University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

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56 RELIGIOUS EDUCATIOH Religious education must be lifted above the controversial level and it must be done very soon or the day will be too late. The unfortunate state of so many disagreements among missionaries themselves is like that of a patient desperately needing nourishment and the physicians quarrelling over what kind of food to give. Here he is sick and perishing and there seems to be only a makeshift plan for feeding him atall. In some eases this amounts to a policy of following the path of least resistance and getting along the best way possible without discussing the question of any better method. There is no concerted action to place the teaching of this subject upon as up-to-date and eflicient basis as any other subject taught. j This stage has been passed through in America so far as raising the teaching standards in the subject of religion in our schools and colleges. Not so long ago classes in the Bible were farmed out to anyone who came to a school to teach science or literature or history or what-not, One hour a week was considered Sufficient and no particular attention was paid to adequate library equipment, maps, and other means of good teaching. Today it is not so, except in colleges which fall far below the standard and it is beginning not to be so in preparatory schools. Whether 9, teacher is conservative or liberal he Should H017 bc allowed to teach religion until he has had some good training in how to do it, ' Third, there should bc a good plan of grading courses so that there may not be many repetitions. If the same book in the Bible is used as the text more than once in a childis training, it should be used in different ways. For example there is an age for learning the characteristics of great heroes and there is an age for Compfehending the development of great religious ideas. One of the seniors of Ginling College in speaking of her courses throughout her various schools sighed as she said She had had the book of Acts four times and hated it worse each time. Such a condition ought not to be possible. Fourth, in trying to remedy the situation too much stress should not be laid upon child psychology and 111061105 at the expense of the Biblical material itself. This has been a decided mistake in America. Sunday School teachers have had courses in teacher training who were woefully ignorant of the Bible they were Sl1PP0Sed to '009f0h- The Bible is the centre of our Christian faith. How can we teach others the essence 0fCh1'i5bia,nity unless We know it and know it well?

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RELIGIOU EDUCATION IN THE CHOOLS OF CHI A N a sense all missionary work is religious education. But what I wish to speak of in particular is the teaching of religion in classes of all Sorts from primary school to college. One who has been in China so short fl time as the writer has scarcely a right to opinions, except from the Stondpoint of one deeply interested in religious education at home and the efforts put forth to make it more efficient. It is perhaps true, however, that a newcomer who has any insight into the problem as a whole can see the outstanding facts in the situation here more clearly just because he is Hot yet swamped by the details. There are four things I should like to say. First, the teaching of religion is the most important task on the missionary field. This is undoubtedly the era for education, and the students are to be tl1e great power in the future of China. It is desirable, of course, that the best methods of agriculture, sericulture, the treatment of leather, and all kinds of scientific investigation should be brought here. The industrial situation and the sanitary conditions call for it, the commercial and international problems of the day demand it. But underneath it all is the spiritual Condition of the country which above everything else calls for something religiously enlightening, taught in the simplest, clearest, and most forceful Way. If President Stuart of Peking University is right in saying that the alternative in China is not the Christian religion or some other religion but the Christian religion or atheism, then it behooves missionaries to gather up their teaching forces to present religion in a way that will appeal to modern students. The testimony gathered as I have visited cities and talked with sound educators of various faiths and orders is that religious education is the weakest plank in the whole educational platform. Surely this ought not so to be. Of course the question which quickly comes is why is it so? And that brings out the second point I wish to emphasize very strongly. i55l

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THE LINGUIST 57 In conclusion, it is my firm conviction that the first step toward better religious education in China is to cease to bother about the dogmatic 00I1troversies. Let us makesome good gradcdplan of study which will Stand the test of psychology and good teaching. Let us know our Bibles Well whether from one standpoint or another,-not dogma, but the Bible,- its history, poetry, geography, biography, 'its spiritual truths. Then let us teach it with our eyes constantly o1I the way to help thc Chinese minds and hearts to come close to God and to walk with Him. BY LAURA H. WILD, B. D. Professor of Biblical Literature at Mount Holyoke College, now spending her Sabbalical year at Ginling College, Nanlclng. A RIVER MELODY LI Po, A. D. 702-768 With cornel oars our skiff of mount-ain pear Lightly glances over the lapping waters. At the bow a flute of echo fair L At the stern a pipe's melodious air Mingle with the song of Beauty's daughters. Here are copious flasks of vintage rare. Why then, would we quit this world of care, Need We wait to mount some fairy crane ? Free as seagulls float we oler the waters Idly floating on this shorcless main. The songs of famous singers live as long As sun and moon shall circle in thc sky. The halls of pride now strewn the hills along Proclaim that every other fame shall die. To such rapture even mighty mountains Stir and sway their weighty bulk again. In the fairy islands of the Blessed Lives for ever each immortal strain. But sooner could flow backward to its fountains This stream, than wealth and honours can remain.