(c) Significance of Events.—These paragraphs, taken together, form a concise story of the progress of redemption and revelation, and state the spiritual teaching of each period. The essentials of these statements may be memorized, but students should be required to express the thought in their own language.
(d) The Retold Bible Story.—Emphasis upon the memorizing of the other three parts of the lesson should not prove an excuse for passing by the Bible narrative here given. Without this the other work may prove dry and uninteresting—a task. The student who reads and rereads the narrative with care will find his memory work in the other portions invested with a vitality that will otherwise be missing. The narrative section will furnish abundant material for brief debates, informal discussions, assigned papers on special topics, and many other helpful methods. Bible study of historical facts in rigid outline may be made as dry as dust. Bible study aglow with human interest and enthusiastically pursued by diversified methods may be made the most interesting study that can be undertaken.
Using the Blackboard.—The blackboard may be used with great profit as an aid in reviewing a lesson, either at the close of a teaching period, at the beginning of a period following a lesson assigned for home study, or at intervals in the course after covering several lessons. No special blackboard outlines are offered in this book; it is urged that each leader shall construct his own blackboard review from the historical outlines at the beginning of each lesson on the Bible. Such a blackboard review should be accompanied by questions and answers. Here is an illustration of the blackboard use of the outlines of [Lesson 1, The Book, page 14], after the entire lesson has been carefully studied and with all books closed.
Leader.—What are the great divisions of the Bible?
Answer.—Old Testament and New Testament.
(Here may follow a drill on the Books of the Old Testament in their order.)
Leader.—We will begin with the study of The Old Testament Division (write).
Leader.—How may this be divided?
Answer.—Into a prelude and five periods.
Leader.—What does the prelude tell about? (Write Prelude.)