PAM, 
 
 MiSC, 
 
 The 
 
 Mission Study Class 
 
 BY T. H. P. SAILER 
 
 
 
The Mission Study Class 
 
 A Contribution 
 
 By T. H. P. SAILER, Ph. D. 
 
 Or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; 
 or he that teacheth, to his teaching.— 12: 7 
 
 Young People’s Department 
 of the American Baptist Missionary Union 
 Tremont Temple, Boston 
 
 Five Cents a Copy 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 What do we need to arouse a permanent interest 
 
 IN MISSIONS?. 5 
 
 Methods of Organization :.lo 
 
 Qualifications of leader ..Ii 
 
 Substitutes for leader.12 
 
 Choosing a course.13 
 
 Preparation of leader.16 
 
 The time of meeting.21 
 
 Organization meeting.23 
 
 Methods of Teaching :.25 
 
 The ends of teaching.26 
 
 Principles of teaching.27 
 
 The teacher’s preparation.29 
 
 Assigning lessons. 30 
 
 How to study.32 
 
 The Class Session :.35 
 
 The objects of the session ; 
 
 To arouse interest.35 
 
 To study the state of the member’s mind and supply 
 
 its needs.39 
 
 To study the members’ methods of work and supply 
 
 their needs.45 
 
 To train in expression and use.46 
 
 To inspire to action. .... 50 
 
 Features of the session.51 
 
 Accessories. 56 
 
 Difficulties : 58 
 
PrefoLce 
 
 HE study of foreign missions is a matter 
 that is occupying an increasingly promi¬ 
 nent place in the minds of Christian work¬ 
 ers to-day. An ever stronger emphasis is 
 being laid upon it at conventions and conferences. 
 What has been written on the subject, however, is 
 quite fragmentary. There is good reason for this, 
 since not more than two or three individuals have 
 as yet had wide enough experience to venture upon 
 authoritative generalizations, and these few have 
 been too hard-pressed with work to write at length. 
 The following pages lay no claim to present a thor¬ 
 ough treatment. The experience on which they are 
 based has been confined exclusively to mission study 
 classes in the University of Pennsylvania and among 
 young people’s societies in Philadelphia. In other 
 sections of the country, and especially in the rural 
 districts, conditions are undoubtedly very different. 
 But though circumstances alter cases, they do not 
 alter principles and aims, so it is upon these latter 
 that the emphasis has been laid. In discussing the 
 principles of teaching, the following books have 
 been freely used and will be consulted with great 
 benefit by those wishing to pursue the subject 
 further; White, The Art of Teaching, pp. 1-159; 
 and Elements of Pedagogy, pp, 133-215; Trumbull, 
 Teaching and Teachers, pp. 103-238 (popular in 
 style) ; Roark, Method in Education, pp. 1-95; Hins¬ 
 dale, The Art of Study, chapters i-ii, 16-17; Thring, 
 Theory and Practice of Teaching; Fitch, The Art 
 of Questioning (pamphlet) ; Collar, Advice to an 
 Inexperienced Teacher of History (article in G. 
 Stanley Hall’s Methods of Teaching History) ; 
 
 3 
 
Bourne, The Teaching of History and Civics, chap¬ 
 ters g-ii. 
 
 What has been written is intended for consulta¬ 
 tion and study, rather than for consecutive reading. 
 Hence the fullness of treatment and the introduction 
 from time to time of the same topic under different 
 heads. The difference of view-point seemed to justify 
 such repetition. 
 
 The type of mind assumed for the reader is that 
 of one who is desirous of promoting the cause of 
 mission study, and who is interested in the solution 
 of its problems. Such a person will not be dissatis¬ 
 fied if the standard set seems one to be striven 
 towards rather than likely to be realized. On the 
 one hand, certain popular institutions have accus¬ 
 tomed us to the glib and slipshod in instruction; 
 on the other, most of our constituency have not the 
 time, the training or the facilities for education of 
 a high order. That in spite of these temptations to 
 relax, we may do work adapted to its aim and good 
 in quality, whatever be its grade, is the object of this 
 pamphlet. 
 
 T. H. P. S. 
 
 June, 1902. 
 
 4 
 
Whoct do we Need to Arouse Ql 
 P ermaLnent Interest in Missions? 
 
 In the first place, we need a real study of Mis¬ 
 sions. Missionary meetings are held at too infre¬ 
 quent intervals, they are not well adapted to system¬ 
 atic instruction, and they call forth the effort and ex¬ 
 ercise the faculties of only a few. It is testimony to 
 their failure to leave permanent impressions that it 
 is so seldom thought necessary that the subject of 
 a meeting shall take any cognizance of that of the 
 preceding meeting. Valuable as they are, they need 
 supplementing just as surely as the devotional meet¬ 
 ing needs the supplement of individual Bible study. 
 We want something to call forth the assimilative 
 powers of each one. Desultory reading fades quickly 
 from the mind. There must be system in presentation, 
 if impressions are to be conserved. A reading circle 
 may arouse interest, but fails to provide work. Only 
 study will enable us to gain any idea of the great¬ 
 ness of the work and its problems, and to hold what 
 we gain for future use. Individual study is our aim. 
 But to stimulate and direct such study, a class is of 
 great assistance, especially in the elementary grades. 
 Trained investigators can work best alone, though 
 even they feel the benefit of discussion, but the bulk 
 of humanity require frequent contact with others 
 engaged in like pursuits, to quicken their enthusiasm, 
 to broaden and strengthen their ideas by listening to 
 others and expressing their own thoughts, and to 
 receive guidance in further pursuing their tasks. 
 
 The class is not an end in itself. We do not study 
 to promote a class, but organize a class to promote 
 study. When a class becomes a substitute for study. 
 
 5 
 
it has failed in its chief aim. While, however, the 
 study class as it at present exists by no means fulfills 
 our ideal, it is to it that the great increase of mission 
 study in the last few years is due. It has fostered 
 and secured a large amount of individual work. It 
 has provided definite subjects, different phases of 
 which are taken up in successive meetings, has given 
 the members something to prepare for each session, 
 brought them together for discussion, and suggested 
 outside reading bearing on the course. Those who 
 have tried it under favorable circumstances, are con¬ 
 vinced that it is by far the best method employed 
 for spreading a thorough knowledge of missions. 
 
 Perhaps its main danger has been that of becoming 
 too stereotyped in its ideals. In a field in which we 
 encounter conditions so varied as those of the Chris¬ 
 tian Church of to-day, we need a deal of grading, 
 and along this line something has already been done. 
 Variations of opportunity should be recognized, as 
 well as grades of maturity. Besides courses and 
 classes for children, our tex.t books and methods 
 should take into account that many are prepared to 
 do only very elementary work on account of lack 
 of mental training, and of helps in the way of refer¬ 
 ence books. Yet here is a territory that will repay 
 diligent exploitation. Little groups that meet for 
 discussion and mutual help, poorly equipped and 
 without competent leaders, may yet develop very 
 substantial results, and should be encouraged and 
 assisted in every possible way. For these we need 
 specially prepared courses, full suggestions as to 
 methods of conducting them, and personal contact 
 by correspondence. In some quarters such plans 
 have been followed with good results. There is a 
 place for classes intended to diffuse a general inter¬ 
 est, occupying a position midway between the study 
 class proper and the missionary meeting, and held 
 
 6 
 
with a view of sifting out material for more thorough 
 work in the future. Semi-lecture courses may also 
 be very valuable in preparing a community, and 
 may serve to incite individuals to study where for 
 any reason a class could not be organized. Both the 
 last named methods are excellent feeders. The ideal 
 study class should have a leader well posted on the 
 subject and on teaching methods; it should have 
 access to a good missionary reference library; it 
 should be composed of members who have the time 
 and ability to do real study; it should meet at least 
 once a week for a whole evening; it should concen¬ 
 trate on one subject for an entire season. If there 
 have been such classes hitherto, they have been very 
 exceptional, but the ideal is by no means an imprac¬ 
 ticable one. Between it and the lowest grade, vary¬ 
 ing circumstances have produced many types. Such 
 types should be inductively classified, and courses 
 devised especially adapted to their needs. The few 
 courses at present available, though some of them 
 are admirable, have been drawn up with a much 
 larger average in view, and are therefore to some 
 extent misfits. This pamphlet has been written with 
 the conviction that the helps up to date have been 
 too meagre and too much from the average stand¬ 
 point. In all such questions as to methods, we have 
 much to learn both as to variety and thoroughness 
 from our secular educational system. 
 
 A double need will always exist, an enlargement 
 of the constituency,—increase in quantity,—and more 
 careful adaptation of means to the end all along the 
 line,—increase in quality. There seems but one 
 way by which these requirements can be met, by an 
 increase of the number of those at present working 
 at the problem. We need many who will make it 
 their business to agitate the matter in their church 
 and district, until some beginning, however modest. 
 
 7 
 
is made. Much ground has not yet been covered 
 by any organized effort, and it will probably long 
 remain uncultivated unless individuals willing to 
 take the lead arise on the spot. The good work 
 already done by denominational committees and 
 those of the young people’s societies in certain cen¬ 
 tres, is only an earnest of what might be accom¬ 
 plished. The same may be said of the tours of the 
 summer campaigners, of the Yale Band, and of 
 others. Conferences on every scale, from those of a 
 few churches in a district to interdenominational 
 gatherings, are becoming more frequent in response 
 to the demand, but have only begun to lay the proper 
 emphasis on mission study. In addition to these 
 extensive agencies, we need many who will patiently 
 study the problems until prepared to make some con¬ 
 tribution to the quality of the work, local or general. 
 They must study the subject of missions in order 
 that the ideas of it which are diffused may not be 
 superficial. The importance of the end surely justi¬ 
 fies much labor. They must study the make-up of 
 those they wish to reach, and upon this base their 
 search after the most effective methods of bringing 
 the subject home. This question of adaptation is of 
 cardinal importance. The tendency is so strong to 
 follow the lines of least resistance, and merely “ get 
 over” a subject, instead of taking the time and 
 pains to see that those under our care are really get¬ 
 ting something out of it. In other words, we need 
 trained teachers. This is a post of the greatest 
 strategic importance and needs to be strongly forti¬ 
 fied. The excellent quality of instruction that has 
 been produced in many cases in Bible study, ought 
 to lead us to believe that even depending as we must 
 on voluntary effort, we can find the necessary mate¬ 
 rial. The difficulty is to secure its development. This 
 has heretofore been the principal weakness in mis- 
 
 8 
 
sion study. We have been hoping for results through 
 means that gave us no right to expect them. Let us 
 recognize that however much pioneer work by un¬ 
 trained workers should be encouraged, leading a 
 mission study class is a work that is splendidly 
 worth doing well, that to do it well requires a cer¬ 
 tain amount of native ability, thorough preparation, 
 and thoughtful practice, and that in a great number 
 of cases classes are being conducted with only slight 
 results where a little intelligent training on the part 
 of the teacher would manifold the value of the prod¬ 
 uct. For some teachers it will be sufficient to call 
 attention to points needing development, for others 
 full suggestions will be necessary. The books men¬ 
 tioned in the preface will furnish many helpful hints, 
 and should be widely used. Conferences for teach¬ 
 ers should be organized, and a properly conducted 
 normal class would be a great blessing. When it 
 is realized how much care good teaching requires, 
 and at the same time what an increase of benefit 
 follows rightly directed care, a great step will have 
 been taken towards the solution of the mission study 
 problem. 
 
