By Besse D. McAnlis Member of the Graduating Class of the Bible Institute, June, 1916
Note.—The following paper on “Why Tell Bible Stories and How,” is a.part of the work required in the Sunday School Training Course of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.
idea o f its narrative contents. They have years o f “lessons” but gain no idea of even the life o f Christ as a whole, Bible stories will also create a taste for Bible study and form a foundation for later inter est. Just as the child who has been brought up to appreciate the best literature will naturally in mature years, refrain from worthless reading and desire the best, so the child that has been interested in the stories o f the Bible will already be inter ested sufficiently in the Book o f Books to be encouraged in Bible study. Another important reason for emphasiz ing Bible story-telling is that the story telling method o f teaching is said to be the most effective o f all methods. Educa tional experts have realized its value more and more in recent years. A prominent educator has said that “o f all the things that a teacher should know how to do, the most important, without exception, is to be able to tell a story.” Christ used the story method o f teaching. After the peo ple refused to receive. His teaching of abstract truths we find Him using the para bles—truths given in story form. W e hear much these days o f story-telling
1ELL me a story” is one o f the n earliest yearnings o f a child’s heart. Memory readily ver- ifies this fact for most o f us, for we remember well the
day when the story held for us such charm, such unusual fascination. The mind o f the child is a sort of well-tilled field in which the seed o f the Bible story will easily take root if properly planted. But the stories must be told in an interesting, impressive way. Does this .not, then, set a duty before every Christian whose field o f service may be among children? Is not story-telling an art which should be cultivated especially for the telling o f Bible stories? Let us consider some o f the reasons why Bible stories should be told effectively to children. The child’s natural thirst for stories is o f special significance; and when we realize that truths impressed on a child’s mind by a story will leave a deeper imprint than the most eloquent sermon heard in later years, the importance of Bible story-telling can hardly be bver-esti- mated. In most Sunday Schools there is no consecutive course through the Bible and the children get a very disconnected
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