3.1.2 Organizing and Evaluating of Knowledge

We have hinted that a lesson may not have facts enough to justify the time it takes—there is, on the other hand, danger that the whole time of the class may be consumed in a mere rehearsal of facts as facts. Only recently a significant complaint was voiced by a young man who has gone through training in practically all of our organizations. “I don’t seem to know anything at all,” he said, “about the history of Israel, as a whole. I can recall certain isolated facts about particular persons or places, but I can’t give any intelligent answer at all to such questions as these:

“Who were the Israelites? What were their big movements relative to the Promised Land? What is the history of Israel up to the time of the Savior? What is their history subsequently? Are we of Israel and how?”

The young man was not complaining—he merely regretted his ignorance on points of vital interest. He was in need of further organization of the knowledge he had.

He had not been given the big central ideas about which to build the minor ones. Relative importance had not been taught him through that organized review that is so valuable in review.

The teacher ought to come back time and again to pause on the big essentials—the peaks of gospel teaching.

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