(4) _Increasing Social Appet.i.te._ The boy who said in answer to a remonstrance over his presence in the billiard hall and bowling alley, "A fellow has got to have fun somewhere," voiced the sentiment of all his confreres in the Intermediate period. The desire for good times is paramount, and its right indisputable in the conception of the young people. The delight in healthy outdoor sports continues with the athletically inclined, and ought to be fostered as a safety valve for surplus energy, a diverter of self-centered thought, and a tonic for excitable nerves. In the latter part of this period, however, the love of fun gives place to a love of functions, either the helpful sort of social commingling or the danger-filled type, marked by late hours, excitement, and overwrought imagination. This transition comes from a growing mutual attraction between the s.e.xes which has succeeded the repulsion evident in the early part of the period.

(5) _The Development of the Altruistic Feelings._ Though these feelings are not unknown to childhood, their vigorous development does not begin until the Intermediate period. The pupil now experiences an impulse from within to sacrifice for others and make his life a source of blessing. The new sense of G.o.d and his claims intensifies and vitalizes the desires. Unselfishness appears, interest in the welfare of others as well as self, and willingness to do for them even at personal cost. These are the feelings that make it possible to say "Brother," and to love the neighbor as one's self. They can come only as the meaning of life is better understood. They can remain only as they are given constant expression in action.

(6) _A Spiritual Awakening._ Even though the pupil may be a genuine Christian, there comes to him at this time a larger consciousness of G.o.d and the soul's relation to him, and with it a call to full surrender. Whereas the childhood relation to G.o.d was based on feeling, there is now the element of will-power which must ratify by deliberate choice that which love has prompted. If the pupil is not a Christian, this awakening comes as G.o.d's call to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and crown him Lord of the life as well. If the call is not heeded now, its tones grow less and less distinct, until, in the strident cries of the world, they may be silenced forever.

Test Questions

1. What is meant by adolescence?

2. What is the general character of the period?

3. What two facts indicate the critical nature of this period?

4. What six special characteristics mark this period?

5. What two signs of personal consciousness?

6. What desire is paramount at this time?

7. What is meant by altruistic feelings? Describe their development.

8. What new element now enters in to affect the relation to G.o.d?

Lesson 8

The Intermediate Age (Concluded)

#26. Opportunities of the Intermediate Age.#--There is a significant difference in the purpose of the opportunities presented during childhood and during adolescence. If they were to be summed up in key-words, that for childhood would be absorption; for adolescence, adjustment.

The opportunities of childhood converge toward supplying the soul with material needful for growth--influences, impressions, and a ma.s.s of facts more or less unconnected in the beginning. But this is only the first step in character building. These materials must be arranged, facts must be related to one another, and the life must be related to other lives in real interest, sympathy, and service. This process of relating fact to fact, life to life, and each soul anew to G.o.d is the paramount task of adolescence, even though absorption continues with almost unabated strength.

a.n.a.lyzing the opportunities which are presented to the Intermediate teacher in this new adjustment of life, three stand out prominently:

(1) _The opportunity to foster high ideals._ Whether it be consciously defined or not, every one has that toward which ambitions and effort go forth, and this ideal determines what character shall be. No one can give an ideal to another, as a book is handed over, for it is a personal thing, to be fashioned by each soul for itself out of that which it has absorbed through the years.

It is in the transition from childhood to maturity that every life decides what (for it) seems most worth while, and to this ideal makes surrender of thought, desire, and effort. Is not G.o.d's gracious purpose evident, in that this is the time when life is most easily influenced?

(2) _Opportunity to develop self-reliance._ A life cannot count for G.o.d and for others unless it can make decisions and meet tests by itself. The power to do this comes only through effort to do it.

During the Intermediate age, the young people may be more and more thrown upon their own resources, permitted to decide matters for themselves, learning wiser judgment through mistakes as well as successes. One of the most serious errors on the part of the teacher lies at this very point, dictating instead of suggesting, choosing for the pupil instead of allowing him to choose, thinking for him instead of stimulating every power of his soul to rise to a personal solution of the problem in hand. If strength and independence of character do not come in these years of adjustment, the probabilities are that life will always be weak and vacillating.

