The Children’s Bible
In the beginning of this Junior work every pupil must have a Bible of his own, the American Standard, if possible. If the parents will not or cannot provide one, the school must do so, for the child cannot possibly do the work as outlined unless he has a Bible to work with. It is also essential for other reasons. No one can be interested in a book which he does not know how to handle, and it is impossible for any child to become familiar with the Bible if the only time he uses it is on Sunday during the Sunday school session.
If some of the children have a King James Version and some the American Standard, explain that both are translations into English from another language, that the King James translation was made three hundred years ago and that of the American Bible finished at the beginning of this century. Tell the children also that because we think the American Standard gives the meaning more clearly we use it in these lessons whenever any memory texts are printed.
The Rainbow Bookmark
There is no question but that learning the books and divisions of the Bible is one of the hardest tasks that the children will meet during the Junior period. Most of the books have names that are in a foreign language and therefore especially difficult to learn. But as the children commit anything to memory easily in this period, and as the interest in new words is strong, the work is not nearly so hard as adults are apt to think it. But whatever the difficulty may be it is essential, if the children are to get the best results from the Junior work, that in this first year they shall learn the names of the books of the Bible, and learn how to handle the Bible and find references quickly.
The use of the rainbow bookmark has been found helpful in interesting the children in the study and making it easier for them, and in awakening in them a desire to use their own Bibles. Its bright colors are attractive, and the rainbow standing for God’s promises has a beautiful meaning, which is joyfully recognized by the children when they hear the story of The Flood. The bookmark is also useful in conducting department or class drills.
This bookmark is made of nine ribbons in the prismatic colors with indigo and purple, darker shades of blue and violet, and a white ribbon to mark the Gospels. The colors are used in this order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue (light), white, indigo, violet, and purple. The ribbons put together in such a way that they will not tear the leaves of the Bible can be secured of the publishing house at 25 cents for each bookmark.
How the Bookmark Is Used
The bookmark is placed in the Bible by putting the ribbon at the end of the division for which it stands. In this way red follows Deuteronomy, and marks the five books of Law or the Pentateuch. Orange, following Esther, marks the twelve books of History. Yellow, following the Song of Solomon, marks the five books of Poetry. Green, following Daniel, marks the five books of the Major Prophets. Blue, following Malachi, marks the twelve books of the Minor Prophets. White, following Saint John, marks the four Gospels. Indigo, following Acts, marks the one historical book of the New Testament. Violet, following Hebrews, marks the fourteen Pauline Letters. Purple, following Jude, marks the other seven letters. Revelation, the one book of Prophecy in the New Testament, has no ribbon.