Ten Commandments may not be learned all at the same time (for in this way the natural ability may be blunted and impaired), but by portions. For example, the first precept daily for a whole week, in the morning after breakfast, and in the evening after supper, the second precept should be next, and as it is somewhat longer, it may occupy two or three weeks; the third and fourth during the same time; the fifth during two weeks; the sixth to the ninth should be taken together, and learned in the course of two weeks; and when the tenth has been learned, the whole should be repeated distinctly at the several prayers. And now the child itself may recite them, but in the presence of its father or mother, or nurse, or another person appointed to the duty of seeing that it makes no mistakes, and of setting it right when hesitating. Attention to gestures, however, ought not to be forgotten, for the child should not be allowed to look this way and that, to swing itself to and fro, or move its hands; but by all means accustom it to devotional propriety. In this it should be instructed and encouraged, nay, compelled by rebuke or chastisement, if requisite, by the rod or by a refusal of its repast, until it obey. With the view to this, children should be counseled before or even during prayer. If, after all, they transgress, punishment should follow, either at the time, or when prayer is ended, so that they may be aware that proper attention must be insisted upon. All must be done prudently, however, lest, instead of loving, they should begin to dislike sacred things.[1]
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- ↑ Professor [[Author:Earl Barnes}} observes: “Any punishment which leaves the child in a worse state of mind than it found him, which leaves him ugly and revengeful, or cowardly and hopeless, is wrong; and from the point of view of the intelligent teacher has been a failure, What the child ought to feel has nothing to do with the case. Our problem is the same as that of the physician: How has the remedy which we have applied actually affected the patient? has it left him better or worse than he was before?”
