The Spirit of the Teacher

BY
L. FLORA PLUMMER
Autltor of "The Soul-Winning Sabbath School"
and "The Soul- Winning Teacher."

"Let the Sabbath school teacher be an example in

faith, in charity, i n doctrine, and deportment. Let
him dress with simplicity. Let him show the beauty
of the natural and true, i n contrast with the false and
artificial. Let him teach his scholars to love God.
giving them line upon line, and precept upon precept,
little by little adding new features to the truth, till it
is delineated before the minds in its attractiveness and
beauty. Let him pray and work until he sees his
charges bound to the truth, and in possession of the
love of God, which passeth knowledge."-Mrs.
E. G.
White.

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Maranatha Media
www.maranathamedia.com

REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSN.

TAKOMA
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D. C.
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South Bend, Ind.
Printed in the U. S. A.

PREFACE
THISbook sets forth in attractive style the
graces of character to which all Christians
should attain. T o the teachers these graces are
of supreme necessity ; for success in influencing
others is measured by the revelation of the
spirit of Jesus in the life of the teacher more
than by his words. The drawing power of the
truly spiritual life is set forth in statements of
facts, in true stories of experience, and in the
recital of illustrations that grip the soul. May
the Spirit of the Master enter the heart of each
reader and bring forth fruit a hundredfold.

THE TEACHER
GREATERthan any other factor
in the Sabbath school is the teacher.
What there is of the finest schoolefficient organization, elaborate equipment, liberal supplies, special helps-is a11
provided for the most part for the sake of the
teaching period. The ideals of the teacher measure the height of success which a school attains.
The heartthrobs of the teacher set the pace for the
success of the school in soul-winning endeavor. The
supreme problem in the Sabbath school work today is not
administrative, though that is important, but it is to
secure an efficient company of men and women to
serve as teachers of the word of God to the groups
that make up classes. The Sabbath school offers
an exceptionally great opportunity for consecrated Christians to give a service of love
in winning souls for the Master. This
form of service is second to none in
results, for it not only wins but
holds those who come within
its circle of influence.

CONTENTS

THE SPIRIT OF LOVE

was the message given from heaven to a
T W man,
I C E"Thou art greatly beloved." It is a beautiful
thought that unswerving loyalty to God inspires in heaven
a love for a single person that is different or greater
than the love that has been made manifest for the race
as a whole. "Thou art greatly beloved!" Who does
not long thus to be loved by heavenly intelligences?
The words "greatly beloved" call to mind that other
expression of special regard that is used four times in
reference to John, the disciple of Christ. Nothing could
betoken a more mutual, loving, sympathetic companionship than the simple declaration given us in John 13 :23:
"Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His
disciples, whom Jesus loved." John is again singled out,
in the dying moments of Jesus, as one specially loved.
John 19:26. Lazarus and his sisters were very dear to
the. Saviour. When Lazarus was sick, the sisters sent
the message, "He whom Thou lovest is sick."
It is a wonderful thing to be so loved that the life of
the only-begotten Son of God should be given that one
might be eternally saved. But when a person accepts
the sacrifice, and pours out his heart's love in trusting
obedience to the One who is his salvation, then it is that
the divine love is realized in all its blessedness. Then it
is that the heart's longings are more than satisfied. Then
it is that poor humanity is endeared to the heart of
divinity, as was Daniel, as was John, as were Lazarus,
Mary, and Martha. The richness of that mutual love,
the blessedness of that communion, the overwhelming
power of that responsive love, are the most wonderful
of all.

13

T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T OF LOVE

All who seek to save souls from destruction must recognize that love is the strongest of attractive forces. The
power and effect of a winning spirit in contrast with a
spirit of force, is well illustrated in the almost forgotten
fable of the north wind and the sun. The test of the
respective strength of each was the removal of a traveler's
cloak. The north wind made the first attempt in support
of its challenge, and blew with all its force. The traveler
bent before it, but he only fastened his cloak more
securely, and exerted all his strength in resisting the
power that battled with him. Again and again the north
wind expended its fury upon the man, but he was determined, and successfully combated the effort to take from
him his cloak. Then the sun made trial. Its soft, warm
rays were turned upon the traveler. In a few moments
the cloak was unfastened, and very soon thrown wholly
aside, without even a show of resistance on the part of
the traveler. Apparently the surrender was willingly
made.
God's love for the sinner cost Him the sacrifice of
His Son, and this sacrifice was willingly made. The
love that has power to win souls is more than mere sentiment. Human love for sinners will not cost less than
a daily sacrifice of self. Successful soul winners show
intense earnestness and zeal in ministering to those who
are without Christ. Love of ease, love of pleasure, love
of freedom from responsibility, count for nothing when
balanced in the scales against the worth of a soul. As
Jesus said, "Thou art greatly beloved," He set the pattern for us in our relationship with those whom we seek
to help.
We who would win souls have ourselves been won by
a Saviour's love. I t was not the beautiful theory of the
gospel, not the unanswerable argument of the plan of
salvation, not the forcible denunciation of sin, that won
our hearts. I t was the power of the Saviour's love, as

shown in His tender appeals, His loving entreaties, His

comforting promises, and most of all in His personal
sacrifice in our behalf, that moved our hearts to respond
to His love. When a teacher's heart really makes those
same tender appeals, loving entreaties, and comforting
promises, and his life is as truly laid down in sacrifice
for others, then will that teacher win many souls, and
the promise of Daniel 12:3 (margin) be fulfilled.
We all desire to love and be loved. But if we would
give our lives in loving service, we must face the fact
that we cannot perform such service from a sheer sense of
duty. One may do many nice things because of a feeling
of obligation, but thus driven, unless something far different comes to one's aid, the result is unsatisfactory. If
others are to be led to Christ under our ministry, we
must go to them under the urgings of love rather than
seek them merely from stern duty. Remember, teachers,
"thou art greatly beloved." Remember also to make
your pupils feel that they, too, are greatly beloved, if you
would be a soul winner. Services that are merely professional, even when skillfully ministered, are not effective.
What to do for the members of the class who have not
surrendered their hearts to the Lord, is the great problem
that confronts the Sabbath school teacher. The power
of love is the only power great enough to grapple with
the problem. This love for souls must be real to be
effective. No imaginary, sentimental, pretended emotion
will avail. Only the love of God in the heart can influence
other lives. The unsaved must be made to feel the protecting shelter of a love that is so unselfish that they must
recognize it as genuine, and so gentle that they cannot
resist it. Few sinners are so hardened that they will not
respond to an expression of true, Christlike love. Love
will break down the barriers of reserve erected by the
enemy in the hearts of those who serve him, and open
the door of the heart that the Saviour may enter.

12

14

H
?'E

S P I R I T OF TI-IE T E A C H E R

Love is the strongest of motives. A s teachers, we

need to remember that there is not strength enough in
method, not power enough in argument, not force enough
in the most eloquent appeal, to bring one soul into the fold
of Christ. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My
Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." And His Spirit is a
spirit of love. Teachers who are successful soul winners
are those who win the hearts of pupils. Love is not to
be had for the asking, but it may be won. Youth and
children are very responsive, as a rule, and their love is
easily awakened. Only let a teacher possess a lovable
character and an appreciation of childhood, and the hearts
of the children will turn to him as certainly as the flower
turns to the sun. Let the children find a true friend in
their teacher, and their hearts are won. A declaration
of friendship is not convincing. It must be proved by the
placing of their interests and welfare above our own ease.
The true measure of a teacher's power is his love for
his pupils. Without love, all efforts at teaching are truly
as "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." W e need to
ask the Lord to put this love into our hearts. When
Jesus said, "Ask, and ye shall receive," H e opened the
way for us to ask for everything that we feel we need in
our ministry for others.
If only the love of God were understood, the hardness
and indifference of many hearts would melt. The teacher
should ever be studying new and better ways of telling
God's love. Argument, exhortation, warning, will not do
that which a proper revelation of God's great love for
the least of His creatures will quickly do. If the love
of God as told by us does not win others to Him, we
should seek a new experience in that love, that we may
reveal it more effectively.
The truest illustration of the reality of the gospel is
a loving and lovable Christian. Talent, learning, training,
are not substitutes for love. Love never loses its value.

T H E SPIRIT O F LOVE

15

The Christian teacher who recognizes his great obligation

to his Saviour, is under the most sacred obligation to
extend to others the same sympathy, tender compassio~~,
unselfish love, and helpful ministry that Christ has shown
toward him. The love of God for a world that did not
love Him passes understanding. When we see what
Jesus sees in those for whom we work, our hearts are
filled with a love that is genuine, and the strength and
power of the Holy Spirit is our endowment. Love never
asks, How much mu,st I d o ? but, How much call I d o ?
More than money, yea, above any other value, is a life
spent in service for others. "Life is coin of the King's
realm." Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "I will very
gladly spend and be spent for you." The costliest spending the world knows is the giving of one's life to the
needs of another.
Every man is richer for what he
gives in unselfish service to help others. The needs of
one's own family do not always satisfy the denlands
for sacrifice of life. The human need is so great that
responsibility for service extends outside the home. The
pastor must "be spent" for his flock, the superintendent
for his school, the teacher for his class. A burden for
souls weighs upon the heart. Lives must be spent in
sacrificing work, if souls are saved. Like Paul, let us
tlo it most "gladly," thankful for the demand upon us.
In our own ministry we need not fear that our love
for others will not be observed. A little hoy was flying
a kite which soared so high as to be almost out of sight.
Seeing him looking upward so iiltently, a gentleman asked
him what he had there. "A kite, sir," was the boy's reply.
"A kite !" said the gentleman ; "how can that be? I don't
see it." "Ah, I feel it pulling, sir," was the boy's unanswerable reply. So rest assured that others will "feel
t l ~ epull" of your love, even i f you thil~liit is so far out
of sight as not to be noticed.
'l'ix message of the Bible must be spoken always in

1b

'THE S P I R I T OF T H E T E A C H E R

love if it is to reach hearts. Truth without love is hard,

cold, repelling. Love without truth is helpless, weak,
having nothing to give. The perfect illustration of truth
spoken in love is the life and work of Jesus. His truth
was never hard, His love never weak. His justice was
not merely the letter of the law. His tenderness was not
merely good nature. H e condemned all sin, but H e loved
every sinner.
No one can value truth too highly. No one can safely
compromise with error. I t is the work of the religious
teacher to make known the truths of God's word to those
who know them not. The gospel has in it the power to
attract, to draw hearts. The sequel to the story of the
brazen serpent, lifted up by Moses in the wilderness, was
told by Jesus when H e said, "I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto Me." We can lift the
Saviour up before the eyes of others only as H e is lifted
high in our own heart's affections. We may show to
others just what the Christ actually is to us, but nothing
more.
There is attractive power in truth. Alas that this attractiveness is sometimes completely hidden by the unattractive manner in which the gospel is presented! There
are those who seem to think that unless their message is
made hard, disagreeable, biting, it is not truth. In the
hands of such it is a whip or club with which acceptance
is to be forced. Years ago several speakers were in turn
addressing an antislavery meeting. Suddenly one of them
sprang to his feet and said to his associates: "We are
not doing our duty. See how quietly and peacefully the
audience is listening. If we were doing our duty, they
would be throwing brickbats at us." His idea of effectiveness was to arouse antagonism.
Now and then you note a Sabbath school teacher
exhibiting a manner that indicates that he regards the
members of his class as "opponents" or "antagonists," to

T H E S P I R I T OF L O V E
be overwhelmed only by the smarting lash of a whip or
a sledge-hammer blow. Such teachers should consider
the proverb, "He that winneth souls is wise;" also that
other one, "A brother offended is harder to be won."
True love, soul-saving love, is unselfish, gentle, but so
powerful that it can break down the wall of reserve
erected in the heart of the wayward wanderer, and open
the door of that heart that the Saviour may enter.
The leader of a youth's meeting presented the love of
God in such a harsh, unsympathetic way that hearts were
steeled against his words. The tenderest truths were not
a cord of love with power to draw, but an irresistible,
driving force. Those young people instinctively braced
themselves to resist the message. As might be expected,
the call for the "reprobatesM to come forward and "flee
from the wrath to come," met with no response. Not
a hand was raised; not a foot stirred. "Very well," said
the leader, "if your hearts are fully set within you to do
evil, go your way. But in the judgment day, you will
again meet my words of warning, and you will be condemned by them." That leader never knew, or perchance
had forgotten, that only the power of love is great enough
to grapple with the problem of the lost among us. "No
cord nor cable can so forcibly draw, or hold so fast, as
love can do with a twined thread."
Upon proper occasions efforts should be made to influence those who have not given their hearts to the Lord to
do so intelligently and decisively. Much wisdom is needed
that none be caused to stumble. No one who is unresponsive should be made to feel that he has finally decided against the right. Convey the impression of a
deferred decision. Emphasize the thought that Jesus
stands always ready to receive those who come to Him,
and that none who come are ever cast out. At any time,
in any place, when alone or in public, any one may seek
Jesus and find Him.

18

'1'1-IE

S P I R I T O F Ti-I E TEACLiER

A noted English surgeon visiting a hospital in another

country was asked by the chief surgeon how many times
he had performed a certain serious operation. H e replied
that he had performed it thirteen times. "Ah, sir," said
the hospital surgeon, "I have done it one hundred sixty
times." Then he asked, "How many lives did you save?"
"I saved eleven out of thirteen," replied the English specialist. "How many did you save out of the one hundred
sixty ?" "Well," was the reply, "I lost them all; but the
operation was very brilliant."
When the question is asked in the judgment day,
"Where are the members of your Sabbath school class?"
will any of us reply, "I taught the lessons brilliantly, but
I lost all my class"?
T o lead his pupils to yield themselves to the Saviour
should be the earnest purpose of every teacher. The true
and last test of the value of his work will not be. H O W
has he studied? nor, How has he taught? Imt, 1Iow many
has he saved ?
Consider a very personal question: Do you really enjoy
teaching your Sabbath school class, or do you just endure
i t ? "Enjoy" and "endure" are two small words, but their
meaning is as wide apart a s the poles. Endure means
to "remain firm, to hold out, to bear with patience, to
tolerate, to put up with." The picrure is that of one
gritting his teeth, stiffening his muscles, setting himself
to endure, to hold on, in spite of l ~ o r e d o n ~
in, spite of
real mental suffering, in spite of indifference. This is a
somewhat commenclalile, but on the whole, a rather sad
attitude. That is one who endures without love.
Enjoy is quite a different matter. Enjoy means to
"take pleasure or satisfaction in ; ardent pleasure; extreme
satisfaction. A state of hapl)iness, or felicity; bliss; joy
is gladness, delight, rapture, pleasure." One does not
willingly miss that which gives him great satisfaction, and
is a delight to him. This picture i.; that of one who looks

T H E S P I R I T OF L O V E
forward each week to the Sabbath school hour as something choice, son~ethingnot to be missed on account of
any small thing, and i f missed, to be greatly regretted.
T o him the Sabbath school hour is thrillingly delightful.
Each feature of the program is pleasurable. H e takes
part in all the exercises with satisfaction. H e realizes a
distinct spiritual benefit from his contact with his class.
That is one who enjoys, loves. Ask yourself, A m I one
who endures, or do 1 enjoy my work as teacher of my
class ?
T H E T H E M E ILLUSTRATED

A little lad was asked why he trudged more than a

mile to attend a certain Sabbath school in Chicago when
there were other schools much nearer home. "They love
a feller down there," was the reply.
If Sabbath school teachers had the burden of heart
that John Knox felt when he cried. "Give me Scotland,
or I die!" we should soon witness a victory in soulsaving
which our schools have never before attained.
Like Paul, let the Sabbath school teachers in every
school say, "This one thing I do," then labor for souls
as they that must give account.
The spirit of the following poem, living in the heart
of the teacher, should carry conviction to many who are
careless and indifferent.
W H A T WI1.L YOU DO W I T H O U T H I M

I could ,lot do auitlrwut Hilrr!

J ~ S Z Li.s SI J I O Y P to w e
T ! w n ull tlze ricl~est,fnircst gifts
Of ctil-th could ever be.
Hut tllr w o r e I find H i m precious,
A t ~ dthe lrlore I find Hilt1 trur.
Tltc ~ n o v eI l o t ~ gfor you t o f i ~ d
M'htrt He car1 bc to you.

20

T H E S P I R I T OF THE T E A C H E R

W " a f will you do .without Him,

I n the long and dreary day
Of trouble and perplexity,
Wlzerz you do not know the -my,
And no one else can help yozb,
And no one guides you right,
A j ~ dIzope eo~nesnot -zit/? movnifzg,
And rest comes not w i f h night?
Y o u could not do 7eithout Him,
If once He made you see
The fetters that enclta~nyou,
Till H e kath set you free;
If onre you saw the fearful load
Of sin upon your ~ 0 2 ~ 1 TJze hiddegz plague thnt elzds in drnth,
Unless H c makes you whole.
W h a t will you do zeitlzout Hinz
W h c n dcatlz is drawilzg lzear?
Wiflzout His love-the only love
T h t casts out every fear;
Wlzen the shadow-valley opens,
Unlightened and unknown,
And the terrors of its darkness
Must all be passed alone.
He would not do without you!
He calls and calls again:
"Come ugzto Me! Cotrzr unto Me!"
Oh, shall H e call in vain?
H e wants to have you witlz Him;
Do youonot want Him, too?
Y o u cannot do zenzentlzo~lt
Hiin,
And H e wants-even you.
-Selected.

