The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-13

could have upon our minds and hearts at
all finlesl a realizing sense OF the inn
1 portance Of the teachers work; q deep
spiritual Insight into the worth OF never
dying, immortal souls; that precious
souls, more precious in the sight Of God
than silver and gold, are entrusted 30 our
care to be moulded for good or for evil
for time and eternity we would certain
lily strive harder to be Ideal teachers
/ II is the purpose OF the Sunday school
teacher to cause the pupils TO know some
thing concerning the truths, the immortal
/ truths OF the Bible-that message from
/ God to man, fit manifestation from the
one--infnite--niind. This book of books,
whose contents are old yet ever new,
reveals the fact that man, on account OF
I sin, is in lost condition, but that all
those who truly repent of their sins and
f trust In Christ alone for salvation, God
! will, for His dear sons sake, pardon and
/ redeem, and adopt into His divine family
| Whatever else the teacher may omit or
teach, II only he causes the pupils to
/ know eXperimentally this gospel OF grace
and to come into Gods church, he or she
proves himself or herself to be "a work
man that needeth not to be ashamed"
He is both an actual and an ideal teacher.
The sunday school teacher causes others
| to know in two principal ways, by pre-
oept and by example; by importing the
truth and by living the truth. Since the
great object of the teacher is to bring
the pupils to Christ and this is done ef
/ fectually only by the operation of the
spirit through the word the faithful,
honest teacher presents the truths Of
Gods own word, and God blcsses these
truths and makes them powerful in the
converting of souls, promoting groNth in
grace and building up Christian character.
The instrumentality may be Qndeed al
most always Isl very feeble and imper-
feet, but the truth 1t is that maketh
free.
b 1t clearly follows that the Sunday school
teacher is one who has some knowledge
of the hidden mysteries and deep things
OF God as revealed in the Bible, and while
this sublime book of revelation engages
/ the talent OF the loftiest intellect and
challenges their admiration, it Is go
simple that If the teacher causes his
pupils TO know for themselves tho truth
| OF the passage For God so loved the
world that He gave His only besotten
son that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish but have everlasting
life,' he accomplishes God-given work,
and We have the promise of God for 1t
that he shall save souls from death, that
he shall add stars TO his crown of re-
joiclng and that these souls shall shine
as the brightness OF the armament and
as stars forever and ever. Bat the sun
day school teacher teaches by action as
well as by word. There is no teaching 80
impressive, so successful as that OF eN-
emplary living Who can estimate tho
power OF a cody example? Sunday school
scholars are the most obsHrvant people IN
the world. They know at once when the
teacher is not well prepared. Frequently,
4nn n
consistent, are not as they should be.
We do not "let our lights shine" and
thus encourage others by our good works,
to gIorify our Heavenly Father | shall
always remember with gratitude and love
my Sunday school teachers and hopo
may initiate their example. But the
teacher teaches In this way whether he
will or not. This personal influence is
something very difficult to measure or
/ limit 1t acts both ways, for good and III
Many become teachers in the Sunday
school from a sense OF duty and not be-
cause they like tine work. II Is impossible
/ for such persons to do effective teaching.
| II requires entire cousecration to the work
/ In order to succeed. Teachers are brought
/ into such close relationship with their
| scholars that they have a better opportun-
| ity of working for their souls good than
/ even the pastor himself. Some teachers
come ia contact with the everyday affairs
of life and show an interest in all that
1 concerns the pupil and suit help aod
| sympathy to each individual case Bht
| there is another side to this teaching by
example. Some teachers on Sunday teach
4 the lesson. "Re we not conformed TO this
world, but DO We transformed" and on
Monday drive a hard bargain, 60 TO the
circus or theater or are Immersed and
I saturated In the service OF Mammon. THIS
thing OF living Alright IS a solemn, vast IN
terest What a fearful account there VIII
I be against US at the great and terrible day
I OF the Lord, when we are judged for our
neglect and lack OF attention in this very
matter. 1t is said that In all the world
there are probably no two races exactly
alike, So there are no two SOUS allko,
and as the soul Is the spring Of action
there can be no two teachers exactly alike.
Let us look at few general classes Of
teachers as they are. In spite OF all tnat
has been written and said ot the weignty
responsibility OF the teacher and the I'M
portauce OF the message they bear, thefe
Is a class Of teachers who are such only 10
name. They have elass in sunday scho1i'
but you would never kaow It unless you
70 10 the sunday school aod see them be-
fore their classes for the purpose OF en-
Pertaining them. They are neither pune
tual nor prolnpt. Iney are Wortuis NM
ed Some OF them have q dim idea that
they are working Ia Gods sess-
ice. but they fall to appreciate
i this fact TO any great extent.
They read over the . lesson that
| with their class In hurried manner, WITH
scarcely any comment or question, ana
then talk OF something else until the time
is up. am glad to say that this class u
not nearly as large as formerly, and II Il
growing less all the time
There is another class, VINO have good
Intentions; who have some idea Of tbs
4 Importance Of the work who feel anxious
too. in some degree. about the salvation Of
their pupils. but they are always going L
DO better They are at some other time
perhaps the very next week. going to study
the lesson in all its bearings, so they car
teach In a more earnest. effectual manner
They think too. that they will do mor'
personal work outside the school. The,
intend to visit their pupils and to admin.