The age-herald., 1902-03-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL
 METHODS IN USE MT. PonSaII Begins Course ot
 Lectures on Teaching SOME PRACTICAL POINTS
Lecturer Insists That Teachers Should Be Simple and at the Same Time Entertaining-Meetings Morn-
 Ing and Night.

MT. T. Bonsall of Cincinnati began a
 course of lectures, or talks as he modestly
 calls them, on Sunday School pedagogy
 at the First Baptist church last night. Several hundred Sunday school workers.
 representing every Protestant denomina-
 tion in Birmingham, composed his audi
 ence.
 There was a misunderstanding on the part of many persons interested in the l Sunday school cause as to the church in
 which this first lecture would take place. Arrangements had been made to hold all the night m eetings at the Southside Bap-
 tist church, but the First Church was
 afterwards selected for the entire course.
 Quite a number of persons went to the
 Southside church and finding it dark, concluded that MT. Bonsall had not arr rived, and so concluding. went home. Others finding the church closed made inquiry by telephone and finally reached the right place.
 MT. Bonsall will give talk every morn- ing at 10:30 this week at the First Baptist church and every night at o'clock at the same church.
 The lecturers theme last night was "The Way to be Entertaining in Our Bi- ble Teaching" And these were some of the points touched upon: Elements of power in Sunday school teaching, a wise approach to the lessons, reading the Bible between the lines, the use of eye-gates (object lessons-real or supposed), the use of devices the use of gestures, sim pie use of blackboard or pencil pad, the use of modified words, the use of the doctrinal diagram, wise way of using a map and word pictures and an occa- sional use of condiments. In talks that will follow MT. Bonsall will take up those points separately and develop the ideas which he has in his mind. Last night he spoke mainly about eye-gates.
 The speaker regarded it as a semi-crime to be commonplace and uninteresting. He spoke with emphasis of the necessity of holding the attention of children, and he laid particular stress on the word simple" Every teacher should make 1t a study to present instruction in such a way that pupils would count 1t a pleasure to receive 1t. I've are told in Ecclesi- astes," Mir Bonsall said, that the preacher sought to find out acceptable worlds and as a consequence his words became as goods and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies If you will substitute teacher for preacher in the quotation you will have a statement none the less true"
 .dnx vptaa boy" continued the speaker, ''who when asked by the superintendent why was 1t that the Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing after his talk with Philip? answered, Please, sir, he went away re- joicing because Philip was done a-teachin' him. Surely that boys teacher was one of the formal and routine sort, and not one who sought out acceptable words.
 Preacher, your attainments and Bible knowledge may be vast, and yet if you have limited their power of service by adopting the formal and routine method of teaching your fellow-teacher whose acquired knowledge is perhaps less, but who has the inspirational and entertain ing way, will do the better work"
 Mir Bonsall told of the teacher of ancient Greece, who had pictures of Joy and Gladness hanging on the walls of his school to signify that the business of education ought to be rendered as pleas ant as maybe. He urged his hearers to have this spirit of the old philosopher.
 In concluding his talk the speaker said: Let us not only exercise extremest care that our teaching be thoroughly script ural and evangelical. but also to make 1t entertaining as did the Great Teacher. when He presented divine truth"
 Mfr. Bonsall is an elderly man but he Is quick in his movements and tireless in his work. He has pleasant address and is free from mannerisms Although bus iness man he has been an active Sunday school worker for 25 years. not only in teaching but in preparing lessons helps | for publication.