THE S P I R I T OF FAITHFULNESS
is required in stewards, that a man be found faithI T f ul
1 Cor. 4:2.
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful
also in much." Luke 16:JO.
"Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make
thee ruler over many things." Matt. 25 :21.
I s faithfulness an unreasonable requirement of teachers? Certainly not. A person may not possess a diversity
of talents, he may not be brilliantly capable, he may be
quite limited in opportunity, but he can be faithful. Faithfulness is the practical working out of the command,
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."
A faithful teacher does not neglect the doing of small
things because they are too much trouble, or because no
one will notice. Faithfulness does not admit of secondbest effort. I t calls for intense earnestness and painstaking care in every detail that contributes to the success
of the whole.
The cry throughout the Sabbath school world is for
faitlzftd teachers,--teachers who have a vision of the true
objective of the Sabbath school; who accept their work
with an understanding of the responsibility involved, and
who resolutely and continually do their best; who steadfastly resist every temptation to lag; who bear heavy
burdens cheerfully; who rely upon God unfalteringly.
Such teachers are needed in every school. The Lord asks
only that teachers be faithful to their trust. The "Well
done" is promised, not to the brilliant because of his
brilliancy, nor to those who are seemingly successful because of their success, but to him who is faithful. T o
such the promise will be fulfilled, "They that be wise

."

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

THE S P I R I T 01; FIZITIHFULKESS

["teachers," margin] shall shine as the brightness of the

firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as
the stars forever and ever." Dan. 12 :3.
What are the outward evidences that a teacher has acquired the spirit of faithfulness? I t is usually revealed
in what are regarded as small things. The first may
properly be listed as regular attendance. The influence
of a teacher who is needlessly irregular in attendance, or
habitually tardy, is very hard to counteract. A teacher's
usefulness cannot be measured alone by his ability in
teaching; his real value is determined by the certainty
of his presence when needed, and that is every Sabbath
day. Some absences are unavoidable, but they are rare.
A large number are unnecessary. Teachers frequently
make a slight inconvenience an excuse for an absence.
A faithful teacher will strive diligently for a perfect
record in attendance. No teacher who is irregular can
keep an unbroken connection between lessons. No specially assigned work can be carried on. The work must
be fragmentary, ineffective, and unsatisfactory under a
teacher whose presence cannot be depended upon.
Referring to a teacher who had recently been assigned
to a large class, an onlooker said, "I have been wondering
why he was chosen as teacher for that class. H e does not
seem to be a man of unusual ability." "No," was the
reply, "he is not; we have more talented men, but faithfulness in service is his motto, and he lives up to it." He
displaced a man far above the ordinary in ability, but this
able man was "too busy" to attend teachers' meetings
regularly. Quite frequently a substitute teacher had to
be called upon at the last moment to take charge of his
class. The members lost the enthusiasm which would
have been inspired by his sustained interest, and some
began to follow his example. The tiniest flaw in the construction of a great building weakens the structure, and
the result may be disaster. A broken bolt in the frame-

work of an ocean steamer may send the vessel, with passengers and cargo, to the bottom of the sea. Just where
every teacher stands, God needs a worker with the spirit
of faithfulness to make and keep that corner strong.
A large congregation was asked what one thing all
could do that would greatly improve the Sabbath school.
A chorus of voices answered in unison, "Be on time."
The answer is good. Nothing can be more detrimental to
the success of a Sabbath school service than for a large
number of persons to make a tardy arrival. Faithfulness
requires teachers to set an example in this matter. At a
certain time of night a man in the Lick Observatory looks
through a great telescope, and waits for a certain star to
cross a line made by a thread of a spider's web, drawn
across the telescope. From the crossing of the star the
time is obtained by which the clock is set. Everything in
heaven moves on time. Angels come to Sabbath school on
time. Why should any member be late? More particularly, why should any teacher be late? H e should not
set an example that places him out of harmony with the
order of the universe, and encourages others in a habit
that is displeasing to God and an injury to all who
behold it.
In a clipping from an old paper, Frances Ridley
Havergal tells why she felt it her duty to attend church
on rainy Sabbaths. Whether or not she is correctly
reported, twelve excellent reasons are attributed to her, as
follows :
"God has blessed the Lord's day and hallowed it, making
no exception for rainy Sabbaths.
"I expect my Sababth school teacher to be there. I
should be surprised if he stayed at home because of the
weather.
"If his hand fails through weakness, I shall have great
reason to blame myself, unless I sustain him by prayer
and presence.

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

T H E SPIRIT O F FAITHFULNESS

"By staying away I lose the prayer, hymns, exercises,

and lesson study, which would have done me great good.
"My presence is needed more on the Sabbaths when
there are but few, than on those when the church is
crowded.
"Whatever station I hold in the church, my example
must influence others. If I stay away, why not they?
"On any important business, rainy weather does not
keep me at home, and church attendance is, in God's sight,
very important.
"Among the crowd of pleasure seekers I see that no
weather keeps one from the ball, the party, or the concert.
"I will prove how much I love Christ. True love rarely
fails to meet an appointment.
"Those who stay away because of too warm or too cold
or too rainy weather, frequently absent themselves on fair
Sabbaths.
"There is a special promise that where two or three
meet in God's name, He will be in their midst.
"An avoidable absence from the church is an infallible
evidence of spiritual decay. Disciples first begin to follow
Christ at a distance, and then, like Peter, do not know
Him."
Another outward evidence that a teacher possesses the
spirit of true faithfulness is in his careful preparation for
his work. He cannot discharge his responsibility to the
Head Master and to the pupils in his class, and slight
the study of the lesson for the week. No amount of general Bible knowledge, no resourcefulness, no mere ability
as an instructor, can compensate for the failure to study
faithfully that portion of the Bible which is assigned as
the Sabbath school lesson for the week. The text itself
must be freshly studied, the practical application of the
salient points to the lives of his pupils must be carefully thought out, and the illustrations needed for
emphasis or to clarify the obscure portions, decided upon.

Then follows the repeated "thinking through" the lesson

from start to finish, that the actual teaching may be logical,
forceful, impressive, spiritual, and free from all embarrassing hesitation or uncertainty.
This high standard of faithfulness is necessary. Note
how quickly the influence of the teacher affects the pupils.
Is the teacher tardy or irregular in attendance? So are
the members. Does he conduct the class recitation by
reading the questions from the lesson sheet? At once the
class loses interest and sees no need of study. Is he unappreciative of the value of helps, maps, outline, or pictures?
Watch the unconcerned attitude, mental and physical,
of the members of his class. Is he indifferent to the young
people, even though he be their teacher? Then will the
members of that class drift toward the world, where a
heartier interest is accorded them. Is he uncertain or
lacking in positiveness in teaching the truths of the message he should bear? Then will the members of his class
be tossed about with every wind of doctrine. Does his
example and daily life contradict what he professes to
believe? Then will the seed sown by that careless hand,
sprout, grow, and bring forth a harvest of doubters and
hypocrites.
Remembering always the Master, whom he serves, the
Teacher whose words he is to teach; remembering, too,
that there is not a single one in his class, however dull,
however poor, however uninteresting, who has not in him
that which, if properly developed, may cause him to shine
eternally as the stars of heaven,-remembering
these
things constantly, the teacher has a right to expect success
in his work. Week by week, difficulties will be removed.
Sabbath by Sabbath he will be given greater skill in imparting a knowledge of the Bible and greater personal
influence over the minds of his pupils.
The Sabbath school teacher may well learn a lesson
from the story of the weaver whose faithfulness overcame

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

T H E SPIRIT O F FAITHFULNESS

great difficulty. H e became so poor that he could no

longer buy wool or silk with which to weave. l i e carefully collected the odds and ends he had thrown aside in
more prosperous days, culled from the waste material
short threads regarded as wholly useless, and began to
weave. So skillfully did he combine the tiny bits of
waste, that, when it was completed, the tapestry was pronounced the most beautiful pattern ever woven, and the
curtain was purchased by tlie king for a large sum of
money. I t is the little things, those that we regard as
trifles, which, when woven in the great loom of life, come
out the finished fabric--character. Character is not
formed nor revealed by one heroic act, nor by occasional
good deeds or occasional misdeeds, but by the tendency
of the habitual words and acts. A holy life is made up of
little bits of true service done in the name of Jesus. The
overcoming of little evils, of little sins, oi little indulgences
of the flesh,-these constitute our greatest victories. In
the vears to come we shall find that the smallest deed done
for'christ, the feeblest and most broken words spoken
in His name, have not been in vain.
Unfaithfulness in service indicates a spiritual condition
described as "lukewarm." Rev. 3:15, 16. Some one has
said. "Lukewarmness in his work stands in the same
relation to man's achievement a s lukewarm water does to
a locomotive boiler." I s two hundred twelve degrees
of heat really necessary to make water boil? Would it
boil if the heat stood long enough at one hundred fifty
degrees? Lukewarm teachers cannot remain lukewarm
long enough to accomplish results. These are days when
men and women are, to the last degree, earnest about
personal affairs. The tenseness, the activity, the strain,
is in evidence everywhere. How can one who discerns
with any degree of clearness the meaning of this time in
the history of the world, be lukewarm in Christian activity? Every Sabbath school should feel the thrill of

new energy, new life, new power, as those who are bearing
responsibilities in the school reach the boiling point of
fervor.
The real test of faithfulness seldom comes on great
things. Our present opportunity, whether it seems to us
great or small, is given of God. Rightly improving the
opportunity is doing His bidding. In neglecting it we
fail in present duty. The need of this hour is the call to
faithfulness. This is the time for a ringing cry to rally
to the colors, for a grand, concerted attack upon the entire
length of the enemy's lines. There is to be no compromise, no armistice, no flag of truce, no surrender of territory, no defeat.
Faithfulness is the antithesis of that somewhat modern
word "slacker." This term came into general use during
the war, and since that time there are few who have not
included it in their vocabulary. Every person then was
listed as belonging to one of two classes,-the "slackers,"
and those who were "doing their bit." In the beginning,
these expressions had largely a military flavor, but they
are expressive, need no defining, and now are not restricted in their application.
A Sabbath school teacher may be a real slacker. In
the army the slackers never lead companies, but in the
work of the Lord they sometimes hold positions of responsibility. A teacher who fails to plan for his class,
who is content to stand still, who thinks always of letting
well enough alone, who sees no reason for improvement,
who is unwilling to try anything new, who is content
with the form and does not recognize the need of power,
who furnishes no steam, no inspiration, no enthusiasm,
who does less than he ought and gives less of himself
than he ought, is a slacker, and the name fits him.
The teacher who bears no burden for the spiritual welfare of the members of his class, who cannot find time
to make proper study of each week's lesson, who has no

18

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T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

T H E SPIRIT O F FAITHFULNESS

need for teachers' meetings or lesson helps, who is present

only on pleasant days, who is frequently tardy, who does
not know Johnnie from Harry when he meets them on the
street, who can never be counted on as dependable, is a
slacker, and the name fits him.
Once a slacker, always a slacker? Oh, no. The young
evangelist, Mark, en route to mission fields with Paul and
Barnabas, became a slacker by reason of the hardness of
the way, and returned to the comforts of his home. Later
the one-time slacker became the valiant soldier, faithful
comrade of Barnabas, and was given honorable mention
by the apostle Paul.
Drilling makes a great change in all who can be persuaded to submit to it. A company of untrained enlisted
men is a sorry sight,-shoulders sagging, heads drooping,
feet dragging and out of alignment, unable to keep step
with their neighbors. Look at them again, when the
spirit of the slacker has given place to the spirit of the
soldier. Some one describes it thus: "As you watch a
line of men, a thousand or more of them, standing absolutely in line, and at the word of the commander, you
see every white-gloved hand come up at once, and you see
that white line running away down the ranks, there is
something that stirs your heart, something that gives
you the impression of force, of definiteness of aim and
direction and unity that means strength."
When all the slackers in the Sabbath school army become trained soldiers, we shall see a great revival of Bible
study, a great change in the attendance at the Sabbath
school service, and in the spirit of that service. The
multitudes reached by Sabbath school influence will not
then be able to resist its power. May the spirit of the
slacker meet with mighty resistance in every school.
Teachers, old and young, will do well to check up occasionally, to see whether or not they are continuing the
faithful observance of all their obligations as truly as they

have been accustomed to do. The spirit of the little lad

who checked up on himself concerning his job is worth
emulating. This young fellow went into a drugstore and
asked to use the telephone. The proprietor was waiting
on a customer, but could hear the half conversation.
"Hello! Is this Main 7162? Is this Mr. Jones? Do you
need a good, lively errand boy? Oh ! Well, are you going
to keep the one you have? Is he 0. K.? Well, all right.
Good-by."
By this time the customer had gone and the kindly
druggist, thinking to temper the boy's disappointment a
bit, said, "Never mind, sonny, you're a clever-looking boy.
I'm sure you'll find a job somewhere."
"Find a job? I've got one. I'm Mr. Jones's errand
boy. I was just checking up on myself." One who can
find an equally good way to check up on his work as
teacher of a class will surely profit thereby.
Mrs. I. H . Evans, an author of note, sounds an alarm
to those who have been doing one thing in a particular
way for so long a time that they have forgotten the reason
for so doing :
"Once upon a time a great king, walking in the grounds
surrounding his palace, saw a certain flower that pleased
him. It was the only one, and the king called a soldier
and told him to watch the little flower, and see that no
harm came to it. Of course in a few days the life of the
flower was ended, but the king had forgotten his order,
and the soldier still stood at the appointed place. By and
by another was appointed to guard the spot, and then
another, and another. As the years passed, no one knew
why a soldier was always standing there; it was a habit,
and a very foolish and senseless habit.
"It is easy to develop habits, to follow a form, even in
the Sabbath school. As long as the form helps to further
the objects of the Sabbath school, it may be a blessing;
but it is possible for a form to become a rut, like certain

30

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

T H E SPIRIT O F FAITHFULNESS

wagon roads in China, which are worn so deep in the soft

soil that the land on either side of the road is like a higl~
wall. Persons traveling along this narrow highway can
neither see anything nor breathe anything but dust! while
far above them is pure air and a wide and pleasant view.
"Avoid ruts in your Sabbath school ! Study the teaching
methods of the Master. I-Ie spent a great &a1 of time in
prayer ; H e was a close observer of nature ; H e studied the
people for whom I l e was working, and fitted His instruction to His hearers. No wonder those who listened declared, 'Never man spake like this man.' Teachers! H e
waits to speak through you to the hearts of the people if
you will follow His methods and work according to His
plan."

some one on the spot to take my class. But if he does not,

what then? Well, it is only an apology next time I
see him.
"See those dark clouds coming up? It is going to rain,
I fear. I shall really not be able to go. Some drops
have already fallen. What a pity it is that we have not
better weather! This rain will, no doubt, prevent the
children from coming. Perhaps there may be no Sabbath
school held today. I know sorrle of the teachers will be
absent at any rate. I t cannot be expected that I should
always attend. It is true I heard the superilltendent say,
at one of our teachers' meetings, that no ordinary excuse
should serve as a reason for an absence ; but the11 he is so
strict in his notions. H e is always talking about duty. I
am sure a little rain would not prevent m e from going,
but tu go through that splash [a slight shower had fallen],
I really cannot think of it.
"If one has a duty to do in public, there is also one to
do in private; and I cannot neglect these friends who are
staying with me. They would take it very ill if I left
them for an hour or two for the sake of teaching a class
of children; it would show such a lack of attention. Besides, they may expect me to go with them to hear one
of our popular city preachers, and I don't know but that
I myself would like to go. One is better for a change
now and then. I t is a pity I did not think of sending word
that I would not be present a t the school this Sabbath, but
I suppose it will not matter much. There are so many
teachers, they can easily divide my class among them.
"John was absent from my class last Sabbath. What
can be the matter with him? I wonder if he will be absent
today also. Can he be ill? I think I had better send some
one to see. I don't begrudge the time spent going myself;
but, then, is it of any use? Besides, there may be nothing
the matter after all; he has often been away before, ant1
nothing ailed him. I t is true I feel sad when thinking

T H E THEME ILLUSTRATED

Probably no class of gospel workers labor more untiringly and perseveringly for the salvation of souls than
the teachers in our Sabbath schools. But if any are
tempted to excuse themselves for what seem legitimate
reasons, the following contribution by Pastor N. Z. Town,
who has had long experience in Sabbath school work in
this country and in South America, will be helpful. I t is
taken from a little book entitled, "Sketches From Sabbath
School Life," and fits in well with the general theme of
faithfulness :
TEACHERS' T H O U G H T S EXPRESSED I N WORDS

"Shall I go to my Sabbath school class today? The

road is dirty and disagreeable. It is a mile to the place
of meeting, and the way is tiresome without company.
Two miles walking alone, there and back, and all for the
sake of an hour's teaching! I t seems almost a pity I
engaged myself. Could they not do without me for a
day? I don't feel disposed to go. Surely they might
manage some way or other. The superintendent will find

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

of the reproachful look of that boy who died last winter.

I t haunts me yet. I t seemed to say, 'Why have you been
so long in coming?' H e was away only one Sabbath. I
did not see him until he could speak to me no more. But
surely such cases are rare. I may clefer a visit like this, as
I intend to be busy this week. Children are always
complaining. I'll call if he does not rnalce his appearance
next Sabbath; and surely his parents will send me word
if there is anything seriously the matter, and I can pray
for him that it be not so."
When we are resolved not to do our duty, there is but
little difficulty in finding excuses. If we are a t a loss to
find them, it is only too easy to make them. Would not
such excuses as are referred to above, be better expressed
in plain language? "I am not disposed to go ;" "My heart
is cold ;" "The salvation of souls does not seem of so much
importance as I thought;" "My first love waxes cold, or
burns with but a fickle flame;" "I am getting weary of
exertion in Christ's service." Alas ! what a contrast there
is between the way men serve the worid and the way
they serve God! The one is persevering, untiring, full of
enterprising energy ; the other, feeble, languid, listless,
and renders halfhearted service. The length of our days
is given to that which perishes; the shreds of our time are
given t o our best Friend.

