considered one of the best. We cannot describe the various good plans,
but I will detail one which seems to me to be more simple and to
obviate more difficulties than any other that I am acquainted with. It
first provides a carefully-printed numerical catalogue of all the
books, with the number of pages. Give to each scholar one of these
catalogues, and replace it when lost. If the school is a small
district-school, a written catalogue will answer the purpose equally
well. Then a "Library Card," four inches by two-and-a-half inches, is
provided for each scholar on the first of each month. On this is
written or printed--"Library Card," "Class No. 6," "John Smith." Each
scholar takes his "Library Card" and catalogue home, and there, with
aid from his parents or a friend, he selects from ten to fifteen
books, either of which he will be satisfied with during the next four
weeks. The "Library Card" is then placed in his book, and kept there
as a marker, and is returned to the librarian on the next Sabbath with
the book. Each scholar hands his book, with the card in it, as he
enters the room, to the librarian, who is always to be found at the
opening of the school at the outer door of the school-room, with a
large basket ready to receive all the books from the pupils. When the
school is opened the librarian carries these books to the library and
assorts them, as he ascertains from each book-mark to whom and what
class and name the book belongs. The book is then credited as
returned, and the new one charged. If any scholar wants one book
particularly that is on his list, he _underscores_ it, and if it is in
the library, it is given to him and charged. If any scholar is late,
and the librarian has gone to the library, he loses his exchange of
books on that Sabbath. The librarian keeps the account of all
library-books, and charges them all to each name and class according
to the book-mark, and credits them when returned, and the teacher has
no care of it. After the teaching is closed, the lesson reviewed by
the superintendent, remarks made, prayer, singing, etc., then the
librarian, by a notice from the superintendent, passes down the aisle
and hands each teacher his lot of books, and the teacher passes them
to each pupil according to the library card, and then the school is
dismissed. No scholar opens his library-book or paper in the school.
The teachers have no care of the books or their numbers, unless the
scholar loses his library-card; in which case his teacher, at the
close of the school, accompanies him to the library and obtains for
him a new library-card and book. The librarian and his assistant
charge and credit all the books while the teachers are teaching. Each
class has a column or place in the register. This plan satisfies the
scholar, he has his own choice, and never interrupts the teachers or
the school for a moment, or diverts the attention of the school, and
no time is lost. It works admirably.
_The Librarian._--The librarian's office is an important one. He
should be one of the most considerate, watchful, careful young men in
all the community, for his office gives him much prominence. He should
open the library, arrange it in order, distribute hymn and class-books
before the school opens, and allow no unauthorized person access to
the library. He will become acquainted with the general character of
the books, as well as know the scholars, that he may intelligently aid
them in their selections. He will, also, ascertain what class of books
is most in demand.
VII.
THE SECRETARY.
This indispensable officer of the school is a sort of clerk or helper
to the superintendent.
1. He should be a good accountant, prompt, watchful and attentive. He
should keep a record of the attendance.
2. He should make a note of the opening exercises, with the names of
those who participate, and any interesting circumstances connected
with them.
3. He should record the names of all the scholars and teachers who
have been or are now connected with the school, and note everything of
their changes in life and history, especially their profession of
religion, marriage, etc.--keeping up a correspondence with them. This
record-book will become very valuable as the years roll on, since it
includes parents' names, every removal and death, etc., etc.
4. He will also count the number of scholars and teachers present,
enter it in the minute-book, and note the absentees.
5. He should write up the class-books, and deliver them to the
teachers.
6. He should enter in the minute-book the names of visitors,
especially if the pastor be one of them; note the addresses, what kind
of weather, and all items affecting the school.
7. He should give certificates of dismissal to every teacher or
scholar about removing to another place, recommending them to the
Christian fellowship of those who love Christ's lambs.
8. He should know every scholar, so that he can check them off without
asking the teacher the name, and should have a quick, vigilant eye,
not only for his own duties, but, also, in order to communicate
valuable suggestions respecting the school to the superintendent.
9. In the absence of the superintendent, he may sometimes take his
place in the charge of the school, except in the case of very large
schools, which may require an assistant to the superintendent.
VIII.
THE TEACHER.
