuscript.
ED.
SIR JOHN LUBBOCK says: "If the reli
gion OF theology is still mystery, even
to the most learned, the religion of duty
is plain. even to child. We may not
be sure what to think or believe. but in
our hearts we almost always know well
enough what we ought to do" The
child's religious life must begin in &C.
ton. He needs the religion of duty
rather than Bible history, geography or
even literature. Let the keeping Of
Gods law define the idea of duty and be
the foundation of the religion of child
hood, as it is safe foundation for the
future belief of manhood. A religious
feeling, broadly stated, is feeling for, a
sympathy with. striving toward ideals.
The child has this desire for something
above, ahead. in common with the adult.
He loves the strong. the large, the pow
erful, the high, the free. the beautiful.
Grown people and their actions are the
child's ideals. To them he looks up
with admiration. Parents and teachers
are supposed to reveal, to reflect God in
their lives, so that the child learns of
the God like in man before he learns of
God. Drummond says that five minutes
spent in Christ's society, or in that of
his followers. il it be face to face and
heart to heart. will make the whole life
different. The child must learn of the
things of spirit by means of the things
of sense. III ye love not your brother
whom ye have seen, how can ye love
God who ye have not SEEM" The child
must learn of the unseen cause by
means of the seen effect.
Everything in the spiritual world has
it's counterpart in the physical world.
Large, clear. strong, bright, free and
beautiful things in the material world,
are fit symbols of perfection in the
spiritual world. The art of any subject
comes naturally before the science.
This is true of religion as far as the
child is concerned. In all developing
processes, the art precedes the science.
In examining process the science pre-
cedes the art. The child should have a
practical experience before he has a
text. By going through the experience
he can make his own text. 1t is the
doing. not the knowing, that is develop
ing. The child should be allowed to
practice the art of religious living be-
fore he is given the formulas of religion
The little text, ut is more blessed to
give than to receive" will have vital, liv
ing meaning to the child after he has OK
perienced the Joy of personal giving. An
onewho has been in kindergarten at
Christmas time will be witness to the pu
unadulterated Joy that children have in
doing and giving to others. The child
may witness his parents religious life,
but he should not be forced to share
that life till he has reached CORE
spending stage of development. Reli-
gious feeling changes and progresses in
intensity and kind as the soul grows.
1t should keep pace with the growth Of
the mind. Do not ask the child to see
and feel as the man does. Do not ask
the man to see and feel as the child
does. The child must live the Christ
life before he can appreciate the Christ.
Let him daily follow the example of his
parents and teachers who are living the
life that Christ led, and later he will be
able to appreciate the historical life of
Christ as something not foreign to his
own experience. This is the art. the
essence of religion. Theology and creed
and dogmas are the science which fol-
lows.
Miss Blow says; The greatest mic
takes in education are rooted in the
failure to recognize and conform to the
different stages of natural development.
Notwithstanding all that has been said
and written, we still make knowledge