Ebook Faith and Duty

But if the child memorises the Catechism answers as statements, having first thoroughly grasped their meaning and expressed it in his own words, he can afterwards be required to fit them to the questions if necessary, in which case they will be real answers. An attempt of this kind has been made in the following lessons, the answers in the first five chapters of the Catechism being used as Memory Work throughout the scheme, with the exception of a few which are either too difficult for children of this age, or too simple to require an illustrative lesson. But it is Obvious that if the lessons follow a con~ nected course some of the Catechism answers must be taken out of their order; this, however, rather helps our plan than otherwise, for we want the answers to express real knowledge and not to be merely a chain of words. Further, several answers are frequently thrown into one statement. This Memory Work can be omitted without any detriment to the Course, but where it is used it is suggested that review lessons should be held at intervals, in which the book questions are asked and the class required to supply the answers from their store of memory work. It will be a great intellectual joy to the child to find himself ready equipped with the answers. For the convenience of teachers the Catechism answers appended to each lesson are numbered in the index.