The true Sabbath-school teacher is one called and "sent of God;" for
we read (1 Cor. xii. 28), "And God hath set some in the church, first
apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly _teachers_;" and the same
divine lips which said "Go preach," said also "Go teach." Whosoever
receives this sacred call should devote himself to it by a holy
consecration, remembering that he is truly an ambassador from the King
of kings to a small circle of his rebellious subjects,--a ransomed
sinner offering pardon to precious youth condemned to die. His great
business is the preparation of young immortals for the kingdom of
heaven through the application of heaven-revealed truth by a simple
appeal to their intelligence and feelings through the power of the
Holy Spirit. This is truly an angel's errand entrusted to redeemed
sinners. Mr. Groser justly says: "The office of a Christian teacher
transcends all others in interest and importance. No matter what his
precise sphere of labor may be, whether that of a professor like
Chalmers, a pastor like Oberlin, a schoolmaster like Arnold, or a
Sunday-school teacher like the 300,000 men and women who on each
returning Sabbath seek to instruct our youth in those truths which are
able to make them wise unto salvation." He should, therefore, accept
his mission thankfully, and enter upon it heartily, and attend to his
duties punctually, faithfully, and earnestly.
He is to teach Bible truth. That is the divinely provided aliment for
the human mind, and if rightly taught and received it will be
attractive and satisfying to the soul, and all besides will be only
supplementary. To be able to teach Bible truth thus faithfully and
truly, calls for _hard_, _earnest_ work, for, says one of the English
bishops, "It takes all we know to make things plain." The teacher,
therefore, must needs be well furnished and thoroughly fitted for his
high calling.
This brings us to the next article, on the teacher's preparation.
IX.
PREPARATION.
The work of teaching divine truth is so difficult and important that
every teacher should do himself the justice to make the most clear and
careful preparation. No teacher can impart more than he has prepared
to teach, and he should therefore bring to his class only beaten oil,
well-digested and well-adapted thoughts, something worthy of being
taught, and that will command attention for their own sake. It is well
for the teacher to have method and system, as well as a set time and
place to begin that preparation. The time to commence, we think,
should be on the afternoon or evening of the previous Sabbath, and the
place in the quiet of the home circle or the study.
1. Pray and read, and read and _think_ and PRAY over the lesson; the
words and the spirit of it. Here look for the best thoughts to use.
2. Search the Scriptures with the aid of a Concordance, or good
reference Bible, for the most pointed and practical parallel passages
and references; they will wonderfully illuminate the lesson.
3. By aid of the Bible references, and a good dictionary, be careful
to get the clear, exact meaning of the important words of the lesson,
in words adapted to your class.
4. Next use your Teachers' Helps, Commentaries, Bible Geographies,
Bible Dictionaries, Maps, Antiquities, etc.
5. Go out into the world and gather excellent things for illustration
of the Bible truth from what you see, hear, read or do.
6. Visit your scholars' homes in the preparation of your lessons, and
learn their peculiar trials and temptations. Study well your children,
child-nature and child-language, "Peep of Day" and "Line upon Line"
are pure specimens of child-language.
7. Get something for _each_ pupil, for Johnny is not at all like
Willy, and Willy is not like Charlie, etc. Break up Bible truths into
small pieces for the children and youth. Do not wander afar for
simile, but remember "knowledge is _before_ him that understandeth,
but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth."
8. Make full notes, write out your facts and references, etc.: (_a_)
Of your best thoughts. (_b_) Of your best plan of teaching. (_c_) The
aim and object of the lesson illustrations. (_d_) Of the commencement
and closing of the teaching lesson.
9. Think it all over so carefully and repeatedly that you will need
scarcely to look at the notes to the end. Select just what to teach,
and do not stuff the children. Memorize the lesson and you will have
special unction in teaching.
10. Prepare more, far more, than you will want to use, that you may
have ample material for selections; for no teacher can impart all that
he is prepared to teach, and the teacher should be careful NEVER TO
EXHAUST HIMSELF.
Finally. Do not be tied down to any one plan or method of preparing a
Sabbath lesson, but invent new and fresh modes. Never suffer any part
of your preparation or teaching to relapse into a dull routine. Be
fresh, warm, and earnest in manner and matter, and raise yourself
above leaning upon any question-books or notes of lessons; use them if
you please, but do not lean upon them. The weekly teachers'-meeting is
an indispensable assistant to every faithful teacher. Never forget
that the only sort of knowledge which can answer a Sabbath-school
teacher's purpose "must be at once thorough, detailed, abundant, and
exact."