THE SPIR,IT O F COURAGE

P P R O A C H I N G this subject from the negative side,

let us consider an incident of the Boer War in South
Africa, 1899-1902. The English forces at a crucial time
were shut up in Ladysmith, and the Boers had surrounded
the city with their armed soldiers, maintaining their siege
for a number of weeks. The officer in command of the
English army learned that one of his soldiers was
mingling with the men, telling them that they could not
possibly maintain their defense until help came, and that
they might as well surrender. The effect of this was soon
revealed in the lowered morale of the army. The offender
was called to account and sentenced to one year's imprisonment for being a "discourager."
Doubtless if all "discouragers" in the Lord's army could
in some way be separated from their associates, or restrained from their activities, the ranks of workers would
be thinned noticeably, but the results in the aggregate
would be much greater. The men of courage are the
men of power.
Another example of what "discouragers" did: Ten men
told the hosts of Israel that they could not overcome the
Canaanites, for they were giants, and lived in walled cities.
Results were prompt and positive. The entire camp of
Israel lifted up a discouraged cry, and "the people wept
that night." The multitudes were turned back into the
wilderness, and the plan of the Lord waited forty years
for fulfillment.
"Discouragers" cannot always discourage others. When
the apostle Paul was on his way to Jerusalem, a prophet
took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet, and
said, "So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands
of the Gentiles." At this prophetic utterance, the Christians at Tyre, and Paul's own close traveling con~panions,
turned "discouragers" and begged him to give up his plan.
But Paul was following the path of duty, and he inade
reply, "I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die
at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." hlartin
Luther's friends tried to dissuade him from going to the
Diet of Worms, but he was as deterniinecl as Paul to do
what he believed to be his duty.
In many Sabbath schools, a "discourager" is holding
things back. "We cannot" is the decisive answer to all
suggestions for an advance. Although the discourager
may be in a hopeless minority as far as numbers go, his
weight tips the balance. The only way to disconcert a professional discourager is to do the thing that he says cannot be done. Many schools have done this. All should
do it. Better work is possible in every school. Higher
ground is within reach. Our goals may every one be
pushed a notch higher. Cases that are regarded as "hopeless" are not really so. Difficulties called insurmountable
may be climbed over by a regiment. Let us go and do
at once that which we have been deterred from undertaking because of the "discouragers." "The business of a
river is to flow. Its banks may be beautiful or unpleasant;
its current strong or sluggish; its skies blue or clouded;
its waters may mirror flowers in spring and ferns in summer, may float the dead leaves in fall, or be hemmed in
and pressed by the ice in winter-it must flow on." Shall
we not press on as steadily to the accon~plishmentof the
work God has given us to d o ?
Oftentimes we lose courage as we contemplate our own
littleness, our human limitations. Why not draw a lesson
in courage from the fact that the most effective army
rifles are guns of small caliber. I t has been discovered
that if you put high power behintl the ball, guns with the

T H E S P I I i I T O F COURAGE
caliber of popguns used as boys' playthings, make extremely effective weapons. That being true, "small caliber" no longer should be regarded as a term of reproach
when applied to a person. In many ways we may be of
distinctly small caliber; possibly we may be embarrassed
by knowing this, but since everything depends upon the
power back of our mentality, we need not recognize
any hindrance to efficiency in our lives.
Some familiar tests take on new meaning when considered in this connection. "Power belongeth unto God."
Lie cannot possess it of ourselves. consecrated to Him,
the humble servant has God's power back of his "small
caliber" efforts, and the results are far greater than are
sometimes achieved by the "big guns" of whom we expect
so much. I t is not the largeness of place or opportunity
that counts, but the divine power bchind our work.
There is no limit to the power that inay strengthen individual effort. Jesus said, "All power is given unto Me
in heaven and in earth." Matt. 28:lS. The supply is
unlimited, enough for the need of the neediest ibrker.
The Lord's prayer is an acknowledgn~ent of this power,
"Thine is . the power." It is His. It is for us.
The seer of old understood that success did not depend
upon his ability to speak. H e frankly says, "I am full of
power by the Spirit of the Lortl, aild of judgment, and
of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to
Israel his sin." Micah 3 :8.
Whereill lies our strength-in
our gift of speech? in
our pleasing personality? in our ready tactfulness? These
ate good, and the Lord will help us to acquire them, and
all other necessary qualifications. Rut our great need is
strength and power. The apostle Paul tells us where
we may get these: "I:inally, my brethrrn, be strong in the
Lord, and in the power of His might." Eph. 6:lO.
Some are doubtless born with more natural ability as
teachers than others, but he who depends alone upon his

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E T E A C H E R

T H E S P I R I T OF COURAGE

ability to carry him through, will find that he has missed

his aim, and his effort will prove to be a mcrc flash, with
no definite results. God's power is available for any
worker who knows that he is dependent upon this
for success. I t does not make effective the efforts of the
self-sufficient, self-dependent worker.
Too often we are content to complain because we get
no response to our efforts. W e say, My class is indifferent; they take no interest; they will not study; I
am trying all the time to help them, and it is not my
fault. But do we have a real passion for the souls of
the members of our classes? "Passion7'-"strong,
deep
feeling; an intense desire." David Brainerd, whose biography ought to be read often by all, used to say, "I care
not where I go, nor what hardships I endure, if I can
only see souls saved. All I think of by day and dream
of by night is the conversion of men." It is said of him.
that in midwinter he would go out in the woods and kneel
in the snow, and pray so earnestly that his clothing would
be wet with perspiration. Many times he spent nights in
prayer for the poor Iildians among whom he labored. A
few days later his diary record would read: "Today as
I preached the word, the power of God came down upon
those stolid. immovable Indians, and melted and broke
their hearts, and swept them into the kingdom by scores."
It is time to stop whining about our lack of ability and
time to do our work properly. W e should stop making
any kind of excuse for failure to do. I t is not a question
of what you are by nature, but of what you may become
by grace. There is work aplenty. There is more than
any one can possibly use. Connect with the Lord, then
connect with His work, and when the connection is perfect, results are sure. Just as surely as there is a place
prepared for us in the heavenly mansions, so is there
also a special place assigned us where we are to work
for God.

Have you found your place? If you have recognized

the claims of God upon you, you are doing something for
Him. The Lord expects us to grow in efficiency. H e
is not pleased when we excuse ourselves from responsibility in His service. H e furnishes the work and H e
supplies the power to accomplish the work. The question
of ability, of natural talents, of success, need not concern
any of us. Let us content ourselves with the mental capacity H e has given us. ask Him to help us recognize a
need, and without self-disparagement or self-assurance
undertake the particular work H e has given us to do.
A s we coo~eratewith the will of God. His Dower becomes
ours. ~ i a t e v e rwe undertake at 1-1;s coil;mand, may be
accomplished in His strength.
A fable concerning a great artist reveals that he had
worked long on what he hoped would be his masterpiece,
but one day he became greatly discouraged, for he began
to know that he could not produce on his canvas the
beauty of his soul's vision. Weary and disheartened, he
sank down on a stool by his easel, and fell asleep. The
legend is that an angel came; and taking the brushes
which had dropped from the tired hands, finished the
picture, portraying the vision of the artist in marvelous
splendor. When the artist awakened, he looked upon
the completed picture in astonishment. Recognizing the
touch of heaven upon his work, he humbly bowed in
reverent thankfulness for the perfection he alone could
not attain.
W e may learn a fine lesson of courage, when our plans
are defeated, by the experience of a king of Israel at a
time of storm i n d stress in the kingdom. A revolt was
on. The king, seeing ten tribes withdrawing their allegiance from him, sought first to conciliate them. The
attempt resulted disastrously, causing the death of a
trusted ambassador. The king, thoroughly aroused,
sprang into his chariot and hastened to Jerusalem with all

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THE S P I R I T O F T H E T E A C H E I i

T H E S P I R I T O F COURAGE

speed. T h e army was summoned-one

hundred eighty
thousand picked men, with the spirit of war strong upon
them. Plans were laid for a n immediate attack upon the
disloyal tribes. Suddenly, without warning, the word of
God came to the prophet, "Speak unto Rehoboam, .
saying, Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor
fight." Most disconcerting, most humiliating, most embarrassing, most perplexing, was such a message in that
time of tension. Then followed the specific command
from the Great Ruler of Israel, "Return every man to
his house; for this thing is from hZe."
How impossible to understand the meaning of the frustration of the plan ! As men saw it, the honor of the kingdom was at stake. T h e great house of Israel was being
divided without protest. Ten tribes of Israelites turning
away from the Holy City and the throne of David, and
choosing another king than Solomon's son, and the Lord
said, "This thing is from Me." Without understanding
thc experience, faith and courage triumphed, and the
record says, "They hearkened therefore to the word of
the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of
the Lord."
This incident, recorded in 1 Kings 12:16-23, is written
for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the
earth are come. In all the experiences of life, the child of
faith hears the message whispered in his ear, "This thing
is from Me."
Are you facing a great trial? Are you suddenly overwhelmed by the one thing you cannot endure? You feel
that nothing else could be so unbearable. You meditate
upon it rebelliously. and self-pity leads you to feel that you
have not deserved this affliction. YOUresist. You stiffen
your neck to battle against it. T h e weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but you use them with all the strength
of human will and deteimination. Stop! Listen! The
Lord would strengthen a weak fiber in your character. As

H e spoke to the ancient king, so now H e speaks to you,

"You shall not go up, nor fight. . . . This thing is from
Me." God would teach you to be courageous in a time of
apl~arentdefeat.
Are you living in the shadow of wonderful plans that
have uilexpectedly collapsed and left you with nothing to
stand upon? Why, oh, why should you have been led
along the pathway of your choosing, in such a way as to
create the belief in your heart that God was opening doors
and removing difficulties, only to meet this hopelessly
barred gateway with the fulfillment of your hopes on the
other side? Are you bowed, weary, yea, sick, with disappointment 3 Do you weep in despair? I s Satan saying,
"God mocked you; you cannot trust H i m ; no one understands His leadings" ? Hush ! Listen ! Clearly you
will get the message, "Tilis tliing is from ilIe." When
you accept that as a fact, your feet will be tenderly placed
in the pathway God has cast up specially for you. Have
couragz ! God is leading.
Are you having unsought rcsponsihilities for service
placed upon you? I s the nominatirlg committee asking
you to accept the position of superintendent, or to assume
the leadership of a division? or are you wanted for a
teacher of a trying class? You may regard as distasteful
the ministry which is asked of you. You may be conscientious' in your conception of what the ideal service
requires, and may not wish to put your mental powers
to the stretch in preparation for such service. You
doubtless consider the necessity for a sacrifice of some of
the time which you delight to use in your own way. Faithfulness to duty in rain or shine may appear hard and
exacting in contrast to the easygoing, listless attitude of
the average member. You may greatly prefer the
cushioned pew of the onlooker to the arena of the burden
bearer. If you do, you will feel disposed to say, "Others
can do it better; get some one else."

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T O F COURAGE

Wait a little. Courageously go before the Lord with it,

willing in spirit for the "plow" or the "altar," and give
Him time to answer. If you wait, and listen, and desire
only to know His will, you may hear Him say, "This
thing is from Me." When you hear that, you will accept
with courage in your heart, and the joy of service will be
yours. T o get the answer from Heaven you must pray,
you must surrender in spirit, and you must wait for a
response.
That phrase, "wait for a response," constrains me to
add another paragraph. The inconsistency of not giving
our Father time to answer our prayer is illustrated by
the experience of a Christian worker, wearied with service,
seeking a little relaxation for tired nerves. H e longed for
a quiet hour such as he had occasionally enjoyed in a
little boat on a lake not far away. As he neared the place,
he recalled that it was late in the autumn, and that the
boathouse would likely be closed. His need for rest
seemed imperative; so he lifted his heart to the Lord,
asking that if it were His will for him to find rest in this
way, the keeper of the boathouse might be there.
Reaching the spot, he found to his disappointment that
the boathouse was locked and no one in sight. H e turned
to leave, but the thought came into his mind that it had
only been a moment or two since he prayed, and now he
was leaving without even waiting long enough for the
boathouse keeper to get there. So he sat down and
waited. I n about ten minutes the keeper came along.
H e opened the boathouse, and the seeker for rest secured
a boat and enjoyed his outing keenly, all the more, no
doubt, for the simple lesson he had learned.
Every circumstance as it arises, every interruption,
every revelation of one's own weakness, every pain, every
sorrow, every perplexity, may be courageously borne, if
we only claim by faith the full meaning of the five small
words, "This thing is from Me."

Another lesson: King David, confronted by enemies,

by the treachery of his own son, by temptations numerous
and strong, was led to cry out, "0 that I had wings like
a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo,
then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I would hasten my escape from the windy
storm and tempest." Ps. 55 :6-5. The spirit of that cry
has come from the heart of many a tortured soul, weary
with sorrow, with loneliness, with disappointed hopes, with
responsibility, with perplexity and care. But that is not
the cry that gives courage for life's battles. One who is
weighed down with a longing to escape, who is seeking
relief from the storm and stress of daily battling with the
cares, trials, and perplexities of life, will find no strength
in cherishing a longing to escape. But the vision of the
future was in David's mind when he looked up. Then he
could say :

" I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

From whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord,
Which wade heaven and earth.
He will not sufer thy foot to be moved:
He that keepeth thee mill not slumber.
Behold, He that keepeth Israel
SIzdl neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper:
The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day,
Nor the nzoogz by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:
He shall preserve thy soul.
The L o ~ dshall preserve thy going out
and thy coming in
From this time forth, and even
forevermore."

43

T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T O F COURAGE

How can we maintain the spirit of courage in the face

of troubles, of efforts which we regard as wasted, with
nothing before us that is assuring? The late Annie
Johnson Flint, author of the following quoted stanzas.
reveals the secret :

future that creates worry and makes the burdens unbearable. There is always grace for the day's trials.
When we add to the burdens of one day the load of many
anticipated days, we have no promise to sustain us, and
our hands hang down, and our hearts are overwhelmed
with despair. W e linow not the future. Trusting in God,
we shall be able to meet it successfully day by day, whatever it may be.

42

" I don't look back; God k n m s the fruitless e f o r t s ,

T h e warted hours. tlle sinning, the regrets;
I lcave them all w i t h Him zerho blots the record,
L4vrd nlercifully fargivcs, and thrn forgets."

" I don't look round m e ; tlzc~zwould fears assail me,

S o zefild the tulizult of pi~rth's restlcss seas,
S o dark the world, so filled zvith woe and evil,
S o vain the hope of comfort or of ease."

There is no shorter road to discouragement than the

backward look. The opportunities neglected or poorly
met rise up and give us stern challenge when we look that
way. Every day through all the years that have gone
has brought opportunity for service. But as we look back,
we see only a few such occasions that bring us joy in
remembrance. The most of the way is desert. If you
are seeking for strength, for courage, for inspiration, do
not look back to find them, or you will be overcome with
a sense of failure and regret.
" I dolz't look forward; God secs all thr futurr,
T h e road that, short or long, will lead m e llotlte.
Atld H c ~ilillface ruith nte its cvery trial,
A n d bear for sltr the burdcns thut may co~nc."
Some look forward continually, dreaming of great
things to be done by and by. This is a favorite pastime of
many youth. There is great danger that the experience
we hope to have by and by will never come. It will never
be easier to surrender the life to God than it is today.
Our future usefulness is measured largely by what we are
and what we are doing-today.
Some look forward with dread to the things that must
shortly come to pass. I t is the attempted look into the

When Peter saw the wind-lashed waves rolling toward

him while he was walking toward Jesus, he lost courage
and began to sink. There is no strength nor help in the
tumult of the world. Governments, nations, and people
are busy about many things, but notwithstailding the lull
that has followed the horrors of the World War, rich
and poor alike in every land are looking around with uncertainty and dread. Looking around reveals a world
in great turmoil. The world is like a great ship, broken
from her moorings and adrift without chart or compass.
The unrest, the confusion, the strife, the uproar, is somewhat stilled, but it is not taken out of the hearts of men.
No one believes that the peace of the nations is permanently assured. The evil in the world, the distress and
~~erplexity
of nations, the darkness of heathenism,-none
of these do aught but assail us, they give no promise of
peace, or rest, or happiness. No courage, no spiritual
strength, can come from looking around.
" I d o d t look in, for the^ urn I $nost wrctclzcd;
M y self has nouglzt o n zuhiclt t o stay m y trust,
Nothing I see save failures agzd slzortcotni~~gs,
A n d weak endeavors crumbling ijzto dust."

T H E S P I R I T O F TI-IE TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T O F COURAGE

Let our eyes turn where they will, there is nothing more
hopeless than the inward look. H e who sees himself as
he is, recognizes that he is blind, helpless, with only a
covering of "filthy rags." The picture of one "holden
with the cords of his sins" greets the eyes of whoever
looks to himself for increased power to overcome. By
beholding ourselves we become worse, not better. Over
and over again we have proved the truth of the statements: "Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of
sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses,
your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises
and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your
own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot
accept you." Looking at ourselves, we are truly "most
wretched ;" so why look inward ?

T H E THEME I N FABLE

44

DISCOURAGEiMENT-THE

DEVIL'S WEDGE

Once UPOILa time, 'tis stutt~d,

Satan publicly announced
That he was going out of business,
All the past had he renounced;
And at one great public auction,
H e would sell his stock of tools.
Some no doubt would bzcy tlzenz gladly,
For this world lws many f 001s.
On the evening of the auction
People came and sa.w displayed
Many vices w e could mention,
All the devil's stock in trade.
There was ntalice, there was envy,
Jealousy and hatred, too;
Sensuality and anger
And other vices not a few.
But apart from all tlze others
Lay a large wedge-shaped device
And a placurd stating plainly
W h a t see'tned 0 most outrageous price.
"This wedge is called Di.scouragement,"
Said Sa.tan witlz a bow;
" ' T i s worth more than all else I lzave;
I hate to sell it now,
I use it more than all the rest.
I t is well worti, YOU see,
And f e w there are who really know
Tlzc thing belongs to me.
Can I but efrter this great wedge
Within the consciousness of man,
'Twill drizr Izim to these other things
And frustrate Izis Maker's plan."