(3) _The opportunity to strengthen the altruistic feeling or "love for the other."_--In the broadening and deepening experience of adolescence such conceptions as love, suffering, sacrifice, and surrender reveal a new meaning and strange force of attraction. No opportunity comparable to the one presented in this awakening ever returns, as the soul, with life before it, stands at the divergence of the paths, one leading toward G.o.d and service, the other away from him into self, and deliberate, decisive choice to be made.

If through the influence of the Holy Spirit the pathway of service be chosen, two laws of G.o.d tend to make it permanent; (a) The law of growth and development. If the feelings have proper nourishment, _i. e._, something to arouse them, and are given expression in action, they will just as surely grow strong as a well-nourished, vigorous body, and obviously, the stronger the feelings of loving interest, the more a.s.sured is the life of service. (b) The law of habit. A feeling will become habitual if continually indulged and expressed, and it is during adolescence that habits are permanently fixed.

#27. Needs of the Intermediate Age.#--The needs of this period are of two sorts--important and imperative. It is exceedingly important that the pupil be treated with consideration, respect, and appreciation, that he be given good literature, that he be guarded and guided in his social life. It is imperative, however, that he be established in the right relation to G.o.d and to his neighbor at this time of new consciousness of these relationships. Four things will definitely further this supreme end:

(1) _The teacher with the vision of what may be done._ If he is not disobedient to the vision, it will lead him to close fellowship with G.o.d and the pupil, for two things are evident,--he cannot lead the pupil unless he is in sympathetic touch with him, nor can he lead him to any higher place than he himself occupies. If he be in vital relation with G.o.d and live with the pupil in his ambitions, discouragements, successes, temptations, the most dynamic external force that can operate in this period will be his to wield, namely, a spiritual personal influence.

(2) _Definite decisions._ The danger-point in this crisis lies in permitting these newly awakened feelings to be dissipated without decision and action. If this occurs they weaken, the impulse to take the right stand lessens, and irresolution finally becomes the tacit choice of the self-seeking life.

(3) _Definite responsibilities._ A life of service is made up of definite servings. The beauty and duty of loving sacrifice appeal to the emotions, but a concrete thing to be done calls the will into action. To every pupil should be given definite tasks both in the cla.s.s itself and in the church, in order to arouse effort and make the thought of service habitual.

(4) _Definite objects of benevolence._ The teachers of the Intermediate age can almost determine when the world shall be given to Jesus Christ. At no time can a permanent interest in missionary enterprises and philanthropies at home be so easily launched as now if the subjects considered be concrete, enthusiastically presented on a basis of facts, and followed by definite response in gift, prayer, or service.

#28. Difficulties in the Intermediate Age.#

(1) Lack of mental balance and consequent instability of conduct.

(2) The fascination of the social world and the growing interest of each s.e.x in the other.

(3) The half-way position between childhood and maturity which retains the immaturity of childhood, but feels the selfhood of the man.

(4) The attraction of the external rather than of intrinsic worth. In this is the key to many of the problems. What appears to advantage allures, even if it be not the best. This gives superficial standards of measuring people and things and easily opens the way to harmful influences at the critical time when ideals and life purposes are forming. The teacher himself is the most important factor in the solution of these problems, not by any attempt to force, but by a patient, suggestive, and inspiring touch upon the pupil's life.

#29. Results to be Expected.#--The pupil ought to leave this period in the right att.i.tude toward G.o.d and toward his neighbor. To render this att.i.tude strong and unchangeable is the work of the next period.

Test Questions

1. What is a keyword for the opportunities of the Intermediate Age?

Explain its application.

2. Name three important opportunities of this age.

3. What serious error may the teacher commit in this period in impairing the pupil's self-reliance?

4. Name four needs of the Intermediate age.

5. What is the danger-point in bringing a pupil to definite decisions?

6. What great responsibility as to benevolences rests upon the teacher?

7. Name four difficulties of the Intermediate Age.

8. What results may be expected?

Lesson 9

The Senior Age--Sixteen to Maturity