 9 
 
Methods of Org'eLnizettion 
 
 While it is well to have high ideals as to the 
 constituency of a class and quality of work done, 
 it is also well to be content with modest beginnings 
 rather than to fail to start at all. There is, as 
 has been said, great need of pioneer work in com¬ 
 munities where the system has not yet been tried, 
 and future success is often best attained by experi¬ 
 ments on a small scale at first. Given a single 
 person who is convinced of the importance of such 
 a class and is willing to make some sacrifice to 
 secure it; given two or three others who feel their 
 need and are willing to promise study and attend¬ 
 ance ;—a class is practicable. The originator should 
 find out enough about the matter to be able to lay 
 some definite suggestions before the others. When a 
 few of those most interested have been secured, it 
 will be well to formulate plans with reference to 
 them primarily before attempting to enlarge the 
 circle. Many classes are wrecked because they try 
 to accommodate themselves to too large a constit¬ 
 uency at the outset. Those who are really in earnest 
 deserve to be considered first, even if it be decided 
 later to invite others to the class sessions. Quality 
 is better than size, especially in a first attempt. If 
 more than ten or twelve persons wish to join a 
 class, it would be better in most cases to divide and 
 have two or more classes. Some people seem to 
 think that a study class has no chance of success 
 unless it can secure membership on a large scale. 
 The first move they make is to spread wide their nets 
 in the endeavor to enroll an entire Society, or even 
 an entire congregation. Very few are they who can 
 profitably handle so many, and then only by a semi- 
 
 10 
 
lecture method. With a leader duly qualified, a 
 crowd may perhaps be held, but the method itself 
 should be considered only as a preparation to the 
 more efficient and permanent work of teaching, in 
 which individual exercise and training have a promi¬ 
 nent place. If only one leader is available, it will prob¬ 
 ably yield better results in the long run if the study 
 class be limited to the size indicated above, and any 
 others interested be admitted merely as listeners, for 
 whom the leader has no responsibility. 
 
 QuaIifica.tions of Leocder 
 
 The matter should be agitated some months in 
 advance, if possible, so as to give the one chosen as 
 leader plenty of time for preparation. This suggests 
 the real crux of study class work,—securing a good 
 leader. The necessary qualifications are: (i) a 
 deep conviction of the importance of the work; (2) 
 teaching ability; (3) time for preparation. These 
 are absolutely essential. They may not all be present 
 in high degree. But so much of the first is necessary 
 as will lead a man to prepare carefully and prayer¬ 
 fully, to conduct the sessions with earnestness, and to 
 expect definite results. Nothing can be more demor¬ 
 alizing to a class than a careless or unenthusiastic 
 leader. As to teaching ability, a man must under¬ 
 stand that education is not a process of pouring in, 
 but of drawing out. He must study the class and 
 see that they are getting something out of the course, 
 and this he can do only by having the members take 
 part freely. He must be able to sustain interest. 
 Finally he must have time not only to go over each 
 lesson carefully, but to make plans for leading the 
 session most profitably. There are other qualities in 
 a leader which are desirable, but only these are essen¬ 
 tial. A large amount of previous information on the 
 subject will be a great help if wisely used, but is 
 
 11 
 
not necessary. Personal magnetism and popularity 
 are valuable assets, but should not be given prefer¬ 
 ence over the three points named. Especially avoid 
 inviting to lead a class pastors or other prominent 
 persons in a church or community without consider¬ 
 ing carefully their qualifications. However wide 
 their knowledge of missions, if they do not take hold 
 of the matter with real earnestness, if they do not 
 know how to teach, or if they are too busy to pre¬ 
 pare, it is almost certain that they will wreck the 
 class. 
 
 An ideal leader is hard to find. The one chosen 
 may possess very obvious deficiencies, but if he have 
 only a slight measure of the essentials, he may yet 
 succeed. In many instances it will be well to appoint 
 one or two others to constitute together with the 
 leader a committee of management. The class should 
 have a secretary, who should also act as whip to 
 secure regular attendance. For more than one reason, 
 the leader should be relieved of responsibility for 
 this. If the leader should be a stranger to the class, 
 some one with judgment should be appointed with 
 whom he can confer as to the proper assignment of 
 work, and from whom he can learn any individual 
 peculiarities of the members. 
 
 Substitutes for LeaLder 
 
 It may be that no one is available for leader who 
 meets the requirements. Sooner than run the risk 
 of choosing one who may kill the class and hurt the 
 cause which it represents,— (i) appoint a small com¬ 
 mittee, who shall divide the work and lead in turn. 
 Each may lead a session in turn, or each may take a 
 part of a single session. The nature of the course 
 may largely determine this. This does not mean that 
 the one appointed to lead should do all the work, but 
 only that he should be responsible for the conduct 
 
 12 
 
of his part, securing by the assignment of papers 
 beforehand and by questioning in the class as much 
 co-operation from the other members as possible. 
 In many communities, the chief obstacle in securing 
 a leader is diffidence, no one being willing to accept 
 the entire responsibility. By this plan, the burden 
 is divided and experience quickly shows the most 
 available candidates for future leadership. It is im¬ 
 portant that those on the committee should work in 
 consultation and with equal thoroughness, but not 
 necessarily with the same methods. Unless some are 
 markedly below the average, the variety in methods 
 of leading will probably be one of the attractive 
 features of this plan. (2) In small classes, the com¬ 
 mittee mentioned above may include all the members. 
 In this case, it will be best to have a chairman who 
 shall assign to each his share, but who shall have 
 no further duty but that of leading when his turn 
 comes. 
 
 If all the members could be depended upon to 
 work with equal intelligence and care, this plan would 
 be an ideal one, but in practice it will probably be 
 found inferior to that of having a single capable 
 leader. 
 
 The plan of dispensing with leaders altogether and 
 merely meeting for discussion after separate study 
 is less likely to be profitable. 
 
 Choosing a. Course 
 
 For beginners there are many advantages in spe¬ 
 cially prepared text-books on mission study. Those 
 of the Student Volunteer Movement deserve first men¬ 
 tion. These have been drawn up with the college 
 Sophomore as the average of the constituency in 
 view, but have been successfully adapted to much 
 more elementary grades. In those treating of coun¬ 
 tries, the physical, historical, social and religious as- 
 
 13 
 
pects are first compactly presented, before the speci¬ 
 fically missionary questions are discussed. Lists of 
 reference books, and in most cases analytical out¬ 
 lines, add greatly to their value for class work. The 
 countries treated are India, China, Japan, South 
 America and Africa, the first being best adapted for 
 beginners, though its bibliography now needs sup¬ 
 plementing. There are also biographical courses, and 
 of these “ Knights of the Labarum,” is perhaps the 
 best book yet on the market with which to break 
 ground. In eight successive lessons four great mis¬ 
 sion fields, four lines of work, four types of men 
 are treated. The movement has also used in its 
 courses several books not originally written for the 
 purpose, such as Mott’s “ Evangelization of the 
 World,” and Lawrence’s “Introduction to the Study 
 of Foreign Missions.” Full particulars may be ob¬ 
 tained from the headquarters of the Movement, 3 
 West Twenty-ninth street. New York City. These 
 text books are sold in paper as well as in cloth 
 binding, the average price being twenty-five and forty 
 cents respectively. The Movement has prepared 
 printed slips containing suggestions for leaders for 
 each session which many will find of great help. 
 
 A committee representing the United Women’s 
 Boards of the United States and Canada, has planned 
 a course of study to cover six years. The first vol¬ 
 ume to appear is “ Via Christi,” by Miss L. M. 
 Hodgkins, tracing the course of missions from apos¬ 
 tolic times to the beginning of the nineteenth century. 
 Lists of books, tables of noteworthy dates, suggested 
 topics for further study, and striking quotations 
 from contemporaries add much to its value for class 
 work. Price, thirty cents in paper, and fifty cents 
 in cloth. Mrs. C. A. Mason is writing the second 
 volume on India. 
 
 The United Society of Christian Endeavor has 
 
 14 
 
joined with the Epworth League in projecting a 
 series of text books on missions adapted for more 
 elementary grades than those of the Student Volun¬ 
 teer Movement. The first to appear is “ The Price 
 of Africa,” by S. Earl Taylor, containing sketches 
 of African missionaries. This series will undoubt¬ 
 edly meet a long felt want. 
 
 With an experienced leader and a mature class, 
 two or more text books might be profitably used as 
 affording a broader view of the subject, or text book 
 might be altogether dispensed with, and its place taken 
 by a list of references. Such schemes are not for be¬ 
 ginners. While the present state of information on 
 missions tempts us to cover as much ground as pos¬ 
 sible in the effort to fill in the yawning gaps of ignor¬ 
 ance, more permanent impressions would in most 
 cases be secured by concentrating on a limited field. 
 The work for women in India, Chinese education 
 in its relation to Missions, or the problem of native 
 helpers, are any of them enough to engage our 
 attention for the eight or ten sessions which we usu¬ 
 ally devote to a study course. India or China in 
 eight lessons each is all very well for an outline 
 sketch, but not much is apt to remain in the mind 
 unless parts of these outlines be retraced with a 
 deeply-biting stylus. The head master of Roxbury 
 Latin School said some years ago, that he found 
 three hours a week for a year too short a time for 
 Greek and Roman History alone. What shall be 
 thought of those who calmly propose to masticate 
 and digest the Empire of China in one hour a week 
 for two'months? It seems like writing on sand, and 
 yet it represents a material advance in thoroughness 
 over past methods. 
 
 We plan what we should like, and end by taking 
 what we can get. In most cases the study class in 
 its present scope is all that is now practicable. The 
 
 15 
 
preceding sentences have been written not with any 
 lack of enthusiasm for the existing institution, but 
 only to emphasize the fact that it should be con¬ 
 sidered but a stepping stone to better things. Decide 
 what is needed in each case. If interest has yet to 
 be aroused and the foundations have yet to be laid, 
 the general sketch is a necessary preliminary. If 
 you wish convertible assets, knowledge for use, stake 
 a small claim and plow deep. This is an altogether 
 different thing from advising advanced grade work 
 for elementary grade of students. Find out what 
 class of work your members can undertake, and then 
 outline only so much as you can go over thoroughly 
 in the time at your disposal. There is very slight 
 probability that this advice will be taken. Some 
 demon seems to impel us to bite off more than we 
 can swallow, under the plea that we shall thereby 
 get a greater amount of nutrition. All courses so far 
 published offer more than the average class can 
 learn in the time usually given. 
 
