Ferguson at King's Mountain did likewise. Stark divided his army into three divisions and attacked on three sides at once. In both battles the militia attacked the British in a strong position and either killed or captured the whole body. The British leader was also killed or mortally wounded in each battle.

What was the result of each of these battles in its effects upon the movements of the principal armies? There were also certain points of difference worth noticing. At Bennington two battles were fought on the same day. At Bennington there were two leaders of the Americans; at King's Mountain, six, but they were not regularly appointed officers in either case.

Fourth Step.-As a result of this comparison we find a remarkable similarity even in the lesser details of these two battles, so far distant in place and time. Although they were small battles and insignificant in the number of troops engaged, yet they were very important in their influence upon two important campaigns. And what is also of much importance, they throw much light upon the spirit which the common people exhibited during the Revolutionary War.

At a time of great discouragement the people themselves, under their own neighborhood leaders, collect in large numbers, with such arms and equipments as they bring from their own homes, and attack and capture veteran troops in strong positions. In this respect exactly the same spirit and energy of

character are shown by the backwoodsmen of Tennessee, Carolina, and Virginia as by the Green Mountain recruits and Yankee militia.

The common people, therefore, out of their own love of liberty, and on account of their great courage and energy, contributed much to the success of the Revolutionary War.

Fifth Step1-Other battles of the Revolution may be called up and measured upon this standard of energy and patriotism as shown by the rank and file of troops. Take, for example, Bunker Hill, Stony Point, The Cowpens, Saratoga, and others. It is sometimes said that a few men, especially Washington, bore the burden of the war. How far were the spirit and energy of the common people responsible for the final success? Later in our history, both in time of war and in the enterprises of peace, the striking characteristics of the common people should be studied and their influence upon important events and movements observed and compared with earlier manifestations of the popular will.

This idea can be carried over also into the arena of political and social reform.

1 The early colonial history abounds in illustrations of this popular energy as shown in Indian wars and in resistance to the tyranny of royal governors.

Parable of the Tares
Matthew xiii. 24-31

Several generalizations are suggested and a few are plainly taught by this parable. The tares were sown in the night, when people were asleep; so wicked thoughts are sown when people are spiritually asleep. The tares have an injurious influence upon the good grain; so bad thoughts and actions exert an injurious influence upon good thoughts and actions. When harvest time comes, the different growths shall be judged by the fruits that they bear, and hence, "By their fruits ye shall know them." The householder seems patient in allowing the weeds to stand; so God seems patient with the wicked people. The notes ordinarily furnished in connection with this parable state that the tares are a poisonous weed; so bad thoughts and actions act like poison in our lives.

These are all truths, however, that, while suggested by the parable, do not express the essence of its thought. They are really subordinate thoughts, and should better be neglected than receive much attention. The plainest truth involved is that a sure reward awaits the good and a sure punishment the evil. And that is the thought that Christ himself presents when he is called upon by the apostles to interpret the parable. However, many a teacher will feel convinced that there is another truth fully

involved in the story, by means of which more influence can be exerted upon the child than by this one just named. That is presented through the fact that the householder commands his servants to let the tares stand with the wheat, because the servants cannot remove the one without injuring the other. This, interpreted, means that in this world, though we would often like to banish evil from among us, we do not know enough to separate it from the good, and if we attempted to do so we should make an abundance of mistakes. Hence, we should let both grow together until the harvest, or until the end of the world; and we should not attempt to judge and condemn people, thinking that we see clearly what is good in them and what is bad. The generalization, tersely stated, would be, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." This is the one chosen to be presented here according to the five Formal Steps. The children are thought of as being at least ten years of age, and perhaps somewhat older. The majority of the questions following, although not all, could be given to ten-year-old children.

Aim. Let us see what Christ meant by his story about removing weeds from the wheat.

1. Have you found weeds in a garden of your own? How were they gotten rid of? Why is that so necessary? Is there any danger to the other plants in so doing? Have you seen weeds growing in grain in

the country? Where? In what grains? Is it more or less dangerous to remove weeds from wheat than from your flowers or vegetables in the garden? Why? What, then, does the farmer do with them?

2 a. Now let us listen to the story that Christ told about removing weeds from the wheat. That was in Palestine, and the particular weeds he mentioned are called tares. They are said to look very much like wheat. (Read Matthew xiii. 24-31.) (If time allows, at least a portion of this parable could be developed instead of read.) The children, after hearing or reading the parable, relate the same probably two or three times, in order to see clearly the concrete situation. Proceeding, we say, Why, then, were the servants not allowed to pull up the tares? The chief answer is that in so doing they would root up the wheat, because the tares stand so close to the wheat that one could not be pulled up without injury to the other.

2 b. Christ's disciples hardly knew what he meant by this story, and they asked him about it. Do you think you can possibly tell what is meant? Let us see. He says that a man having a field of grain may be compared with the kingdom of Heaven. If so, whom might the sower represent? Answer - Christ. And what would the field be? Answer- the world. Who would be meant by the good seed? Who by the tares? When will the harvest be? Who are the reapers?