ldhood, making new objects out of the old, making the story and the
mental picture as real as the tangible experience, making Jesus an
actual present Helper and Friend. Later it will work with abstract
ideas and ideals of life formed from the pictures it has cherished.

#13. Opportunities of the Primary Age.#

(1) _Character building through the mental picture._ Abstract ideas
about which the mind reasons do not have power over the soul of the
child. It is the vivid picture which imagination holds that arouses
the feeling and impels the action. So great is the power of the
picture that the teacher need not exhort and admonish concerning what
ought to be done. She only need set forth the action in a story that
appeals, and imagination will do the rest. While very many of these
pictures come unconsciously to the child from his environment, it is
the privilege of the teacher definitely and carefully to provide the
highest type of mental picture through the well-selected story, in
order to secure the finest action.

(2) _Increased knowledge of Bible facts._ The lesson may contain more
than in the earlier period, because the child's interest in details
has increased and he has greater power of attention. It is important
to note, however, in what the increase may consist. It is not in the
number of truths presented in the lesson, but in the number of details
concerning the one truth for which the lesson stands. Since the mind
has developed new power to hold the impressions which are made upon
it, Scripture verses containing fundamental truths, like God's love
and care, the duty of love toward him and others, and the necessity of
obedience may be given, with explanation, for memorizing.

(3) _Service prompted through imitation and personal influence._ The
activity should even now be tracing pathways in the brain that shall
mean life habits of loving service for others. There is this
difference, however, between service in childhood and later. The
motives must now be supplied and strengthened by others; later the
promptings will come from within.

#14. Needs of the Primary Age.#--In addition to the needs mentioned in
the Beginners period, and which still obtain, there are two to be
especially borne in mind.

(1) _The absolute necessity of knowing how to make spiritual truth
live in story form._ The child can receive it in no other way, and
there is therefore no substitute for a rightly prepared story given by
a spiritual