day.[23]

Sec. 4. DOUBTFUL METHODS

It is doubtful whether good comes from the use of the Bible as a
riddle-book, nor do the "Bible games" tend to develop a natural
appreciation of the book. There is no new light but rather a confusing
shadow thrown on the character of Joseph by the foolish conundrum
concerning Pharaoh making a ruler out of him. Sending a child to the
Bible to discover the shortest verse, the longest, the middle one, etc.,
trains him to regard it as an odd kind of book, to think of it as a
dictionary, and to use it less.

We assume too readily that a knowledge of the separate details of
biblical information, such as the date of the Flood, the age of
Methuselah, the names of the twelve tribes, the twelve apostles, the
books of the two Testaments, is the desired end. But one might know all
these things and many more and be not one whit the better. For the child
surely the desirable end is that he may feel deeply the attractiveness
of the character of Joseph or of Jesus, may say within himself, "What a
fine man; I want to be like him." Be sure the persons are real, that you
see them living their lives in their times, just as you live your life
now.

I. References for Study

T.G. Soares, "Making the Bible Real to Boys," in _Boy Training_,
pp. 117-40. Association Press, $0.75.

W.T. Lhamon, "Bible in the Home," _Religious Education_, December,
1912, p. 486.

G. Hodges, _Training of Children in Religion_, chap. x. Appleton,
$1.50.

II. Further Reading

_The Bible in Practical Life._ Religious Education Association.
Numerous references to the use of the Bible in the home in this
volume.

Patterson Dubois, _The Natural Way_, sec. iv. Revell, $1.25.

III. Methods and Materials

"Passages of Bible for Memorization," _Religious Education_,
August, 1906.

Louise S. Houghton, _Telling Bible Stories_. Scribner, $1.25.

Johnson, _The Narrative Bible_. Baker & Taylor Co., $1.50.

Hall and Wood, _The Bible Story_, 5 vols. King, $2.00 by
subscription.

Courtney, _The Literary Man's Bible_. Crowell, $1.25.

The above are but a few of the many collections of biblical
material.

IV. Topics for Discussion

1. What are the conditions which seem to make the reading of the
Bible different from other reading? Is there a sense of unreality
about it as a book? What a