JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.
The following method is adopted:--The picture being suspended against
the wall, and one class of the children standing opposite to it, the
master repeats the following passages: "And Joseph dreamed a dream,
and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more. And
he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, the dream which I have dreamed;
for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo! my sheaf
arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves stood round
abort, and made obeisance to my sheaf."
The teacher being provided with a pointer will point to the picture,
and put the following questions, or such as he may think better, to
the children:
Q. What is this?
A. Joseph's first dream.
Q. What is a dream?
A. When you dream, you see things during the time of sleep.
Q. Did any of you ever dream any thing?
Here the children will repeat what they have dreamed; perhaps
something like the following:--Please, sir, once I dreamed I was in
a
garden.
Q. What did you see?
A. I saw flowers and such nice apples.
Q. How do you know it was a dream?
A. Because, when I awoke, I found I was in bed.
During this recital the children will listen very attentively, for
they are highly pleased to hear each other's relations. The master
having satisfied himself that the children, in some measure,
understand the nature of a dream, he may proceed as follows:--
Q. What did Joseph dream about first?
A. He dreamed that his brother's sheaves made obeisance to his sheaf.
Q. What is a sheaf?
A. A bundle of corn.
Q. What do you understand by making obeisance?
A. To bend your body, which we call making a bow.
Q. What is binding sheaves?
A. To bind them, which they do with a band of twisted straw.
Q. How many brothers had Joseph?
A. Eleven.
Q. What was Joseph's father's name?
A. Jacob, he is also sometimes called Israel.
Master.--And it is further written concerning Joseph, that he dreamed
yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I
have dreamed a dream more; and behold the sun and moon and eleven
stars made obeisance to me.
Q. What do you understand by the sun?
A. The sun is that bright object in the sky which shines in the day-time,
and which gives us heat and light.
Q. Who made the sun?
A. Almighty God.
Q. For what purpose did God make the sun?
A. To warm and nourish the earth and every thing upon it.
Q. What do you mean by the earth?
A. The ground on which we walk, and on which the corn, trees, and flowers
grow.
Q. What is it that makes them grow?
A. The heat and light of the sun.
Q. Does it require any thing else to make them grow?
A. Yes; rain, and the assistance of Almighty God.
Q. What is the moon?
A. That object which is placed in the sky, and shines in the night,
and appears larger than the stars.
Q. What do you mean by the stars?
A. Those bright objects that appear in the sky at night.
Q. What are they?
A. Some of them are worlds, and others are suns to give them light.
Q. Who placed them there?
A. Almighty God.
Q. Should we fear and love him for his goodness?
A. Yes; and for his mercy towards us.
Q. Do you think it wonderful that God should make all these things?
A. Yes.
Q. Are there any more things that are wonderful to you?
A. Yes;--
Where'er we turn our wondering eyes,
His power and skill we see;
Wonders on wonders grandly rise,
And speak the Deity.
Q. Who is the Deity?
A. Almighty God.
Nothing can be a greater error than to allow the children to use the
name of God on every trifling occasion. Whenever it is necessary, it
should, in my opinion, be commenced with Almighty, first, both by
teacher and scholars. I am convinced, from what I have seen in many
places, that the frequent repetition of his holy name has a very
injurious effect.
|
