The Application of Religious Teachings

The Application of Religious Teachings

BY MABEL COOK

1.   In the home.
   

2.   In the school room.
   

3.   In the Church.
   

4.   In society.
   

This I consider the most important phase of our work. The

value of all knowledge, gained from all sources, is measured by

the power to apply that knowledge in some useful way. Our

success in Religion class work, with respect to the real betterment

of the child, depends almost entirely upon the increased power he

gains through our organization to live a religious life. In other

words, it is the application of all truth that is worth while.

No influence of church, school, or even government, is

more strongly felt than that of home. How very important, then,

that we should first aim to show the child his part of home respon-

sibility help him to see what a power for good he can be in estab-

;

lishing in his home —

prayer, peace, and happiness.

Possibly, some instructor has urged that the children be as

helpful as possible in the home during the coming week. She

might ask them to report next time just how many have gotten

wood, coal, or kindling, run on errands, tended the baby, washed

the dishes, dusted the room, and many other things without having

to be asked. Continued effort on the part of the teacher along

these lines, though not to become wearisome to the children, will

often put a child right, and help the parents to secure in their

families, that desirable quality in all mankind, spontaneous and

willing obedience.

Reformations have occurred in many homes through the

influence of the Religion class. A small nine-year-old boy in one

ward came from a home in which the father was an apostate and

the mother a non-member of our Church. This child, among others,

had been shown by his teacher the great need of prayer, espe-

cially in the home. One entire class period was devoted to the bless^

—

ing of the food the need for it and what thoughts it should con-

tain. Such points as gratitute, and our dependence on our Heav-

enly Father were carefully discussed.

Within this certain child's heart, a sharp pang was keenly

felt, for he knew that he had never heard such a thing as a bless-

ing on the food in his home. That night, as the lad plodded slowly

APPLICATION OF RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS 857

homeward, he considered the matter all the way. He walked into

the kitchen and looking pleadingly into his mother's face, said,

"Mama, may I please ask a blessing at supper to-night?"

"O, I don't know, son; you'll have to ask your father," she

replied.

When all were seated at the table, he asked the same thing

of his father, but was blankly refused. The child's heart was

heavy, but he persisted in begging, until one night the father said,

"Well, if you must say your little speech, out with it."

The boy bowed his head, closed his eyes, and with a weak,

trembling voice, poured forth from his pure, sweet soul, a simple

little prayer of gratitude and thanks for that of which he was

about to partake.

Next morning the father found it necessary, on account of

his business, to leave home before breakfast. At the table that

morning, all waited for the blessing, expecting, of course, response

from the boy, when he looked smilingly up at his mother and said,

"Mama, they told us in Religion class, that the same one should

not ask the blessing all the time, but that we should take turns.

Now isn't it your turn, Mama?"

Without a word she bowed her head and said grace. How

could she do otherwise? One of the other children took the turn

at the supper. The father returned rather late that night, so was

present next morning at the breakfast table where the same boy

with a face that fairly shone with joy and delight said, "Papa they

told us in Religion class, that we should take turns^ saying the

blessing. It's your turn this morning." The father did so.

That evening after learning who the principal of that local

organization was, the father visited her home to find out what was

being done in the weekly meetings. Further investigation resulted

in a perfect reformation in that once unhappy

home—unhappy I

the spirit of

say, because no home can be really happy without

prayer which is the spirit of peace. Today that same man is one

of the superintendency of one of the stakes of Zion. How

true the

statement "And a little child

: shall lead them."

The place next to the home, to the child, is the schoolroom,

For-

and next to the parents, the teacher knows the child best.

tunately, from the fact that my work is in my own ward I can

school. There is

observe the influence of our organization on the

power, or a sensitiveness to

a something, possibly a dignity, or a

rio-ht and wrong, that is prevalent in the children who attend

Religion class that makes them superior in many

respects to those

rever-

who do not attend. The principles of honesty, generosity,

in the children there, are

ence, love, obedience, that are instilled

reflected very noticeablv in the school.

have heart to

At the Religion class is a splendid place to

the children concerning their school life such as

heart talks with :

;

858 . J IMPROVEMENT ERA

fairness in examinations and games, returning found articles,

respect for superiors, love for everything created, sharing what

you have, showing willing obedience, returning good for evil,

speaking kindly both to and of everyone; for all of this is re-

ligion.

These characteristics of not only good Church members, but

of good citizens of our state, are being largely instilled by our Re-

ligion classes. They are preparing the children to become useful

citizens, for they are influencing our schools very materially; and

the schools of today will become the nation of tomorrow.

The effect of membership in the Religion classes, with re-

spect to the Church, is clearly shown by the conduct of its

members. No better place than in this organization are the chil-

dren given practical lessons in reverence for the houses of wor-

ship, the places where, in the absence of Christ himself to guide

us, we may assemble, worship and receive divine inspiration

from him.

Doing counts for more than merely believing. There was a

very elderly lady who became seriously ill. She had suffered

intensely for a long time. The children of the Religion class

decided to gladden her heart and make her happy. At the sugges-

tion of the teacher, they took flowers and visited her home. One

child very gently went into the sick room and presented the

flowers, while the others surrounded the window below. Presently

sweet, tender strains of sympathy and love floated into the room,

and as the music died away, tears of love and joy moistened the

old lady's cheek, and with a smile of gratitude she said, "God

bless you, children."

Children are taught to do some good in the world each day

to gladden the hearts of the weary and sad to lighten the burdens

;

of the poor, by sharing with them to visit the sick and make them

;

happy. All of these and many more are characteristics of true

Latter-day Saints, and the doing of these things is true religion.

What better stimulus than the Religion class could our Church

desire for the making of real Latter-day Saints, in deed as well

as in word?

Society demands of us our very best. Some one has said,

"The greatest need the world has is some one to make us do our

best." The presence of some people requires our best behavior,

others the usage of our best grammar, still others our best musical

effort, and so on. The Religion class is one place that the best in

the child is brought out and made use of, especially with respect

to his moral life.This organization helps to fit the children, who

later become men and women, to meet the problems of life by first

helping to lay a good, clean, healthful foundation for right thinking

and right living. Such children are better able to raise the ideals

and morals of society; are more capable of administering justice