"But I look up- into the face of Jesus,

For there m,y heart can rest, m y fears are stilled;
And there is joy, and love, and light for darkness,
And perfect peace, and every hope fulfilled."
Only one face to
There is only one way to look-up.
see-the face of Jesus. Truly, "there's life in a look."
The joy, the peace, the comfort, the courage,+verything
for which we long is there. In His dear face we see love
in its fullness, divine pardon, tender guidance, and com~ l e t esalvation. The past, the future, that which is going
on about us, our own weakness,-all are forgotten as we
look up into His blessed face. And when we look up,
He is looking down, and directly at each of us, and every
promise His lips have uttered becomes ours personally.
And-more
wonderful than all else-by
beholding the
face of our Saviour we are changed. With invincible
courage we press forward.

45

46

THE S P I R I T OF THE T E A C H E R
T h e devil never sold his wedge.
Tlte price w a s far too high.;
H e kept it, aud i s using it,
A s the cetzturies roll by.

THE SPIRIT O F PATIENCE

"I"' lzove lierd of p(itir~~cr." l i r b . 10:.76.

Renaentbcring our many blessitlgs,

All discouragement will pee.
N r w courage brings on hzspiration,
A n d w e gain n victory.
Jt7e colz rncet ze~llote'cr bcsets u s
W i t h o sniilc, olzd gzot a whine;
W i t h C O U R A G E nlntt ca,l beat tlzc devil,
Ozc-rcomr by pozeler divitze !
-Selected.

C I I K I S T I A N cultivates the grace of patience. A

teacher must possess it in the superlative degree.
O n e who considers this a matter of minor importance is
greatly n~istaken. Patience is a characteristic not prized
by a heathen nation. Even in modern times and among
the civilized, it sometimes excites pity and oftentimes
contempt. By patient forbearance we shall overcome
many difficulties in our work for others. Patience enables
one t o resist the temptation to speak faultfinding words.
sharp words of censure, or to cease one's efforts in behalf
of a pupil because they seem ineffective.
I t is said that the father of John Wesley said to his
wife, "How can you have the patience to tell that blockhead the same thing twenty times over?" "Why," she
replied, "if I had told him only nineteen times, I should
have lost all my labor." This is true in the work of a
teacher. A n effort repeated a few times will frequently
fail of results, but continued persistently will bring glorious victory. Pupils may seein to be wholly unappreciative
of the efforts of a teacher, but the efforts should be wisely
continued as long as there is opportunity to do so.
Muc11 patience is required to enahle a teacher to adapt
himself to a class, to recognize the different dispositions
of the members, to help, encourage. ant1 instruct them all.
I11 almost every large class of cl~ilclren or youth, there
are some refractory pupils who will not pay attention
themselves, nor let any one else do it if they can help it,
and will make no effort by way of response to the suggestions of the teacher. There is, however, a key to
every heart, and the teacher who patiently and persever47

48

T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

T H E SPIIiIT O F PATIENCE

ingly tries to find it, is almost certain in time to meet

with a t least a degree of success.
The teacher can never afford to lose his temper, no
matter how great the provocation. An exhibition of impatience is fatal, for it will only delight the unruly pupil,
and make the way more difficult. Often a slight disorder
or an unexpected exhibition of mischievousness will cause
the strained nerves of the teacher to give way, and harsh,
cutting words of reproof will be spoken. Teachers must
learn patience. They must be patient with the faults of
pupils, their weaknesses, their peculiarities, their tendency
to disturb, their slowness to learn. Some one has said of
the teacher, "Never to tire, never to grow cold, to be
patient, sympathetic, tender, to look for the budding flower
and the opening heart, to hope always, to love always,this is duty." I t is a high ideal, but it is the spirit that
the blessed Saviour has continually shown toward us.
A gloon~ycountenance or demeanor is a great deterrent
to successful work. A young girl, observing closely an
earnest Christian woman, said of her, "She seems to embody all the 'fruits of the Spirit' except joy, and the lack
of that makes her really depressing at times." I t seems
unfortunate that one who is looked to by the youth as an
example in gentleness, meekness, patience, goodness, and
faith, should fail in joyfulness. The youth are naturally
lighthearted, carefree, gay, and full of joy. They turn
instinctively from that which is gloomy, morose, or merely
sad.
The whole atmosphere of the true Christian should be
that of joy and gladness. W e are admonished to "rejoice
evermore." The apostle Paul, in writing to the church at
Philippi, says, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again
I say, Rejoice." The Sabbath school teacher should cultivate the spirit of joyfulness, lest those who are learning
more by example than by precept turn from that which
seems to them cold, joyless, and unattractive, to the

frivolities of the world, which are but the counterfeit of

the true joy that they may be seeking. Sings Jean
Ingelow,
"It is a co*ely fashion to be glad,
Joy is the grace w e say to God."

i
t

Teachers are needed everywhere who can meet difficulties in the proper spirit. Whatever the trouble, teachers
should meet it in the spirit of Jesus. You cannot successfully meet combativeness with combativeness. You will
have to deal with willfullness, stubbornness, indolence,
frivolity; but in all emergencies, kindness and love must
be made manifest. By patience and self-control you may
keep your hold upon the offenders. Let them have reason
to know that your whole desire is to do them good. Invite
pupils to your home, visit at their homes. By word and
deed show your interest in them.
I n our work as teachers we are frequently brought to
the place where we must pass judgment upon some one's
actions. The words of Dr. John Corbett should abide in
the mind at such a time:
"There is nothing that needs so much patience as just
judgment of a man, or even of one act of a man. lTre
ought to know his education, the circumstances of his
life, the friends he has made or lost, his temperament,
his daily work, the motive which prompted the act, the
health he had at the time, the books he was reading, the
temptations of his youth-we ought to have the knowledge
of God to judge him justly; and God is the only judge
of a man. But to judge him at all, what patience would
be required to do all this work! Just judgment must then
be slow, and one mark of unjust judgment is its haste."
Patience begets patience in others. An impatient spirit
will stir up resentment in those with whom we associate.
You will recall, doubtless, the fable of the cold cinder
and the burning lamp. They took a long walk to see what

50

T H E S P I R I T OF' Tlllr TEACT-IER

they could find. T h e cinder wrote in its journal a t night

that the whole world was dark. I t did not see even a
ray of light in any place; the darkness was everywhere.
The journal which the lamp kept told a different story.
Wherever the lamp had gone it was light and cheery. It
had found no darkness, and the whole world was light.
What made the difference? T h e burning lainp carried
light with it, and everything it saw was illuminatetl. The
dead cinder carried no light and found none.
Would you find patience in others, carry patience with
you. Your patielice will seem like sunshine wherever it
is displayed. I t will make the clay bright for you and for
others. A lack of it leaves a cold and dreary world full
of people who are grouchy, ill-tempered, and cross, hardly
knowing the cause even while they chill under the darkness
of their own influence.
There is something attractive and brilliant allout courage. I t stands ready to receive blows, to resist difficulties,
and there is a sort of heroism attached to the idea of i t ;
one who has much of it may bluster about it a bit. But
patience-what
is there in that grace? Yet patience is
what helps a person to be equal to all circumstances.
'reachers must expect to meet perverse dispositions and
otdurate hearts. Allowing ourselves to get in a great
hurry is a frequent cause of impatience ant1 bad temper.
LVe should ever bear in mind that we are all erring, and
that Christ exercises much pity and forbearance in dealing
v,.ith us.
No person in a fit of impatience can deal justly with
others. H e does not see clearly. FZe is incapable of
weighing evide~lce. I-Ie is blinded by passion, warped by
preconceived ideas, and his state of mind hinders calm
and deliberate consideration of the question. I t is easily
possible for him to be responsible for so grievous an
error that the wrong done may leave its mark forever
U ~ I U I Itlie victim. Gray-haired veterans will tell you of the

T H E SPIRIT O F PATIENCE

51

injustice meted out to them in childhood or youth by

some one in hasty mood, the marks of which are ineffaceable.

T H E T H E M E ILLUSTRATED

" W h y did yozt 7uhip thc boys?"

I
I

"Boys, in your play be very careful not to leave the

garden gate open. There are some pigs running about,
and if the gate is left open, my fine garden will be ruined.
Now be sure to remember."
With these words and a parting glance at the weedless
rows of beans, peas, and potatoes, of which he was justly
proud, Mr. Mac Owen sprang into his automobile and
drove to his office in the city.
William Mac Owen was a prosperous businessman, and
liis suburban home was ideal in its arrangements and surroundings. The garden was his special delight, and
he had spent much of his leisure time that spring in caring
for it. I t now gave promise of rich returns for the
labor bestowed.
T h e determined nature and rather austere manner of
Mr. Mac Owen made him distinctly the head of the
family. His sweet-faced wife with tiue Christian grace
had done much to soften the hard lines of his character.
H e loved her tlevotedly, and her womanly influence was
exerted with so much tact and in so gentle a manner that
he was almost unconscious of its power. T h e two boys,
John and Will, feared though respected father, and loved
mother. They were manly little fellows, full of fun,
but possessed of a true sense of honor and justice.
That evening when Mr. Mac Owen returned to his
home, what was his consternation to find the garden gate
open, the beds uprooted, and his fine growing plants torn
and trampled into fragments. H e stood at the gate a
moment looking upon the ruin that had been wrought, then
with every shred of patience vanished, he turned toward

52

53

T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T O F PATICNCE

the barn, where he heard the voices of his boys at play.

As he passed the low boughs of an apple tree, he carefully
selected a suitable switch, and trimmed it to his liking.
His air was that of a just man about to inflict punishment
upon the guilty.
When John and Will saw their father coming, they
stopped playing, and held a hurried consultation; then
John, the elder, stepped briskly forward and said:
"We are very sorry the garden is spoiled, father, but-"
"No explanation is necessary. I must teach you boys
to remember what is told you. No excuses can justify
such disobedience."
"But, father," began poor John.
"Not another word," replied Mr. Mac Owen; and
strong and steady were the strokes that fell upon the
unresisting boy.
Little Will stood by with white face and trembling lips.
When his turn came, a hard look crept into his little
face, making it resemble in a marked degree the older,
sterner face that bent above him.
When the demands of justice had been fully met, Mr.
Mac Owen attended to some work about the barn, and
then went to the house. He entered the pleasant sitting
room, and found his wife in her easy rocker with an
arm around each of the little culprits. After a moment or
two had passed, she quietly asked:
"Why did you whip the boys?"
"Why did I whip the boys?" her husband repeated in an
impatient tone betokening much surprise. "Have you not
seen the garden, Mary? It is completely ruined. Not a
thing left. The pigs have utterly destroyed it."
"Yes, but why did you whip the boys?" the mother
again asked.
"I have told you why I whipped them. I warned them
this morning to be very careful not to leave the gate open.
Such carelessness is not to be tolerated."

"But, William, why did you whip the boys?" This

time particular stress was placed upon the word "boys."
Mr. Mac Owen looked at his wife in amazement.
Slowly the thought forced itself upon him that he had
made a mistake. His wife arose, gently placed her hand
upon his arm, looked up in his face, and said,
"Husband, it was I who left the garden gate open."
The color left the man's face for a moment, and then
returned, flooding it with shame. As he remembered
John's attempted explanation, he realized keenly the
injury done the boys, and sinking into a chair, he buried
his face in his hands. His own heart condemned his
whole course, and he felt that the mistake was a grievous
one. He loved his boys, but it was difficult for his iron
~latureto humble itself and admit the wrong. However,
his sense of right pointed out to him that acknowledgment
should be made. Then, too, he had been taught by the
example of his wife upon many occasions the Bible
doctrine of confession.
Yielding to the good influences which were working
upon his heart, he called the boys to him, and in a choking
voice asked pardon for the wrong he had done them.
Unused as they were to this display of feeling from
their father, they were shy at first, but John soon threw
his arms around his father's neck, and laid his tear-stained
face against his cheek. But little Will was slower
to make response. His face was still white and stern in
childish resentment. But when mother knelt by him and
tenderly told him the story of how Jesus forgave those
who did Him wrong when He was here upon earth, Will's
heart melted, and in it all the father gained the wealth
of his little boy's love.
Years after, in relating this incident to an intimate
friend, Mr. Mac Owen said that from this turning of his
heart toward his children dated the commencen~entof his
yielding his heart to God.

THE S P I R I T O F ENTHUSIASM

ICTIONAIZY definitions of the word are disappointing. Most of us understand its significance in a
more or less practical way. A woman who has twice
flown the ocean, once alone, has given us in a few words
an understanding of the spirit of enthusiasm. She says,
"I flew the Atlantic because I wanted to. . . T o want
in one's heart to do a thing, for its own sake; to enjoy
doing i t ; t o concentrate all one's energies upon it,-that
is not only the surest guaranty of success. I t is also being
true to oneself."
What is more pitiable than a teacher without enthusiasm! T o lack it is inexcusable. One may not be able
to acquire all the knowledge desired; one may be hindered
in the study of methods; but to lack enthusiasm is to surrender to a handicap from which self-rescue is easily
possible. Dragging, indifferent, inert effort never does
anything but beget its own kind. Childhood abhors i t ;
youth shrinks from i t ; maturity condemns while it
tolerates it.
Enthusiasm is contagious. T h e influence of a n earnest
teacher is reflected in his pupils, and they go out from him
to be what he is and do what he does. Others catch the
enthusiasm of a leader when it is genuine, but if it bears
the marlcs of duty only, duty without love, that type of
enthusiasm will collapse as does a toy balloon in the hands
of a careless child.
A successful teacher of children thus describes the
creation of "atmosphere :"
"Just a s one responds to the soothing quiet in the deep
woods, children and youth respond to the atmosphere
about them. When the day is sunny, children come to

54

Sabbath school bright-eyed and smiling. When it is dark

and rainy, they are more sober. And when the wind
blows bitterly and they come through a cold storm, quite
often they are restless and irritable.
"Just as quickly do they respond to the mental attitude
of those about them. A cl~ildmay come to his class in
kindergarten full of glee and ready to enter heartily into
any program his teacher may have f o r him. But if the
leader is nervous and irrital~le.though nothing of the
sort may be expressed ill words, the child feels it, and
I~eioreSabbath school is over he is restless and fretful.
Sometimes a glimpse of the kindergarten division shows
the children leaning forward, eagerly listening to the
earnest words of a sweet-faced leader. As the visitor
lingers a moment, the spirit of the room impresses him.
A11 indefinable feeling of syinpathy is there, and he is convinced that the Jesus of Nazareth is blessing His laml~s
in that Sabbath scl~ool."
Often the spirit of the teacher is sadly disappointing to
a class of children. Instead of the cheerful, enthusiastic
welcome which they have come to expect, the teacher
breathes a spirit of cold indifference, or self-satisfaction,
or perhaps discouragement, and at once it has its effect.
Pupils do not analyze tlle reason for the difference, but
they see more keenly into the heart of the teacher than he
imagines they do. I n such an atmosphere they hear the
lesson truths, they tnay learn Bible history and geography,
but their hearts are not tcuchecl, and sooner or later they
vield to the stronger attractions of the world and are lost
;o the Sallbath scllool.
Eml~hasismust 1)e placed upon the fact that genuine
enthusiasm is nothing that can be "put on" for any series'
of occasions. I t must be born in the heart and abide there
continually. Weariness does not kill it. Our experience
may be like that of George Whitefield, the noted revivalist,
who said, "I am weary in the work, but not of it."

56

T H E S P I R I T OF T H E T E A C H E R

T H E S P I R I T OF E N T H U S I A S M

There is no adequate substitute for enthusiasm. Halfhearted effort means defeat in the results of the teacher's
work; wholehearted effort means success, victory. The
one-talent teacher who loves his work, who feels that he
is called to do it, and continues it with sustained enthusiasm, accomplishes a hundredfold more than the ten-talent
worker who is indifferent or halfhearted in his service.
I t has been stated that in battle only one bullet in a
thousand hits the enemy, and only one in ten thousand
proves fatal. Army officials explain this by the fact that
soldiers shoot at random, anywhere, everywhere; and if
this be true, it would seem that an adversary is killed
almost by accident. Much spiritual endeavor is carried
on in the same wasteful fashion. A n enthusiasm that is
content with frequent but random spiritual endeavors, will
fail of reaching the heart-target in the majority of instances. W h y not choose spiritual weapons and ammunition with the greatest care, and take definite aim at our
real objective-soulsaving?
By seeking to influence the
reason, the imagination, the intellect, the emotions of
those for whom we are working, we may wage a continual
warfare against the enemy of souls.
W e have observed that for every sort of weakness and
languid endeavor in Sabbath school work, the common
prescription is "more enthusiasm." As a result, many
a well-meaning but somewhat indifferent worker has
sought peace from a troubled conscience by a show of
zeal in doing what he did not want to do. But such
efforts are short-lived. They remind one of a boy on
a rocking horse-much motion, but no progress.
Noise is not a necessary accompaniment of enthusiasm.
The loud talker, the turbulent agitator, the aggressive
pusher, may stir up enthusiasm, but unless he has instilled
into the hearts of the people a real love for the thing he
champions, the structure he erects will tumble to the
ground as surely as would a pyramid set upon its apex.

