were God's world and all folks his family. Whatever
does this is truly religious.

Sec. 3. METHODS

Plan for the food of the spirit as seriously at least as for the food of
the body. Learn to recognize poisons and also indigestibles. The first
are subjects of scandal, bitterness of spirit, malice, impatience,
tale-bearing, unkindly criticism, and discontent. The second are
subjects too heavy for children: your formal theology would be one of
them, your judgments on some intricate subjects may be among them. It is
seldom wise to announce negative injunctions, but we can make up our
own minds to avoid the conversational poisons and, when they appear, it
is always easy to push them out. Even when the unpleasant subject is so
common to all and has been so impressive in the day's experience that it
threatens to become the sole, absorbing topic, we can say, "We won't
talk of it at table! Let's find something better." But we must then have
ready the something better; that will be possible only by forethought.

First, save up during the day, or between the meals, the best thoughts,
the cheering, kind, ideal, and amusing incidents. Cultivate the habit of
saying to yourself, "This is something for us all to enjoy tonight at
the table."

Secondly, expect the other members to bring their best. Ask for "the
best news of the day" from one and another. Encourage them to tell of
good things seen and done and of pleasant and ideal things heard and
spoken.

Thirdly, use the incidents as the basis of discussion. Let children tell
what they think of moral situations. Often they will quote the opinions
of teachers and others. Always you will secure under these circumstances
the unreserved expression of what they actually think. A free, informal
conversation of this sort where opinions are kindly examined and
compared is the finest kind of teaching.

Fourthly, do not forget the grace of humor. To see the odd, whimsical,
startling side of the incident or experience trains one to see the
interplay of life, to catch a ray of light from all things, and to
moderate our tendency to permit our tragedies to pull the heavens down.

Fifthly, use this period to strengthen the consciousness of family unity
by recounting past happy experiences and discussing plans of family
life. In one family there are few meals from October to Christmas that
do not include reminiscences of the summer in the woods and by the
water, or from Christmas to June w