George E. Dawson, _The Child and His Religion_, chap. ii. The
University of Chicago Press, $0.75.

Edward Lyttleton, _The Corner-Stone of Education_, chap. viii.
Putnam, $1.50.

T. Stephens (ed.), _The Child and Religion_. Putnam, $1.50.

C.W. Richell, _The Child as God's Child_. Eaton & Mains, $0.75.

W.G. Koons, _The Child's Religious Nature_. Eaton & Mains, $1.00.

III. Topics for Discussion

1. What are the special difficulties which you feel about
introducing the topic of religion to children? Describe any methods
or modes of approach which have seemed successful?

2. Would you regard it as a fault if a child seems unwilling to
talk about religion? What do you think "religion" means to the
child-mind?

3. In what ways do children's aptitudes differ and what factors
probably determine the difference? What was your own childish
conception of God? Did you love God or fear him? Why?

4. Is it ever right to teach the child those conceptions which we
have outgrown? What about Santa Claus and fairies? How can you use
childish figures of speech as an avenue to more exact truth?

5. Does the child learn more through ears or eyes? Through which
agency do we seek to convey religious ideas?

6. Is it possible to make the child see the intimate relation
between conduct and religion? How would you do this?

7. Give some of the characteristics of a religious child of seven
years, of ten.

CHAPTER VII

DIRECTED ACTIVITY

Probably all parents find themselves at some time thinking that the
real, fundamental problem of training their children lies in dealing
with their superabundant energy. "He is such an active child!" mothers
complain. Were he otherwise a physician might properly be consulted. But
the child's activity does seriously interfere with parental peace. It
takes us all a long time to learn that we are not, after all, in our
homes in order to enjoy peaceful rest, but in order to train children
into fulness of life. That does not mean that the home should be without
quiet and rest, but that we must not hope to repress the energy of
childhood. One might as well hope to plug up a spring in the hillside.
Our work is to direct that activity into glad, useful service.

Sec. 1. VALUE OF ACTIVITY

The things we do not only indicate character, they determine it. Our
th