The secret of true enthusiasm lies in loyalty to an objective. The spritely babbling of the person who is merely
lively temperamentally, is not comparable to the average
teacher whose clear-eyed vision reveals to him a lost world
with the possibility of saving souls as firebrands "plucked
out of the burning." T h e single-mindedness of the Christian teacher centers enthusiastically upon the work of
drawing the members of his class close to the feet of
Jesus, the Saviour of men. Whatever else enthusiasm
does, it never begets a scolder, a whiner, a n accuser of
others, or a pessimist. When the enthusiasm that is "born
from above" moves upon the heart, things are accomplished, and the class morale is lifted above apathy and
lassitude. The only way that the right degree of enthusiasm may be maintained continuously is by fixing the mind
firmly upon the object to be gained. Unsteady intentions
are always revealed by the crookedness of the tracks we
make.
After a snowfall a group of boys arranged themselves
in a circle, facing outward, in the center of a field. With
the object of seeing who could make the straightest path,
each boy started out in the direction he was facing, like
spokes in a wheel. When the limits of the field were
reached, the boys retraced their steps. All were surprised to see how far from straight every path was save
one. That one was true as a chalk line. How had the
boy made i t ? By fixing his eye on a pine tree directly in
line, and never once looking away from it, until he reached
the fence, he explained.
If the ef-rorts we make to accomplish things could be
traced before our eyes as footprints in the snow, how
astonished we would be at the crookedness of them. The
fact that the eyes of our mind had rested on no definite
guiding point would be overwhelmingly evident. The attainment of any purpose would seemingly be more accidental than of design. The wavering, hesitating, easily

57

58

T I I E SI'IRIT O F T I I E TEr\CIIER

T H E SPIRIT O F ENTHUSIASM

diverted, purposeless footsteps would indicate truthfully

the characteristics of the mind. It is possible to walk
even while one is asleep. I t is a dangerous practice, however. So, too, it is possible to go about the Lord's work
without being awake to our responsibilities and our opportunities. That, too, might end disastrously to ourselves and others.
In order to make straight paths in gaining any object,
preparation is necessary. We should understand the difference between enthusiasm and excitement or eccentricity
in making ready. W e should shun the class to which the
apostle Paul refers in his letter to the church at Rome,
a group which he describes as having "a zeal of God, but
not according to knowledge." When Israel was getting
ready to march out of Egypt, the Passover supper was
eaten with "loins girded." The long, loose garment
ordinarily worn was bound about with a sash or girdle
when Israel must march or work or fight. The Lord is
making ready to deliver modern Israel. Each Sabbath
school teacher is leader of a little company in the great
army of His people. A leader without enthusiasm and
unprepared for a n emergency is not only a hindrance but
a menace to the success of the army. Let go of all else
but the saving of souls. Gird the loins of your mind
for this one work. A tightened girdle was supposed to
increase the power of endurance, and was a symbol of
strength and activity. The Sabbath school worker today
must heed the admonition given in 1 Peter 1 :13, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind." In other words,
the mind must be intent upon the work to be done. and
ready for instant service. I t must not be allowed to
dwell upon the things that entangle, hinder, or divert.
The way is narrow, simply "a trail made by the footsteps of Jesus." One going directly toward an object
does not need a broad path. The narrow path is light;
and the higher it leads, the brighter it grows. ?\'e have

the choice of walking in a broad highway that is dark

and growing darker with each advancing step, or in a
narrow path that affords firm stepping ground, and light
of ever-increasing brightness. Which shall we choose?
The straight path in the snow was made by the boy
who selected an object as a guiding point, and never took
his eyes from it until the end was gained. Straight paths
in Christian service are made only by those who keep
their eyes on the One who stands at the end of the way.
Like the psalmist, we should be able to say, "I have set
the Lord always before me." In proportion as our vision
of the One before us is clear, our path will be straight.
By personal surrender to that One, by consecration, complete and absolute, we may see Him clearly, and be able
to heed the admonition, "Make straight paths for your
feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way."
The Lord Jesus, the one to whom we should all look,
is within the range of our sight. H e may not appear
to us as He did to the apostle Paul in that wonderful
vision that was given him while on his way to Damascus,
and which was ever the guiding inspiration of his active
life, but the vision of Himself which He gives to every one
who seeks Him is clear, distinct, and unmistakable. T o
be true to that is the highest possible ideal.
Enthusiasm is an effect, not a cause. Tireless zeal,
unfailing enthusiasm, is the natural result of deep conviction. T o illustrate: Most parents do not have to be
constrained to take an interest in their children; love
makes them zealous. Their enthusiasm in behalf of their
children's welfare and in promoting their interests, is
spontaneous, and finds an outlet in vigorous activity
whenever occasion affords opportunity. Most men do
not have to be urged to make all the money they can. The
conviction is deep in the mind of the average person that
money is a good thing to have. This conviction is the
basis for continued, enthusiastic effort to get money. A

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T OF E N T H U S I A S M

man said, "I usually weigh one hundred sixty pounds, but
when I am in dead earnest, I weigh a ton." Teachers
may increase the weight of their influence by acquiring the
right degree of earnest enthusiasm in their Sabbath school
activities.
When conviction is present, enthusiasm will not be
lacking. The basis for enthusiasm in Sabbath school work
is the belief that it is one of God's effective instrurnentalities in the saving of souls. Regarding the Sabbath
school merely as a service in which a certain program is
rendered, the enthusiasm which would cause one to labor
to make a series of interesting programs, would be of
the effervescent type, and the supply would be exhausted
when most needed. The enthusiasm that is born of a true
conviction of the value of the cause, is the only kind that
is worth cultivating.
Neither is a good start in a good cause the all-important
matter. The good start is not so difficult as the sustained
effort. Indeed, there lurks a subtle danger in a good
start,-the danger of feeling that because we have begun
well, we may now slacken our efforts.
A well-known athletic journal states that the chance
of a man's winning who leads the race at the start is discounted at once by experienced onlookers. The ternptation to overconfidence when we have made a good beginning is strong, and yielding is disastrous. The real
test of enthusiasm is not the start, but the finish.
Enthusiasm that is not born of true love for the cause
that is championed, will never enable the worker to hold
what he gains. The only way to hold gains is to do better.
Doing as well as we can means that we are continually
seeking ways of doing better. I n working for the Lord,
we can never feel satisfied with doing as well as we did
last week. Some one has aptly said, "Yesterday's gain
cannot be counted as part of today's credit." The business
that is not growi~lgis falling 08. We can equal the work

of the past only by improving upon it. During the depression a businessman said, "I have to run with all my
might to stand still."
Enthusiasm leads one to seek for higher standards.
W e can hope to attain them only by spiritual growth.
New ideas, better methods, truer standards, are reached
by living up to what we know to be the best. God cannot
reveal new heights to one who has not reached in his
life the hilltops he has already known.
The story is told of a man who was trying to dissuade
a friend from goillg a s a missionary to India :
"It is very hot there," said the solicitous friend, "reaches
even a hundred and twenty-five degrees in the shade."
"Well," said the would-be missionary, "I don't have to
stay in the shade, do I?"
The enthusiasm that causes a man to vary the monotony
of bearing burdens by seeking heavier ones, is the outgrowth of a conviction in the soul that will carry him
through all perplexities, through all obstacles, to the very
finish of a successful life.
Let us cease from holding back froin the deeper Christian experiences and the richer Christian life, while we
seek to make up the lack by hustling about, noisily doing
small things in a showy way, tlisplayirlg what passes for
enthusiasm, but which has no enduring foundation.

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T H E T H E M E ILLUSTRATED

Enthusiasm measures accurately the depth of one's

conviction. Recall the earnestness of the Master Teacher.
When His kinsmen heard of His ceaseless contact with
the multitude, His nights of prayer, His zeal in condemning the Pharisees, they feared that His reason was becoming unsettled, and went out to restrain Him, saying
in apology, "He is beside Himself." They wanted Him
to maintain greater reserve, show less zeal and earnestness
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T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACJIER

in His ministry, and refrain from exhibiting the intense

manner of which they were ashamed. The earnestness
and enthusiasm of the Master burned into the hearts of
His apostles, and they spread the flame of His Spirit
where they went.
The veteran apostle, manacled in chains, defending
himself and the gospel before Agrippa and Festus, was
so earnest in speech, so absorbed in the opportunity of the
moment, so dead in earnest in his conviction, that Festus
interrupted him, crying out with a loud voice, "Paul, thou
art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad."

THE SPIRIT O F SYMPATHY

O V E and sympatl~yare not identical. We are always

ready to sympathize with beloved friends in either
sorrow or joy, but we can easily come into a situation
where we have syml~athyfor strangers who are in acute
pain, or have been unjustly treated, or are in great need.
We pay small attention to rejoicing strangers. True
sympathy is not restricted to pity, for it is just as active
when the occasioii calls for rejoicing. Envy has no place
in true sympathy. Our dear friend may have entered
into the good fortune which we had hoped would come to
us, but our pleasure is unmarred, and our heart truly
rejoices because our friend is so greatly profited. Some
one has aptly said, "There is no spendthrift like the heart.
It does not know economy, it will not learn, but gives all,
always."
An understanding heart is the basis of sympathy. A
teacher should cultivate the art of quickly regarding hiniself as in the place and situation of another. Appreciation of the feelings of another leads to ready sympathy.
A teacher in a school for the blind tied a bandage over
his eyes and wore it for an hour or two every day,
endeavoring thereby to help himself to realize something
of what it meant to be blind. His success as a teacher
of the blind is said to be unequaled.
A teacher who has not a well-developed capacity for
manifesting a sympathetic spirit toward others, will fail in
many efforts which otherwise would have been crowned
with success. The entrance to the heart of a child may
be closed by that which may seem a very small thing to a
mature mind. A little girl went to Sabbath school proudly
displaying a pair of new mittens, knitted especially for
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T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T O F SYMPATHY

her by an adored grandmother. The leader of the divisioil

enthusiastically presenting a blackboard illustration,
needed a cloth to erase a line or two. The mittens were
conveniently near; the teacher picked up one and deftly
made the erasure. The child, now grown to woman's
estate and herself a teacher of children, says that the
thoughtless act of her teacher barred and locked her heart
against her influence. The outward act revealed an inward lack. As a child she did not reason this out, but she
felt it none the less keenly, and the effect was most unfortunate. The teacher realized a changed relationship,
but never understood the cause.
Another incident will help us to understand our subject.
A teacher of a kindergarten class was trying to impress
upon the four-year-olds the value of kindness and sympathy. She asked, "Why is it worse to have our feelings
hurt than to hurt our fingers?"
" 'Cause you can't tie a rag 'round them," was the reply
of a wise little girl.
We smile at the quaint answer; but surely it is a statement of truth. Tlie child recognized the dificulty of
soothing feelings that have been hurt by unkind words or
actions. How much need there is of this kind of mental
nursing! Blessed is one who is skillful in tying the rag
of sympathy around wounded feelings !
Cultivate sympathy as an abstract qualification, as a
part of the needed personal equipment of a winner of
souls. Have you not had the experience of meeting persons who seemed by their very presence to extend to you
sympathy and encouragement? This was not due to carefully chosen words, or a perfect manner, for these may
not have been in evidence. An indefinable, inexplainable
something caused your doubt, gloom, and ill temper to
give place to faith, courage, and peace. You were
strangely rested by the brief interview. It was the touch
of a sympathetic, understanding heart that warmed you

Unquestionably an unselfish and sympathetic spirit must

be cultivated. It is easy to extend helpful sympathy to
friends, acquaintances, or even to strangers who appeal
to us. Teachers must break down the barriers that confine
their sympathies to those who have an appealing personality. To illustrate: I t is easy to love certain types
of children; equally easy to ignore or dislike others. Is
it likely that the children who were taken lovingly into
the arms of Jesus were all clean, nicely dressed, curled
and starched darlings? Hardly possible! Jesus was all
the time searching out those who were most destitute, had
the fewest friends, the most meager lives, recipients of the
least affection, as the objects of His special attention.
Teachers should cultivate such a spirit of sympathy that
the heartstrings would be constantly stretched in behalf
of the unloved and unlovable child or adult. Remember
his need, his undeveloped possibilities, his real worth, and
give him the advantage of your helpful sympathy. Every
form of favoritism that would set aside in any degree the
pupil who is dull or awkward, disagreeable, poor, or
friendless, should be avoided. No one should have occasion to feel that he is not of the "inner circle" of those
to whom you minister. Our Saviour extended the tenderest sympathy to the poor, the downtrodden, the unfortunate, the oppressed, the friendless. The spirit of Christ
will lead us to do as H e did.
A teacher needs training in methods of extending sympathy. Jesus did not deal with all men by the same
method. Each one with whom He came in contact was
an object of study. His words, His manner, and His
actions were so adapted as to win Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews; Matthew, a tax collector; Nathanael, praying
for light; Zacchaeus, rich by extortion; a thief, dying by
the law; and others of every class and condition.
Activity in Christian teaching is a cold, formal endeavor
without the warming influence of personal sympathy. In-

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difference in spirit will make teaching futile. Many are

not really heartless who show little sympathy. We all
think of many sympathetic acts, inany little kindnesses,
which we never perform. If only we had done the things
we have thought of doing! The spirit of thinking to do
yet never doing, has always had a large place in the lives
of men. The Saviour told of it in the experience of the
youth who said to his father, "I go, sir;" but the rest of
the story says he "went not."
How many times our attention has been called to this
or that person, and we have thought, I will call on her
tomorrow; I will take that convalescent for a ride in the
country; I nlust carry a basket of food to poor Widow
Jones; I will give that warm blanket to that family with
so many childre11; I will invite my class to tny home some
evening; I will call on little Mary and try to get acquainted
with her so she will not be so shy; I will certainly speak
to young Jim about making a tlecision to be a Christian,
hut seldoiu are the thoughts put into action: and so the
thinking goes on and on, but the doing is very intermittent.
To the extent that one fails to tlo that good thing which
he has thought to do, his moral power is weakened. The
meinory of unkept mental pledges and broken resolutions
brings discouragement to the heart. H e who begins to
do what he thinks to do, will strengthen his will power,
keep his conscience tender, and will realize a blessing.
On the other hand, there are many who do without
tllinking. "I didn't think," is an oft-used excuse. Sometimes it is offered as a sufficient reason for a very unfortunate action. Anything that is done without thougl~t
can be right only by accident. One who makes a rilistake
in what he does when his actioi~is the result of careful
thinking, will profit by his mistake, and next time will
think differently. Many of the unkind actions that make up
the record of a day are the results of tl~oughtlessness.
Thoughtless wortls a i d deeds fill up a large part of the

T H E SPIRIT O F SYMPATHY

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measure of woe and misery in the world. Thoughtful

courtesy, thoughtful kindness, thoughtful speech, will save
many heartaches, misunderstandings, and embarrassments.
A few persons neither think nor do! These stand
today where they stood a year ago. No admonition, no
appeal for sympathy, no need, ever really reaches them.
Content they are to let others do the thinking and the
doing. They count in the membership, but never help
reach the goals. W e trust that an actual count would
reveal but few whom this description fits.
W e are happy to know that many persons both think
and do. All the real progress is made by this class. They
make mistakes, but they do not make the same one any
great number of times. They have eyes and see, they
have ears and hear, and they think of what they see and
hear, until they can intelligently do the work the Lord
desires His church to do. They understand that when
appeals are made, it is they who are meant. When plans
are laid for the better accomplishment of any specific
work, they seek to understand the plan, they study how
to adapt it to their circumstances and environment, and
they proceed t o work the plan. They are the burden
bearers. They are dependable. They do not rush blindly
ahead; they do not blindly follow; they hear, they think,
they do.
W e need a good illustration of individual responsibility.
Here it is: In the weaving room of a Connecticut cotton
factory a thousand looms fly their shuttles, each loom
tended by a single person. T o stand in the midst of the
confusing hum, one would think it not possible to ascertain
the relative efficiency and faithfulness of each worker at
a loom. I t would seem that two or ten might be careless
or clumsy, and no one could detect it. Yet each worker
is known and noted. Every moment's faithfulness or unfaithfulness is a matter of record, and is made the basis
of recompense. I f the attention of the loom tender wan-

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T OF SYMPATHY

ders, and there is a break in the filling, however perfect

the work that follows, it must be taken out, the break
mended, and the work done over. The loom tender is
not paid by the hour, but by the amount of cloth that he
weaves. If the defect is not corrected at the loom, it is
still to be reckoned with. When the cloth is taken out
and rolled, the name of the weaver is attached to it, and
it is passed to the inspection room. There every defect
is discovered, and the amount of the consequent loss is
charged to the weaver. When the books are opened on
payday, every weaver receives according as his work
has been. In all the multitude each one set to the care
of a loom watches the forming web as one "that must
give account."
The lesson of the loom tender is obvious to the Sabbath
school teacher. There are many classes, the hum of
voices is confusion; one may feel that one's work is lost
in the multitude. The faithful and the careless are side
by side. Who can know any difference? There is One
who knows. The judgment will reveal every defect, and
the great Inspector will pass upon every teacher's work.
The seriousness of the teacher's responsibility is enhanced
by the fact that in his work, defects, carelessness, unfaithfulness, and lack of sympathy wreck souls instead of cloth.
Studying the grace of sympathy as a qualification of the
Sabbath school teacher, we easily discover that it is the
personal interest manifested by the teacher in the pupil
that wins his heart. A disposition to seek his society, to
learn of his plans, to assist him in his studies, to encourage
him in seeking the fulfillment of his worthy hopes, will
almost invariably win his confidence, and give the teacher
an immense advantage in the power of influence.
We need to live nearer our pupils. We are too chary
of personal effort, and oftentimes are more willing to give
pupils up as hopeless than to labor for them. The Saviour
followed up His teaching with loving ministrations. Many

of the sheep and lambs are without a shepherd today

just as truly as they were then. Are Sabbath school
teachers bearing all the characteristics of the true Shepherd in imparting religious instruction to their flocks for
a half hour once a week? Can it be said of our work that
we have omitted the "weightier matters"? If so, let' us
remember the words, " ~ h e s eought ye to have done, and
not to leave the other undone."
Age, even maturity, seems to draw a separating line
between itself and youth. Sometimes the line between
becomes a high wall. How can we who are older maintain a sympathetic relation with the life and longings of
young people? The youth, the flower of our flock, in our
homes, yea, in our churches, are inexpressibly dear to our
hearts. How may we remain dear to them? Is there any
way to cultivate a sympathy for them that will bind their
hearts willingly to us? Is there not strength enough in
sympathetic understanding, in the power of intercession
in their behalf, in the wooing of the spirit, to erect a
barrier of true love about them through which they shall
not pass to their own destruction?
N; one should find fault with a young person for
desiring to have a good time. This longing is somehow
born in us. We want joy, we want happiness, we want
pleasure. We all want what we think of as "a good
time."
An unabridged concordance of the Bible reveals the
fact that the words "joy," "joyful," or "joyfulness" are
used in the Bible two hundred and twenty times. The
word "rejoice," a synonym of "joy," is recorded more
than two hundred and thirty times. So the various forms
of the words "joy" and "rejoice" are used in the Scriptures nearly five hundred times. May we not conclude
that the Lord Himself wants us to have good timestimes of joy and rejoicing?
What are the experiences in life that make us happy?