It is of the first importance that the teacher of children should
study well child-nature, child-language, and all the child's
characteristics--such as activity, curiosity, inquisitiveness, etc.;
what are its wants and cares; its dangers and its duties; its hopes
and fears; its sympathies and feelings, likes and dislikes. All these
must be candidly considered if we would prepare for the position of
Christian counsellor and guide to the child. We must gain its
confidence, draw out its sympathies, and win its heart, and all this
will require the most diligent, earnest, prayerful study. In this
process the teacher must needs often recall his own childhood, and
live that over again--become as a little child again--if he would
become a child's teacher. Do not ever fall into the error of supposing
that your children are ever too young or too ignorant to appreciate a
well-prepared lesson.
After these very full directions for the _teacher_, I am here
permitted by Mr. Ralph Wells to give the notes of his actual
_superintendent's_ preparation in the regular service of Grace
Mission-school, only one week before the previous part of this article
was written. The following are his exact notes:
"THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PREPARATION."
Subject--_Hypocrisy._
Time, 8 hours' _intense_ study.
Commenced Sabbath evening previous.
1. Prayer for light. Do you?
2. Go to the Bible to see what it says.
3. Texts found. _Write all out._ Job xx. 5; xxvii. 8-10;
xxxvi. 13, 14. Prov. xxx. 12. Psalms lxv. 2-5. Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32.
Matt. vi. 2; xxiv. 51. Luke xii. 1. Mark xii. 15.
4. _Definition of Hypocrisy._
To seek to appear what I am not.
5. _Bible Examples._
_Causes._ _End._
Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 14. Love of gain. --
Gehazi, 2 Kings v. 26. " --
Judas, Matt. xxvi. 50. " --
Ananias, Acts v. 1-26. Gain and applause. --
Simon Magus, Acts viii. 26. Gain. --
Absalom, 2 Sam. xv. 1-12. Power. --
6. Look into the lesson and examples until I _feel_ it myself.
7. _Emblems._
_Bible._ | _Common._
Leaven. | The mask.
Whited sepulchres. | Counterfeit money.
Hidden graves. | Paste jewels.
Spider's web. |
8. _Common ways for all ages._
The store, the bank, and the office.
Profession of religion for credit.
Political, on 'change, fashionable, flattering.
9. _Children's Dangers._
Don't tell mother.
Boy getting my white-alley.
Desire to please teachers or gain praise.
The hypocrite lies with his hands, face, clothes, gifts.
10. _Illustrations._
Photograph--Absalom's monument.
Friar--Nelly and love of Jesus.
Picture of a hypocritical saint--London beggar.
11. _Absalom's double face to his father and to God._
Picture the scene. 2 Sam. xv. 1-13.
12. _Hypocrisy._
Its meaning.
Its folly.
Its causes.
Its end.
The simple notes certainly give but a faint idea of how thoroughly
hypocrisy is unmasked in this lesson. The teacher or scholar will
never forget it. "_Intense_ study" should be contrasted with the
_easy_-chair, lounging, intermitting study of many.
"The store, the bank," etc., refer to rum shops; so named that
husbands and young men who return at late hours may say, I have just
left "_the bank_," etc.
The "photograph of Absalom's monument" reminds us that, to this day,
every Jew casts a stone at it, and curses the hypocrite's memory; and
so on with the other illustrations.
The following brief notes were taken at one of our New York
Association's meetings: Subject--How to prepare a Sabbath-school
lesson. "Piety _alone_ is not what we want in Sabbath-school teaching
any more than preaching." Take the lesson--Luke xviii. 35--"A certain
blind man," etc. Take a good Reference Bible and a Bible Dictionary. I
ask myself, What is in this passage? A miracle. Say something about
miracles, but never lead a child into deep water. I can never make a
thing plain to another that I cannot make plain to myself. You cannot
teach more than you can put into words, etc.
Tell them about a particular part of the country: Jericho (Josh. ii.,
and 2 Kings xvi. 34), sixteen miles from Jerusalem, and about six from
the river Jordan. I find here a beggar--_two_, but one is silent.
"Jesus, thou Son of David"--the sublime epithet applied to the
Messiah. His suit is for mercy. "Cried the _more_"--evidence of
faith--plea for mercy--earnestness. Jesus is arrested in his progress
by the prayer of the needy man. Prayer arrests all laws. Jesus stood
and commanded. You have got to come to Jesus. Submission to Jesus
absolutely essential. What wilt thou? We are to tell Christ just what
we want. Prayer is absolutely necessary. Jesus made the blind man tell
Him. Revive thy faith. Must believe. How apply. What last impressions
to leave. Jesus was going up to Jerusalem for the last time. Only
opportunity, or last opportunity. All go. This opportunity, dear boys,
may be the last.
