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Conductor's Lessons.

To the Entire Lyceum.

The plan, as a general rule, requires the Leader of each Group to select a line, a couplet, a verse, a prose maxim, or a brief question, which is to be given to each member for the next Sunday's lesson, immediately after the consideration of the last lesson is concluded. The Leaders, to save time, write out on separate slips of paper (one slip for each member) the lesson for the succeeding Sunday, and thus each child can take the lesson home.

But, to vary the method, the Conductor or Guardian can give a question, or topic, for the consideration of the entire school, which for a few Sundays in succession, will greatly interest all—Officers, Leaders, members, and spectators in different parts of the hall. (Spectators should never be allowed to attract or distract the attention of the children or their Leaders.)

Our Conductor, for example, gave to the whole school this question: "What are the most beautiful forms of Truth?"

On the succeeding Sunday the children came with their answers. The Conductor in a distinct voice inquires thus: "Can any child tell the lesson that was given out last Sunday?" [Several voices correctly give the question.] This instantly fixes the attention and interest of all present. Conductor: "Well, children, will some of you tell what you deem the most beautiful forms of Truth?" [After a little hesitation.] A member in Banner Group rises and answers—"The doing of good deeds—obeying the Golden Rule." A little girl in Fountain Group: "Loving one another." A lad in Temple Group: "The Children's Progressive Lyceum is the most beautiful form of Truth." A girl in Evangel Group; "The Moral Police Fraternity—doing deeds of charity."

After twenty minutes of such conference, the Conductor inquires: "Will any Leader or member propose a question for next Sunday?" After a few moments of silence, a member (a little girl) proposes "What is Heaven?" The Conductor accepts, and the lesson is reiterated distinctly as the topic for the next Sunday's lesson.

The Leaders now procure books from the Library. After this, and when all are ready, with everything in left hand, (right hand being free to carry the flag,) all rise, form in rank, and proceed to the final march, to pianoforte music. (For particular instructions, see rides in the chapter on the "Order of Exercises.")

On the following Sunday the same mothod of drawing out the children is adopted with increasing interest and more success. Sometimes the children dare not rise and give answer, being a little shy, at first, to speaking in the presence of a large number, in which case, the Leader will give the replies of their members, as near as possible, in the precise words used by the children. The simplicity and natural play of the child's fancy (awakening intuition,) must not be trilled with nor stilled into the high phrases of adult definitions. It is easier to correct extravagant imagination in childhood when you treat them with gentle sympathy and respect page 21 as you would, and doubtless do, treat with kindly spirit the religious errors of the otherwise agreeable family in the adjoining house. Never ridicule nor abuse the simple longings, utterances, and spontaneous imaginations of the infant spirit. Therefore, at the risk of awakening a smile throughout the school, lot the Leader give very nearly the child's own words in response to questions.

To the question, "What is Heaven?" a number of children gave the highest order of replies. One little girl said: "A place of rest where the soul goes when the body dies." Another member: "A peaceful state of mind." A very little girl in Fountain Group said: "I am happy when my hair is curled as it is today!" [This answer greatly amused the school.] There was a very general concurrence that "Heaven is a mental condition, rather than a place of residence."

At the conclusion of this interesting and most profitable conference, the Conductor called for "another question for next Sunday." In response the Leader of Star Group offered: "What shall we do to attain to the heavenly state of happiness?" The Conductor accepted, and the question was therefore issued.

∵ Just here let the Leaders bear in mind that they are expected to confer with their members, are to question them concerning the topic before them, are to extract, so to speak, their most private confidences, and ascertain little thinkings, before the Conductor begins to interrogate the school on the subject. From ten to fifteen minutes should be first given to these private conferences between Leaders and members; then the Conductor may, with hope of much success, begin to question the whole school on the method already described.

The replies to the last question were even more excellent and instructive. A very little boy in Fountain Group answered: "Love, and be truthful." One little musical boy thought that he would attain heaven "if he had plenty of money." His Leader asked, "What would you do with it?" And he answered, "I would buy a great big fiddle." A little girl in Ocean Group said, "Loving everybody, and doing them all the good you can." Excelsior Group gave answer through the Leader, "Loving one another; trying to make one another happy; living to benefit others; doing good works." A girl member of senior Temple Group answered: "Obedience to one's highest conviction of right: but nobody has any right to say what that sense of right shall be." The boys in Temple Group, jun., gave answers, for the most, accordant with the replies of girls in Excelsior class, but using different phraseology.

