Part V.-CHRIST AND THE SACRAMENTS. 44. Christ providing for the healing of man's soul. 45. Christ teaching Nicodemus about Holy Baptism. 46. Christ touched by the hand of faith...... 47. Christ blessing little children 48. Christ's Apostles confirming the baptized 49. Christ instituting the Lord's Supper...... 50. Christ's sermon on the "Bread of Liie" 51. Christ warns those who are unfit for His holy feast. 52. Christ bringing the flock home 'How many Sacraments," &c. 171 "What is the outward visible 176 "Why then are infants bap-{ tized 184 190 194 the Lord's Supper," &c. "What is the inward part?"&c. 199 "What is required of them 203 who come to the Lord's Supper ?" &c. 207 THE LESSONS ARRANGED IN THE ORDER OF THE CHURCH SEASONS. NOTE. It is quite possible to arrange a course of Catechism Lessons in such order as to be suitable for the Church seasons. The arrange ment involves redistributing, over different parts of the year, the Lessons on the Baptismal Covenant, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer; those on the Commandments and Sacraments keeping to their proper order. If there be fewer than five Sundays after Epiphany, those left over must fill up Sundays after Trinity. ... Christ's thanksgiving for His children's privileges 37 35 36 .......... ...... Christ praying on the Holy Mount Christ asks for His brethren the Father's forgiveness. 41 Christ renouncing the Devil..... 2nd 3rd Christ absolving the Palsied Man 22 Christ aiding a tempted brother 42 Christ bearing the Father's will 39 6th Easter Day...... Ist after Easter 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Christ, the Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King 13 Christ in the Easter Garden.... 15 Christ, the Resurrection and the Life ..... 23 ΙΟ 9 Christ's care for the Lambs of the Flock I Christ passing into Heaven 16 Sun. after Ascension Whitsun Day......... Ist after Trinity...... Christ at the Father's Right Hand 17 19 Christ with the Father and the Holy Ghost at His 8 43 viii LESSONS ARRANGED IN THE ORDER OF CHURCH SEASONS. Before All Saints'... Christ providing for the healing of man's soul Christ blessing little children Christ's Apostles confirming the baptized Christ warns those who are unfit for His holy feast... Certain Sundays after Trinity will be occupied with the Christ telling of His Father's care Christ's prayer for His Saints Christ bringing the flock home .......... 5. The Light of the World." (Holman Hunt, at Keble College) 6. "Pilate Washing his Hands." (Sarcophagus in the Lateran Palace, Rome) 9. "Trial of Souls before Osiris." (Sarcophagus of Seti I., Soane Museum) II. "Christ Adored by the Saints." (Window design by Mayer & Co.) 12. "Christ on the Mount of Beatitudes " 21 28 37 44 ... 47 60 67 75 80 92 13. "Christ Cleansing the Temple." (C. Gregory) 14. "Christ in the Corn Fields." (W. J. Morgan) ΙΘΟ 108 15. "The Home at Nazareth." (Window in The Boys' Home Chapel) 113 16. "Pieta." (Bernini, Crypt of St. Peter's, at Rome).... 122 17. "The Last Supper." (Leonardo da Vinci, at Milan).......... 133 18. “The Transfiguration." (Raffaelle, in the Vatican, Rome) 23. "Do this in remembrance of Me." (Reredos in parish church, Twerton on-Avon) 195 CHRIST AND THE CATECHISM. 1. INTRODUCTORY NOTES. HE sphere within which the ordinary Sunday-school teacher has to exercise his ministry is well defined. He has to bring Christian children on from their Baptism to their Confirmation. The Church commits the instruction of her children primarily to the Godparents, "It is your parts and duties to see that this infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession he hath here made by you," &c. Secondarily, the clergy are responsible for an important share in this instruction (see the first rubric at the end of the Catechism). The Sunday-school teacher does not free these parties from their responsibilities. He is the helper of the clergy in this particular work, and he also should co-operate with the Godparents in the discharge of the solemn duty laid upon them. For the carrying out of this work, as above defined, the Church has formulated the Catechism, which is " an Instruction to be learned of every person before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop." It is because this instrument is not sufficiently used that so large a number of Churchfolk grow up ignorant of Church doctrines and unsound in their religious opinions. Canon Gore, in his "Bampton Lectures," declares: 'Perhaps there is no part of the Church which has sinned as the English Church has sinned in the neglect of definite religious teaching. Nor can any one who desires her welfare aim at anything better than the recovery and promotion of simple dogmatic teaching, based on the Catechism and appealing to Scripture. . . ." 