Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/10

vi scholar from  wandering. The teacher  need  only say:  Now,  children,  I  am  going  to  tell  you  a  pretty story,  and  all  eyes  are  forthwith  fixed  on  him.

"In the  present  day,  examples  are  more  necessary than  ever,  because  almost  all  the  catechisms  and manuals  of  religion  now  in  use  are  written  in  a  dry, concise  style,  with  no  other  aim  apparently  than that  of  intellectual  improvement.  Thus  unless  the catechist  weaves examples  into  the  instruction  given, the  heart  and  the  will  remain  untouched,  and  religious  teaching  becomes  distasteful  to  children  on account  of  its  being  so  dull.  The  use  of  appropriate  examples  and  illustrations  is  quite  in  accordance with  Our  Lord's  method  of  teaching;  we  know  that He  constantly  taught  by  parables.

"It must  not,  however,  be  forgotten  that  judgment  is  needed  in the  selection  of  examples.  It  is a  mistake  to  make  use  of  too  many,  and  only  suitable  ones  should  be  chosen.  Non  multa,  sed multum. Let  them  be  few,  but  good.  For  the  young,  none but  the  best  are  good  enough.

"1. Therefore  the  narration  of  improbable  occurrences  or  stories  of  a  ludicrous  and  marvelous nature,  such  as  are  unfortunately  met  with  in  some collections  of  examples,  should  above  all  be  avoided. Many  of  these  books  might  be  entitled  warnings, not  examples;  since  the  examples  are  the  very  reverse  of  what  they  ought  to  be.  In  the  pages  of Holy  Scripture  a  sufficient  number  of  glorious miracles  are  recorded;  it  would  be  nothing  short  of  folly to  narrate puerile  tales  of  supposed  wonders,  which only  excite  laughter  and  awaken  doubt,  and  bring