The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-18
AN IDEAL SUNDAY SCHOOL.

An local school Is not necessarily the
one that has the perfect room. To be
sure it is an advantage if the room be
large, with many windows and some
"low down." 1t is well, also, if the room
be semi-circular, and if two blackboards
be inlaid in the wall. These things are
well, but not essential to a perfect
school.
An ideal school is not dependent upon
the equipment of the room. Many
schools with all the up-to-date mape,
sand boards, lesson-charts and pictures.
fall far short of the mark. They are
well, but do not constitute the main
spring of the perfect school.
1t is well to have the best system Of
lessons. Opinions differ as to the
method of studying the Bible. But this
is not the first essential in an ideal
school.
First and foremost is the teacher; and
if she is not ideal, no amount of equip
ment or method will make the school
ideal. 1t is not necessary that the
teacher be college bred, nor yet high
school graduate, though she must be
somewhat intelligent. She must be
faithful. When she takes upon herself
so great charge, she must fulfill it
conscientiously. A true teacher is called
of God; she does not happen into her
position by accident. When she has
accepted the position she has entered
into the Lords business. She has no
right to cut time by being late or
absent. How much easier the work of
the superintendent would be could he
solve the difficulty of how to get teachers
to attend to their classes faithfully.
There may be legitimate excuses for
absence and hardness, but these are
usually not the ones given, An invita-
ton out to dinner, company, little
tired feeling are too often the reasons
without reason. A teacher can never
tell when her words are to bring forth
fruit; therefore it is we'll that she SOW
ceaselessly.
A teacher must be filed with a love
for the scholars soul. Wise is the in
structor who enters into the life-physi-
cal, social, rental; and these ways may
lead to the avenue that finds it's center
in the child's soul. But let her remem-
Der that the soul is her special charge,
and that she is to win it for God. There
ORC MANY foocharo ubo have +o,oh& g..
years and yet have never talked individ
ually with one scholar about the true
life of the soul, nor have they asked if
the pupil were ready to join the church.
have had two Sunday school teachers
with very different apparent aims. The
first one was somewhat eloquent in the
class, but she n ever spoke to me person
ally about the fuller life, and l never
felt that she really cared. The other
teacher was woman of less rhetorical
ability. She was quiet, but she talked
to the soul, and to each girl she put
the vital question. shall never forget
how earnestly replied, II am ready"
when she put her arm about me, and
said, Are you not ready to join us,
dear?" 1t is one of the most manly and
womanly questions that one can put to
another. and teacher who never asks
it can never be ideal.
Yes. the teacher is the greatest power
in the school, and her earnestness, her
conservation and example count the
most.
Scarcely do we realize the exalted
position that the true teacher holds in
the heart OF the child. She is his ideal,
his moral yardstick. and upon it he
measures his friends and even his
mother Often have we heard children
in the home insist that such a thing
could not be so because my teacher
said So"
A month ago | was passing along a
very poor street in a city intent upon
calling upon some Sunday school child
rem. In the street were many boys and
girls playing. Suddenly l heard a JOY
GUS shout, There goes my Sunday.
school teacher" and Immediately the
crowd cleared the way. and l passed
through in great honor. Surely, in the
sight of those little people was queen
or lady of the White House. Oae
need not be born into royalty to gain
power. The teacher needs but be
faithful to win a royal heritage 10 the
soul of the boy or girl intrusted to her.
Let the church be built. then, with an
eye for the best Sunday school room.
equip it with the best practical appli.
ances, teach the scholars by the best
lesson system. but most of all. let it's
source of power, and lite crown be the
] teacher.