66 Until the Catechism is thoroughly known and understood, with Scripture proofs to support its statements, the Sunday-school has not done its work. Further, the spiritual condition, into which the faithful teacher must endeavour to bring his children, is admirably stated in the fourth answer of the Catechism. By prayerful teaching a child is to be brought to hearty thankfulness for his privileges, to the firm determination to act up to his Baptismal vow, to look for God's help in prayer; in so far as this is accomplished the teacher may rejoice. Such is a real work of B the Holy Spirit. The child is ready for Confirmation, the Sundayschool work has been carried to a successful issue. Let the following testimony from two very different quarters strengthen belief in the value of good, thorough, Catechism teaching. Bishop Jayne, of Chester, says : "The point to which I would invite attention is the part that the Catechism has played in stamping the idea of duty upon the mind and heart of Englishmen. This was a favourite topic with the late Judge Hughes. Why, he would ask, did Nelson's famous signal go so straight home to fleet and country? Why, 'in our rough island story,' has 'the path of duty been the way to glory'? He had no doubt as to the answer. Because for three centuries English boys and girls have been trained in the wholesome teaching of the Church Catechism about their duty towards God and their neighbour. This teaching he considered the only sound basis of citizenship, and, had his life been prolonged, his pen would have done justice to the theme. "It is, of course, not merely for the teaching about duty that Churchmen value their Catechism and claim it as the rightful heritage of Church children, whether in National or Board schools. Conduct, they hold, has its roots in Creed and in Grace, and the Catechism presents these three in due proportion and mutual relation. But, taking conduct alone, where else in the English language can we find a rule so terse, so simple, so complete, so pregnant, so practical as in those two golden paragraphs, which teach the child and, through the child, the man how 'to do his duty in that state of life unto which it shall please (not, as often injuriously misquoted, has pleased) God to call him '?" From the Yoruba Mission-field we learn :— "Among the converts is a blind slave boy, Adanri by name. The loss of his sight is made up by a very powerful memory, and his efforts to teach the little he knew would put many of our Christian people to shame. He showed me eleven children, boys and girls, whom he had taught the Church Catechism, and I examined them, and their knowledge of Christianity surprised me. I have baptized two of them. The blind boy has prayers with them regularly every morning and evening. His method of work has been peculiarly his own: he used to go with them, two or three at a time, to their farm, sitting under a tree repeating the Catechism, whilst they followed him till they knew the portion for that day." II. A few words may be said on the principal features of the course of instruction here offered, in all humility, as a help to the teaching of the Catechism. (a) The Lessons are adapted as well to class teaching as to the "Dupanloup Method" of teaching in Church, which has been ably advocated by the Rev. Spencer Jones, and has been taken up by many parish clergy. The two principal exercises in that "method," namely, the "Questioning" and the "Instruction," are provided for here. (b) The Questioning will comprise over 500 questions and answers on the Catechism, calculated thoroughly to elucidate its meaning. These are to be learned at home. (c) The Instructions to be imparted in class or church. In each Lesson a part of our Lord's example or teaching, or a scene in His life, is selected as an illustration of that portion of the Catechism which is elucidated by the questioning. By this means it is hoped that a considerable portion of the Gospel story will be brought afresh before the scholars, and that all will see our Lord's authority stamped indelibly on the Catechism and its every part. |