 Prepa.ra.tion of Lea.der 
 
 After the leader has been chosen and the course 
 decided upon, it is very desirable that several weeks 
 should yet remain before the sessions in order that 
 he may be able to get a grasp of the subject. No 
 matter how much time is at his disposal, it will 
 seem insufficient. The qualifications demanded by 
 the secular schools and the college for effective work 
 on such topics would require many months of pre¬ 
 paration. Be it clearly understood that such higher 
 standards are mentioned from time to time with no 
 idea that they can be realized in mission study, save in 
 exceptional cases, but only by way of hitching our 
 wagon to a star. It is earnestly hoped that no one 
 who is honestly doing his best will withdraw because 
 advice is here given that he cannot hope to carry out. 
 
 16 
 
But it seems better to present a high ideal rather 
 than an average probability. 
 
 Let the prospective leader first read the text book 
 through carefully in order to get a general idea of 
 the course. On a second reading, note how it can 
 best be divided, keeping in mind the capabilities of 
 the class you expect to teach, whether anything 
 should be omitted or added, where to concentrate 
 preparation, what sub-topics may be profitably as¬ 
 signed to certain members for advance preparation. 
 All this will be subject to revision after further 
 study. Note how to divide the time available for 
 general preparation, so that all of it will not be 
 spent on the first few chapters. It is obvious that 
 the leader is at ^ great disadvantage if unable to 
 secure a copy of the text-book before the time when 
 the sessions begin. 
 
 Now begin collateral reading. If the text-book 
 contains a bibliography, use this as a basis. Try to 
 find out which are the best books for your work, 
 and know these well, rather than skim the entire list. 
 Tastes differ, however, and it is well to glance over 
 whatever books are accessible on the chance that it 
 may not have occurred to others to mention what is 
 most suited to your need. 
 
 With most leaders, the problem is not so much 
 what books to read as how to get books at all. Pub¬ 
 lic, church and private libraries may yield an inade¬ 
 quate supply, even when vigorously ransacked. Some 
 libraries may be willing to purchase books needed by 
 the class, if properly approached. In addition to the 
 denominational missionary magazines, which will of 
 course be looked up, the Missionary Review of the 
 World will be found of great value. If the leader 
 can afford to buy a few of the best books on the 
 course, it will be very advantageous for him to do 
 so, as he will then feel free to mark and lend them. 
 
 17 
 
Books must be had, so if other means fail, it is 
 strongly recommended that the class be asked to 
 contribute to a small fund, with the understanding 
 that the books afterwards become the property of 
 the local society. Encyclopaedias, secular magazine 
 articles and even newspaper clippings will be a 
 help. One or two members might be asked to start 
 a scrap-book of the last named, as soon as the course 
 is decided upon. Much of the interest and value of 
 the work will depend upon the amount and quality 
 of the material introduced additional to the text¬ 
 book. 
 
 Let the leader read first for a comprehensive 
 knowledge of the subject. To quote from W. C. 
 Collar’s article in Hall’s “ Methods of Studying and 
 Teaching History,” “ Such, then, are some of the con¬ 
 ditions under which you must work. A conscious¬ 
 ness of inadequate preparation, insufficient time, and 
 pupils without historical training. The situation is 
 not exhilarating, but neither is it without hope. Cer¬ 
 tainly it is of the utmost importance first to appreci¬ 
 ate clearly under what limitations one must work, 
 and then to conceive definitely the kind and amount 
 of work to be done. To supply your own lack of 
 knowledge and training will be the slow task of 
 years; but nothing is so satisfying and stimulating 
 as the consciousness of progress. This is the one of 
 the conditions enumerated that it lies in your own 
 power to change, and you may be sure that on the 
 increasing depth and fullness and freshness of your 
 own knowledge will depend in large measure the 
 interest and progress of your pupils, that is, the 
 power and success of your instruction, and accord¬ 
 ingly your own satisfaction in your work.” No man 
 can teach a text-book to advantage who knows only 
 that text-book. He should have such a wider view 
 of the subject as will enable him to recast the text- 
 
 18 
 
book material, adding, omitting and arranging in 
 new perspective. For instance, Mr. Beach, in the 
 chapter on religion of his book on China begins with 
 the lower forms of nature worship as found at the 
 present day. The leader may begin instead with the 
 oldest records and develop historically. 
 
 One of the most important reasons why the leader 
 should have a wide knowledge of the literature of the 
 subject is that he should be able to assign references 
 for papers to be worked up by the class. Most mem¬ 
 bers will derive more benefit from this exercise than 
 from any other, provided the work given is attrac¬ 
 tive and properly adapted to their abilities. Short, 
 concise sketches, giving illustrative incidents, or clear 
 discussions are easiest to handle. The chapter on 
 the heat in India, in “ The Cobra’s Den,” or on the 
 fear of demons, in “ Every-day Life in Korea,” are 
 types selected at random. Let the leader note all 
 such that he finds in his reading, so that he may 
 finally select the best out of a large number. Lor 
 more mature members passages needing a sifting 
 process or a certain amount of collation may be re¬ 
 served. Many papers are failures because the mate¬ 
 rial on which they were based was poor in quality, 
 and this in turn was the case because the leader had 
 a meagre selection from which to choose. Most of 
 all when few books are accessible does it behoove 
 the leader to be diligent in his search. Let him read 
 next to collect such supplementary statements, illus¬ 
 trations and anecdotes as shall make the various 
 topics clear and vivid. Many such will come of use 
 which are not long enough to serve as basis for 
 papers. It has been found convenient to enter refer¬ 
 ences to these on the margin of the paragraph in 
 the text-book which they illustrate. Smith’sChi¬ 
 nese Characteristics ” is full of short passages which 
 will make concrete the facts to be rehearsed in the 
 
 19 
 
lesson. Look out especially for effective statements 
 with which to end sessions. 
 
 Finally, there should be plenty of collateral read¬ 
 ing which can not be brought forward in the sessions, 
 but which may serve that chief purpose of the course, 
 starting our members to feed themselves. The qual¬ 
 ity of fodder in the first pasture encountered will 
 largely determine whether our sheep will graze fur¬ 
 ther in that direction. Few members who attend 
 mission study courses regard the work as merely a 
 help to help themselves. They come to be stocked 
 with sufficient information to last them for a long 
 while. The responsibility rests upon the leader of 
 seeing to it that the taste for further study is created 
 in them; and how shall this be done except by caus¬ 
 ing them to experience that such work is attractive? 
 Beginning in some cases with passages and chap¬ 
 ters, accustom your members to read more than the 
 amount demanded for class work. If you do not get 
 them started under the pressure of the class sessions, 
 you probably never will. 
 
 Encourage also as much reading on the general 
 subject as possible before the sessions begin. It will 
 be much easier to interest people on a matter about 
 which they already know something. To members 
 of sufficient maturity assign important sub-topics to 
 be worked up thoroughly, with the understanding 
 that when these topics come up, the recitation upon 
 them will be conducted by those who have prepared 
 them. This will be an incitement to more careful 
 study and will distribute practice in the art of teach¬ 
 ing. 
 
 It will later be a great relief to the leader to have 
 maps and charts ready. As soon as it is evident 
 what will be needed in this line, divide the work 
 among the members as may be practicable. 
 
 In a word, let the preparation by the leader be not 
 
 20 
 
merely to enable him to do the work, but to secure 
 the most profitable work from the members. The 
 use to which he puts his material is more important 
 than the amount he accumulates. The task before 
 him is no easy one, but prayer and pains will accom¬ 
 plish wonders. 
 
 The Time of Meeting 
 
 Time is an incompressible commodity. The prob¬ 
 lems connected with it are the most serious that the 
 study class leader has to face. No secular teacher 
 would be satisfied with the driblets on which mission 
 study is expected to thrive. But there are some aims 
 which any self-respecting class must strive after, 
 (i) A separate session. Refuse to play second violin 
 to any other meeting. Combining with a society or 
 congregational session is a desperate expedient and 
 should only be adopted as last resort with the pro¬ 
 viso that the class be put in complete control. (2) 
 A regular session. Those who have been obliged to 
 discuss the date of the next meeting every time they 
 come together are not anxious to repeat the expe¬ 
 rience. If the majority of the class can attend on a 
 certain evening of the week, do not keep shifting it 
 to accommodate two or three who have no control 
 of their time. Classes have failed to start at all 
 because absolute unanimity could not be attained on 
 this point. (3) A frequent session. History records 
 that classes have kept alive which met only once a 
 month, but the death rate among such classes must 
 be large. Once in two weeks is the maximum period 
 on which insurance companies should take risks. 
 Weekly sessions are a great improvement, and twice 
 a week would be better yet. Time is limited; but it 
 takes no longer to meet weekly for eight weeks than 
 monthly for eight months, and is much more profit¬ 
 able. Urge your members to side-track whatever else 
 possible for a few weeks and give the course the 
 
 21 
 
right of way. Then beat the iron hot with frequent 
 blows. (4) A suMciently long session. Forty-five 
 minutes is the minimum, unless the portion selected 
 for discussion is quite limited. One hour appears to . 
 be the standard gauge, but the most successful classes 
 have been those which gave an entire evening to each 
 lesson. The best teaching calls for several ways of 
 treating the subject matter, and these in turn demand 
 time. Be not pressed for time. (5) A sufficient 
 number of sessions. There have been study courses 
 containing only four sessions. These were properly 
 only samples of study courses. It is safe to predict 
 that in proportion to the number of sessions devoted 
 will be the amount of advantage reaped. That a 
 text-book contains eight chapters is no reason why 
 it must be covered in only eight lessons. The pro¬ 
 moters of mission study have heretofore not ven¬ 
 tured to suggest courses of a length that in many 
 cases would be plainly impracticable, so the tradi¬ 
 tional number of sessions spent on one subject has 
 come to be eight or ten. This represents such a 
 tremendous advance that it would seem to be above 
 criticism. But if willing members can be found, 
 twenty or thirty consecutive sessions will only de¬ 
 monstrate more fully the depth and richness of the 
 theme. Let experiments be made in this line. On 
 the other hand, beware lest your requirements be 
 more than flesh and blood can stand. Busy workers, 
 to whom ten lessons are a pleasure, find twenty a 
 burden. Break off before you cross the boundary 
 line between these two states of mind. ” She’ll vish 
 there wos more, and that’s the great art o’ letter 
 writin’,” declared Sam Weller in defence of his 
 brief epistle, and his words have a wide-reaching ap¬ 
 plication. But do not stop solely because other 
 classes you have heard of met only eight times. 
 
 Choose an hour at which it is possible for the 
 
 22 
 
entire class to be present, and then begin sharp on 
 time, no matter how short of a quorum you may be. 
 Any other method will only encourage dilatory at¬ 
 tendance. Close when you agree to close. Any other 
 method will encourage non-attendance. 
 
 A private house is usually found the most attrac¬ 
 tive meeting place. Light, ventilation and general 
 comfort are as important as in the school room. A 
 table at which all may sit will promote note taking. 
 
