The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-13

ioeti teticher. Cnri0, the great pat
tern. has left us in His life's work
every Characteristic necessary for the
making of tho ideal Sunday School
teacher. Can you imagine a more
patient, loving. care-taking. hard
working. sympathetic friend and
teacher than the Saviour
Teaching the humblest sinner,
teaching the highest ruler. going into
highways and hedges, going into
palaces and prisons; drawing lessons
from the wayside flowers, painting
pictures of the Heavenly MANSIONS,
touching the heart and bringing heal
ing to the prodigal son; lovingly plac-
ing His arm around the young man
who had kept tho commandments all
his life, and telling him the one thing
necessary. Tho one TEACHER altogeth-
er lovely. You say. we have not seen
that Teacher. how can we be like
Him? You must study your Bible.
This is the third and greatest help for
a teacher.
Must Study Christ's Words
"You cannot learn of Christ with
out studying His words and life. You
cannot hold your class without prep
aration Think Of teacher coming
to Sunday School without opening her
Bible or magazinei
Think of a. teacher spending the
thirty golden moments Sunday morn
ing discussing dress and fashion with
her class, Thing OF a teacher not
knowing whether Eccleeiastes IL In the
Old Testament or the New. Think OF
a teacher not knowing whether Abra-
ham was born before the Flood or
afterwards. Thing OF a teacher. who,
when the word 'Methusaleh' was point
ed out 10 her by scholar. said, Why.
yes: that Is a mountain way up IN
.oregonl' That happened right In a
Methodist Episcopal Church in the
West Richmond District.
81 asked boy OF our Sunday School
why he didn't come to Sunday School.
He said: My teacher never knows
the lesson. and we boys are simply
tired. of II. When we have teacher
who can tell us something about the
lesson ] will come
You must study. teachers. Know
the facts OF the lessons. know the
surroundings, know the people and
the customs OF the day. Know the
history and geography of your lesson.
Gather every interesting anecdote con-
nected with the Lesson. II II liz pos
sssss,a., .saa out Il tiaa story is told m ore
than once. and the additional facts
brought out by each Bible writer.
Then study methods OF presenting 1t
10 your class | wish that every
teacher could listen TO DR.. Pell teach
the lesson of the visit Of the Queen
Of Sheba TO King Solomon. Then I
am sure that one and all would want
to teach all lessons in his magnetic
i style. And he will tell you that he
has had to study and study and study.
And still he prepares his lesson be-
fore presenting II TO a class One
of the most embarrassing positions IN
which a young person can be placed IL
to be brought face To face with fifteen
young Americans OF the present day
10 teach the Sunday = School lesson
without preparation
Love Your Scholars"
'TIove your scholars; gain they
condolences know them In their
homes; visit them; know their So
cial and hnsin ess relations: know their
! joys; comfort them in their sorrows:
become very part of their heart
! life One of my sweetest memories
Is of a scholar coming 10 me one even
Ing and displaying a handsome
diamond ring, which had just been
placed on her finger ny her sweet
heart, I shall not soon forget her
tender loving condolences. stood
/ ~ r'sf side 'at her wedding ami tnen
(
by her coffin, as he gazed on her face
foe the last time,
One of the hardest things I ever
had to do was to tell one of my
scholars that the doctor could not
cure her. and that she had only a
little while to stay with us
One of the saddest memories of
my life as a Sunday School teacher
is of girls VISIT, one Saturday even
ing. 20 tell me that the rent was due.
and unless she had 1t by Monday
morning her family must leave their
home. Sunday morning the class
secured the necessary amount, and I
took IT to the girl that evening No
one In the class has ever known to this
day which one needed it.
glove your scholars. Be to them
the same. wherever you meet them.
Avoid doing the things you would not
have your scholars do and avoid visit
ing the places In which you would not
have your scholars meet OR see you
Think OF Sunday School teachers
name being in the society column of
newspaper, as presiding over the
punch bowl. at some social event, or
winning at a bridge party, or dancing
the tango. Think of Sunday School
teacher discussing the plot OF the
latest play she attended when her
scholars are hungerinp to hear the
story OF Christs love, and longing for
comfort and help which He alone can
give, and of which she might tell
them.
Adapt youreen to your class. II
they are Woodworking girls or boys
employed from A. NJ to p NJ,
don't give them the same treatment
You would give school children or an
employed adults. Don't expect them
to do the same amount OF home study
Should Trent All Alike
Treat all your pupils alike. no
matter how they are dressed or no
matter from where they may come
Speaking to woman teacher some
weeks ago about inviting young
ladies to Join our classes, she said
oh. am SO afraid OF getting un-
desirable timber In my class I'm
asfne undesirable climber In a Sunday
school class! Jesus loves the girls
and boys the young men ana the
young women, no matter where they
haAi from, and no matter where they
1--we. No matter what they wear. We
passed this resolution in our class
years ago, by a unanimous vote. A
young woman. in this city. II she he