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Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 66

66 THE LEGION APOSTOLATE CHAPTER 10
martyr, it is the prayer of the saint, it is the heroic deed, it is the
momentary crisis, it is the concentrated energy of a word, or a look,
which is the instrument of heaven. Fear not, little flock, for he is
mighty who is in the midst of you, and he will do for you great
things.” (Bl. John Henry Newman: Present Position of Catholics)

7. THE MASTER AND APPRENTICE SYSTEM OF
FORMATION
The notion is general that the formation of apostles is
mainly a matter of listening to lectures and studying
textbooks. But the Legion believes that such formation
cannot be effected at all without the accompaniment of the
work itself; and indeed that talk about the apostolate,
divorced from the actual work, can have the opposite effect to
that intended. For it will be appreciated that in discussing
how a work should be done, it is necessary to describe its
difficulties and also to propose a very high spirit and standard
of performance. To talk in that way to recruits, without at the
same time showing by actual practice that the work is within
their power, and in fact easy, will only intimidate them and
deter them from undertaking it. Moreover, the lecture system
tends to produce the theorist and those who think to convert
the world by play of intellect. These will be disinclined to
devote themselves to the humble employments and the
laborious following up of individual contacts, on which
everything really depends, and which, let it be said, the
legionary so willingly accepts.
The Legion idea of formation is the master and apprentice
method. This, it contends, is the ideal way of training, used
by every profession and craft, apparently without exception.
Instead of delivering lengthy lectures, the master places the
work before the eyes of the apprentice, and by practical
demonstration shows him how it is to be done, commenting
on the different points thereof as he proceeds. Then the
apprentice himself attempts the work, and is corrected in his
execution of it. Out of that system emerges the skilled
craftsman. All lecturing should be based on the work itself;
each word should be linked to an action. If not, it may yield
scant fruit. It may not even be remembered. It is strange how
little of a lecture is remembered even by regular students.
Another consideration is that if a lecture system is proposed