The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-12-13
AN ESSAY.
The Pastors Relation to the
sunday school.


FIR at the request Of that body
Ladies aud Gentlemen: While it is
our duty to comply with the wishes of
our friends, and while it is very hard
for us to comply with their wishes,
our relation to the Sunday school
should compel us to do our full duty.
Relations grow out of circumstances.
Circumstances vary with time and
place. Ones relations may be very
different toward a given person or
as circumstances change.
The given thing to which he is related
may change its condition. On the
other hand, ones own situation may
change entirely. \ man worth
thousand dollars today, may be due
the Lord a good round sum. Next
week providence may sweep away all
he has. Then he will be due little or
nothing, as to money, till he begins to
be prospered of the Lord. Again, his
may be such today as to
make him due more than he was last
week, because providence has changed
his relations to the given cause or
\ pastors relation to his
Sunday school will depend on such rela-
tions as grow out of the conditions eX-
isting in each case. Where he has
workers consecrated to the
Lords cause, he would generally do a
wise thing to leave it to them, acting
only as an advisory counsel when call
ed upon. His mission is to preach
the gospel and his powers will find full
play in looking after his ministerial
work as such. Moreover, he may eff
fectually forestall the development of
his members by taking on himself the
work they could and ought to do.
This, in turn, would lessen the growth
and influence of those members, and
narrow the work that might be done.
The bane of churches today is that
pastors are expected to do everything.
The apostles said it was not meet that
they should leave the gospel and
serve tables. They found it necessary
to give their time to prayer and preach
ing the gospel. Are preachers Of the
present day wiser than the apostles that
they should be expected to do more
than the apostles?
If a Sunday School is doing we'll
without the pastors personal atten-
ton. he would do a sensible thing to
leave it in the hands of his members.
Still, it will be a matter of apprecia-
ton and stimulus, if he will show his
interest and appreciation by attend
ance, occasionally. He may give spe-
cial stimulus by "a word of encourage
ment. appreciation or comment, now
and then. He ought to see to it that
neither himself or anyone else, the SUI
perintendents not excepted, talks the
school to death.
If a pastor is unfortunate in not
having efficient workers, as many are.
the only thing left him is to look after
the school himself for it will double
his opportunity in such cases.
Many who would take little or no
interest in his work for want Of some one
to keep them interested, will bepreach-
ed and turned into channels of benefits
to themselves and probably, kept out of
things hurtful to themselves and 9th
ers. If the pastor is compelled to do
all the work himself, which is some
times the case, be it said to the shame
of his members, he must take hold in
all available ways. In such cases the
Sunday School will afford fine oppor-
tunity. But his first and constant
object should be to seek out and
stimulate and prepare such of his
members as will be best suited, in his
judgment, to do the work of the Sun
day school, because he will have plen-
ty to do besides.
There is a great deal the pastor may
do indirectly bearing on the Sunday
School which they usually overlook or
neglect. Even country pastor
preaching to country church only
once a month could form teachers
class or association for the prepare
ton of the lesson and such other mat
churches through Sunday Schools.
and what is not beneficial to churches
ought never to be permitted in Sun
day Schools.
A sermon for the Sunday School
twice year, is exceedingly
profitable for both pastor and school.
and will never be found amiss in its
effect on the church or outsiders.
The pastor, if he is faithful, will
never neglect to find out what sort of
doctrine is taught in his school; and, as
far as practical, how it is being taught.
This may lead to necessity to
change teachers, because of inetficien,
cy or unsoundness. The pastors re-
latiOn and consequent duty to the
Sunday School depends largely on his
helpers. Just here it might be inter
esting to consider the laymau's rela-
ton and duty as an aid to the pastor.
Do we do our duty to the Sunday
School, and thereby to the pastor?
He has many burdens and cares, if he
is a faithful servant of his master, and
many of them are far more faithful
than those who criticise and hinder.
A real superintendent or teacher
will cooperate with the pastor, so that
the combined advantage of their united
efforts will accrue to the advantage of
the church and the cause of Christ at
large. This suggests the obligation of
members making of themselves prop
er helps, so as to make the pastors
work tell for all the good possible.
His uSafulnaSS demands larualv on our