ABSG Questions for Discussion

Welcome

Many Sabbath School class teachers either preach a sermon to their class or deliver a monologue on the whole lesson, going through it "day-by-day." The most rewarding sessions involve the members in discussion. These questions here are intended to stimulate the active participation of the members in your class. Of course pertinent information imparted by the teacher is also very valuable, for which there are many resources in print and on the internet. This site seeks to provide a resource for discussions.

If you are a member and not a teacher and your class is boring, try asking questions such as these in your class.

Thursday, 20 November 2025

THE OLDEST PICTURES OF OUR ORPHANAGE IN KARMATAR

Recently I came across several photographs that went together nicely. The first set of three I noticed for the first time in the EG White estate archives. These are pictures of children. I had no idea who they were except for Ethel (identified by the estate with a question mark), and Mary. These were two adopted daughters of D A Robinson, the first SDA superintendent of our work in India. He arrived in November 1895.

I wondered that these kids were important enough to be identified with their names. The names sound mostly Bengali, and some seem siblings.

The tallest child in the center is certainly Ethel Robinson who was adopted by the Robinsons in England and brought to India at the age of 13. She has been identified by Fern Babcock her granddaughter in the Tidings below.

The child on the right is Mary, adopted by the Robinsons. She married a person named Smart who had been adopted by Dr O. G. Place. Mary settled in Karmatar.

Ethel married a person named Chilson. Her granddaughter Fern was married to Dr Babcock who served in Pakistan. Fern Babcock wrote an article for the Tidings in 1910 in which she posted several pictures. One of them is with part of the second picture above with Ethel. It identifies the other kids are orphans of the orphanage. Finally, I know who the other kids are.

Fern Babcock also donated several old photographs of the orphanage in rented buildings in Karmatar. These rare photographs show the bungalow in which the orphans lived. The first photograph is also posted in the article in the Tidings above.

Elder Robinson and Dr Brown, who was in charge of the clinic in Karmatar, died of smallpox in December 1899 and were buried under a mahua tree. The gravestones have been transfered to the Adventist school campus in Karmatar and placed behind the church where they may be seen today.

How to Teach a Sabbath School Class

1. Make a conscious decision that you will lead a discussion and not preach a sermon. Prepare accordingly and be alert for discussion opportunities. A discussion in which many participate is very rewarding.

2. You must have a page of freshly written notes. Don't waste people's time with inconsequential things just to occupy the time.

3. Sprinkle your notes with discussion questions and mark them out in bold. Any time you feel you are losing the attention of the members get them into another discussion. The discussion should be relevant to the lesson as well as to everyday life.

4. Start the lesson with a discussion question, or at the very latest within the next few sentences. If you wait for ten minutes and then try to generate a discussion it will be too late. The class will have tuned you out because you have tuned them out.

5. The opening question should be general enough so that even those who have not studied will be interested in contributing.

6. Avoid questions that can be answered by a single word. If someone answers with "yes/no" ask them to give reasons for their answer. If the answer is too short ask them to clarify or simplify the answer.

7. If a member asks a question, that is a golden opportunity for a discussion. Don't waste it by answering it too quickly. Throw the question back to the members for their opinion. You can give yours at the end.

8. Avoid childish questions such as "Which day is the Sabbath?" Members will not feel any need to answer it. Similarly do not pause in a sentence for the members to supply the last few words. That kind of participation is not a discussion. Members must contribute ideas and thoughts and not just words.

9. Avoid trick questions. Members will be embarrassed if you show them wrong and they will not answer the next time. Also avoid questions that will make it obvious whether or not they have studied the lesson. Those who have not studied should also feel urged to contribute.

10. You may sometimes present two views and ask the members to evaluate the views.