The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-10-14
nmediately draw attention.

formed.
The attention of the class having
been secured the teacher may pre-
sent the truths of the lesson. In
doing this his one aim must be to
make himself clear To this end he
should first try to find his scholars
level and share his sympathy
The story should be told simply
and slowly; then questions may be
given TO see If scholars have form
ed right impressions.
Illustrations may be used here but
they should always be simple and
within the child's experience. The
teacher should shun symbols as a
child can imagine a miracle much
sooner than he can understand a
parable. Mrs. Edward Walker tells
of hearing a clergyman explain in
an address to children that Christian
ministers are the salt of the earth.
After he had shown the value of
salt in it's power to keep victuals
from spelling he> told of the good
work of ministers in aiding to pre-
| serve the world from total corrup-
| ton The children understood both
parts of the address but they could
not run them together properly.
| When he concluded his address with
| the question "Why then are minis
ters the salt of the earth?" they
| answered, not unnaturally, BE
! cause they keep victuals from spoil
| ing" And that is a fair illustration
/ of the danger of speaking in par
ables.
The help of the eye should be
sought by the teacher in his effort
at making clear the truth he would
teach. Maps and pictures and 9th
er visible helps are important.
With scholars who read the di-
recting of their attention to the
Bible text itself, together with the
teachers explanation can be made
to help great deal. Then, too,
showing the scholar other passages
in the Bible which throw light on
the subject will help. A teacher
may interest his scholars in prophecy
by showing the Old Testament
prophecy and then to fullflment in
the new.
During this process of making
clear, three classes of questions may
be asked, questions that exercise the
thinking power, questions upon the
words of the lesson and questions
that develop the spiritual truth. He
should find out what the text says,
what it means, and what it teaches
along this line. The questions in
the lesson helps should not be fol-
lowed blndly. They are intended
more for help in study than in re-
citation. AS a teacher questions he
should know what answer he wishes
to receive. If an answer is given,
although it is not what he expect
ed, if it has a grain of truth in it,
that truth should be recognized,
Then another question may be given
to bring out the desired answer.
At the beginning and end of each
lesson as well as at the end of the
quarter the teacher should review.
When a teacher has tried to teach
some particular thing he will not
find this difficult. At every review
the teacher should Ask himself,
What have my pupils gained dur
ing this quarter?" And at the close
of each lesson, "Can they recall the
main facts of the lesson?" Whether
the result is gratifying or not re-
views should be held often. Per-
haps one-fourth to one-third of the
time should be taken in this way
for without frequent reviews the
truths once learned most thoroughly
are liable to pass from our minds.
We have spoken thus far only of
the teaching work of the Sunday
school teacher, but the teaching
work is by no means his most i'm
! portant work. Milton held that he
who would be a poet must first him
self be a poem So he who would
teach truth and reproduce truth
, must himself first be truth. He must
IN nA hn IN
overlooking from God to those to
whom he goes.
/ If his earnest wish is to influence
his scholars to a personal love OF
, Jesus, he will manifest that desire
in all that he says and does. II
= he wishes his scholars to be truthful
2 and honorable and in the best sense
manly-he will make every Bible
Y truth or Bible precept which bears
? on the subject, very clear to them.
? We should remember that we have
both conscious and unconscious in
s fluence. That while we are trying
e to impress some truth along the
f line of our intended influence W.
f are also influencing in an uncon
scious manner. This unconsciou
e influence emanates from the teach
f er's very character, disclosing itself
: with his thoughts, in his actions
manners and incidental words, als'
t in his looks and the varying expires
= sion of his countenance. The teach
e er will have power for Christ jus
t in proportion as the character ant
! life of Christ are revealed in him
e The height of the teachers art
therefore, is found in the possibilit,
y of personal character.
: 1t seems only natural that tn
IS teacher should influence more b.
what he does seven days in the weel
n than by what he says in one There
S fore, in order to do his best teach
8 ing a man must be the best man h
O can be. DR.. Work says: Life itsel
/. is more powerful than any method
" Example is the supreme thing, in
e fuence is the greatest privilege
Therefore it is that character is tn
y teachers final endowment. There
l. no finished art for the teacher VIII
d has not learned that above and be
r meath all methods is that subtl
e grasp of soul upon soul which in
s. perfectly we describe as influence
magnetism, personal weight or favol
t. He indeed is the hiding of tn