A "Children's Quarterly," of the Christian Science Bible Lessons, International Series, is a pressing need of the hour. In many places all that holds parents to the old church relation is the Sabbath school. They do not want to withdraw their children from its influences, and from religious instruction. There is, perhaps, a Christian Science Bible Class, but there are no children's or young peoples' classes. A text-book, or Quarterly, is more indispensable as a basis of instruction with children than for adults, because good teachers for children are rarer than for grown persons. But with a basis, a line of suggestion marked out, any Scientist with a little realization of the Love that is Principle, can take a children's class. Suggestion, incident, illustration,— everyone's experience will furnish enough of that, to make the lesson interesting, when thought is directed in the proper channel.
But it is not for the parents' sake, mainly, that the formation of a children's class in connection with every Bible class, should be immediately realized. It is for the children themselves, and to hasten the coming of the kingdom of Good. During the last year or two, perhaps the most striking of the developments of Science, is the way in which children and young persons are coming into it. This is not because of any change in the child-consciousness. The bread of Life can now he broken to them,— that is all; that is, Science is becoming real to human consciousness. Humanity is growing up to the child, to that plane where "a little child shall lead them." We want the children's help!
Would it not be well that the Children's Quarterly (for recognition of the want is its supply) should follow the line of the International Series, but with few references, and these interspersed with suggestion, explanation, sometimes incident—not to embody the same thought that is given to the adult, weakened, adulterated, spread out, till the little meaning it had to start with, is lost; nor yet the patronizing "goody-goody" talk we were, as children, fed on in our Sunday-school days—but, that it be written from a point of realization of Love high enough to reach the child consciousness. If prepared for children of from eight to twelve years, by a little tact and adaptation on the part of the teacher, it might serve for those two or three years under or over those ages. Suggestions on these and all other points relating to this proposed publication, are earnestly requested.
