The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-29
PULPIT AND PEW.
yEBs EXTRACTS or INTEREST TO
CHURCH PEOPLE.

We must help our pupils 20 think Tor theln-
selves. Yet while we teach them that II Is only
by their own thought and desire they can truly
reach the great ultimate conclusions necessary
TO the souls salvation, the teachers great
Office remains 10 smooth the way and shorten
the Journey 10 those conclusions. On one
hand the skilful teacher will-not infinitely.
hut largeiy-accommoda himself and his
teaching to the natural qualities and tenden-
cies of the particular pupils mind. To emo
tional and imaginative temperaments he Will
ever DO holding forth that a heart which
ignores the head Is forgetting It's MARRIAGE
vows while 20 ursuscepuDle a1d argumenla-
five natures he viii keep it ever IN yley that
tho citadel Of the soul il not the head but the
beart Hence on the other hand whatever
the temperament with which he Is dealing he
will remember that the heart is the objective
point, and that. be the pupil Of what sort ne
may il is a hundred times easier To get the
essentials Of Christianity into his head 10y way
of his heart than into his heart by way OF MS
head.
The careful teacher will also duly adapt his
teaching b. the pupils early training and pre-
conceptions. Where he finds pupils notions
OF Gods nature and methods and Of mans
duties and destiny. poorer and lower than his
own he viii begin there to build better be-
fore he hints OF destroying what has been
faulty built Every soul u ship IN Storm
and a wise commander will slip no anchor
chain because It IL too week, until stronger
has taken its place and made the weaker only
But. even willie he is doing tins, wise
Teacher will not fail to teach also that the
largenoss and accuracy of the Christians
notions OF God and duty important IS they
are. are not the sheet-aDohOr Of ms hope
That anchor. he will teach IS q far simpler
thing. il IL his hearts acceptance OF coos
mercy authority and love. WHAT parable
WAS that Great storm year or so ago III Apla
bay. There. when every anchor dragged, the
captain Of one ship. the great engine heart OF
which was strong enough to make ms purpose
rood slipped his anchors and. IA he passed
the helpless Trenton. shouted to hor COM
mander, 81 am going out 10 sea went ana
rode out on the open deep the storm that
filed the harbOr with wrecks. 80 may the
wise Bible teacher teach that when our best
notions Of God and duty IAN us. like dragging
anchors on bad anchorage, the cOntrlie soul,
with ali ITS doubts. may still east itself upon
tue lOundlcss sea- OF the divine mercy and
find tety and pelce.
The effort of.the wise teacher will be ever
toward the completer simphhcation OF Gods
truth and silvatiOu's terms. He Will never
lead downward into the darkness Of the
Bibles ob-cuuties: he will ever be leading
upward into tine light Of It's great smphcities
He will never treat pupils sincere doubt
Of unkindncss. aud ne VIII treat every doubt
a. sincere untllit IS glaTingly proved not 10
be so.
He will teach that there are more things in
the Bible that one need not try 10 rescue from
all doubt than most persons admit there are.
And he will teach his pupils the very best use
of doubts which Is, 10 turn US ever back TO
the few great things that cannot he doubted,
and to the priceless things which we learn 10
believe by wisely acting as If we believed
Il. ..,l. half loft
unsettled. Where. for instance, a doubt Is
more hesitation between varying interpreta-
tious OF q Scripture passage, ne Will teach
each pupil to hold fast 70 whatever he finds
good in each and all OF them. and to put aside
without fear, rs without pride. whatever IS
not
Let us not run into q multitude of good
rules When one asks Tor rules | seem at once
To see aud hear thousand Of them filling the
atmosphere about the poor teachers head,
buzzing and threatening. but finding no CEN
trial, sovereign. Queen-Dee truth TO swarm
upon, and | feel that there must be some one
transcendant formula wanting TO the art OF
teaching, which no one yet has found. !
search vanly IN others counsel, and III my
own mind for this undiscovered truth, tins
absent keystone, and such poor success as
can pluck from the thorny tan2ie of my mis-
takes and failures ! seem 10 gct-as far as
method is concerned by believing in the \
istenco of such a supreme principle, and III
still seeking though never unNllE IL.
Principle. ! SAY. not rule. Rules are risky
things, soon worn out. easily spoiled, and,
however good bad rs soon as they obscure
our view of principles. A principle, | say; but
ust where or what It Is ! cannot surely tell.
/ can only suggest one or two thoughts more
that seem u mo 90 point the direction which
our search for this great heart-truth of the
whole ant OF Bible teaching ought 10 take.
Ono of these is the thought that we should
teach always visibly and supremely IN the
pnpi's personal interest; not suprcmely IN
sucicty's nor the Bibles. nor the Church's-
neither oEr own Church nor the Church uni
Versal-nor oVCn suprcmely in our Lord
Christ's interest. save He has made His in
tercst identical With that of every human
soul If ON ~ certain ship only one man could
lc sent as missionary to heather lands. and
two were eager To 90. and each seemed rs tit
a. the other, and our Lord himself were bodily
present TO choose between them. and should
ask each one why be So yearned 10 60, and
the first should answer, For thy sake,
Lord. ~ and the second should answer, Lord.
Tor the heathen's own sake, verify, the second
would be His first choice
TO apply this principle successfully TO teach
always Visibly and aus1rbingly in the pupils
personal interest. there Is but one WAY That
is to love the pupil noI merely to love his
sOul-that phrase Is too often a cheat and %
snare. but TO love the whole pupils every true
interest even ~ Christ loves ours If we can
not begin our teaching with such love- if for a
llnc Only lnt love 81 Nnrist COnStTaluetn
Us. yet let that move us diligently to make
ourselves love our pupils, few or many, in
general and IN particular, all and singular If
we can begin no better we can at least act out
the love we only wish we felt. acting il out
not IN III re manners, but in acts aud works
lovingly and lovabiy performed which by i'm
pulse We would do only for those we love
And tins sort Of teaching need not at all
take the form or spirit of any miscellaneous
concession 10 the pupils seltishness. Let this
thought inform H. That this universe Is
great unit. IL Is not a mere aggregatiOn-it Is
vast harmony. Whenever. wherever. what
ever, IN science. art, history, letters. morals
government OF handicratt we set about 10
teach. We ought, lt seems 60 me. 70 make it
plan IN the very start That We are about 10
consider an integral, lrscptmblr part of all
things. / fancy I could So delight a child
with some picturesque account of the grea;
world of knowledge 20 which the alphabet is
one key that he would not rest until lac had
learned how 10 turn that key i'm is lock
might find mu trouble TO attract the at
tentlOn and interest of pupil, young or old
60 the matter | wish him To consider; but
keeping practically m view myself this great
harmonious oneness of all things. should
stoop to conquer, and should hope to success
by hrst giving my attention and interest TO
any matter tangible or intangible in earth
ayr or sea, that lie might wish 10 consider
Nor should make this a rule merely. nor a
resort IN emergency; | should hold il an ever
new, ever old. ever active principle OF rela-