Page:Maury's New Elements of Geography, 1907.djvu/27

Rh LESSON XVII.

GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION.

1. Government.—What a noise there would be in the school if there were no one to keep order! How many wrong things would be done, and how uncomfortable a place it would be!

Teachers, therefore, make rules. They keep the pupils in order, and manage everything for the good of all. They are said to govern the schools.

Towns, cities, and whole countries are somewhat like schools. They must have rules and rulers, or else a few disorderly people might make it unpleasant for all the rest. Making rules for a country, and making the people obey the rules, is government.

The rules made for a country are called its laws. The city where the laws are made is its capital.

The rulers of different countries have different names. A ruler that is chosen by the people is usually called a president. One that rules because a father or other near relative ruled previously, is a monarch.

Monarchs are sometimes called kings, or queens, or emperors.

Republics, and other countries, are often composed of parts, which are called by various names. With us they are known as states and territories.

2. Religion.—The belief in God, together with the various forms of worshiping Him, is called religion.

Christians believe in one God and that Christ is the Savior of the world. They accept the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God.

The Jews also believe in one God, but maintain the Savior has not yet come.

Mohammedans believe in one God, but recognize Mohammed as His greatest prophet. Many Mohammedans are but half civilized.

There are people in the world who do not believe in one God, but think that there are many gods. Such people are called pagans. Some of them worship images of wood or stone, which we call idols.

The place where people worship is called a church, a synagogue, a mosque, or a temple.



Preparatory Oral Work.—Suggestions to teachers: Have pupils compare different peoples as to their features, color, height, etc. Ask who has ever