The superintendent, as well as the teachers, needs the most ample and
careful preparation of the lesson, in order to suggest and aid and
sympathize with the teachers and school, and to conduct the teachers'
meeting.
X.
THE TEACHER TEACHING.
The teacher is the master and superior, and his character, attitude,
bearing and words should be well calculated to govern and to guide.
Teaching is not simply educating--namely, drawing out, nor simply
instructing the pupil, but _training_ him. It is taking my thought and
converting it to _his use_.
With this view great care should be taken to begin a lesson aright.
The teacher should come from communion with God, and his spirit and
manner should be at once thoughtful, earnest and cheerful, never cold,
cheerless, indifferent, or severe. Let him give to each scholar a
warm, quiet, but hearty salutation; be early, be calm, be gentle, be
firm and seriously in earnest; never allow any scholar to take any
undue liberties; and see that each one and everything is in its place.
With interest and reverence the teacher and his class will then enter
upon the devotional opening exercises, joining in them. After which he
will gather his class around him, and first place himself on terms of
good-will with all, and find some _common ground_ for their minds to
begin acting upon. A well-timed, easy, and awakening question about
the former or present lesson will arrest attention, but it must be
well adapted, and readily answered. The first questions must never
perplex or embarrass the pupil, for they are very important. From
thence proceed and rapidly draw their minds up towards the great
central thought of the lesson; awakening thought, arousing curiosity,
and deepening impressions.
The teacher should question the lesson _out_ of the pupils, and then
question it _into_ them. He will first get the _words_ of the lesson
clearly into the minds of the scholars--mostly by catechising--and
then the _meaning_ and illustration of the principal words. Next the
_lessons_ of instruction must be carefully drawn, and lastly,
_applied_ to the heart and life of all.
A severe test comes upon the teacher in the recitation and catechising
upon the lesson. He is to remember: 1. To draw all the information
that he can from the class; 2. To induce the class to find out all
they can for themselves; 3. To give such information as is best for
the class, but before giving any information, be sure that no member
of the class _can_ give it.
The true teacher starts from the _known_, and proceeds over short and
easy stepping-stones to the faintly known, thence to the contrast, and
then to the unknown. Some very learned men utterly fail as teachers.
They take such tremendous strides that no pupil can follow them. It is
like the father rushing up three steps at a time to the top of the
staircase. If he would lead his child, he must be careful to take but
one step at a time. Let the child's present knowledge be the
starting-point for all future acquisitions. Reading, or even reciting,
a lesson, may possibly teach nothing. "'Tis in vain that you make them
read the life and doctrines of the Saviour, if you do not explain to
them that he lived for their example, that he died to redeem them, and
that those doctrines are to govern them in thought, word and deed."
Care should be taken, to select the best plan of arranging the lesson.
"The _beginning_ should arrest attention, the _middle_ inform the
mind, and the _end_ affect the heart." Let there be a natural order
and method in all your teaching;--one thought gliding into and
connecting with the next, and so on. In no department of life is
system and method of more value, and a child is as much aided by it as
a man. Robertson justly says: "Memory without method is useless.
Detached facts are practically valueless." Method is the laying out of
the lesson and proceeding in its natural order in conformity with the
uniform laws of the human mind. It tells what shall come first and
second, and puts everything in its right place, so that the mind can
take a clearer grasp, and memory a more easy and a more retentive
hold, of the truths presented.
We should not, however, bind ourselves to any _one_ method of
teaching, for there is no standard mode alike adapted to different
persons and lessons. The most of our good teachers have wrought out
some way of teaching in a measure peculiar to themselves and adapted
to them. Those who can do so, however, will be able to borrow much of
value from "Gall's Lesson System," with its thorough analysis,
numerous exercises, exhaustive doctrines and lessons of instruction,
or from "Stow's Training System," with its sympathy of numbers, its
picturing out into life and training which will aid others, and
"Mimpriss's Gospel Harmony" will help many. Let us ride no hobbies,
but gather the best suggestions from all for our Sabbath-school work.
What we want in our Sabbath-schools is to add a sufficiency of
teaching-power--to give efficacy to our teaching without stiffening it
with rules and forms.
