The Sabbath School by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 1, 1880

The Sabbath School.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

IMPORTANCE OF EYE-TEACHING.

THE importance of illustrating before the eye that which we wish to communicate cannot be over-estimated. In a discussion, a few years since, upon the subject of the perpetuity of the law of God, a chart containing the ten commandments was hung up before the audience. The gentleman who was to contend for the abolition of the law objected; "for," said he, "the looking at the ten commandments will carry conviction with them."

This was true. All the information we receive comes to us through our five senses. And no one means is the medium of greater information than our eye-sight. The sense of hearing and touch is far more acute with a blind person than with one who is blessed with eye-sight. Yet the loss can never be wholly made up.

The prophets spoke by inspiration, yet much of what they said and wrote was taught them of the Lord by presenting before them either the object itself, or a symbol which would make it more impressive. The utility of eye-teaching is not only self-evident, but it is made forcible by the method the Holy Spirit has adopted to communicate to the human family. The thunderings of Sinai were terrible to hear; but the smoke and appearance of God as beheld by Moses, was awfully impressive.

Maps showing the geography of Bible lands, the rivers and places, and their relative distances from each other, can and are made very useful in the Sabbath-school. If the lesson relates to any land, city, river, or lake, to point it out and briefly refer to circumstances which occurred there, will add greatly to the interest in the school, and make impressions on the mind which will never be forgotten. It will also add much to the interest of reading the Scriptures.

No school should be without such maps. Every person should become more or less acquainted with the country mentioned in sacred history. Maps showing the land of Palestine, the travels of St. Paul, and the journeyings of the children of Israel, are full of interest to the Bible student, and should be in every Sabbath-school. Schools which have used them could not now be prevailed upon to do without them. We recommend them to all.

S. N. HASKELL.