4. Twelve Practical Rules to Teach Belief in Authority
1. As early as possible – according to Carl von Raumer, beginning when they are three years old – recite to minors the articles of faith and have them repeat them!
2. Make this repetition into a formal exercise, practiced daily. Let the children pray* the catechism and connect its imprinting on the mind with the feelings of piety that are to be awakened through liturgical devotions and children's prayer services!
3. Impress upon them the belief that the catechism was conferred upon the human race from above, without any help from them, and must be accepted without any proof. Indeed, human powers are insufficient to grasp or comprehend it.
4. Teach them a fundamental mistrust of human nature, that a person can only be blissful through the acceptance of the articles of faith, that every doubt about their truth is the result of evil desire and is a sin which will be punished for all of eternity!
5. Tell them that their catechism alone contains the truths leading to salvation and that all others contain merely false teachings!
6. Describe every deviation from the "sole doctrine leading to salvation" as a step towards heresy, the greatest of sins!
7. Warn them against contact with those who hold different beliefs and carefully keep them isolated from the children of these people!
8. Disabuse yourself of the notion that the articles of faith can be made understandable for children and that they can develop their reason to grasp them!
9. Show them instead that they must be believed because they are incomprehensible (Brandenburg Schulblatt, 1857, No.1) and that this has its reward.
10. Let them memorize as much as possible, especially things that exceed their capacity for understanding. Even better if they are composed in an antiquated language!
11. Take pains to always employ a dogmatic, lecturing style of instruction!
12. Never attempt to awaken children's power to understand. Limit them to the learning of phrases without perception. Accustom them to accept everything you say because of your authority. Consider attempts by newer teachers to develop children's abilities and faculties and to encourage them to work independently as the root of all decline!
It is not necessary to enumerate any more of the rules for achieving "pious goals," although there are many others, as it is well known.
* In Brandenb. Schullblatt, Herr Bormann recommends "prayer practice," in Mecklenburg daily catechismal prayers have been introduced, and we recently reported (Rhein. Bl., most recent issue) how Friday is being observed in Braunschweig (in Luclum). In Mecklenberg, litanies are practiced according to the repetition circle. Such praiseworthy developments!
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