 OrgaLnizdLtiorv Meeting 
 
 It frequently happens that it is not possible to get 
 a class together without the aid of the enthusiasm 
 generated in such a meeting. Let as much as pos¬ 
 sible be decided beforehand. Determine what is to 
 be the size limit of the class proper, and whether 
 in addition any are to be admitted as listeners. 
 Have the course chosen and text-books on hand for 
 sale. Each member should own a text-book. Have 
 one or more persons specially qualified present rea¬ 
 sons for intellectual, practical and spiritual interest 
 in the subject. Have this enthusiastic and strong. 
 Take pains to secure the right man for it, even if 
 he have to be imported from a distance. Maps and 
 photographs will aid in stirring the imagination. 
 Urge the futility of expecting profit without indi¬ 
 vidual work, and try to secure pledges of a certain 
 amount of study each week, also of regular attend¬ 
 ance. In discussing the time and place of meeting, 
 do not let politeness run away with common sense. 
 Make up your mind as to who should be most con¬ 
 sidered and accommodate them as much as possible. 
 It may be necessary to exclude some who wish to 
 attend, but this should be done rather than adopt 
 measures that seriously inconvenience your elect per¬ 
 sons. Once more beginners are advised to be con¬ 
 tent with a few who can and will work. 
 
 28 
 
When the roll is finally made up, give careful 
 instruction as to what you want at the first recita¬ 
 tion. It would be a great help if an order of exer¬ 
 cises, with explanations of the scope and aim of each 
 feature, could be multiplied and placed in the hands 
 of each member. Such a document should at least 
 be posted and notes taken of its principal points. 
 Further suggestions as to the assignment of work 
 will be made later. Finally, urge definite requests 
 for the class in private devotions. Keep prominent 
 the fact that the work aims not at intellectual, but at • 
 spiritual growth. 
 
 4 
 
 24 
 
Methods of Teatching 
 
 The first question that the leader should ask is, 
 “What is the aim of mission study?” The answer 
 to this should determine his methods. The aim of 
 mission study is to influence the will and lead to ac¬ 
 tion in such a way that this in the future will he 
 self-directing, self-sustaining and self-propagating. 
 It is not sufficient that resolves are formed. They 
 must be intelligent, tenacious and out-reaching. 
 Therefore, not only must the will be thoroughly 
 aroused, but the understanding must be enlightened 
 and the faculties trained, so that (i) the sense of 
 obligation may be founded on clear and intelligent 
 conviction; (2) the desire and ability be created to 
 continue to learn; (3) the grasp gained qualify and 
 impel to teach others. 
 
 To insure (i) : We must present very clearly 
 the great facts that make missions important: 
 Christ’s command; the number unreached, their 
 character and their possibilities; the character of 
 their religions and resultant evils, both specific 
 and general in the whole tone of society; the his¬ 
 tory of missions and their success, individual and 
 social; the present problems and what they require 
 of us. All this must be in proper geographical and 
 historical setting, to give vividness and largeness of 
 view and in it all the spiritual viewpoint must be 
 preserved. 
 
 To insure (2) : The attention and interest must 
 be captured, often only after a long stern chase. 
 Hammering in impressions will not be enough. The 
 charm of learning must be practically demonstrated, 
 and skill in acquisition developed. This demands 
 time, close personal contact and thorough teaching. 
 
 25 
 
No touch-and-go methods can hope to effect any¬ 
 thing in this line. 
 
 To insure (3) : Concentration on a few will be 
 necessary, those whose interest, ability and spare time 
 make it possible for them to be leaders in the future. 
 Every effort should be made to see that these get 
 practice requiring initiative. Training teachers is 
 no light task, but it is one of the most profitable in 
 which a man can engage. Follow them up after 
 the course is over; try to get them to start for them¬ 
 selves and give them all the encouragement you can. 
 
 There are many who will feel that such a pro¬ 
 gram is altogether beyond them. They are willing 
 to preside over a class which gathers for mutual 
 stimulus and benefit; they are willing to gain such 
 an acquaintance with the text-book as shall enable 
 them to question on its contents; they are willing 
 to do a certain amount of collateral reading, and 
 they trust that such efforts will be blessed of God; 
 but they have had no experience in training others 
 and they shrink from making the attempt. It is 
 assuredly not the aim of this pamphlet to discourage 
 such. But it would be ill-advised not to call their 
 attention to the eminent value of real teaching and 
 to explain the principles on which it is based. The 
 main points of the following discussion have been 
 gathered from the books mentioned in the preface. 
 More is suggested than any one class will be able 
 to carry out. Let each leader experiment as may 
 be practicable, reject what is not suited to his cir¬ 
 cumstances and hold fast to that which is good. 
 
 The Ends of Tea.ching 
 
 We can measure our success only as we under¬ 
 stand the aim of our work and the extent to which 
 it has been realized. We can rightly direct our 
 
 26 
 
methods only when the end is clearly in view. The 
 teacher’s aim is to help the pupil to help himself; 
 not to do the pupil’s work for him, but to train the 
 pupil to do his own work. The good teacher finally 
 makes himself unnecessary. The ends which he 
 seeks to have his pupil realize are not only knowl¬ 
 edge, but also the ability to acquire, express and use 
 knowledge. The latter, which is frequently neglected, 
 is the more important of the two. Even admitting 
 that knowledge were the ultimate end, it would be 
 better to teach how to acquire it than merely to 
 supply it. Besides, knowledge would be of little 
 advantage to a man unless he could express and 
 use it. Therefore, if the minds with which he deals 
 are not already fully developed, let the teacher make 
 it his aim to train faculties rather than to impart 
 facts. If the general ability of his pupils be only 
 slightly increased, he will have achieved more than 
 by communicating much information without such 
 increase. White says: “ The teacher’s work is to 
 lead pupils to form clear ideals of results, to teach 
 him the best processes for attaining those results, and 
 then to secure the necessary practice under the most 
 inspiring guidance.” 
 
 Principles of Tea.cKing 
 
 The fundamental principle of teaching is that the 
 pupil profits only by and in proportion to his own 
 mental activity. If what is presented to him fails to 
 arouse this activity, it makes no impression. There¬ 
 fore the important factor in learning is not what 
 the teacher says, but what the pupil does. To esti¬ 
 mate this at its proper value and call forth the right 
 kind of work is the main problem of teaching. The 
 verbal memory may reproduce statements without a 
 flaw, while the thinking faculties are altogether dor- 
 
 27 
 
mant. The pupil may know a statement, but not the 
 fact stated. The good teacher recognizes this and 
 is not content until he has discovered evidence of 
 actual thought. To think for another is much easier 
 than to make him think, and also much less profit¬ 
 able. Therefore, see to it that your pupils’ faculties, 
 —acquisition, assimilation and expression,—are exer¬ 
 cised; for in no other way is there salvation. 
 
 To facilitate exercise, the matter presented must 
 be carefully adapted to the learners’ capabilities. 
 Thring quotes Augustine : “ A golden key which does 
 not fit the lock is useless; a wooden key that does is 
 everything.” The way in which the individual mind 
 acquires must be studied. Such study demands time, 
 but is very remunerative. It indicates different meth¬ 
 ods for primary and advanced grades. With begin¬ 
 ners, we must be willing to omit much. We must 
 remember that in elementary teaching narrowness 
 precedes breadth, and superficiality, depth. You 
 have no right to expect mental digestion of too 
 heavy a diet. Feel that if the members of your class 
 do not learn, it is your fault, and that you must set 
 before each food of the proper quantity and quality. 
 Then see that they masticate vigorously. Their work 
 is more necessary than yours. Do nothing for them 
 that they can economically do for themselves. 
 Finally, be sure that their work is accompanied by 
 adequate expression. 
 
 Different principles underlie teaching and lectur¬ 
 ing. The lecturer deals with books; the teacher, 
 with mind. The lecturer’s main attention is devoted 
 to his subject; the teacher’s, to his pupils. The lec¬ 
 turer assumes that his audience comes prepared to 
 profit by hearing his results; the teacher takes no 
 such thing for granted. One can lecture profitably to 
 many, but can teach only a few at a time. 
 
 28 
 
The TeaLcKer’s PrepoLra.tion 
 
 Something has already been said about prepara¬ 
 tory reading on the subject. Once more let it be 
 emphasized that the teacher’s knowledge should be 
 definite and fresh. Garfield once gave the advice: 
 “Don’t feed your pupils on cold victuals.” The mas¬ 
 tery of a subject demanded for good teaching is much 
 more thorough than that incumbent upon the pupil. 
 The teacher’s standpoint is different and his responsi¬ 
 bility greater. He must know his subject, his pupils 
 and how to adapt one to the other. In this last, a 
 duller teacher may have the consolation of being 
 better able to sympathize with the difficulties of the 
 class. 
 
 In beginning his work let the teacher ask himself: 
 “What do I wish to teach in this course, in this 
 lesson, in this part of a lesson?” Let him also face 
 the stern question, “What can I hope to teach these 
 particular pupils?” This will lead to the omission 
 of much that might profitably be presented to more 
 thoughtful classes. 
 
 It has been suggested that after mastering the 
 subject matter of each session, the teacher should go 
 over it again to decide just what questions to ask 
 and of whom to ask them. With members of un¬ 
 equal ability the latter is important. Do not be 
 afraid of definiteness. The “cut-and-dried” bugaboo 
 has been paraded overmuch. Plans that are cut are 
 not necessarily dried also. If exact preparation has 
 slain its thousands, the lack of it has slain its tens of 
 thousands. Besides, many corpses are accredited to 
 the former which were actually victims to stupidity. 
 We cheerfully admit that preparation may be so ill- 
 adapted that it is worse than none at all, but this is 
 no charge against well-directed foresight. Decide 
 exactly how you will begin and how you will end. 
 How you begin will largely determine the interest of 
 
 29 
 
the class; how you end, the profit. Therefore, have 
 in mind the end from the beginning, and to be sure 
 of ending according to your plan, arrange to keep 
 within the time limit. 
 
 Devise your questions with the mental activity of 
 your pupils in view. Remember that many have little 
 reasoning power, little power of attention and no 
 power to master a subject thoroughly. They, there¬ 
 fore, need simple statements and explanations, and 
 questions that will give them something to think 
 about. Be concrete; stimulate the mental vision. 
 
 Finally, adhere in teaching to the plan of prepa¬ 
 ration, but let your experience in the session con¬ 
 stantly guide your subsequent preparation. 
 
 Assigning Lessons 
 
 White says that a lesson well assigned is half 
 mastered, and that a fair estimate of a teacher may 
 be based on the way in which his lessons are 
 assigned. The importance of the matter lies in the 
 fact that text-books are rarely perfectly adapted to 
 students. They frequently offer far too much for 
 teaching purposes. They are crammed with facts, 
 the perspective of which is largely ignored. They 
 have too many general statements not understood for 
 lack of background and local coloring. Hence the 
 pupil needs instruction to prepare him for profitable 
 study. 
 
 It is absolutely necessary that the teacher be 
 familiar not only with the lesson he is just about to 
 teach, but also with that of the succeeding session, 
 in order that he may assign it properly. Let him try 
 to view the matter from the pupil’s standpoint. He 
 must think of the ability of the class and of the time 
 available for study, as well as of the nature of the 
 lesson? What difficulties are these pupils apt 
 
 30 
 
to encounter in preparing this lesson? How ought 
 they to prepare it? It may be well to begin 
 by showing the connection of what is to be 
 taken up with what has preceded, and indicating 
 the importance of the new topic in such a way as to 
 arouse interest. Some pupils will master anything 
 if they can only be brought to consider it worth while. 
 Then explain most definitely what is wanted. Re¬ 
 quire careful notes taken of this. State points of 
 most importance and of most difficulty, explaining of 
 the latter what seems necessary. Be thorough, but 
 not so full that the class will have nothing to do 
 but to remember what you have said. Leave them 
 something to discover for themselves and in particu¬ 
 lar put some questions that will require independent 
 thought and formulation. Tell where to concentrate 
 and what to skim or omit. Call attention to what 
 for your purpose is bad arrangement or faulty per¬ 
 spective in the text-book. 
 
