Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-09-27
The Ideal Superintendent.

In the first place superintendent
shou d be- live, energetic Christian al
though have seen "a successful sunday
school carried ON 10y person, who was
not "a Christian But If il is possible
have Christian for experimentation
who is punctual, earnest and always at
his place knows when to speak and
whore TO speak and then Ice careful aud
not speak too often 1t would seem to
me a superintendent who is always talk
ing would not succeed very we'll in his
or her work but the one who has some
thing 10 say. knows exactly what TO
say and when to say it, is my idea Of
talking in sunday School.
\ superintendent should try and make
/ IL interesting for all who are present
watch for all new Corners and visitors
and make them feel at home and invite
them back again. At the close, If the
review discloses weak spots, strengthen
them; if it discloses excellence, praise
them With steady and honest purpose,
take on review the trial balance of your
work and may God grant you "A balance
ON the heavenward side of the ledger.
DO not think the superintendent of a
sunday School is the steam of the boat,
for all true power comes from the Holy
Spirit He takes orders from the one
captain and transmits them, and let us
be careful and give to our schools the
part WE think they need most Give
them the essence. The superintendent
work begins with himself then goes ON
to his officers then TO his teachers, then
10 ms scholars, and lastly 10 other
school, | think there are four essentials
OF success i'm Christian work, VIZ conSe-
Grafton concentration tact and contact.
Ii seems to me that a person must have
hi, soul i'm the work, and say with Paul,
this one thing do. He must come
I'm touch with his forces, and he must
know how to handle them, after he
touches them
There are people who should never be
superintendent, one who Ina, every
thing In say. each way being broadway.
Another is the person who jerks out
hi, words and darts them here and
there like the snapper ON "a whip. affect.
ing tire whole congregation by his merry.
BUSINESS. Auothcr.one who has "a gloomy
face and Dbl, tongue is dipped with sar-
ca,m anI know, ONLY 90 ,coll. But take
"a person with 70 bright. smiling and low
ing disposition full of Christ's love and
cou-ecrataI to tho work. and hc would
make. what should call am ideal super
iuteuleut.
Letthe ,upcrmtculcuts ambition be-
90 create an automatic SUNDAY school:
one he cam leave to rum itself and hp
mu,t keep himself i'm tine back ground
aud doa little "a. po~~ib'. himself mo-
doubt. but VIII bceuougA- and create
not "a machine but an organism. At tine
opening of sunday school the Superin-
tendent hasn't much of chance. while
at the close he has "a large chancc-in
fact a. large as he. II j. his chance
then TO gather all the teachings of the
hour into one point aud press them
home. Probably during the hour of
SUNDAY School the teachers have been
irving 70 teach too much The lesson
was intended for a wedge but they have
been using the blunt end. Now comes
the superintendent Turn il around and
show the matcbIess might of SIMPLICITY
Do NOT think becauso tbe lesson was re.
fering to the envy of the brethren of
Jacob that envy has become so common
that YOU must speak of Jacob and
Reuben and Of Gods over ruling Provi-
dence. but spoak of the one thing
"envv."
The attention Of the school can bee no
better held than bv ouestions but There
are a few things 70 be observed ahopt
questions one i that tbe opestion
sbou1d he simnle enougb 70 no prdor.
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