The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-09-02
Personal Induence Of the Teacher

Personal Induence of the Teacher
The teacher must first secure the
confidence Of his pupils. If he
fails in this he fails in everything
He is not master. but Q servant.
And what that means may be
learned from the example of Christ
washing the feet of his disciples.
The teacher is the messenger Of
God to his pupils-their helper.
He speaks to them OF the loving
Father, and Of their duty to him
and to one another, instead of
Christ. He takes them in his arms
in sense, and blesses them, in
stead Of the Savior. He must gain
their confidence or they will not
receive him.
To do this he must be cheerful.
Children are almost always bub-
bling over with animation and ioy.
A gloomy atmosphere will most
certainly repel them. They seek
the sunshine aod avoid the clouds
The teacher should go to his class
full of the joy of his religion.
which is indeed unspeakable, but
is ever breathed out like the odor
OF flowers, in = sweet Christian
cheerful ness.
lie must love children. Wha.
po"er-lifting, supporting, blessed
ami helpful power-,here is in th.t
word! This is the sweet. attractive
force that III. ds the earthly child
to the heavenly Father I: is the
link OF communion between ai;
moral beings 1t is tnis that really
moves ham nifty upon the plane OF
life. This is the key that w;H un-
lock the heart of the child and
give back to the teacher all the r,ca
treasures "f its own love. Then
there Is grand highway of COM
munication between teacher and
pupil. And all tue wealth Of the
soul OF one may pass into that OF
the other. Without III mltual love.
there is no such highway. The
teacher who fails " connect himself
in this way with his pupils, will no,
be, can not be. the true messenger
of God to them.
Hut he must not only love chill
dren, his paFfls; be must have a
true appreciation Of and sympathy
with childhood itself. Children
are not men and women. Their
position and standpoint are differ
ent. The teaaher must 90 to them
and Jake his place with them. that
be may see and feel as they do. He
must be child himself, and know
their peculiar wants. He must
come close to them, and draw their
hearts to him. Then will they lis.
ten to him rs one whom the Lord
has truly sent to bless them.
Childhoo is the period Of devei
opment. OF activity to the purpo
ses OF growth, not FOR the uses OF
labor. Muscles. iigaments, joints.
limbs, the whole body illustrate a
kind OF perpetual motion for the
sake OF growth and strength. All
the passions and tendencies of the
child 9 nature will be likely to Is.
sert themselves sometimes. No
natural power or tendency can be
wholly uprooted. The taacher can
control, direct, educate. restrain.
but he can never annihilate. And
he must have unbounded patience
till the character shall have time
to form in accordance with propri-
ETY. and the Christian require
ments.
10 carry out the thought to the
Legitimate extent, would require
the teacher to identify himself with
hls pupils, enter into oil their
wants and experiences, visit them
when sick, counsel and assist them
II trouble should overtake them.
an" be- to them ;u Christ's stead. n
true and loving friend everywhere.