6/3/2023 Update: The Bible Lesson Breakdown Files have been updated to include exam questions for each term, taken from Charlotte Mason’s original P.U.S. examinations. If you have previously purchased any of the breakdowns, the updates may be downloaded from your Purchase History.

Term by Term, Charlotte Mason assigned the Scripture passages to be read according to The Bible for the Young by Dr. Paterson Smyth (also printed as The Bible for Home and School). These commentaries were written for Sunday School teachers, the author giving passages to read and discuss along with some insights as to what ideas and points should be brought out for the students. In Home Education Miss Mason said, “I know of no better help in the teaching of young children than we get in Canon Paterson Smyth’s Bible for the Young…It is rather a good plan occasionally to read aloud Mr Smyth’s lesson on the subject after the Bible passage has been narrated. Children are more ready to appropriate lessons that are not directly levelled at themselves; while the teacher makes the teaching her own by the interest with which she reads, the pictures and other illustrations she shows, and her conversational remarks.” (pp. 251-252) And in her final volume she says, “I know of no commentator for children, say, from six to twelve, better than Canon Paterson Smyth (The Bible for the Young). He is one of the few writers able to take the measure of children’s minds, to help them over real difficulties, give impulse to their thoughts and direction to their conduct.” (p. 162) 

We have found his commentary helpful for the teacher, in preparing the lessons, and for an occasional paragraph read to the children, but whether you decide to use these particular commentaries or not, it was his selection of Bible passages that Miss Mason assigned. However, since his lessons were designed for a much longer lesson time, and the Scripture passages are not always quickly apparent, it can take some work on the part of the CM teacher to map out the terms’ reading. This Teacher Help was created to save the teacher time in plotting out which passages to read for each lesson and to align the particular section of Paterson Smyth’s books illuminating that passage. 

Additional Notes:

Luke — Paterson Smyth didn’t write a commentary specifically devoted to the Gospel of Luke, and Charlotte Mason did not assign an alternate for Forms 1-2. However, we thought for those who have found the other Bible Lesson Breakdowns helpful that a suggested breakdown for the three terms over which Luke is assigned would be useful.

Samuel & Kings — An important thing to note about the Prophets and Kings readings is that they follow Paterson Smyth’s chronology–which we see Miss Mason adhering to in her programmes. He examines each king of Israel (and, subsequently, the Divided Kingdom) singly, so rather than reading straight through I Samuel, first we read about Saul, then about David, etc. While untraditional, we feel this is in keeping with the age of the students and provides a foundational understanding that will serve them in subsequent readings.