TABLES OF THE LAW

It is better in this grade not to confuse the story by introducing the breaking of the first tables and the renewal.

After the two parts of the story have been told and retold by the pupils, and key-words chosen to remember them by, then, Exodus 20:1-17 may be read, or parts of it, to show what the law was, and how it has been preserved until our day.

4. Show a picture of Moses and the tables of the law, such as Tissot, O., 48.

5. Let all repeat, All that Jehovah hath spoken, we will do. Exodus 19: 8.

6. Make a title for this lesson, and write it in the notebooks, with the key-words of a and b, the reference, the text 5, and the picture 4, and a printed card of the Ten Commandments if it is at hand.

3 39. THE LONG DAY AT AIJALON. Joshua 10:1-15.

1. Did you ever wish that night and bedtime did not come so soon? Why?

2. (a) There were five kings who joined together to make war against Gibeon, because Gibeon had made friends with Joshua and the men of Israel. Gibeon was a strong city, but the men of Gibeon were afraid when five other cities joined together against them. So they sent to Joshua, saying, Come up to us quickly and save us, and help us; for all the kings that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

(b) Joshua and his army marched all night and surprised the enemy in the morning. Jehovah helped them with a great hailstorm; and before night the enemy had begun to flee. But Joshua saw that there would not be time to finish the battle before night, and by morning the enemy might rally again and be too strong for him. So he prayed:

Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon,

And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.

And the Sun stood still, and the Moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies.

So the sun stayed in the midst of the heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man; for Jehovah fought for Israel.

3. In telling the story, the teacher should not read it, or merely repeat it, but should know the contents of the story perfectly, and then tell it with vivacity, encouraging the pupils to do the same.

Recall the wonderful ways in which God had helped Moses with the water at Meribah, with the budding of Aaron's rod, and with the tables of the law, and how in equally wonderful ways he also helped Joshua, who was the new leader in place of Moses.

4. Text. Jehovah fought for Israel.

5. In different wonderful ways God still helps those who put their trust in him.

6. Make a title and subtitles for the story and its two parts, a and b, and have them put in the notebooks, together with the reference, the text, and the general truth, 4 and 5. A picture may also he drawn showing the Sun over the hills of Gibeon and the Moon over the valley of Aijalon.

3 40. GIDEON'S FLEECE. Judges 6:33-40.

1.

What is dew? At what time of the day do we find dew on the grass? At what season of the year? It is one of the wonderful things which we forget to wonder at because we see it so often. There are many such things.

2. A great army of the enemies of Israel had gathered and were already coming up against them. Gideon was a leader of Israel as Moses and Joshua had been. (Be careful not to let any one confuse this name with the city of Gibeon.) Gideon gathered as many as he could of the men

GIDEON'S FLEECE

of Israel; but he did not know surely whether or not Jehovah would fight for Israel, as he did when Joshua was leader (text of last lesson). For the enemy had a very large army. But in order that he might encourage his men to fight well, Gideon said to God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken. And it was so, for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. And Gideon said to God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once; let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew upon all the ground. (4 37.)

3. When pupils tell the story, scripture language may be used so far as they recall it, but not insisted on so as to spoil the freedom of their narrative. The question of signs had better not be taken up for discussion in this grade. This tale will be learned simply as an old religious wonder story. Show some wool in its natural state, or at least explain to those who do not know, what a fleece is.

5. Text. Teach me thy way, O Jehovah;

6.

And lead me in a plain path,

Because of mine enemies. Psalm 27: 11.

Make a title for the story for use in the notebooks; and direct the other material to be inserted, the reference, the text 5, and possibly a picture, or a tuft of wool.

A full period should be given to a review of the six "Wonder Stories." Time should also be taken for a review of the stories of the whole year.

4 1.

FOURTH GRADE

BROTHERS AND FRIENDS STORIES

JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS. Genesis 37:12–28.

Teacher's Aim. In the Fourth grade as in the Third grade, the primary aim must be to teach the story thoroughly, accurately and appreciatively, in order that the pupils may feel upon them the grip of such relations as brothers and friends, and may sense keenly the difference between honoring and dishonoring those relations. In this story they will readily respond with indignation at the unbrotherly treatment which Joseph received.

1. This series of stories may be introduced by a simple reference to the "Brother Stories" in the Third grade, but without taking time to review them, unless a whole period or more is taken for such review.

2. (a) Joseph was more beloved by his father Jacob than any of his ten older brothers. This made the brothers angry, and so Joseph stayed at home in the vale of Hebron, while the others went away with the flocks. One day when they had been gone a long time, Jacob, or Israel as he was called, said to Joseph, Are not thy brethren feeding the flock in Shechem? Come and I will send thee to them. Go now and see whether it is well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and bring me word again. At Shechem a man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And so Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

(b) The brothers saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him, and to cast him into one of the pits, and then to say, An evil beast hath devoured him. But Reuben said, Let us not take his life. Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit in the wilderness. So when Joseph came to his brethren they stripped him of his coat of many colors, which his father had given