 Some books furnish analytical outlines. If these 
 are not satisfactory let the teacher make some instead. 
 They should be multiplied, if possible, and distributed 
 a week in advance. It may be practicable to ask some 
 or all of the members to draw up outlines of each 
 lesson, one to be put on the blackboard each time as a 
 basis for the recitation. 
 
 Give exact references to passages which will make 
 more clear and vivid the matters on which you wish 
 to lay emphasis. Omit freely, that what you assign 
 may be rhastered. Quality is more important than 
 quantity. The text-book has not been prepared with 
 your particular class in view, and is in as much need 
 of altering to fit your case as would be a ready-made 
 suit of clothes, selected at random. At the next reci¬ 
 tation be sure to follow your assignment, else your 
 pupils will soon neglect to follow it in preparation. 
 
 31 
 
H ow to Study 
 
 The teacher has no more important work than to 
 teach his pupils how to work. If he accomplishes 
 this, he may say, '‘Nunc dimittis” 
 
 The nature of the work done by a class will be 
 largely determined by that of the assignment of the 
 lesson and that of the subsequent recitation. If the 
 subject matter be adapted to their abilities, if it be 
 made sufficiently interesting and clear to them, and if 
 nothing but a firm grasp of it be accepted as satisfac¬ 
 tory in the sessions, most students will do good 
 work. By neglecting any of these conditions the 
 teacher lessens greatly his chances of securing his 
 pupil’s co-operation. The assignment should make 
 the right kind of work a possibility; the recitation 
 should make it a necessity. 
 
 But there may still be much to be done in teaching 
 pupils how best to use their time. How our time 
 would have been saved and our efficiency increased 
 if some one had early taught us methods of work 
 that we have acquired only after years of experi¬ 
 menting ! Such teaching implies close personal ob¬ 
 servation and contact, but its results are more pre¬ 
 cious than rubies. Some general suggestions to the 
 class on how to prepare will be useful. Advise, for 
 instance, that the notes taken at the assignment of the 
 lesson be first read over carefully. Then go over the 
 material in the text-book somewhat rapidly to get a 
 general idea of it, noting its connections, important 
 and subordinate sections, and marking those pas¬ 
 sages to which special attention has been called. 
 More mature pupils should make this survey of the 
 text-book before consulting the notes taken in assign¬ 
 ment, that independent judgment may be cultivated. 
 Go over the lesson a second time to master it, ac¬ 
 quiring and assimilating the selected matter, reflecting 
 upon it, formulating answers to any special questions 
 
 32 
 
that have been proposed, and looking up the refer¬ 
 ences given. Making an outline or abstract will also 
 be useful, though material lends itself very differently 
 to such a procedure and first attempts in this line 
 may be discouraging. Special facts and statements 
 should sometimes be copied and committed, but care 
 should be taken that the truth itself and not the 
 mere words in which it is set forth is the thing that 
 is fixed in mind. In descriptions a mental picture of 
 the situation should be formed, and in reflection rules 
 and comments should not be made without concrete 
 examples in the thought. Going over the lesson a 
 third time will co-ordinate what has been learned 
 and aid in impressing it. Some minds have difficulty in 
 retaining clearly for more than twenty-four hours. This 
 can finally be cured only by leaving a larger interval 
 between preparation and the following recitation. 
 
 Encourage your pupils to converse as much as 
 possible on the subject while the course is in session. 
 Bain says in his essay on the “ Art of Study ” that to 
 rehearse what you have read to some willing and 
 sympathetic listener is the best way of impressing the 
 memory and clearing the understanding. As Bacon 
 puts it, “He waxeth wiser than himself; and that 
 more by an hour’s discourse than by a day’s medita¬ 
 tion.” 
 
 Impress upon those who need it the great value 
 of the power to acquire knowledge from books and 
 urge them to make the course an exercise in this line. 
 Try to teach them to use books as tools, employing 
 each for the purpose to which it is best adapted. If 
 they do not learn this, it is too much to hope that 
 they will undertake individual study later. 
 
 The teacher should not be content with general 
 instructions how to study, but should try to discover 
 and set right the methods of work of such pupils as 
 seem to need it. In this he must not make his assist- 
 
 33 
 
ance indispensable. The pupil must learn to work 
 independently, even if he could do so better and faster 
 with the teacher’s help. Great patience is, therefore, 
 necessary, and improvement rather than perfection 
 should be made the practical aim. 
 
 An error that may rob of its pleasure and value 
 all the pupil’s study is the failure to gain clear ideas 
 at the outset of some of the fundamental terms used. 
 This constantly crops forth even among intelligent 
 persons. The preparation of the teacher will so 
 familiarize him with a number of technical terms that 
 he will probably neglect to ascertain whether or not 
 they convey any meaning to the class. Much in a 
 lesson on the religions of India might be unintelligible 
 because the word metempsychosis was not under¬ 
 stood ; and cases far simpler than this may cause 
 trouble. Be sure, therefore, that your pupils are not 
 reckoning with counters of unknown value. 
 
 34 
 
The CIolss Session 
 
 It is assumed in the following discussion that the 
 leader has decided to teach rather than to lecture, 
 and is seeking not the easiest but the most effective 
 measures. Many of the suggestions here made will 
 be applicable only to certain classes and certain 
 lessons. 
 
 The Objects of the Session 
 
 I. To Arouse Interest. 
 
 This is logically the first purpose of the session. 
 If the class meetings fail in this, they might as well 
 be discontinued; for further results cannot be se¬ 
 cured. Interest may, of course, be made too exclu¬ 
 sively our object, but a certain amount of it is abso¬ 
 lutely necessary as a motive power. It is a main 
 purpose of coming together that members may be 
 stimulated to study in a way that they could not be 
 induced to do if approached singly. 
 
 Interest should be cultivated not only in knowing, 
 but in thinking, expressing, working, using. The 
 leader must burn with enthusiasm on all these phases. 
 He must come into close personal contact with the 
 members. He must arrange sessions that are fre¬ 
 quent, not hurried, thoroughly prepared, animated 
 and profitable. 
 
 In taking up the course he must ask: “What of 
 this can I hope to make interesting to this class?” 
 Especially if it is a first experience for the members 
 will it be necessary to avoid the less attractive topics; 
 but if these should be the most important, time 
 should be spent in trying to arouse interest in them. 
 The religions of non-Christian lands often constitute 
 an uninviting theme for beginners, but if the text- 
 
 85 
 
book treatment be too technical, should not be 
 omitted, but presented in more popular form. 
 
 In treating of the organization meeting, advice has 
 been given to take special pains in stirring up enthu¬ 
 siasm for the general subject. Continue this from 
 time to time throughout the course. Wake up the 
 members to the many-sidedness of the matter. Many 
 a topic fails to be attractive chiefly because space in 
 the text-book and time in the session forbids more 
 than the baldest treatment of it. A brightly written 
 chapter or two, read in connection outside the class, 
 may alter the whole mental attitude of a member 
 towards it. Let the leader remember that much that 
 proves engaging to him on account of his greater ma¬ 
 turity and acquired breadth of view can not hope to 
 awaken a like response in certain members. But if the 
 matter be well chosen, the more they read the more 
 interested they will become. 
 
 It is to be regretted that not all text-books are fas¬ 
 cinating. The first chapters are frequently the dullest 
 and operate as a break-water to the interest that has 
 been aroused. Under these circumstances particular 
 care must be taken in the assignment to omit, re¬ 
 arrange and supplement in such a way that interest 
 may be maintained. It is the leader’s fault if the class 
 lose heart from being compelled to wade through too 
 deep mud. 
 
 It is exceedingly important that interest be ex¬ 
 cited in the special work assigned, as this is the path¬ 
 way leading to further study. Much depends on the 
 literature accessible and on the leader’s familiarity 
 with it. Select passages that will be interesting to 
 those who work them up, and manifest as much en¬ 
 thusiasm as you can over the papers presented. Try 
 to have the members feel that they are in this way 
 making real contributions to the course. Try to 
 have them enjoy their work. 
 
 36 
 
Interest in class sessions will be aroused by means 
 varying with lessons and with classes. In general, 
 see that members get something at each session that 
 they would not have gotten outside. Have something- 
 striking and (to them) original in the way of an 
 anecdote or illustration, an explanation or broader 
 view of things, and take great pains to have this ac¬ 
 ceptable. Try to make the remarks on selection of 
 material and methods of study at the lesson assign¬ 
 ment of real value. Try also to give each one a chance 
 to contribute something. Some members will enjoy lis¬ 
 tening most, and will be quite content to let the leader 
 occupy all the time; others will not be satisfied un¬ 
 less they have plenty of chances to take part. 
 
 While the leader is often not nearly so interesting 
 to others as to himself, and may talk the class to 
 death, perhaps a greater danger to interest comes 
 from dull members. Answers to questions may be 
 extracted only after a long and by no means painless 
 process and may then be absolutely inane. Papers 
 will be flat, too long or too hurried, and astonishingly 
 wide of the point. Here arises the need that the 
 leader should be well prepared on everything that is 
 to come up. If the paper is obscure, let him add a 
 word of explanation; if it is one-sided, let him supple¬ 
 ment ; if it is pointless, let him bring out the truth 
 that it was intended to illustrate. Theoretically, it 
 would be better to draw out these additions by ques¬ 
 tions, but time does not always permit. But be care¬ 
 ful not to say more than is needed to preserve inter¬ 
 est and continuity of thought, nor to say it in a way 
 that will make the member feel that his work was 
 altogether useless. Much of the wet-blanketing con¬ 
 tributed by members may be avoided by a leader who 
 knows their individual abilities. Lack of adaptation 
 of the material assigned and of explicitness in the 
 directions given are two principal causes of flat 
 
 37 
 
papers. If the subject be one which it is important 
 to have adequately treated you owe it to the class to 
 assign it to one of your most able members. If a 
 passage is to be read aloud, appoint a good reader. 
 Close with what you have reason to expect to be best. 
 
