Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-11

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iii childhood. 1t is then that we make
our best impressions and start influ-
ences which will be lasting. Moreover
the work that is done in the Sabbath
school is a work on which character is
based, that is ii forms the basis for
every. kind of Christian work, because
it is the study of Gods word. Here
the mind receives the knowledge of
the word, and here personal example
is very powerful, because the pupil is
brought into personal contact with the
teachers and officers. The work done
here is of such character that it leaves
influences which will be operative
throughout the whole life of the indi-
vidual. The Sabbath school we be-
lieve to be very essential and i'm
portant department of the church |
work.
Teachers Most Important.
while we speak of the Sabbath |
school as being so important let us !
consider what helps to make the i'm |
preston here received permanent and
abiding. If there is anything in the
school that is more necessary than
anything else let us inquire what it is.
We say that the word of God is its
text book This is important to be
sure and yet there is not any home in
the land but that has a copy OF this
text book, and there is not a Sabbath
school but that has at least enc copy
of it. Yet all are not satisfactory in
| their work. A superintendent is i'm
| portant and yet we know there are
many schools which are accomplishing
the purpose without good superin-
tendent to say nothing OF an excellent
one Again we know OF schools which
have NEST excellent superintendent
and yet are far from accomplishing
the work for which the school was de-
signed.
$50 we come to the teacher and we
4 believe that the teacher is the essen
/ tial factor in the Sabbath school above
II every factor. The teachers who are
personally and Internationally qualified
4 mean much for the work of the school.
i What the cook is to the hotel the
Il teacher is to the school. What the
miller is to the mill and the architect
to the building the teacher is to the
Sabbath school, You may have all
the other arrangements and quallti-
cations, but without the teacher to do
effective work, to put into the mind of
the pupil and to lay on the heart of
the pupil the principles of Gods word
the work will amount to nothing.
Hence we believe that the teacher is
above everything else. Poor teachers
will mean poor work. Poor teachers
will mean that the purpose OF the
school will not be realized, but the
school will De to that extent failure,
because souls have not been led to
Christ nor built up in Christ nor sent
out to labor for Christ.
Learn Experience of Others.
81 would not for moment think OF
disarrar ring the present course OF the
teachers in the Sabbath schools. The
fact remains they are the very best
workers that the church has at pres
ent. They are doing the best they
can under the circumstances. They
are noble set of men and women and
are to be encouraged instead OF dis
( Outraged. They are to be enthused
and have put in their possession th&
means by which they may best do th"
work which they are seeking to ac-
complsh And yet, while that is true
!, the teachers of today are limited be.
cause they have not been prepared
] before they began their work. They
! are limited because they have not had
! the opportunity to be better prepared
e before they began their work. What
J., they know of Sabbath school methods
they have secured by experience ra
Their than by profiting by the expert
: enca of others. And in learning this way
: from experience and that alone The
! teacher who begins today is not in ad
:. vance of the one who began years
:, ago. What we need to do if possible
}, in. order that our teachers who begin
y today may, as it were, stand on thu
= shoulders of those who have taught il
: years past, is to profit by their eXper
ence In order to do this work effec,
q lively we need to have as teacher
'e some things very definitely fixed i
le mind.
!. Necessary Things for Teachers.
II. LET us notice some of those thing
n that are necessary for us as teacher
u in doing better work First the teacl
10 er needs to know the object of teacl
70 Ing Our definition says that it is
~ ~ lead souls to Christ and build up sou
- for Christ that they may be worker
- for Christ This is the purpose tn;
80 is set before the teacher. In dom
40 this the teacher must recognize tn;
" he or she has a great and worthy pu
pose and one which will be recognize
of Gou Inc accomplishing OF til
=, purpose will be secured through
~ method which must be followed orc
=. narily very closely if the largest I
~ suits are to be obtained. To accol
~ plish this effort the teacher must see
10 to interest the mind of the pupil fir
va of ALL This may be done in warrior
or, ways-by object lessone. illustrate
Il, blackboard work, charts and every d
mr. vice that modern methods know
,ol Having the interest secured, t
mr. next step is to instruct, to present T
re,, truth to the mind of the one interestt
av. in such a way that it will be receive
$50 To instruct means to cause to undo
EN- stand. to put into the mind of the
of pill the thought the teacher has
mind Then still further We must i
press the value and the importan
no of these truths upon the heart of t
We pupil in such way thai it will lea
w., lasting mark. that our interest will
nis permanent, lasting and abiding.
~ must depend upon the spirit of 6
: = to impress these truths. Hence t