All the principles of pedagogy discovered by educators in the last half of the nineteenth century and now in use in our best schools, were practised by the Great Teacher in his three years' work among the children of men. Every good teacher has always followed certain laws in relation to his pupils, but only as the novice sings; it was without understanding why these rules were followed and without knowing that he followed them.
Teaching has been recognized by the world as a science in the last forty years more than ever before, because these laws have been formulated and recognized as true, and it may be profitable to look into some of them as they are related to Jesus' work. We shall find that often in a single teaching exercise, if I may so name it, he utilized several of the fundamental laws of pedagogy. For instance, one of its basic rules is that "All teaching should be adapted to the capacity or advancement of the one taught." Jesus, when speaking to ears that were open, taught in a different way from what he did when addressing those who, hearing, heard not. Moreover, to the doctors he expounded the Scripture, while to the simple folk he told stories illustrating the truths he wished to present. In normal work to-day a teacher of young children is trained in the art of storytelling. The Master knew well how the attention is gained by a tale, as well as its value in forcing home abstract truths,and he was thus following another law of pedagogics; viz., that we must present the concrete before the abstract' the abstract through the concrete. Besides, the materials of his stones were objects and facts familiar to his hearers and thus the law of leading from the known to the related unknown was being carried out. The multitude that followed him knew well all the forms of nature about them —the sea, the fields, the hills, the river—and common to all was the sight of a sower at work, the grape-gatherers pressing wine, etc. These Jesus used to "correlate" with the unfamiliar truths of salvation which he was teaching them. "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow" he said, and they had but to look at the nodding flower by the wayside which the rude plowshare was wont to crush and the lesson of humility was planted deep in their hearts' They could see plainly that the lily clothed so beautifully grew not of its own efforts but simply received the sunshine, air, and rain which Love provided.
Teachers know the effectiveness of "object-teaching," and if the object used is one at hand, as a boy's ball which may illustrate the rotundity of the earth, added force is often gained. Jesus' whole life, presenting to the world as it did, God the Father and himself as the Son, led through the familiar and known up to God as cause, creator Principle. Jesus thus dealt with the abstract idea' through the concrete, and, taken as a whole, we find that in all his teaching he suffered it to be so now, thus giving loving thought to their ability.