 If interest were the only matter to be considered, 
 the task would be greatly simplified. The leader and 
 one or two star performers of the members would do 
 the talking; the rest would listen. This is just what 
 happens in many cases, but it is not very profitable 
 to the silent partners. The great problem in class in¬ 
 struction is to see that every member is interested 
 and every member helped. It can never be solved by 
 following the lines of least resistance. It is usually 
 easy to hold and help those most alert. It is not 
 always hard merely to keep the attention of all. But 
 how shall we prevent interest flagging while we are 
 questioning and exercising our dull contingent? 
 Avoid having their recitation a matter between them 
 and the leader alone. Have them address their ex¬ 
 planations and answers to the class and make them 
 feel a responsibility for holding the class. In some 
 cases, the other members may be asked to correct 
 or supplement after they are through. Call on 
 brighter members to explain to the duller ones. Try 
 to create an atmosphere of mutual responsibility be¬ 
 tween members, and not only between members and 
 leader. At the same time if success in this matter 
 prove hard to attain, beware of sacrificing too much 
 of the general good in the session to your desire to 
 bring up the rear guard. Avoid letting the best 
 members do all the reciting, or compelling the worst. 
 Personal work outside the session should endeavor 
 to bring the stragglers into line. Sometimes a more 
 mature member -can arrange to look after one or two 
 of the others. 
 
 38 
 
Interest sometimes lapses through sheer inatten¬ 
 tion. Direct an occasional question to stop wool¬ 
 gathering, or ask a member to summarize what has 
 just been said. You will discover that a look of 
 apparently rapt attention may screen a wandering 
 mind. 
 
 Encourage all to take part, but have some rule by 
 which you may throttle the garrulous or the heavy- 
 tongued without hurting their feelings. As largely 
 as possible, try to ask questions which those ad¬ 
 dressed would enjoy answering. Be appreciative of 
 even clumsy efforts. If criticism is needed, it will 
 often be less discouraging and more effective if made 
 in private. 
 
 Note when interest needs stimulus. Inspiration 
 is often more important than instruction, and special 
 exercises may need to be devised from time to time 
 to revive it. 
 
 Be alive to the spiritual interest of the class. Call 
 for definite petitions in the session and without in 
 private devotions. Emphasize the difference between 
 mission study and purely intellectual forms of work. 
 The prayers offered by the members at the opening 
 and closing of the session will be the best indi¬ 
 cation to the leader of the extent to which spiritual 
 interest has been awakened. 
 
 External aids to interest are not to be neglected. 
 General comfort in the meeting place, plenty of time, 
 a blackboard, maps, charts for presenting statistics, 
 will all aid in securing that important factor—interest. 
 
 2. To Study the State of the Member’s Mind and 
 Supply its Needs. 
 
 There can be no successful teaching which does 
 not build upon that which is already known. Seed 
 thought 'may be showered upon a mind, but it refuses 
 to take root and grow unless it fall on soil prepared 
 
 39 
 
for it. It is a prime responsibility of the teacher, 
 as distinguished from the lecturer, to make sure that 
 the soil is prepared for that which he wishes to sow. 
 The amount of preparation needed we are prone to 
 over-estimate. We forget that that which is now clear 
 to us has become so only after prolonged inspection. 
 Its relations are so self-evident to our thoughtful gaze, 
 that we fail to recall that we were at first entirely 
 blind to them. Therefore, study the minds of your 
 members that you may know what they are able to 
 receive. As Trumbull says; “Find your scholar’s 
 level in order to get down to it.” 
 
 Our main method of discovery will be questioning. 
 This is no easy art. Let us give ourselves all the 
 practice we can before facing our class. It also con¬ 
 sumes much time. Let us make as much mental 
 diagnosis as possible outside the session of those 
 we expect to teach. In this a stranger is at a great 
 disadvantage. Let such a one plan carefully ques¬ 
 tions that shall cast some light on the character of 
 mind and extent of information of each member. 
 But such questioning is not to be restricted to the 
 first meeting. All through the course it should pre¬ 
 cede further instruction. Not only must the founda¬ 
 tions be firm before we erect the first story, but the 
 first story before we go on to the second. Every piece 
 of work we do needs testing, and as our building 
 material is crumbly in nature, inspection all the way 
 down to the ground should be frequent. Very few 
 persons retain what they have heard only once, even 
 though they may understand it perfectly at the time. 
 Moreover, a thing is not learned until it is seen from 
 more than one view-point. You have learned by con¬ 
 tinued reflection; do not expect your pupils to learn 
 by a single telling. Some courses are like filling a 
 sieve. Everything passes through; nothing remains. 
 It would be more profitable to spend all the time on a 
 
 40 
 
single lesson. But you can mistalce in requiring a 
 chapter to be mastered exhaustively. Decide what 
 leading facts and principles the class should hold as 
 a basis for what is to follow and make it difficult for 
 them to forget these. Be sure that the things they 
 retain are thoughts, convictions, motives, and not 
 mere words; that something has been learned, and not 
 merely memorized. Only well-adapted questions will 
 ascertain this. 
 
 The kind of questions asked will have much to do 
 with the kind of preparation made to meet them. 
 Arrange something for each member that shall be 
 within his ability to answer. Questions that are too 
 deep will simply discourage. Ask questions that shall 
 require comparison and judgment rather than mem¬ 
 ory alone. For instance, “ In what racial traits do 
 the Chinese surpass us ?” is better than, “ Give the 
 Chinese traits mentioned by the book.” Make each 
 one feel that he must think in order to fulfill the 
 requirements of the recitation; that something must 
 be learned and clearly stated. Try to question attrac¬ 
 tively. If the members enjoy this part of the session, 
 they will take pains to prepare for it. Without previ¬ 
 ous formulation, questions are apt to be obscure, ver¬ 
 bose, capable of other answers than those you wish to 
 draw out, and directed at accidents rather than essen¬ 
 tials. Going over them with a bright child will reveal 
 other defects that we have not suspected. It is diffi¬ 
 cult to preserve the happy mean between taxing the 
 powers of inference too severely and presenting what 
 is too self-evident. 
 
 Fitch recommends that the teacher say as little as 
 possible in a way that shall cause the pupils to say as 
 much as possible, so that a listener would think of 
 them rather than of him. He holds that much of 
 the value of questions is lost unless they are logically 
 connected, and gives the rule, “ Question so that your 
 
 41 
 
answers would be orderly, readable and a complete 
 summary.” 
 
 Put questions that call for connected statements 
 and not mere monosyllables. Be careful, on the 
 other hand, not to bewilder by giving too much at 
 once. Mistakes are often made from nothing but lack 
 of confidence. It holds attention better to ask a ques¬ 
 tion before assigning the person who is to answer it. 
 Try to have parliamentary order. Do not permit 
 a chorus of answers every time a question is put. 
 
 The manuals on teaching mention two ways of 
 testing knowledge,—the questioning and the topical 
 method. In the former, the pupil responds to a 
 series of questions; in the latter, he develops an as¬ 
 signed topic. The former method gives the teacher 
 better control and is more thorough; the latter is the 
 better test of expression and makes the pupil arrange 
 for himself, hence requiring more thought in study. 
 White suggests combining methods by starting a 
 pupil on a topic and supplementing with questions 
 as seems necessary. 
 
 Be on the lookout for what a member does not 
 know, as well as for what he knows. Keep in mind 
 that most persons will conceal what they do not know 
 and will simulate a knowledge that they do not pos¬ 
 sess. It is never safe to conclude that a statement is 
 understood merely because no further questions are 
 asked. Examine carefully for gaps, blurs, misappre¬ 
 hensions, mere memorizing, failure to think, lack of 
 perspective, lack of originality, lack of conviction. It 
 may be a revelation to the leader once in a while 
 without previous notice to have the class spend ten 
 or fifteen minutes in writing an answer to some ques¬ 
 tion that requires knowledge of the principal facts 
 gone over and some thought. He will discover 
 how little of the food furnished has been assimilated. 
 
 In supplying these deficiencies, system must be 
 
 42 
 
observed. No matter how vast the need, only one 
 thing should be attempted at a time. It will be a 
 help to keep a note-book in which the condition and 
 needs of each member are recorded. Treat first the 
 complaints that are common to most members. 
 Thring’s chapter on “ Run the Goose Down ” is very 
 suggestive on this point. Patient observation and 
 correction alone will effect improvement. 
 
 Only when we have gained some knowledge of our 
 pupils’ minds are we prepared for profitable instruc¬ 
 tion, and this can be imparted only with their co¬ 
 operation. More mature members, trained to habits 
 of close attention, quick assimilation and note-taking, 
 can make the most of extended statements by the 
 leader, but others, though interested, will be little 
 benefited. Prof. A. B. Hart says of the lecture 
 method: “ Only exceptional teachers, with unusual 
 
 pupils, can make it profitable in secondary grades.” 
 Wilh the mass mental co-operation can be secured in 
 instruction by questioning better than by telling. The 
 members will remember what they tell you far more 
 clearly than what you tell them. Ask questions 
 that will stimulate independent thinking and force 
 them to formulate. They will enjoy much more what 
 they discover for themselves than what you discover 
 for them. 
 
 Recollect that the main aim is to lead them to ex¬ 
 ercise and to enjoy exercising their mental faculties. 
 It will be impossible, of course, to cover anything 
 like as much ground by the teaching process as by 
 lecturing, but though far less seed may be sown, more 
 of it will sprout up. Select a few important facts 
 and principles which embody the conclusions you 
 wish to have drawn, and then plan questions which, 
 involving a knowledge of the text-book, will lead your 
 class to think out these truths for themselves. Les¬ 
 sons which deal with the physical aspects of coun- 
 
 43 
 
tries will be the most difficult, perhaps, to treat in this 
 way. Yet, in considering India, for instance, a few 
 facts concerning the size of the country, amount of 
 intercommunication and nature of the seasons, will 
 be quite enough to enable a class, if plied with a few 
 suggestive questions, to reason out for themselves 
 many of the causes of the great famines. Some 
 Hindu characteristics, as a result of heredity and en¬ 
 vironment, may be brought out in the same way. 
 
 Many things it will be necessary for the leader to 
 tell the class, but in this great care must be taken.- 
 It is much easier to talk attractively than to ques¬ 
 tion attractively, and the leader, like everyone else, 
 is apt to enjoy his own discourse more than that of 
 others. A principal danger is that he will take up too 
 much of the time in this way. When he does talk, 
 let him be illustrative and concrete. Let him add, ex¬ 
 plain, reset, rearrange, but take every precaution to 
 carry his hearers with him. Let him call for a sum¬ 
 mary of what he has said. When a topic has been 
 so badly mangled by the members that its charm is 
 gone, let the leader take five minutes in setting it 
 forth in its real dignity and in teaching by inference 
 the truth that such things are not so dull as some 
 people make them. Let him supply the organization 
 of material so often necessary to its understanding 
 and retention. Let him spend his time not in adding 
 a few more bloodless facts, but in enriching the con¬ 
 ceptions of the facts already to hand. 
 
 Repetition, if rightly employed, is an effective 
 means of deepening impressions. Roark quotes Mat¬ 
 thew Arnold, that it is of value only as “ conscious¬ 
 ness permeates the work.” The same process may 
 sharpen or dull the faculties according to the way in 
 which it is accompanied by attention. Careful repe¬ 
 tition of language impresses language on the mind, 
 but not necessarily thought. Only by rehearsing 
 
 44 
 
thinking processes can we fix the ideas that are back 
 of words. In most cases reviews should be frequent, 
 but with varied view-points. Their object, as far as 
 the leader is concerned, is to test the thoroughness 
 of his work; for the members, to strengthen the ideas 
 acquired and show them in new relations. Many 
 facts can not be estimated at their true worth until 
 seen in the light of further knowledge. 
 
