Autobiography of Friedrich Froebel | Page 7

every
Monday, some passage of Scripture used by the minister in his sermon
of the day before, as a proof of attention to the service. From these
passages that one which seemed most suitable to children was then
chosen for the little ones to master or to learn by heart, and for that
purpose one of the bigger children had during the whole week, at
certain times each day, to repeat the passage to the little children,
sentence by sentence. The little ones, all standing up, had then to repeat
the text sentence by sentence in like manner, until it was thoroughly
imprinted on their memories.
I came into school on a Monday. The passage chosen for that week was,
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God." I heard these words every day in
the calm, serious, somewhat sing-song voices of the children,
sometimes repeated by one child, sometimes by the whole number.
And the text made an impression upon me such as none had ever done
before and none ever did after. Indeed, this impression was so vigorous
and permanent, that to this day every word spoken, with the special
tone and expression then given to it, is still vivid in my mind. And yet
that is now nearly forty years ago! Perhaps even then the simple boy's
heart felt that these words would be the foundation and the salvation of
his life, bringing to him that conviction which was to become later on
to the working and striving man a source of unconquerable courage, of
unflinching, ever-ready, and cheerful self-sacrifice. In short, my
introduction into that school was my birth into the higher spiritual life.

Here I break off my narrative to ask myself whether I dare venture to
pause yet a little longer over this first period of my life. But this was
the time when the buds began to unfold on my tree of life; this was the
time when my heart found its pivot-point, and when first my inner life
awoke. If, then, I succeed in giving an exact description of my early
boyhood, I shall have provided an important aid to the right
understanding of my life and work as a man. For that reason I venture
to dwell at some inordinate length on this part of my life, and the more
willingly since I can pass more quickly over later periods.
It often suggests itself to me, while thus reviewing and describing my
life, just as it does with teaching and education--namely, that those
things which are by most men thrown aside as common and
unimportant are the very things which are, as I take it, of weightiest
import. In my eyes, it is always a mistake to leave a gap in the
rudimentary and fundamental part of a subject. Still I know one may
exhaust the patience of a reader by touching on every minute detail,
before he has been permitted to glance at the whole picture and to
gather its scope and object. Therefore I beg your Highness[6] to pass
over, at all events on the first reading, anything that may appear too
long and too detailed.
Against standing rules, I was received in the girls' school, on account of
the position of my father as pastor of the district. For the same reason I
was placed, not with the pupils of my own age, but close to the teacher,
which brought me among the elder girls. I joined in their lessons as far
as I could. In two subjects I was quite able to do this. First, I could read
the Bible with them; and, secondly, I had to learn line by line, instead
of the little texts of the younger children already spoken of, the hymns
for the following Sunday's service. Of these, two especially light up the
gloomy lowering dawn of my early boyhood, like two brilliant stars.
They are--"Schwing dich auf, mein Herz und Geist," and "Es kostet
viel ein Christ zu sein."[7] These hymns were hymns of life to me. I
found my own little life expressed therein; and they took such a hold
upon me that often in later years I have found strength and support in
the message which they carried to my soul. My father's home life was
in complete harmony with this discipline of the school. Although

divine service was held twice on Sundays, I was but very seldom
allowed to miss attending each service. I followed my father's sermons
with great attention, partly because I thought I found in them many
allusions to his own position, profession, and life. Looking back, I
consider it of no slight importance that I used to hear the service from
the vestry, because I was there separated from the congregation, and
could the better keep my attention