THE SYSTEM OF TEACHING DEVELOPED IN "HINTS AND HELPS," &C., IS COMPOSED OF WATTS'S FIRST AND SECOND CATECHISMS. WATTS'S PRESERVATIVES FROM THE SINS AND FOLLIES OF YOUTH. THE ASSEMBLY'S SHORTER CATECHISM. WATTS'S DIVINE SONGS, and THE NAMES OF THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE, set to Music. Beyond these nothing is required but the Bible, and the Sanctuary Hymn Book used by the Congregation with which the Family or School adopting the System may be connected. THE DESIGN of the Elementary Teaching is to prepare each learner to receive the Bible. The present too general practice of placing the sacred volume in the hands of a child, with its thousand pages of ancient histories, Divine mysteries, dark parables, mystic prophecies, and hard words, without any previous preparation, makes it a trouble rather than a treasure during all the early years of life. Let the "First Catechism," the "Divine and Moral Songs," the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, with the First Prayers and Graces, and the Names of the Books of the Bible, be thoroughly and attractively taught, and the learner, however young, will be prepared by them for an intelligent, a pleasant, and a profitable use of the Holy Book, and will at the same time be contracting habits of religious exercise and thought, which cannot fail to leave their impression upon the after-life. BOOKS NECESSARY IN THIS DEPARTMENT. For a class of 50 or more, the ROLL (see page iii). For the Teacher's use, "Hints and Helps.' For Children at Home during the week, "Watts's First Catechism " (Houlston and Wright), 5s. 6d. per 100; also, "Watts's Divine and Moral Songs" (Religious Tract Society), paper covers 3s. per 100, or cloth, 6s. per 100. For Parents at Home, "Hints and Helps for Parents and Teachers," which contains all the lessons of all the departments printed in extenso, with complete instructions in detail how to carry on the work of Home Teaching without weariness or difficulty during the week. *All these lessons will appear in the SYSTEMATIC BIBLE TEACHER An Outline Explanation of the Mimpriss System of Graduated simultaneous instruction in the Gospel History. "We want more faith in a personal Christ." "We need to feel Him as a living presence, showing us in His own conduct how to live, and impelling us by the mighty force of love to 'WALK IN HIS STEPS.'"-Rev. Newman Hall. BELIEVING the Gospel narratives of the Life and Ministry of the World's Redeemer to be eminently calculated to interest and instruct the young in Divine truth, the author of this System has been endeavouring, for the last forty years, to bring the managers of our Sunday schools to the practical consideration of a more systematic method of teaching the same as the basis of a connected and comprehensive study of the contents of both the Old and New Testaments. By the contemplation of Him who is portrayed in the Evangelical histories, a flood of Divine light is thrown upon the writings of Moses and the Prophets, while the records of His life and example, His death and resurrection, present at once the foundation of the apostles' joy in the Holy Ghost, and the basis of the doctrines and duties taught in their Epistles. In short, Christ is the centre of Revelation. Let Christ be set forth vividly, as He is in the Gospel narratives, and our youth will have such an example of love and obedience and lofty piety, that, following Him in their life and conversation, they must, like Him, grow "in favour with God and man." A System, in its true definition, is any combination of many things acting together a scheme which reduces many things to regular dependence and co-operation; and this applies to the Mimpriss Lessons, which are all connected and inter-dependent throughout, from the first to the last, like so many links in a chain. The entire Gospel History, as given by the four evangelists, from the prediction of the birth of John by the angel to Zacharias, to the Ascension of Christ, is divided into 100 lessons, thus arranging the whole as one simple consecutive record. The System is Graduated so as to suit the varying ages and capacities of Teachers and learners, from the infant who cannot read to the scholars in the upper Bible classes. To accomplish this, it divides the School into five Grades or sections. The First Grade classes contain the infants, or those who in a day school would be in the alphabet classes; and for these simple lessons are arranged and printed in large type on tablets, so as to be easily seen by all. The Second Grade represents classes a little advanced, but not so as to be able to read fluently, and so advanced lessons in tablet form are also provided for them. These lessons may also be had in book form. On the last four pages of this number, the middle column gives the text of the lessons for both Grades. (Observe