 3. To Study the Members’ Methods of Work and 
 Supply Their Needs. 
 
 The need of this has already been set forth in 
 treating “ How to Study.” The meeting will be the 
 only opportunity that most leaders will have for 
 attending to this matter, and they will make a serious 
 mistake if they neglect it. 
 
 In an already over-crowded session, nothing but 
 the extreme importance of this study could justify 
 taking time for it. Let the leader’s plans be system¬ 
 atic, so that the few minutes spent may be used to 
 the greatest advantage. 
 
 It is necessary, first, that the problem be kept con¬ 
 stantly before the leader’s consciousness, so that all 
 significant symptoms may be noted. Records should 
 be kept of these, so that those most constantly recur¬ 
 ring may be selected for treatment. Train yourself 
 in observing everything that may throw light on your 
 members’ methods of work. Early in the course 
 spend a few minutes in having members explain 
 how they prepare. Those more nearly on their own 
 mental plane may be able to profit them more than 
 you can; therefore, call for criticisms and suggestions 
 from other members before offering your own. En¬ 
 courage all to bring forward their difficulties. Re¬ 
 member that they learn not through your activity, but 
 by properly exercising their own; hence, the efficiency 
 of their methods rather than of yours is the all- 
 important consideration. 
 
 45 
 
When some failure becomes conspicuous, try to 
 ascertain its cause—whether it arises from laziness, 
 misunderstanding of what was wanted, lack of time, 
 inability to grasp on the part of the member, or from 
 carelessness in assignment, poor instruction or failure 
 to require on your part. Keep these causes distinct in 
 mind, and concentrate your energy on treating one 
 at a time. 
 
 It is the object of the remarks made at the assign¬ 
 ment of the lesson to indicate the best way to prepare. 
 Here you must try to forestall those failures which 
 have caused most trouble in the past. Make sure that 
 your prescriptions reach those for whom they are 
 intended. Ask members to read aloud the notes they 
 have taken. You will sometimes find that they are 
 quite inadequate. 
 
 Harp on one string until you perceive improvement 
 in response. Then change your key. At the end of 
 the course you will have acquired an increased ap¬ 
 petite for teaching. Happy they whose members have 
 acquired a corresponding appetite for study. 
 
 4. To Train in Expression and Use. 
 
 Expression of thought is one of the best ways of 
 fixing it in mind. Clear expression can arise only 
 from clear thinking, and is a stimulant to further 
 thought. Hold before your class the value of clear¬ 
 ness and effectiveness of statement. Quote Hart: 
 “ It is of vast importance to be able to put information 
 into a shape useful to another person.” 
 
 Urge them, first, to be sure that the ideas that 
 underlie what they wish to express are clear. If a 
 term or a principle be only half understood, it can 
 not be effectively used in expression. One of th^ 
 best ways of ascertaining this is in conversation. Let 
 them try to interest some one in the subject they have 
 in mind. Any haziness of thought is almost sure to 
 
 46 
 
be revealed, and not improbably will be dispelled. 
 It will be very profitable to formulate in writing the 
 points they wish to bring out, and to consider 
 their most effective arrangement. Otherwise attrac¬ 
 tive speakers often fail to leave any impression be¬ 
 cause they trust to abundance of material and fluency 
 of speech to the neglect of careful formulation of 
 conclusions and logical order in presentation. 
 
 What is now needed is practice. Treat this as a 
 serious matter. Give them the floor; make them feel 
 that something depends on them; have them address 
 the class and try to hold it; be as appreciative as pos¬ 
 sible. Encourage those who can do so at all accept¬ 
 ably to utilize their preparation in the church or 
 young people’s prayer meeting, and in arousing inter¬ 
 est in missions among their acquaintances. At the 
 end of the course, it may be well to arrange to have 
 the class take charge of an entire prayer meeting 
 session, presenting what they learned in their work. 
 
 For each recitation have two or three members 
 prepare papers on phases of the lesson. This is one 
 of the most important features of the course, as it 
 necessitates the use of other sources than the text¬ 
 book and thus deepens impressions and quickens 
 interest. The care needed in selecting both topic and 
 references has already been commented upon. Some 
 members will require a very simple and compact treat¬ 
 ment ; others will be able to use more than one source. 
 The latter method is more interesting and profitable 
 for minds sufficiently mature to employ it. Especially 
 in this case will it be well to assign the subjects to 
 be treated two or three weeks in advance. Always 
 give exact references, and either furnish the books 
 needed or be sure that they are easily accessible. So 
 many misunderstandings are apt to arise in regard 
 to what is to be done, even where notes are taken, 
 that written instructions are desirable. At the least, 
 
 47 
 
write on a slip the subject of the paper to be pre¬ 
 pared, the references by page and the time limit, add¬ 
 ing a suggestion or two as to points especially to be 
 emphasized. The writer has found it of advantage 
 to have slips printed, as follows: 
 
 Subject of Session. 
 
 References . 
 
 Subject for Paper. 
 
 References. 
 
 / 
 
 Please prepare a paper or talk on 
 the special subject assigned. Keep in 
 mind the general subject matter of the 
 session and try to illustrate and supple¬ 
 ment it. Have a definite object for your 
 paper. Select one or more points that 
 you would like to have the others carry 
 away with them and concentrate on 
 these, being careful not to try to cover 
 more points than you can illustrate and 
 enforce. If your paper is descriptive, 
 omit everything unessential that you 
 may bring out with vividness and detail 
 the point of the story. Do not hesitate 
 to read from the reference book short 
 and concisely worded extracts. Try to 
 feel and show enthusiasm in your sub¬ 
 ject. Pray that the object of your paper 
 may be attained. 
 
 Not over-minutes. 
 
 Make the most of your time. 
 
 More simple instructions might be better for 
 younger members, and for many it would be well to 
 indicate the object of the paper and points to be made. 
 If the principal fault of members is lack of definite- 
 
 48 
 
ness, they may be asked to prepare according to an 
 outline somewhat as follows: 
 
 Thesis: 
 
 First point (state, illustrate and answer objec¬ 
 tions). 
 
 Second point (treat in same manner). 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 The outline will, of course, vary with the topic 
 assigned. Though such a form may appear rigid, 
 there are many cases in which it could be used with 
 most salutary effect. 
 
 An addition that might well be made to the in¬ 
 struction slip given above is: State exactly where 
 you found the most interesting treatment of your sub¬ 
 ject, and advertise it in such a way that others may 
 be impelled to read it. 
 
 Shall we ask members to read papers or talk off¬ 
 hand in presenting these topics? The advantages of 
 papers are that they are more apt to be concise, to the 
 point, and within time limit, that their language will 
 probably be choicer and their delivery more free 
 from hesitation. Their disadvantages are often a 
 bookish style, material simply copied, and a poor 
 delivery, owing to the attention being absorbed in 
 the paper. The struggles with illegible or badly shuf¬ 
 fled manuscript are sometimes painful. If you ask 
 for papers, ask also for fluent and effective reading. 
 The advantages of off-hand talks are that they give 
 the speaker a chance to look his audience in the eye 
 and command their attention; that they are more col¬ 
 loquial and more animated. When they are bad, they 
 are horrid. Their disadvantages are often hesitation, 
 embarrassment, wandering, leaving out connection, 
 pointlessness and running over time. Unless members 
 have had some experience in off-hand speaking, papers 
 will be far safer. If you suggest talks, suggest also 
 careful preparation, a full, written outline in which 
 
 49 
 
the points are formulated and arranged, conversation 
 on the subject and practice within time limit. 
 
 No one who has not experienced it can realize the 
 inward dismay of a leader who has assigned a sub¬ 
 ject that ought to form a climax, has given choice 
 references and careful instructions, and who is re¬ 
 warded with the worst sort of an anti-climax. The 
 mumbled jumble that sometimes results is scarcely 
 so exasperating as the fluent sketch that brings dis¬ 
 tracting trivialities into bold relief and entirely omits 
 everything essential. The way in‘which the leader 
 should endeavor to save something out of the wreck 
 has already been treated. 
 
 A good average length for papers or talks is five 
 minutes. In less time than this a speaker can hardly 
 obtain headway. Unless the paper is a brilliant suc¬ 
 cess, the leader will probably be glad that he did not as¬ 
 sign more. If three minute papers are appointed, as 
 will often be best with beginners, take care to specify 
 that only a single point be attempted. 
 
 It will call forth greater effort in the presenta¬ 
 tion of these subjects if some other member be asked 
 before the delivery of each to note the principal 
 points made and give a brief summary at the next 
 session. 
 
 The review of an entire book, or of a series of 
 magazine articles bearing on the lesson, will prove 
 an attractive feature, if well done. Never submit such 
 extended material to one who does not understand 
 the art of condensation. 
 
 5. To Inspire Action. 
 
 Our aim in teaching such a subject must be for 
 definite convictions, resolves and action on the part of 
 each member of the class. Try to have each one face his 
 responsibility for Foreign Missions. With some, the 
 greater issues will be settled first, and the lesser com¬ 
 prehended ; others will be led from fidelity in that 
 
 50 
 
which is least. Impress the duty of reading and study¬ 
 ing systematically, so as to feed themselves and 
 others. Urge that every use be made of what has 
 been gained in influencing those about them. En¬ 
 courage those qualified to study teaching and to lead 
 classes themselves. 
 
 Urge the importance of systematic prayer. Have 
 members take down special impressions and pray over 
 them. Make every effort to have them commit them¬ 
 selves from time to time to some definite resolve. 
 This may be the chance of your life and theirs to 
 secure results from them. Whenever a member be¬ 
 trays special interest in some phase, follow the matter 
 up and make the most of it. Exercise the class in in¬ 
 ducing from facts principles leading to action. Ask 
 them to formulate in writing some conviction and re¬ 
 solve after preparing each lesson. 
 
 Have objects to be realized for each member which 
 you present in your own private petitions. Be im¬ 
 portunate in prayer until results are attained. 
 
 Features of the Session 
 
 In considering the possibility of any one feature 
 of the session, there comes a temptation to overload 
 it in the desire to accomplish great things. It is bet¬ 
 ter at first to err in the other direction. By trying 
 too much in the way of plans or material you will 
 either weary your class or develop superficiality. 
 
 It has been recommended that a slip containing 
 the order of exercises, with explanations of the scope 
 and aim of each feature, should be multiplied and 
 given to each member. If the heads are numbered, 
 variety may be secured, by announcing omission or 
 subordination of certain of them at the next session, 
 and concentration upon others. The subject matter 
 of the lesson will often • suggest this. The demand 
 
 51 
 
for variety is often only another way of intimating 
 that the work already done has been poor. Not change, 
 but improved quality of the old methods, is the real 
 remedy. If a class has been regaled chiefly with rote 
 recitations, it is not surprising that they long for a 
 different diet. But when sound methods have been 
 adopted, put your strength into filling them with 
 rich content. Eight or ten sessions will not exhaust 
 them, and they will obtain much better results than 
 fancy exercises. 
 
