The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.
DR.. TALMAGE's ADDRESS on
THE METHOD OF TEACHING.
Systems Employed in Secular Educa-
ton Not Applicable to the Sun
day School-Dr. Maeser Makes a
Few Remarks.

A large and appreciative audience,
composed of the Sunday school super
intendents and teachers of this city
and county. assembled last evening in
the Fourteenth ward hall, to listen to
the highly instructive and interesting
lecture OF Professor James e Tai
mage. All the city schools except the
Eighth and Twentieth wa-ds were rep
resented, as also were the following
outside schools. Brighton, Big Cotton
wood, (both schools), Bingham Can
yon, East Jordan, East Mill Creek,
Greek, Murray, Sandy, South Cotton
wood, Union and MILFORD.
Dr. Talmage began his address by
saying that he deemed the work of the
Sunday school d part of public edu-
cation, but, he said, the methods of
the day and Sunday school work were
entirely different. and 10 Sabbath
school teacher could hope for success
if he depended upon the rules and
methods deemed necessary in the day
school
The first and greatest requirement of
Sunday school teacher was the pos
session of the spirit of God, coarled
with an earnest love for the work in
hand. Without a love for ones work
POSSIBLE of attainment.
Much more depended upon the spirit
IN which a lesson was impaired than
upon the form or method of its de-
livery. Hence rules and forms should
be secondary in the Sunday school. X
brilliant discourse or a lesson given in
a strictly methodical manner, without
the spirit of God accompanying The
same, might please the eye and the
ear, but seldom reached the hearts of
the hearers
METHODS AND FORMS.
The speaker compared method" and
forms" to the tools, or the scaftolding
Of a mechanic. merely a means to an
end. good mechanic could accom-
pliSh wonders with very poor tools. but
the work of poor mechanic would
be but commonplace, however excel
lent his tools.
The difference between A true teacher
and the members % his class consisted
greatly in the fact that he was
greater student than his pupils. for
when student ceases to study he
should cease to teach.
individuality in methods should he
encouraged in the teacher, so long as
the results were satisfactory and in
harmony with the work IF the school
Castiron rules intolerantly enforced
were a great detriment to the progress
of the school.
Life was too short he said. TO waste
time in studying and reading every |
thing in the Sunday school class, how
ever valuable such knowledge might |
be in its place. To accomplish the |
greatest good much discretion should
be used in selecting that which will be |,
the most valuable and lead soonest TO n /
knowledge of God and of his great lat
ter-day work.
THEOLOGICAL CLASS.
Referring TO the work of the theologi- |
cal class, the speaker said that how
ever precious the youth of the school /
were, until they arrived at scIne de-
gree of mental maturity, they should
not become. members Of that depart
ment as the work of this department
was too advanced for immature minds.
No Sunday school teacher should
deign to put forth his individual opin-
ions or ideas as the doctrines of the
truth unbiased. and to elevate the
IDEAS and opinions of others.
His address throughout was illus
irated by apt anecdotes and SMILES,
and closed by encouraging :he teacher
TO do his best to weary not in well
doing, but trust the result to God.
DR.. Karl G. MaeSer followed with a
Ind encouragement. Teaching in the
Sunday school, he said, was like cast
ng bread upon the waters. to be seen
after many days, and every faithful
eacher would some day see the result
If his labors.
The very excellent singing was rem
icred at the opening and closing OF the
Meeting was given by the Fourteenth
ward choir under the direction of
Thomas Butler. ;
The benediction was offered by Elder
T. A. Clawson.