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THE S P I R I T O F T I I E T E X C I I E R

T H E S P I R I T OF S Y M P A T I I Y

If each of us were to reply personally, what item would

be first on the list? A man was given the privilege of
making three wishes, with the understanding that he would
be given whae he wished. "My first wish," he said, "is
for a million dollars. If you give me that, you need not
bother about the other two." Some of us, harassed by
care, facing the problem of a deficit in our money for
necessities, may think that our joy would be complete
and our Christian experience greatly enriched. if it were
not for the financial troubles we continually face. But
would our dearest wish be for money? It does not seem
that this could possibly be true of many. Numberless
young people are regarding this question seriously. Allowances are never large enough to satisfy the growing youth.
Opportunities to earn while going to school are not numerous enough to go around the circle. W h y should we
who are older be unsympathetic with youth who wish to
earn and to possess? Instead of driving thein from us by
words of reproach, shall we not draw them to us by our
sympathetic understanding of their desires? Advice will
not be heeded unless it shows genuine sympathy and
understanding of the situation.
Young people often think that the possession of material things would fill their hearts with joy. A young
girl said she would be "perfectly happy" if she had a n
automobile and could drive it. I n an office we can easily
find those workers who live in one room in a boarding
house, and who desire above all else to fit up cozily the
room they occupy, or a better one, according to their
fancy. Others cherish a n overwhelming desire to "take
a trip" somewhere, and see something, do something "different." Life seems to be drear and dull and not worth
while if this cannot be arranged at intervals.
Many items might be added to the list of recreations
which it is thought would bring joy and pleasure. Nearly
all long for the happiness that they fancy would come to

then1 in any one of a hundred things, according to their

mood or natural inclinations. No doubt the Lord wants
us all to have many of these things. H e does not wish to
tlispossess us of reasonable things that contribute to our
welfare or that give us pleasure.
All should learn, however, that material things do not
constitute the true source of happiness. If one is really
uilhapl~y because of undue longing for things of the
nature described in the foregoing, the liberal supplying
of such things will not bring happiness. The discontent
will continue permanently, with an ever-changing base.
It is a real "gift" to be able to train the young people to
hold right ideas in regard to these things, but the effort
will always fail unless the youth recognize sympathy and
mnderstanding in the heart of the would-be helper.
Young people are apt to think that for them happiness
would be wholly possible if they could have their own
way, doing as they please, when they please. W e all like
our own way, and often think that if we could have it
in this, that, or other major items, our happiness, our
joy in living, our satisfaction, our contentment, would
be complete. No doubt that describes the feelings of
humanity quite generally. But let us consider tlne ways of
a little child, say a five-year-old. H e wants his own way.
Oh, yes ! but what would happen to Inim if he were allowed
to have i t ? W e all know that he would bring sorrow,
clisappointnnent, disaster, and ruin upon hiinself if he were
permitted to have his own way. The little child does not
wish to be led. The mother or the father takes its hand
and drags it along. The child holds back, and cries for
first ane thing and then another that he sees in the shop
windows. A moment's relaxation of the firm grasp, and
tlne little fellow is off with a rush into the street or up the
alley. H e must be pursued, overtaken, and brought back.
I f coaxing or commands fail to serve the purpose, forcible
measures are used. H e is beiug led, but unwillingly. But

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T H E S P I R I T OF S Y M P A T H Y

in spite of the varieties of protest he offers, the parent

does not let him go, and finally brings him home safely.
Friends, young people, before God you are as helpless
as that child to find happiness without Him. Left to
yourselves you would bring only sorrow, disaster, and
ruin upon your heads. This illustration fails, however,
in one point. You can pull away from the Lord. You
can do it. H e will release His grasp and let you go if
you are determined to go. H e follows you with His love,
and His Spirit continually calls, and He is ready to receive
you when you are ready to be led. But remember, if you
are never ready to be led by Him, sometime H e will let
go your hand and leave you to your own devices, for H e
never forces any one to g o His way. There is no prayer
that we ought to pray more frequently or more ardently
than this: "Lord, leave me not to myself. Leave me not
to mine own way."
We need not become discouraged by any ideal, for we
can clim&att&in height-intellectually or spiritually, only
by reaching out toward an ideal sacredly cherished. W e
create our own ideals. W e attain them by eliminating the
things for which we do not care, and substituting in their
places the things which appeal to us as altogether desirable,
the things to which our hearts most fully respond. By
clinging to our vision, cherishing it even when it seems
impossible of attainment, we form, bit by bit, our beautiful ideals, the visions of the heart and mind, and bit by
bit the ideal is molded or carved into a life of deeds.
Without ideals there can be no progress; everything is
on the dead level, and we can think of nothing but endless,
dreary, hopeless monotony.
A simple illustration: A pool of water may be shut in
by grassy banks and shady trees, but if it is shut in, the
pleasant environment does not keep that pool from being
stagnant and poisonous-fit
symbol of a mind without
ideals, a heart that is dead. I n contrast, note the leaping,

sparkling mountain stream; tiny though it be, yet it

catches the light, the tiny spray reflects the rainbow, and
ever and ever it leaps forward, a true symbol of life and
power.
But how shall we find our way to the higher ground
which, perhaps, we see but dimly, for it may be our eyes
are accustomed to viewing things only at close range,
things near by? How shall we find the higher ground?
I t is not a broad, beaten pathway. There is but a single
line of footprints leading to the top-bloodstained footprints. Each one must find the footprints for himself.
When you find them, follow them, for they lead to the top.

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T H E THEME ILLUSTRATED

A young soldier boy, about eighteen years of age, became frightened as his company was entering into his
first battle in the Spanish-American War. Utterly dismayed, the lad threw himself upon the ground, and began
to cry like a child. His comrades were ashamed of him,
and told him he was a disgrace to the uniform he wore
and to the company he was in. H e admitted this, but continued to reiterate that he could not help it. The general
in command came riding along at that time. Although
the responsibility of that battle was upon him, his keen
eye observed the weeping boy. Dismounting, the general
made inquiries. H e placed his hand upon the shoulder
of the boy, saying: "Look here, my lad, I see a good
soldier buttoned up in that jacket. Get up, take your
gun and fall in line with the boys. They will not be
ashamed of you when the sun goes down." The boy
arose, seized his gun, found his place, and held it, too.
When the battle was over, this boy was found still firing,
using but one arm, as the other had been disabled by a
bullet. It was the word of sympathy that saved him.
A little lad seven or eight years old loved his Sabbath
school teacher. She was his ideal. A Christmas tree at

the church gave him his chance to reveal his devotion.

I:or weeks he whittled and carved with his jackknife,
fashioning a miniature canoe out of a block of wood. I t
was to be his gift to his teacher, truly a token of his
affection. It was no sacrifice to abandon games or play,
that he might whittle away at that block of wood. Blisters
were worn on his hands, but he did not mind; it was for
his beloved teacher. At last the canoe was finished.
He fussily mussed his tissue paper, wax seals, and ribbon, trying clumsily to make the little package look nice.
that it might suitably express his adoration. H e took ~t
to the church and watched the gifts distributed. Two or
three came to him, but the big moment came when his
gift was handed to his teacher. Quietly he slil~peclo \ c r
to be near. A terrible thought came to him-what if she
should laugh? But as he told it in after years, what happened was worse. She slipped the package unopened into
her bag, as she said to her companion, "What a dirty little
mess these kids can make of a Christmas package!" ITot
tears came to his eyes and a lump rose in his throat, and
he slipped away sick at heart and ashamed, he hardly
knew why. T o use his own words, "It was my first disillusionment, my first taste of the world's unwitting cruelty
to the innocent. I hope I nlay never experience another
Christmas so bleak and bitter as the one that came that
moment."
Poor little innocent child ! Poor thoughtless teacher !
How carefully we should guard our words, even our looks,
and how earnestly we should cultivate the spirit of sympathetic appreciation under all circumstances.

THE SPIRIT O F REVERENCE

E V E R E N C E is the impulse which leads to worship.

T o a Christian it means a feeling of deep respect
for God and sacred things. Reverence for God is always
present in the heart of one who has a proper sense of
His infinite greatness, and a realization of the Unseen
Presence in fulfillment of the prornise, "I am with thee."
W e should ever remember that H e is our Creator, our
Father, our Redeemer, our Friend. H e is worthy of our
heart's adoration and devotion. We should reverence
God's wold, because it is His message to mankind. The
prayer of the great Reformer may well be voiced by every
teacher of the Bible:
" 0 Lord God, if it please Thee through me to do
somcwhut to Thy glory, and not to my praise or the
praise of any nzan, out of Tlzy pure grace and mercy
give to me a right understanding of Tlzy word."Luther.
W e should reverence the house of God, the place where
God is worshiped. W e cannot truly worship without
reverence, for it is an essential element of worship. The
presence of God in any place makes that place holy. How
much we lose by disregarding this principle! True reverence for God, a proper reverence for His word bound up
in the form of our precious Bibles, an appreciation of the
sacredness of the place where we assemble for religious
worship, will greatly enrich our spirituality, and do much
to enable us to inspire others with the spirit of reverence.
I n the days of Israel a religious service was held that
thrills the heart to read of it. The hosts of Israel were
assembled, the temple was completed, the furnishings were
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T H E S P I R I T OF THE T E A C H E R

in place. The singers, arrayed in white, were standing

by the altar; and at the hour appointed, "it came even to
pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make
one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord ;
and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and
cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord,
saying, For H e is good ; for His mercy endureth forever :
that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house
of the Lord ; so that the priests could not stand to minister
by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had
filled the house of God." 2 Chron. 5:13, 14.
Will not the Lord in these days honor the assembly of
IIis people who meet at a time appointed, when each
person at that time is in his place, with heart filled with
reverence and love, ready for his part in worship? All
should work definitely to the end that our Sabbath school
scrvices may be of that character that, when all join in
the opening song of praise, the Spirit of the Lord may
fill the house of the Lord, and all present realize a great
blessing.
The spirit of reverence cherished in the heart of the
teacher will be manifested outwardly in positive ways
that will tend to inspire reverence in the hearts of others.
Teacher, you must yourself be the Bible lover you would
have your pupils be. Your Bible, any Bible you touch,
should be handled carefully. All references to it should
be made in a reverent manner. A superintendent said to
his teachers, "Carry the Bible openly, proudly; quote it
lovingly; speak of it enthusiastically." Only as your
own love for the Bible is reverent, strong, frank, and open
will your influence tend to make your pupils sincere lovers
of the Book. A little girl who had been carefully taught
concerning the sacredness of God's Book, wept bitterly
when she accidentally dropped her Bible, for she had it
in mind that she must be more careful in handling the
Bible than other books. W e recognize that the material

T H E S P I R I T OF R E V E R E N C E

77

part of the Bible-the binding, the paper, the ink-is the

same as that of other books, yet reverence for God's word
causes us to handle that Book with greater care than any
other. All honor to the child who refused to use the
Bible as a prop to tilt a chair to his liking, although it
was exactly the size he desired.
God honors with His presence the assemblies of His
people; therefore we should show reverence in our worship. The Sabbath school is a religious service, and the
spirit of reverence should be prominent. Alas! how
frequently Sabbath school workers have had occasion to
deplore the lack of reverence in the school! How futile
seem our efforts to check irreverence! Some may have
concluded that from the very nature of the service, with
its frequent changes, the necessary moving about of
officers, the flutter of lesson leaves, the groups of restless
little ones, more or less disorder is inevitable.
What constitutes irreverence in a Sabbath school? As
a beginning, we might say that the manner of entrance
into the building, into the room where the school is held,
is either reverent or irreverent. A noisy entrance, a hurried, bustling movement down the aisle, is irreverent.
Children should walk with decorum to their places. Without noise or commotion they should take the seats assigned. Older members are frequently as great offenders
as the children in this respect. Talking, whispering,
laughing, or even continual staring about is irreverent.
Reverence is expressed by a quiet entrance, a quiet manner
in taking one's seat, and quietness after one is seated.
There is "sweet eloquence in silence" at such a time.
The officers may show irreverence in the manner of
taking their places. Order should characterize their a p
proach to the front of the room. Nothing seems more
out of place than a hurried, careless appearance or grouping on the platform of those who are to take leading parts
in the day's program.
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T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEA CHER

T H E SPIRIT O F REVERENCE

We may well ask ourselves whether we have done all

that is possible, both by consistent example and by oftrepeated precept, to maintain a proper standard of reverence in the school with which we are connected. That its
manner of organization and its program of exercises are
less formal than those of the church service, is no excuse
for confusion or disorder. O f what use is an attempt to
teach the word of God, if we fail to teach proper decorum,
and to cultivate the spirit of reverence in a service in
which God is honored?
As a help in the promotion of a spirit of reverence in
a class, division, or school, Bible stories which reveal the
greatness of God, and the respect of faithful men shown
in various experiences, if related vividly and with feeling,
will make a deep impression. This may be done in general
exercises from time to time, and also in private heart-toheart admonition if necessary. Tell the story of creation,
emphasizing the Spirit of God brooding over the chaotic
elements and bringing order out of confusion. Describe
the awe-inspiring appearance of Mt. Sinai and the attitude
of the people when Divinity spoke the law of ten commandments. Moses, gazing in astonishment at the burning bush, was asked to remove his shoes in recognition
of the holiness of the place because of the presence of
Jehovah. An instructive lesson may be drawn from the
example of Jesus when H e drove the irreverent buyers
and sellers and money-changers from the courts of the
temple.
Nothing that pertains to the worship of God should
be treated carelessly or regarded indifferently. Applying
the principles laid down in the foregoing to the Sabbath
school session, we recognize at once that a tardy arrival
is a form of irreverence, and when the entrance is noisy
and disturbing, the offense is greater. Tardiness in meeting any appointment is discourteous, and we usually recognize this by proper apology. How much greater is the

slight to God when we fail to meet the time of our appointment with Him! The teacher by example and precept
should encourace
.., each member of the class to be in his
place on time and to take reverent part in the general
features of the Sabbath school program.
The opening song should lead the members into a
reverent mental attitude which will invite the presence
of angels and the Spirit of God. It is a recognized form
of worship. It should be the pleasure of every one present
to have a part in it. A listless, indifferent manner may
easily become irreverent. One who takes no part in praiiing the Lord in song is showing an indifference that
borders on irreverence. Every one who can sing, should
do so; those who cannot, should seek to come into harmony with the spirit of worship by following the words
closely, endeavoring to enter mentally into the spirit of
them as others sing them. Anything short of this savors
of irreverence.
The prayer offered in Sabbath school should be an
opportunity for cultivating the true spirit of reverence.
I t is seemly that each person should present a respectful
attitude, take a suitable posture, and that perfect quietness
should prevail before the King of heaven is addressed.
At such a moment especially there should be no noisy
commotion, no restless moving about, no interruption by
tardy arrivals. Anything short of this can be classed as
flagrant irreverence.
The teacher's influence in securing proper decorum at
this time is very helpful. A word occasionally spoken
before the prayer, calling attention to the fact that this is
the most sacred feature of the hour, should help. Let
the pupils be reminded of the words of the prophet, "The
Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence
before Him." I t is the time of heart prostration of each
member before the throne of the great Ruler of heaven.
Many adults have not learned the way of the Lord, and

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T OF REVERENCE

their example and influence are often directly responsible

for the disorder of youth and children. All that Johnny's
teacher may say about "bowed heads," "closed eyes," and
"quiet feet" during prayer, is in vain if he sees his elders
sitting upright with no show of reverence while prayer
is offered to the King of heaven. Teachers must act as
they wish their pupils to act. They must subdue in themselves noise and confusion of manner and voice. The
cultivation of quietness on the part of leaders in the performance of all duties connected with the Sabbath school
will contribute much to the spirit of reverence which
should prevail.
During all general exercises, reviews, drills, or addresses,
the spirit of reverent attention should be very marked.
The teacher should be alert to suppress every possible
cause of a diversion of interest from one who is speaking.
All should understand that giving close attention to one
who has a public part in a religious service is showing
reverence for that service. Inattention to speakers, to
the reviewer, to teachers, is a form of irreverence. When
we show the disrespect of inattention to one who is the
leader in any feature of a religious service, to that degree
we are showing irreverence to the Master of ceremonieour Lord and Saviour-in whose honor the service is held.
We cannot expect the blessing of Heaven to rest upon
any kind of service, even though held in a church dedicated
to the worship of God, where persons attending are noisy,
inattentive, and show forgetfulness of the sacred character
of tht place and the service.
I t is recognized that there must be some moving about
of officers, and in some schools classes must change places
during the session. The maqzner in which this is done
decides the point of whether or not irreverence is shown
in the doing of it. The superintendent, the assistant,
ushers, and any others whose duties require them to move
about the room during the Sabbath school hour, should

reduce such activities to the minimum, avoid all confusion,

and attract as little attention as possible in the performance
of such duties. Guard well the time that the teachers are
in charge of the classes. I t is truly a marvelous teacher
who can battle successfully against the intensely interesting spectacle of some one wrestling with a stubborn window, adjusting the position of a map or blackboard, or
hanging a chart. It is easy to break the spirit of reverence in these ways. Noise and confusion beget more noise
and more confusion. Quietness and decorum encourage
quietness and good behavior, which are the forerunners of
reverence.
Superintendent and teachers should make a continuous
effort to deepen the solemnity of the last few moments.
In an audience with the royalty of earth, the respectful
manner of those who have been accorded the privilege
of an interview, continues to the close. We should not
show less courtesy in our worship of the King of heaven.
The Sabbath school should close as impressively as it
began. The noise, confusion, pushing, and crowding that
sometimes follow the inappropriate announcement, "Sabbath school is dismissed," is extremely painful to all who
cherish any sense of the proper manner of closing a religious service.
I t is not enough to admit that there is room for improvement. I t is not enough to recognize the spirit of
irreverence in a school. It is not enough to talk about
what should be done to make things better. The thing
to do is to wuke a beginning. There is strength in achievement. Let the disorderly class take but one short step
upward, and the spell is broken, and the ideal is possible
to that class, to that school. Advancement toward an ideal
is in exact proportion to the zeal, sympathy, and love put
into it. All of us, officers, teachers, parents, should together unite in making the Sabbath school session a reverent, worshipful hour.