 Select beforehand the scripture passage to be 
 read at the opening of the session, choosing only so 
 much as will bring out a single thought. Notify in 
 advance the one to be called on to lead in prayer. 
 Note the recommendation of the Epworth League 
 suggestions to the leader: “ In the opening and clos¬ 
 ing prayers seek to develop the habit of definite inter¬ 
 cession. In prayer, brevity is no fault, but lack of 
 reality is.” 
 
 Before taking up the advance lesson, spend a few 
 minutes in reviewing. This may be treated in various 
 ways. You may ask someone to prepare a brief resume 
 of the previous lesson, or a more condensed outline of 
 the course from the beginning. Secure condensation 
 by allowing so many minutes for its presentation; 
 perspective, by restricting the number of points to be 
 mentioned; and content, by requiring principles and 
 conclusions, rather than facts and headings. Make an 
 invariable rule in every exercise of the session to let 
 the axe fall at the expiration of the time limit, and 
 apply this rule to yourself with the same strictness as 
 to others. While the review of a single lesson will 
 permit a fuller treatment, in homogeneous courses 
 summing up from the beginning is better. As the 
 number of chapters to be gone over increases, less im¬ 
 portant matters must be omitted until the summary 
 consists of only the most essential points. The exer- 
 
 52 
 
cise in selection will be a useful one, and will fix what 
 most deserves to be permanent. 
 
 Ask members to record what most impressed them 
 in each session, and call for these impressions at 
 the next meeting. This will lead to the formulation of 
 thought often of much greater personal value than 
 that contained in an outline. A review of the papers 
 presented at the previous session has been mentioned 
 above. 
 
 Let the leader stir all this up by putting a few 
 questions where they will do most good, and by add¬ 
 ing a suggestion or two as seems necessary. 
 
 In teaching the lesson assigned, do not get so ab¬ 
 sorbed in your subject that you forget your object. 
 In studying the state of mind and methods of work of 
 the members, be systematic. Determine beforehand 
 just what you wish to do in this line. Select care¬ 
 fully a few points that you wish to impress, and help 
 the class intelligently to appropriate these. Test 
 and drill in the facts that ought to be memorized, 
 but lay most weight upon questions requiring reflec¬ 
 tion, and see that they do some thinking in the class, 
 even if they have neglected it outside. If you ques¬ 
 tion regarding methods of work, confine yourself to a 
 single subject, e. g., how they study the text-book, 
 what they find most difficult in preparation, or how 
 they work up papers, and concentrate on two or 
 three members. Keep constant watch of the flight of 
 time. Be not ruffled, if much in the text-book is not 
 touched upon. It is A^ery annoying to be obliged to 
 treat only fragments of a subject, but it is what 
 is learned that counts, not what is gone over, and your 
 class, as a whole, could not hope to learn more than 
 fragments. Deny yourself the luxury of having a 
 good time with your prize pupils while the rest en¬ 
 deavor in vain to keep up with you. 
 
 The papers should be introduced where most ap- 
 
 53 
 
propriate. Be alive to the fair probability that they 
 will not be fascinatingly interesting, and do not make 
 them the closing feature. In an hour session, it is 
 usually best to have not more than two five-minute 
 papers. 
 
 It has been recommended above that special topics 
 be assigned to qualified members to be worked up 
 thoroughly with the understanding that they shall 
 teach them to the class. Try to have one of these 
 exercises at each session, but have them brief, as they 
 may sometimes be dull. Give the class over to the 
 complete control of the one appointed. Make it clear 
 that you desire an attempt at real teaching, and not 
 mere hearing of the text-book. You may discover 
 and develop ability that will lead many classes in the 
 future. 
 
 Reserve a few minutes at the close of the session 
 for a final impression of principles and convictions. 
 Try to fulfill your aim of inspiring to resolve and 
 action. 
 
 The assignment of the next lesson may be made 
 either at the beginning of the meeting or at its close. 
 The former is safer, as so important a matter must 
 not be hurried. If the character of each feature of 
 the session has been set forth clearly once for all in 
 writing, the appointment of those who are to take 
 special part will be sufficient. It would be intolerable 
 to waste the time of the class in explaining verbally 
 every week just what is wanted. As much as possible 
 of what is intended only for individuals should be 
 done outside of the meeting. It will take only a 
 moment to write what is required on a slip of paper 
 to be handed to the proper person. Always include 
 the date of performance. Give as little chance as 
 possible to the total depravity of things animate and 
 inanimate to spoil your lesson. Such matters as 
 preparation for teaching, map and chart making and 
 
 54 
 
the more important papers should be assigned more 
 than a week in advance. 
 
 The way in which to treat the text-book material 
 for the coming session has been explained under the 
 head of “Assigning Lessons.” No previous advice 
 can anticipate all that experience will suggest in mak¬ 
 ing this efficient. 
 
 With all these desirable features, short and hurried 
 sessions seem like a farce. Consider what you may 
 hope to do in the time at your disposal. Determine in 
 advance how many minutes to allow to each exercise, 
 and follow your schedule closely. 
 
 A suggested schedule for a session of one hour is 
 as follows: 
 
 1. Brief scripture passage and brief prayer, three 
 minutes. 
 
 2. Assignment of next lesson, five minutes. 
 
 3. Review, including brief outline, special impres¬ 
 sions, and questions by leader to make these definite, 
 ten minutes. 
 
 4. Teaching advance lesson, fifteen minutes. 
 
 5. Papers (to be introduced where most appropri¬ 
 ate), ten minutes. 
 
 6. Section taught by member, eight minutes. 
 
 7. Closing impressions, three minutes. 
 
 S. Closing prayer, three minutes. 
 
 The only hope of carrying out such a schedule is in 
 through preparation by the leader of every point, so 
 that there will be no hesitation, but immediate break¬ 
 ing off one subject and attacking the next; in equally 
 thorough understanding of ^the order and aim of 
 events by those who are to participate; in training 
 of all to plunge at once in medias res; in attending 
 to individual matters outside the session; in attempt¬ 
 ing only essentials under each head; in an unrelaxing 
 
 55 
 
grip by the leader. In planning, you should know ex¬ 
 actly how much time you can depend upon, and then 
 allow a few minutes to cover the inevitable waste. 
 
 The chief difficulties will probably be the distrac¬ 
 tion of the leader’s thought from the class and subject 
 to the program and clock, the loss of time between 
 exercises, and the inability to compress adequate treat¬ 
 ment into allotments so brief. Study and practice are 
 the only remedies for these ills. 
 
 In a forty-five minute session. No. 6 and one paper 
 from No. 5 should be omitted. With some classes. 
 No. 6 will be impracticable. If the whole evening 
 is spent on the lesson, the features can all be given 
 more profitable treatment. 
 
 Redistribute time according to the needs revealed 
 by experience. Do not abandon a plan until you are 
 convinced that its unsuitableness and not your lack of 
 facility in using it is the cause of its failure. 
 
 Much good might be done by an occasional inspir¬ 
 ing talk, discussion or debate. Try to arrange an ex¬ 
 tra session or two for such exercises, rather than omit 
 the teaching and review of essential chapters of the 
 text-book. 
 
 Accessories 
 
 Ask the class to record clearly in note-books: 
 
 1. The general instructions as to the various fea¬ 
 tures and how to prepare for them, the order and 
 method of the recitation,—if these are not multiplied 
 and distributed. 
 
 2. The assignment of the lesson, mcluding the sub¬ 
 ject and main divisions, references by page, notes on 
 concentration and omission. 
 
 3. Suggestions made as to individual method of 
 work. 
 
 4. Special impressions. Take pains in formulating 
 these and in drawing conclusions. 
 
 56 
 
5- Abstracts or quotations from books read. 
 
 6. What is put on the blackboard. 
 
 Keep these in different note-books or parts of note¬ 
 book, and touch up into usable form. 
 
 Use a blackboard for outlines that you wish 
 copied or followed in recitation, for statistics, key 
 dates or events, for references and for spelling strange 
 names. 
 
 Printed or hektographed matter could be used 
 to great advantage. The general suggestions just 
 mentioned above, suggestions as to the preparation of 
 papers, lists of references for collateral reading with 
 brief characterizations, would all be of great value. 
 The central offices which have supplied suggestions 
 for leaders may soon do something for us in these 
 lines also. 
 
 57 
 
Difficulties 
 
 Most of the difficulties apt to be encountered in 
 leading a study class have been alluded to incident¬ 
 ally. Emphasis will here be laid upon a few. 
 
 How to secure members is the first question. Its 
 most hopeful solution lies in persistent personal work. 
 Hand-picking enables selection of what you want and 
 increases the chance that you will get it. Be satisfied 
 to begin with a very few. 
 
 Failure to take time for preparation is perhaps the 
 most conspicuous difficulty. On the part of the leader 
 this frequently arises from failure to realize the 
 amount and variety of preparation needed. More 
 sessions have been wrecked by this than by any other 
 one cause. On the part of the members, it usually 
 means lack of interest. The means of arousing this 
 have been discussed at length. Try to pledge mem¬ 
 bers at the organization meeting to give a definite 
 amount of time each week. Never coax members to 
 join with the assurance that work is not necessary. 
 Admit listeners, if you choose, but let them know 
 that if any man will not work, neither shall he profit. 
 When members turn up, as they undoubtedly will, 
 without having looked at or thought of the lesson 
 since the last meeting, it will make more impression 
 on them if they are treated entirely as listeners. But 
 urge them to attend, whether they have prepared or 
 not; otherwise, their interest will wane. 
 
 Absence or failure to prepare on the part of a 
 member to whom special work has been assigned 
 is embarrassing inversely as the amount of the leader’s 
 preparation. Ask to be notified if such a contingency 
 can be foreseen. 
 
 A lack of response from the class may arise from 
 
 58 
 
mental stagnation; or from lack of knowledge neces¬ 
 sary to appreciate the special subject. In the latter 
 case, it would pay to hold a meeting or two to supply 
 this need. Some day, when the department has been 
 well organized, we may be able to demand as entrance 
 requirements the reading of three or four books 
 treating the fundamental principles of Missions. 
 
 A serious problem may be met in the persons of a 
 few members who are unable to keep pace with the 
 class. It will usually be best to consult the greatest good 
 of the greatest number. Do not, however, neglect the 
 stragglers, but give them as much attention as you 
 feel you can spare. You cannot expect them to get 
 as much out of the course as those with superior 
 faculties, but you owe them stimulus and training. 
 
 Misunderstandings may altogether invalidate the 
 force of the leader’s directions until he discovers 
 that his statements have been quite beyond the range 
 of the members’ ability in taking notes. College grad¬ 
 uates are apt to forget their own clumsy first efforts 
 in this line. 
 
 Irrelevant discussion must be courteously checked 
 as soon as it becomes evident that it is irrelevant. 
 
 Finally, all may seem to go well, our machinery 
 may run with the utmost smoothness, and yet no re¬ 
 sults appear. This may be for lack of prayer, of defi¬ 
 nite desires and requests. We may be too cumbered 
 with much serving. Our great need after all is 
 power. Let us see that we are in constant communi¬ 
 cation with the Source of power. 
 
 / 
 
 59 
 
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 1 
 
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 V 
 
George H Buchanan and Company Philadelphia