The Conductor, on receiving no answer to the question, "Will any one propose a lesson for next Sunday?" gave to the whole Lyceum this topic: "Which is the best rule for the regulation of conduct—the Silver Rule, or the Golden Rule?"

This question is one of great interest to all the children: because the Conductor, ever and anon, during the year, has asked the whole Lyceum, often just before singing the last song, questions as follows:

Con.—" What is the name of the lowest ride in human action?"

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All.—The children, as one voice, reply: "The Iron Rule.

Con.—"What is the name of the next best rule?"

All.—Immediately they all respond: "The Silver Rule."

Con.—"What is that rule called which is higher than the last named?"

All.— "The Golden Rule."

Now, to bring out the thoughts of children on the meaning of these questions, the Conductor addresses himself to the whole Lyceum, and asks:

Con.—"What is your definition of the rule of Iron?"

All.—" Evil for evil."

Con.—"What do you mean by the Silver Rule?"

All.—"Good for good."

Con.—" What is the Golden Rule ?"

All.—"Good for evil."

[Note.—The Conductor's staff, by which he calls the Lyceum to order, &c., a sort of baton or wand, is a beautifully gilded rod, about an inch in diameter, called the "Golden Rule." He uses it in guiding the [unclear: maners] on public occasions, when in the street, as well as in the Hall on Sunday.

Much of the success of a Lyceum depends upon this one condition: Mutual respect and kindness between Officers and Leaders, and co-operation in keeping order and obeying the rules adopted for the government of the institution. Any laxity, any indifference, any disregard of orders or rules announced, will bear the fruits of anarchy. Leaders' meetings, therefore, regularly held and punctually attended, are of first importance to "unity of spirit" between Officers and Leaders. You are called to put your theories to the test; you are now to be "tried in the balance" of practice. You are yourselves parents, or are members of families, and you are now called to vindicate your title to that relation.

The Conductor may teach the children, en masse, to answer other more philosophical questions, as:

Con.—"What is the lowest kingdom in nature ?"

All.— "The Mineral Kingdom."

Con.—"What is next above the Mineral?"

All.— "The Vegetable."

Con.—"What Kingdom is next higher than the Vegetable?"

All.—"The Animal Kingdom."

Con.—"What next superior?"

All— "The Human Kingdom."

Con.—"What kingdom is that called which is just above the human?"

All.— "The Spiritual Kingdom."

Con.—" What is the next highest?"

All.—" The Angelic."

Con.—"What is just higher than the Angelic Kingdom?"

All.— "The Celestial Kingdom."

Con.—"What Kingdom is next above the Celestial?"

All.—" The Heavenly."

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Con.—"What is that which is higher than the Heavenly Kingdom?"

All.— "The Divine, or Father God."

When the children have responded thus, defining as last and highest, the name "God," then the Conductor may glide, without further notice, into the devotional Silver Chain Recitation, beginning, "God of the Mountain." (See another page in this book.)

With these suggestions, every intelligent Conductor or Guardian—if only a true friend to and lover of children—can arrange new and various exercises for the whole Lyceum. Songs may be written, and new music set to words in this book, and new Silver-Chain Recitations may be written and printed on slips, and pasted on the blank leaves, and yet other additions may be introduced by each Lyceum, for the sake of varying the interest, but let no alteration be adopted in the general system, without due deliberation and very cogent and sufficient reasons.

The following definitions may serve as hints to writers of verse, songs, or prose. But the titles of Groups in Lyceum No. 2 are not less suggestive of poetic imagery, and picturesque views of truth and progress:

From a primal "Fountain" all things flow.
The "Stream" of Love flows onward for ever.
The "River" of Truth shall eternally roll.
Heaven is reflected by the peaceful "Lake."
We safely sail over Life's throbbing "Sea."
The tide of Love's infinite "Ocean" never ebbs.
Truth's golden sands are on the "Shore."
Wisdom's "Beacon" lights our upward pathway.
Beautiful is the "Banner" of righteousness.
Reason is the guiding "Star" of the soul.
"Excelsior" is the watchword of eternal progress.
The love of "Liberty" is sacred and eternal.

[On the succeeding page will be found a "Scale of Groups" in Lyceum No. 1. The numbers and titles of Groups, their colours, and the interior meanings thereof, as well as the progressive plan, may be learned from the Scale.]

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