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

T H E SPIRIT O F REVERENCE

T H E T H E M E ILLUSTRATED

things and caring nothing at all for what is said? Though

H e has invited them to ask for whatever they please, they
are so careless they will not even think what they need
most.
"Let us remember that God is great. No man can look
upon His face and live. When Moses was told to come
near and talk with Him, he said, 'I exceedingly fear and
quake.' I t made him tremble to come near to God.
Although we do not see Him, we should never dare treat
Him with disrespect in His house or when we kneel or
stand in prayer.
"Though the Lord is so great, yet H e loves us tenderly.
H e calls us His children, and delights to give us good
things. H e hears the prayer of the smallest child if it
comes from a sincere heart.
"Here are a few verses we would do well to learn.
Perhaps they will help us to be more polite to God:

A little talk given to a group of children on "Being

Polite to God," gives an excellent illustration of this topic :
"We would feel greatly honored if a king should visit
our town and we were invited to come before him and
speak to him. Were we told that besides coming to him,
we might ask for anything we wanted most, and that he
would grant our request, how we would study what to
ask! We would think about how to behave in his presence. We would be very anxious to do nothing that would
displease him. When before him, we would be thinking
of him, and of his goodness in being so kind to us.
"But really and truly, we have the privilege of coming
before the King of kings, the greatest Monarch of them
all. H e has invited you and me to come to Him just as
often as we wish. If there is anything we want, H e has
sent us word, 'Ask, and it shall be given you.' If we do
not understand just what would be best, H e will not give
us what we ask, but instead, will give something better,
and we shall know that it comes because we asked Him.
"Earthly kings are only men like other men. They
could not help us if we were dying, for they themselves
must die. But this great King of whom we are talking
now, will never die. H e wants us to come before Him
and ask for what we need, and to believe that H e loves us.
"Yes, the King is Jesus; and when we come to Him
for favors, we call it praying. You know just how careful we would he if we were to appear before the king of
England, or any other great man; but isn't it very strange
that some people, when they are before this greatest of
all kings, seem to forget, or not to care very much, how
they act in His presence?
"Isn't it too had that some boys and girls will even
laugh and whisper when others are talking to the King,
or may look about the room, or may be thinking of other

"If bef ore (zn eczrthly king

W e were called to stn~td,
H u m b l y mould w e bow tlae Itead,
Hztnzbly fold the hand.
"Had zwe dor~esolltc sinful thing,
A n d defied his laws,
Gladly wozcld w e welcottze one
W h o a,ould plead our cawsr.
"Should w e look about and Iazcgh,
H e zvozcld thijzk that w e
Did not care if all our sins
Should itnf orgivcn be.
" T h u s z~llze~z
t o the King of kings
O n c shall o f e r prayer,
Htcrnbly let our listening hearts
T h e petitiott share.

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THE S P I R I T O F THE T E A C H E R
"Foreheads bowed and hands at rest
Should our posture be,
Wlzile from wandering thoughts and plans
Heart and mind are free."

Another phase of this topic, reverence for the Bible,

is illustrated in the story of Marie, a blind girl of seventeen in a village of France. When she accepted Christ
as her Saviour, a great longing seized her heart for the
gift of vision, that she might read the Bible. She was
very poor, but arrangements were made for her to visit
a clergyman who taught blind people to read the Bible.
Marie's fingers had become hard and calloused with the
constant braiding of straw at which she worked, and when
she attempted to feel the raised letters, it was impossible
for her to distinguish the slightly raised surface and outlines of the letters. This was a keen disappointment to
her, and she wondered what she could do to enable her
to read the Sacred Volume.
One day, while praying and holding her Bible in her
hands, she touched it with her lips. T o her soft lips the
indentations of the raised surface were clearly perceptible,
and she could trace the sharp outlines of the letters with
accuracy. With a low cry of joy, she passed line after
line across her eager lips. It was all clear and easy! The
lips were able to do what the toil-hardened fingers could
not-they could read. "Is it not blessed to kiss the sweet
words as I read?" she murmured to herself. Her joy
knew no bounds in the blessed privilege of being able to
read her Bible.
Will not this poor blind girl rise up in the judgment to
condemn many who, "having eyes, see . . . not"? Are
you reading ar?d studying the Book day by day? Are its
words a lamp to your feet and a light to your path? Do
you love the blessed words of Jesus, with a love heartdeep, heart-warm, as did the poor blind girl of France?

THE SPIRIT O F PRAYER

h
1
1

i
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t i

H A T is prayer?
"Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as
to a friend."
"Prayer is the rope in the belfry; we pull it, and it
rings the bell in heaven."
Mary, Queen of Scotland, said, "I fear John Knox's
prayers more than any army of ten thousand men."
"Prayer is our speech to God. When we read His
word, God speaks to us; when we pray, we speak to
God."-Augustine.
"Even as the cloud foreshadoweth rain, so prayer foreshadoweth the blessing."-Spurgeon.
"Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock
heaven's storehouse, where are treasured the boundless
resources of Omnipotence."
Let us strengthen the necessity for personal faith in a
God that hears and heeds the prayer addressed to Him.
T h e Bible represents the attitude of God as one who inclines His ear to hear us when we speak to Him from our
hearts. I once received a letter from a dear friend, that
was intended for another person. I t was addressed to me,
and nothing in the beginning revealed that it was not mine.
I read the pages with delight. The affection expressed
met a response in my heart. An invitation given afforded
me pleasure. The promises made were highly treasured.
But when I had reached the last lines of the very last
paragraph, I read: "Now, Edith, write as soon as you
get this." The letter fluttered from my hands to the
floor. Not for me ! The assurances of esteem, the gracious invitation, the treasured promises, all there, but
none of them for me. I gathered up the pages, and

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER
I

glanced through them again, but with absolute indifference.

They were not for me. I lost all interest in the letter.
W e may read the letter which God has sent to us, in either
of these ways. If we accept each verse, each sentence,
each word, as written personally to us, it gives us the
keenest delight and the richest blessing. But if we look
upon it as a message written to some one else, we can
read its most loving entreaties, its most precious promises,
with complete indifference.
W e may speak to God in such an impersonal way that
it is not heart-to-heart communion with Him in the
fullest sense. We may meditate upon His word which is
His message to us; we may recognize His mercies and
blessings, but to enter into fellowship with Him, we must
have something to say to Him about our experiences in
actual life. H e is more than our confidential Friend; H e
is more than our Elder Brother; H e is the only one who
completely understands us. H e can truly sympathize with
us in our weakness, and H e can fully appreciate our heart's
longings. H e knows the strength of our enemy; H e
knows the way of escape, for "in all points" H e was
tempted as are we. H e invites us to come to Him with
every desire of the heart. W e may safely reveal to Him
our cares, our fears, our sorrows, our heart longings.
Everything that pertains to us is of concern to Him.
There is no time nor place in which we may not send a
petition to the throne. How is it possible to reach out
after God and hold fast to Him moment by moment? W e
each must find our own answer to that question. Unless
we find it, our spiritual life will slowly but surely become
extinct.
Our defeats come while we are off guard. W e may
gain almost any personal victory if we have opportunity
to fortify, to brace for the contest. But in the service
of the Lord, the successful soldier is he who is vigilant,
prepared for every opportunity, instantly ready for any

, 1

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"1
I

service. Our warfare is aggressive, not merely defensive.

W e cannot successfullv meet the crises that arise in our
own experiences and in our work for others, unless we
are living the prayer life day by day. I t is not difficult
for us to make response to the call to reach higher ground
spiritually in our individual experience, when the tide sets
that way. W e hear the admonitions and entreaties of the
Spirit-filled minister of God, and our hearts are stirred
with desire for a richer, deeper, fuller spiritual life. The
practical truths of the Sabbath school lesson, as we study
it that we may teach it persuasively, may appeal to us so
strongly that we ourselves are encouraged to take the
advanced step which we urge upon our pupils. O r we
may read some Spirit-filled article or missionary experience showing the power of God in the lives of men, and
we are led to seek for a greater degree of that power in
our own lives.
W e are tired of sin and sinning. W e are tired of defeat
and surrender to the enemy. W e cherish a great longing
for victory over every besetment. Determined t o reach
greater heights in Christian experience, we begin the new
day with earnest prayer, we fortify the soul with precious,
Heaven-sent messages of love and promise, and after our
season of communing with the Source of all spiritual
strength, we fare forth to carry our load of the day's
work. Sometimes we are able to hold true throughout the
day to the spirit of that morning consecration, but more
often, as the hours pass, we are conscious of a continuous
loss of spiritual strength, and our resistance to temptation
becomes woefully feeble. Our plans go awry. New burdens, unlooked-for complications, the failure of some one
upon whom we depended, the suddenness of an unexpected trial, the disappointment that sickens, the overwhelming hindrances that make impossible the doing of
necessary things,-all these assault us with seemingly irresistible force. Under provocation which seems almost

T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T O F PRAYER

justifiable, we speak the unkind word, give place to the

spirit of impatience and complaint, and sometimes in our
bewilderment and confusion we throw restraint of temper to the winds.
But the longest day ends. Weary, tempest-tossed,
bruised in body and mind, we are again alone with God,
and with anguish of soul we cry out to Him, "I have
tried and failed ; I cannot do it !" On succeeding days we
may summon courage to try again and yet again, but with
the same experience oft repeated, courage weakens, bitterness of spirit develops, and the heart hardens.
A personal experience may speak the word of courage
to some heart: Across the street from my home there is
a telephone encased in a small iron box. It is a policeman's reporting station. Once every hour the blue-coated
officer on duty comes up the street, opens the box, takes
down the receiver, and announces through the mouthpiece, "Number fifty-seven. Kennedy on duty." With
a snap up goes the receiver, the iron door closes with a
bang, and Policeman Kennedy walks down the street. In
another hour he is back again, reporting to police headquarters in the same apparently mechanical way. When
he goes off duty, another officer comes along. The form
of reporting does not vary. Again it is "Number fiftyseven. Smith on duty." And so it goes on through ail
the days and nights.
One night there was a change. Sitting on the porch at
a late hour, I saw our policeman coming in haste, and
this time the call was clear and emphatic: "Number fiftyseven. Kennedy on duty. Send help!" In an incredibly
short time the noise of a motorcycle was heard in the
distance, and in a very few minutes two motorcycle
officers joined the ~oliceman,and plans were laid for capturing a "rum automobile" which Policeman Kennedy had
heard was illegally on its way from somewhere to the
city, via our quiet little suburb.

Like a light from the sky there flashed into my mind

the thought, Why not report to the heavenly Headquarters
once an hour? There is some One there who will record
the message. Am I not assigned to a post of duty as
clearly, as definitely, and as officially as any policeman
ever appointed to guard public interests? Is not filling
my part as a Christian as important as that of a policeman? I t is a matter of life or death to me. I t requires
constant watchfulness on my part that in an unguarded
moment I shall not permit the spirit of the enemy to enter
my heart. Can I not, too, when I sense the need, cry out,
"Send help" ?
Somehow this little incident has helped me to form a
habit that is bringing great blessing into my life. Many
times a day, I open my heart's door heavenward, whispering, "Here I am, at home, on duty ;" or, "Here I am, at
the office, on duty ;" or, "Here I am, in the city, still on
duty." The simple acknowledgment that I am on duty
helps wonderfully. Sometimes, in fact quite often, I must
add the words, "Send help," and never once have I asked,
that it did not come.
It is no exaggeration of the fact to say that the child
of God is on continuous duty in the service of the King.
H e is furthermore in the exact place where God desires
him to serve. The old couplet is true :
"Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident;
I t is the very place God meant for thee."

88

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H e who desires a practical means of uplift in spirit

will find it in frequently reporting himself as "on duty" at
the place assigned him. There is great strength in that
momentary acknowledgment. One stiffens for combat
with the powers of darkness, when one makes that connecting flash with heaven's power. We need the hour of
precious communion with our Lord, the season of tarrying
before the throne, the strength that comes from the care-

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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

ful study of God's words to us. In such seasons the soul

is drawn nearer and still nearer to God, and no permanent
Christian growth is possible without this daily experience.
But the shortest day is too long for the soul to maintain
its strength without that frequent upward look, that
stretching forth of the hand for the virtue that is needed.
Of necessity the contact which engages the whole mind
must be brief, for we are crowded and pressed upon every
hand with the day's work, but we may make that signal
of a moment mean all that we desire. H e who will send in
an hourly report, "I am on duty, dear Lord," will rejoice
in added strength and blessing.
Consider prayer in its relation to the work of a Sabbath
school teacher. Is not the spirit of intercession our great
need? We are sincerely desirous that the pupils in our
class shall give their hearts to the Lord and continue to
grow spiritually, and themselves become burden bearers
in His service. But there is no power on earth upon
which we can depend to bring this about. The power, the
resources, hang low over our heads, but it is divine power,
divine resources; and they are brought within reach only
by the prayer of faith. Should not the thought that nothing limits success in our work so much as lack of prayer,
drive us to our knees? What could not God do a t this
very time against the gigantic forces of evil in the world,
if His people unitedly made intercession before Him for
wisdom, power, and strength to carry the gospel to the
ends of the earth? "It is only when we come from God
that men will in response to our message come to Him."
By direct statement and by many striking experiences,
the Bible teaches that prayer has power to change things.
When men pray aright, things come to pass. Some may
have been disappointed in not receiving great help and
much blessing merely for the asking, but we may sometimes fail to understand that fundamentally every problem
in the Lord's work is a spiritual problem, and that the

T H E S P I R I T O F PRAYER

91

matter of bringing divine resources to our aid is the

supreme question. The Lord has placed His work so
completely in the hands of His people, and in His plan has
made Himself so dependent upon them, that the measure
of success in His work is determined by the faithfulness
of His church. Failure to pray will give the povertystroke to all our endeavors for others.
What a privilege it is to pray for our Sabbath school
pupils! The minutes we have them in the school are so
few, and they go out from our presence to the temptations
of the world, pitifully weak and helpless to combat the
enemy who is seeking to destroy them. There is power
in prayer. Why not single out one whom you know to be
in special danger from the lack of Christian influence in
his home or among his companions, and pray in faith for
him, that he may gain personal victories over sin? Remember also that other one who is careless, indifferent,
and easily lured by the attractions of the world. The
sullen, the hot-tempered, the wayward, the impulsive ones
need our prayers. Shall they not have them?
A prayerless corps of Sabbath school teachers! I t is
not likely that such a group exists, but such a situation
mentally reminds us that a fig tree once displayed pretentious foliage, but was found to be destitute of fruit. What
a striking illustration of the appearance and results of a
Sabbath school with large attendance, many forms scrupulously adhered to, machinery so cumbersome as to be
near the breaking point, and no souls saved!
What makes praying seem hard for some of us? A
writer, commenting upon prayer, uses this illustration:
"When a pump is frequently used, the water pours out
at the first stroke, because it is high; but if the pump has
not been used for a long time, the water gets low; and
when you want it, you must pump a long while, and the
water comes only after great effort. Jt is so with prayer.
If we are instant in prayer, every little circumstance

92

T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

awakens the disposition to pray, and desire and words are

always ready; but if we neglect prayer, it is difficult for us
to pray; for the water in the pump gets low."
With encouragement we read of the success of a Christian Chinese evangelist of Shantung who has been instrumental in bringing hundreds of Chinese to a knowledge
of Christ. Everywhere he has spoken, a light has been
kindled in that land of darkness. When asked as to his
method, the evangelist replied, "I have no method but
prayer." Will not the "prayer method" and what it leads
to, be all-sufficient for our difficulties?
T H E THEME ILLUSTRATED

An Experience
"Shall we pray before we go?" said Alice.
"Why, yes, we shall have time," replied Nellie.
They were two friends, both teachers in the Cherry
Grove Sabbath school, and were spending the Sabbath
together. They knelt and prayed earnestly for the blessing of the Lord upon the Sabbath school, for His special
personal help as they stood before their classes, for the
power of the Spirit to impress the words spoken upon
the heart of each pupil. After a pleasant walk, they
reached the church, and at the entrance separated, each
going to her class.
After the services, as they walked slowly home, Nellie's
face was a little clouded, but Alice asked brightly, "How
did you get along in your class today?'
The answer revealed the cause of Nellie's gloominess:
"I had a wretched time. I did not accomplish a thing.
The girls were not interested, and I could scarcely get
them to answer a question, or even to think about the
lesson."
"Why, Nellie, I cannot understand how that could have
happened," said Alice, a look of real concern creeping
into her face.