A few years ago hymn-learning, catechism, and task-lessons formed the
staple of even our Scripture-classes. Now there is a demand for good
Bible-teaching, that will equal the teaching of our best academies and
colleges. The Bible is so adapted and wonderful as to place us on
great vantage ground. We want to know, How to use it? Mr. J. G. Fitch,
of the Normal College, London, has given us an admirable synopsis of
the few simple principles which underlie the great art, and which, as
he justly observes, "require to be pondered and thoroughly grasped by
every teacher:"
1. "Never to teach what you do not quite understand." Clear knowledge
makes clear, pleasant teaching.
2. "Never to tell a child what you could make that child tell you." He
will thus remember it ten times as long.
3. "Never to give a piece of information without asking for it again."
The mind cannot retain what it does not expect to be called on for
again, or to have a future use for.
4. "Never to use a hard word if an easy one will convey your meaning;
and never to use any word at all unless you are quite sure that it has
a meaning to convey." Mark--not "long" word, but "hard" word.
5. "Never to begin an address, or a lesson, without a clear view of
its end." Then aim high and at the mark.
6. "Never to give an unnecessary command, nor one which you do not
mean to see obeyed." Therefore, few commands; for in case you fail to
secure obedience the child rules you, and not you the child.
7. "Never to permit a child to remain in the class for a minute
without something to do, and a motive for doing it." A child wants
something to do, and cannot bear to be idle. Keep him busy.
Teaching is an art, and like any other art, it has to be
learned--learned, too, by study, observation, and practice. It has its
rules and principles. He who knows and practises them is a good
workman; while he who neglects them is necessarily inefficient. First,
we must get the ideas and _principles_. Secondly, we must _imitate_ or
copy the good examples or models; and thirdly, we are to practise
teaching; for the best way to learn how to teach is to _teach_. Said
Ralph Wells, when asked how he learned to teach, "By my mistakes and
failures." In teaching others successfully we teach ourselves
effectively.
In seeking after our models or examples to copy, we need not, like the
artist, go to Italy in order to copy the great masters; for the great
Master of teaching--Christ, our Model Teacher and the teacher's
model--is always before us, and His example is perfect. He is "the
Teacher come from God." "He spake as never man spake." Let us notice
some characteristics of His teaching:
1. He was _very instructive_. He knew what was in man, and just how to
meet his wants. If our words do not instruct, they "are simply
impertinent." Do our "lips teach knowledge?"
2. He was _beautifully simple_,--child-like, but never childish; so
clear that all could understand. So our words should be few,
well-chosen, simple, and adapted, softly and deliberately expressed.
3. His teaching was _highly illustrative_. So should ours be. He
gathered from all the common surroundings of life. The tiny sparrow
was made to illustrate His care; He pointed the magi to the stars; the
fishermen were to be fishers of men; He taught a lesson to the
merchant-man from the goodly pearl; the water-bearer was offered the
water of life; while the wheat, the grain, the tares, the chaff, the
vine, the tree, the field, and almost every object taught the
husbandman amid his daily toil. Heaven itself is represented by
earthly things and objects the most valued--by "songs," "arches,"
"harps of gold," "rivers clear as crystal," "rivers of pleasure,"
"pearly gates," "precious rubies and stones," etc. His illustrations
always threw _light_ upon truth--never _displaced_ it, as ours
sometimes do. They were drawn from everyday life, and so well adapted
that they were joyfully received by the candid inquirer. Let all
Sabbath-school teachers herein copy the Master. Apt illustrations
render truth more permanent; for it is well said, that the "simile,
the anecdote, the fable, is sure to be remembered, and the sentiment
to which it was linked is sure to go with it."
4. His teaching was, also, _sublimely courageous_. "He spake as one
having authority." His confidence in God and in His truth raised Him
above fear and doubt.
5. His teaching was _singularly adapted_. It always reached the heart
and life.
6. His teaching was _mingled with prayer_. He went out to teach; He
retired to pray. Let all teachers imitate His example.
7. His teaching was _closely applied_. Let our teaching, also, be
carried home to the everyday life of the children, and applied
closely, particularly, personally, and privately to specific errors
and sins; for we never should allow ourselves for a moment to doubt
that there is no infirmity in manner or purpose, in habit, temper, or
character, amongst our children, which the Sunday-school, with its
divine text-book, is not abundantly competent to reach and remove.