the method of graduation.) The Third Grade represents the Testament classes, and for these the substance of the narratives is given nearly entire, and almost wholly in the language of the authorised version. The Fourth Grade gives the four Gospel narratives in the actual words of the authorised version, arranging them as one consecutive history. The Fifth Grade gives the four Evangelical records entire in parallel columns, and arranged for reading as a Harmony. In all the grades the scholars are catechetically exercised, so that the facts of each lesson are impressed upon their memories, and from the first the practical truths deduced therefrom are put in few words, to be enforced by the Teacher. But especially in the upper grades-namely, the Third, Fourth, and Fifth-the scholars are fully exercised in the Chronology and Geography of the Gospel History, in Explanations of Words and Phrases, Historical Parallels, Scripture references, and the harmonizing of apparent discrepancies between the several Evangelists. Thus a vivid, consecutive, and comprehensive view of the Life of Christ is given, and it is at the same time made the centre from which to study the whole Scriptures. Simultaneous teaching is essential to the success of the System; that is, the same lesson is taught through all the grades at the same time. For the Teachers, Manuals are prepared suited to the different grades, relieving them of much of the usual toil and drudgery of preparation for the class, without reducing their work to a piece of mere mechanical routine. The Lessons, as given in the last four pages of this number, form an exact reprint of those pages in the Manual for the First and Second Grades. The Third Grade Manual is similar, but the lessons are expanded. With a copy of the "Steps of Jesus," this book is also suited to the Fourth Grade. The Teacher's book for the Fifth Grade is "THE GOSPEL TREASURY; OR, TREASURY HARMONY OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS;" a critical, practical, and comprehensive commentary on the Four Gospels. In this work there are four departments of comment upon each lesson, namely-" Introduction and Analysis,' 'Scripture Illustrations,' ," "Expository Notes," and "Practical Reflections.” 99.66 Each Teacher's Manual contains a Frontispiece Chart of the Geography of the Gospel History, on which the localities are numbered in the same order as the lessons themselves. This chart is also published in several enlarged forms, for use in the Class, in the general School, and at the public Examination. The Advantages of this System are obvious :— 1. Its subject the Life and Ministry of Christ—is of supreme importance to all. 2. It provides for the infants who cannot read, suitable lessons at the same time, and on the same subject, as the classes more advanced. 3. It makes the work of the Teacher easy and pleasant, and ensures gratifying results. 4. It facilitates the Superintendent's oversight of the School, and enables him to reproduce without difficulty, by means of a few questions, what has been taught in all the classes on any given Sabbath. 5. It promotes Home Teaching. 6. By a Public Examination at the close of each quarter the interest of the three teaching agencies-Parents Pastor, and Teachers-is secured, and a healthy spirit of emulation is promoted among the scholars. (For the Titles and Prices of the Books, Charts, &c., of this System, see THE MIMPRISS SYSTEM. Books and Charts for Teachers and Scholars. [Being GRADUATED, they are adapted to all ages and capacities of Scholars and Teachers, and induce Mutual Dependence, Hearty Co-operation, and Stimulation by Comparison.] 1. 100 EASY LESSONS.-The Gospel History of our Lord's s. d. Life and Ministry. Demy 18mo, Grades 1, 2, & 3, Stiff, 4d.; Cloth O 6 2. MANUALS FOR TEACHERS, Grades 1, 2, and 3. Cloth 1 6 DITTO, Ditto, with Pocket and Map, Cloth, Gilt 3 ... 3. SUPERINTENDENT'S COMBINED MANUAL, ditto This is the book for Bible Classes. 4 0 08 1 6 ... 3 0 1 6 4 6 6. HOME STUDY, or CLASS PAPERS FOR BIBLE 10. DITTO . 20 2 6 Ditto Ditto, enlarged sheets for Gallery Class 16 0 11. DITTO do. ... 13. BIBLE CLASS Ditto, Ditto, on Tablets, in Iron Frames. Elementary Series, ... 17. MANUALS FOR TEACHERS. Ditto. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grades. Stiff, 1s.; cloth, flush, 1s. 6d. ; cloth, with Pocket and Chart. 3 0 18. THE TEACHER'S CLASS CHART OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. Size, 21 in. by 23 in. Price in Sheets, 18.; on roller, unvarnished 19. MIMPRISS' REWARD CARDS.-100 PICTURES OF OUR LORD'S LIFE, in the order of time. Tinted, 18. 6.1.; Coloured Catalogues, with specimen pages of most of the above, will be sent post free to any address on receipt of stamp. 2 6 2 0 S. W. PARTRIDGE & CO., AND W. MACINTOSH & CO., PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. |