Besides all this, twice a week, amusing lectures are delivered, on
familiar subjects, to explain and illustrate the power and goodness of
God.
A flower, for instance, is taken, and, in simple terms, intelligible to
nearly every capacity, attention is called to its thousand fibres, its
construction, growth, perfume, colour, delicacy of texture, loveliness,
and to the wonders associated with its birth, death, and resurrection to
life.
Another day, perhaps, the subject may be a child, a fly, or some other
familiar object; but, whatever be the subject, the discourse is of a
good tendency, and youth are early imbued with love and admiration for
the Supreme Being.
Our objection to children repeating or listening to words which they do
not understand is not confined to those of sacred import. During the
education of their young minds the subjects taught and the expressions
used are adapted to their intelligence. Even though they may repeat
every word of the lesson set with minute accuracy, they are not allowed
to quit it, or to attend a lecture on another subject, until they have
passed through examination in different forms, and often by different
masters, and the result has clearly shown that they thoroughly
understand what the words of the lesson are intended to convey.
So important is this considered that, on the occasion of the public
solemn ceremony, when in presence of the Kings the preceptor is
appointed to his responsible duties, one of the obligations to which he
is required to subscribe is, that he will teach the pupil to understand
thoroughly, and not merely by rote,--"monkey-like," or as you would
probably say, "parrot-like," were the same obligation imposed in your
world.