56 The Fundamentals inquiry of state and provincial elementary superintendents concerning the spiritual results that can be reported from the introduction of the Graded Lessons; and the testimony was most encouraging. One school reported that the number of Juniors coming naturally into the church had increased sev enty-five percent since the adoption of these lessons in that school. “In the First Year Senior there is excellent topical study offered on ‘The Needs of the World,’ ‘The Standard of Suc cess,’ ‘The Challenge to the Individual;’ and this year offers also two complete book studies, taking up the Book of Ruth in three lessons and the Epistle of James in nine lessons. “The opportunity for complete book study is still further extended in the Third Year Senior, just issued by the Lesson Committee, offering opportunity for brief, rapid surveys of more than twenty of the books of the New Testament. The doctrine of salvation is well taught here also, in a lesson de voted to ‘Developing the Theology of Salvation,’ from Romans. “In such points as these, and in many other admirable op portunities for thorough-going Bible study, the International Graded Lessons offer the Sunday School a rich field for profitable work. “Yet in spite of all this there are other factors in this series of Graded Lessons that are fairly characterized as re grettable and harmful. If one asks why these words should be used, here is the answer: “Because there are elements here that tend to minimize or ignore the unique and supreme character and authority of the Bible as the inspired Word of God; that tend to blur the line between the natural and the supernatural; that tend to place nature study on the same plane as Bible study in gaining a knowledge of God; and that tend to a lack of emphasis on certain vital doctrinal teaching of the Gospel of Christ. “Extra-Biblical lessons have been inserted throughout this Graded series, that is, lessons the material for which is drawn
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