CMP Review 2026-02-26

February 26, 2026

Charlotte Mason’s sixth volume, An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education, contains this suggestive line on p. 169:

The higher forms in the P.U.S. read The Saviour of the World volume by volume together with the text arranged in chronological order.

For years I puzzled over what exactly this meant until I found several Parents’ Review articles and other resources that helped me piece together just what kind of Bible lesson Charlotte Mason was describing here. I first shared my research in an original article entitled “New Testament Lessons.”

The response to this article had been generally positive, but the most common question over the years has been, “How could all this fit into one 20-minute (Form III–IV) or 30-minute (Form V–VI) lesson?”

That is one reason I love to do immersion (or demonstration) lessons using The Saviour of the World. At a recent retreat, we attendees immersed ourselves in the beauty of Scripture, poetry, and the person of Christ. After being touched by grace and truth, we looked up at the clock. And indeed only 30 minutes had passed.

The best way to familiarize yourself with this rich approach to Bible study is to experience it yourself. It doesn’t have to be with your kids the first time — it can be with other parents in your church or co-op. Being touched by Miss Mason’s poetry yourself remains the strongest motivation to share it with others.

@artmiddlekauff