THE S P I R I T O F PRAYER

93

"I understand it perfectly ," replied Nellie, rather

shortly. "It was exactly what I expected. The girls have
been growing more careless lately, and now that the lessons are more difficult, I knew it would be.that way. I
think I shall give up the class, I can do nothing with the
girls."
"0 Nellie!" in a tone of real distress, "how can you
speak so ?"
"It is so, and I may as well say so. Is it not better
to give up the class than to keep it when 1 cannot interest
thegirls ?"
"I-I--don't
know," faltered her friend. "That is not
what I was thinking of. It was what you said about expecting to have just such a time. How could you expect it~?"
"Oh, I know those girls pretty well."
"Yes, but how could you expect that today ?" persisted
Alice.
"Why not ?" asked Nellie, turning to look Alice squarely
in the face.
"Nellie, dear, did you forget the prayers we offered?"
"I see now what you mean," slowly and thoughtfully
replied Nellie. Then quite defiantly she added, "NO, I
do not suppose I forgot them; but prayers don't seem
really to help very much after all. Things turn out about
the same way anyway."
By this time the girls had reached the door of Nellie's
home. They sat down in the pleasant parlor, but for a
few minutes there was an unpleasant stillness. Alice was
thinking rapidly, wondering what she could say to help
her friend, and Nellie was hesitating between the conviction that she should make a frank confession of her
fault, for she now saw it in clear lines, and a temptation
to change the conversation. Deciding upon the latter
course, she began, "What a beautiful day-"
The sentence was never finished, for Nellie saw tears

95

T H E SPIRIT OF T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T OF P R A Y E R

in Alice's eyes, and the sympathy and love which she

knew had caused them touched her heart. Impulsively
she threw her arms around her friend, sobbing out the
words: "Alice, it is all my fault. I know it now. I have
not been in earnest. I never have felt the interest in my
class that I should. I have prayed for them in a way,
but I never really worked for them. I have not done my
part. I never thought much about it before. Help me
to start in right, and I know that if I do my part faithfully, the Lord rtl.'ll hear my prayers and will answer them,
and things ad1 be diiyerent."
And they were different thereafter.

last, Harry could stand it no longer, and turned away

from the window to the shelter of his mother's loving arms.
The mother and the two children were the only Sabbathkeepers in that part of the large city. Harry and Esther
had been taught from babyhood to regard the precious
hours of the Sabbath as holy time. With painstaking
care, the mother had made the Sabbath truly a delight to
her children, and they had been tenderly sheltered from
temptation and trial. Now the children were growing
older, and with keenest anxiety the mother realized that
the time was soon coming, if not already at hand, when
their obedience to the Sabbath commandment must be
voluntary, and not forced.
"It doesn't seem fair, mother," said Harry, with a rising
sense of injustice. "Nearly everything nice to go to or
to do, comes on Sabbath. I've been noticing that a good
deal lately."
The perplexed mother tried to comfort the boy, but
he turned from her more sullen and rebellious than she
had ever before seen him. What should she d o ? What
could she do? She felt that t o leave the matter there was
impossible.
Praying for victory, she said slowly, "Well, Harry, I
shall not say that you cannot go coasting today."
"What !" he exclaimed in astonishment. "Do you really
mean it, mother ?"
"Yes, I really mean it. This time you !may decide for
yourself, I f you choose to break the Sabbath today, I
shall not prevent you; but you had better think it over."
"Esther! Esther! Mamma says we may go coasting if
we want to. Come on."
Esther ran in exclaiming, "Mother, you never said
that !"
"Yes, dear."
"But, mother, how could you say that ?"

94

"ANOTHER OLD TEST"

Or a Problen~.of Mothers
"Nice weather for us Adventist children," said elevenyear-old Harry, with fine sarcasm, as he stood at the
window one Sabbath morning.
"Yes, isn't it !" replied Esther, with perfect comprehension. Then, noting the deepening scowl upon her brother's usually sunny face, she added comfortingly, "Maybe
it will last till tomorrow,"
"Tomorrow will be-too late," slowly replied Harry,
his chin quivering, as he struggled bravely to keep the
tears back.
I t was a delightful, snowy Sabbath morning, the first
since the Christmas sled had arrived; and snow is a rare
treat and soon disappears in the semisouthern city where
Harry and Esther live. With longing eyes the two
watched the other children on the street, vivid sweaters
and caps matching the roses in their cheeks, as they gaily
hurried past on their way to the fine coasting hill only
two blocks away. Acquaintances, catching sight of the
children, beckoned invitingly ; then, as if remembering
something, passed on without waiting, some with a halfcontemptuous smile, others with exclamations of pity. A t

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T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

"It is this way, dear: Mother cannot make you keep

the Sabbath. She can only teach you what is right to do,
and help you to do it while you are too young to know
what is best. But now you and Harry are old enough to
know what you should do, and for this one time I am
giving you the privilege of deciding for yourselves. I t is
a great privilege, my little daughter."
Perhaps coasting was not Esther's special temptation,
for she decided at once, saying to Harry, "I'm not going."
"Oh, come on," exclaimed Harry half angrily. "Mamma
says we may, and it's only for this once."
"Mamma is letting us decide for ourselves; but you
know very well, brother, she doesn't want us to go. We've
never broken the Sabbath before, and I'm not going to
stop keeping it today. Now please don't go."
"Well," replied Harry, while putting on his coat and
muffler, "I'm not quitting for good either; but what difference will this one time make?"
"Remember Moses, Harry Kingsley. You don't want
to be on the outside of the beautiful city, just for a little
coasting," replied Esther in great earnestness.
Harry wavered. He went to the window again, and
looking out, seemed to be thinking. The mother felt that
enough had been said; and with a heavy heart and a
prayer on every breath, she watched him think out the
question. How would he decide? Had she taken the
right course in letting him settle so grave a matter for
himself? He is growing up fast these days, and the circumstances in which he is placed make it peculiarly necessary that he shall learn early to decide for himself on
matters of conscience-not weakly depend upon the controlling influence of others. Yet had she risked too much?
What would be the outcome?
Five minutes passed-almost
ten-then
Gave little
Harry turned from the window, muttering, "I s'pose this
is another old test, and I guess I can stand it."

T H E S P I R I T O F PRAYER
Unspeakable relief flooded the mother heart; and when
the cap and the mittens were in their place again, the
little lad was made to know how greatly the mother regarded the victory he had won.
Talking the experience over with a sympathetic friend,
Mrs. Kingsley was asked, "But what would you have
done if Harry had decided to go?"
"I should have taken him in my arms and told him that
I was going to my room, and that I would be on my knees
praying for him until he returned," replied Mrs. Kingsley.
"He would not have stayed long," said the friend.
"Perhaps not, but I am inexpressibly thankful that he
did not go!'
The real sequel to this experience came the next week,
showing how much the right decision meant in the little
boy's mind. I t was Friday morning, and briskly cold.
"This is great weather, Harry," said his father, with
the enthusiasm that makes him such a comrade to his
admiring:
- son, "skating weather. And- you.. can take your
skates and go every evening after school."
Harry was silent a moment. Then he said: "I can't
go tonight, father. This is Sabbath evening. I settled
all those questions last Sabbath."
"Oh, all right, Harry," hastily responded his father,
who, though not a Christian, respected the conscience of
others. "It looks as if the ice would last several days."
a

T H E S P I R I T OF DISCERNMENT

THE SPIRIT O F DISCERNMENT

ONE

who does not understand the relative values of

material things, makes serious mistakes. A piece
of glass of brilliant color might be chosen as more desirable than the diamond or pearl, modest in appearance
by comparisoi~. Many live in castles of air, which bring
as profitable returns as "owning a half interest in a rainbow." Generally speaking, we may conclude that men and
women are trying to do what they deem is "worth while,"
and are groping about, choosing this and that and discarding the other as undesirable or unnecessary, according
to their individual ideas as to what will q i n g to them the
greatest satisfaction.
An elegant home, a powerful automobile, money for
its own sake, social standing, fame as a scholar, the distinction of an author, a politician, a world traveler, or an
unbeatable champion, merely having a "good time,"-things of this nature are the ideals that the people of the
world are seeking to attain, and many of them pursue their
specialty with a singleness of purpose that is commendable.
But how are the people of God relating themselves to
the thing that is of first importance in these last days?
Do we distinguish clearly that which should be first in our
lives? Jesus is coming soon. Probation will close before
H e comes. I t is the last chance for mankind. Every
trace of sin is to be forever banished. These are the
facts that are facing us. In the light of these facts, what
is the one thing of supreme importance? Immediately
our minds discard each item of the list mentioned in the
preceding paragraph as occupying first place in the hearts
of the world. W e turn our eyes in altogether a different
direction. But what do we as individuals put first, abso98

99

lutely first? Perhaps the motto, "The advent message

to all the world in this generation," would come to the
minds of the majority of our people as the proper answer.
I t gives forth a ringing sound, and we respond to the call
with a degree of activity that is the wonder of the world.
With great earnestness, with undoubted sincerity, we each
lay hold to do our bit. Selfish ease is unknown among
those whose hearts are burdened for the finishing of the
work. "The cause" is the dearest thing in all the world
to those who truly believe it. Responding to every call in
the spirit of sacrifice, we work, and give, and send others,
and go ourselves, that the message may be carried to the
ends of the earth.
But in the doing of this do we neglect to put the supreme thing first? I t seems incredible that any should
make so strange a mistake, yet when we remember that
activity in gospel work is not the first, but the second
principle to be regarded in the life of the Christian, we
are forced to grope about for that which is truly first;
and some of us are startled to find that although we meant
to do so, we really are not making the first thing first in
our lives.
More important than preaching or teaching, .more necessary than giving or going, more vital than all else, is our
personal relation to the Lord Jesus, day by day and hour
by hour. And that personal relation which means to us
the spiritual life victorious, is not gained nor sustained
merely by ministry for others. Of little avail is the day's
hurry from place to place, and from one sacred task to
another, if we ourselves have not tarried at His feet,
looked up into His face, heard Ilis gentle voice speaking
to us through. His word, and poured our heart's desires
into His ear. And this blessed daily communion must be
to us the most dearly prized supreme hour, the one unhurried hour, of all the twenty-four. Nothing should
have first place in our hearts but this.

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

Anna Robertson Brown, speaking to an association of

collegiate alumnae on friendship and love, says: "It is a
great and solemn thing to say to another human soul, In
this one life that we have to live, we will share all things
temporal and spiritual. Your joys shall be my joys. Your
sorrows shall be my sorrows. In absence you shall yet be
near. You shall never be so far from me that I cannot
hear your voice in the twilight and in the night season.
Though land and sea divide us, you shall yet walk by my
side and kneel with me in prayer; still I shall feel the
touch of your hand, and rejoice in your sympathy. Your
letters shall make me strong and glad. I am not afraid
of you. With you I need not be too greatly reserved.
To you I may speak the deep thoughts of my heart. With
you alone I laugh; with you only may I shed tears and
be not ashamed. To you only can I say, 'Behold, here am
I, an undisguised human soul: all others know me in some
one mood ; you know me in all moods.' "
If that experience is possible of attainment between
human beings, how great and glorious are the possibilities
of communion with the God of heaven, who, to enable us
to understand His relation to us, asks us to think of Him
as friend and lover ! Oh, how we lose our way ! How
we wander about! How we turn from communion with
Him who only can satisfy our heart longings, and content ourselves with traveling the swiftest pace, but often
as one who runs without a message! I t is only by letting
go of everything unworthy of Him,-pretense, discontent,
worry, self-seeking, criticism, unloving thoughts and
words and deeds,-and by taking Him in all His fullness
into the very center of the heart's affections, that we can
be a strength, an inspiration, and a blessing to those whose
lives touch ours.
One who desires the spirit of true discernment must
recognize it as the spirit of wisdom. Every day he must
decide that question, What is worth doing? Today the

T H E S P I R I T O F DISCERNMENT

101

world is in a hurry. But the sober-minded should consider carefully the danger to themselves in following the
world's program. "Speed Up" is its motto in every line
of activity. The homemaker is as hurried as the breadwinner. The children seem to be under the same stress,
and rush from one thing to another in their efforts to
"keep up" at school, at play, at social affairs, if not at
work. The duties of modern life are so numberless and
so insistent that the strain is felt not only by dwellers in
the city, but also by those in the villages and in the country. "Hurryitis" is a plague from which the worM is
suffering. I t is very contagious, and practically every
one you meet shows marked symptoms of the disease.
Numerous fatalities may be traced directly to this malady.
Not only are a large proportion of serious accidents due
to the frenzied haste of victims of the disease, but the
strain of the pace at which many are traveling weakens
the nerves, overstrains the heart, lowers the vitality, and
precipitates mental and physical breakdowns.
What should we be doing while the world is in a hurry?
Certain it is that we cannot stop the whirring wheels.
Small use to fret at the spirit of the age. But are there
not a few vital things which no sense of hurry should
crowd out of our lives? Is communion with God by
prayer and study of His word still necessary to the soul?
Luther spent three hours a day in prayer. If he were
among us now, could he find time for it?
A little book recently published, gives suggestions for
family worship. The point emphasized in advertising it
is that it gives such aid that family worship need take but
two ntinutes of time. One is led to wonder if nowadays
we are safe in finding short cuts to spiritual blessings.
The manner of some would lead us to conclude that it is
possible to give oneself to the Lord once for all, and that
ever after we may go on our busy way, secure in the sense
of a Leadership that can never fail us, so long as we are

T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

T H E S P I R I T OF DISCERNMENT

"hard at it," even though we can find no time for personal

communion with our Saviour.
In truth, none of us have outgrown the need for quiet
time for study and prayer. Never was there a more perilous time for the people of God. Never have there been
days of greater solemnity. Daring, indeed, is he who
neglects to make sure of his connection with the Source of
power, yet runs to his work.
Jesus, in His life on earth, is our example in all things.
Taking our nature, prayer was to Him a necessity and a
privilege. Reading the Gospels with this idea in mind,
one is forced to conclude that Jesus Himself knew something of the hurried life. Sometimes He was too busy to
eat. He taught, and healed, and gave cheer to the gathered multitudes through all the day. Once, through sheer
fatigue, He fell asleep in a little boat, resting upon a
cushion. Even then He must awake to quiet the frightened fishermen who were with Him. At the landing place,
the madmen met Him. Then at the will of the people
who believed not in the Stranger, H e must again take the
boat and depart. And the days were busier as His time
grew shorter. Yet through them all, He was often in
prayer. While His disciples slept, Jesus, their Master,
prayed. He always discerned rightly the most important
thing to do. He was never hurried. He made time for
that which was worth while. He marched steadily forward toward the cross, but as He went about doing good,
the spirit of discernment was strongly in evidence in all
that He did.
While the world is in a hurry, let the people of God-

"Take time to be holy, the wurld rushes on;

Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone;
B y looking to Jesm, like H i m thou shalt be;
T h y friends in thy condtrct His likeness shall see.

102

"Take time to be h d y , speak oft rn-th thy Lord;

A i d e in Him always, and feed on His word;
Make friends of GodPschildren, help those who are
weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

I03

"Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide,

And run not before Him, whatever betide;
In joy or in sorrow, still follow thy Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His word.
"Take time to be holy, be calm in tlty soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control;
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above."

T H E SPIRIT OF YOUTH

T H E S P I R I T OF YOUTH

REVEAL what is in my heart on this topic with great

hesitation. To me it is the supreme question of these
last days. I t is not a departmental, but a denominational
problem. Greater than the financial problem, greater than
the problem of how to reach the Mohammedans, or the
cannibals of the South Sea Islands, is this problem of how
to save our own young people-those who bear our names,
eat at our tables, sit by our firesides, and find shelter
beneath our roofs.
For truly, the young people of the remnant church are
in deadly peril. No flock of sheep was ever more endangered by wolves, no ship was ever more threatened
by wind and wave, no company of travelers in greater
danger of bandits or wild beasts, than are our own dear
young people, the flower of our flock.
We are facing a new era, a time such as never was.
We are battling with forces of evil that are more subtle,
more alluring, more overwhelmingly irresistible than have
ever been known in this world since Satan appeared in
attractive form in the Garden of Eden.
Startling are the thoughts that are aroused by the reading of the chapter, "The Temptation and Fall' in "Patriarchs and Prophets." Eve had wandered away,-had
some spirit of independence, no doubt,-but
although
she had broken down a protective barrier, she had not
sinned. She stood looking at the tree, perhaps wondering
what there was about it that was bad,--another protection
gone, but she had not sinned. The serpent spoke. Eve,
surprised and startled, her curiosity and interest aroused,
listened,-close to evil now, and yet she had not sinned.
She could even then have made her escape. Then here is
104

105

a little description from the book: "But the serpent continued, in a musical voice, with subtle praise of her surpassing loveliness; and his words were not displeasing.
. . She lingered wonderingly to hear a serpent speak.
She had not thought that the fascinating serpent could
become the medium of the fallen foe."-Page 54.
To me that sounds like modern history, only today the
worst features are intensified. Do we not today see the
great innocent wonder in the eyes of our boys and girls
as they note the developments of modern science and
achievement, and the most popular manifestation of these
lead directly away from the good toward the evil. Eve
was thrilled with the music of the voice of the tempter.
The music of the world today is thrilling, entrancing,
almost irresistible to the highly strung, abnormally sensitive youth of our time. Every nerve, every muscle,
responds to the rhythm. And music cannot possibly be
evil, mentally concludes the modern youth. Why, the
angels sing! and are there not harps in heaven! This
is but an illustration of the intermingling of the good
and evil of these days, until it is not strange that youth
in its innocence and in its independence cannot see clearly
the line of demarcation between them. Sometimes I
wonder if we who are older and more experienced see that
line clearly. If you have ever tried to answer the question
of why it is wrong to do, or see, or read, or wear, thus and
so, when it is right to do, or see, or read, or wear something quite like it, you will understand me. More than
once in these latter days have I seen a valiant defender
of what is generally considered right standards in matters
of custom and conscience, put to flight by the clear logic
of a youthful opponent.
This brings me to another very definite conclusion. We
who are parents and teachers are entirely unprepared to
meet the situation we are facing. W e can no longer be
unreasonable, autocratic, unsympathetic, dictatorial, phari-

...

106

T H E S P I R I T OF THE T E A C H E R

saical, in dealing with the youth of today, A generation

ago the religious home where the father's word was not
law was the exception, not the rule. The change in this
respect alone ought to make us all know that we have
come, in the last few years, into another world of thought
and feeling and action. The youth of today are not
merely the rising generation, they are the up-rising generation.
W. T. Bartlett, writing upon this subject, says:
"Notwithstanding this apparent irresponsibility, the
youth must not be subjected to control like a child. H e
must be allowed a growing measure of freedom, and be
wisely entrusted with responsibilities. At the same time
he needs to be tactfully influenced until it appears that
he can be trusted alone. He desires to be treated as a man,
but his sense of right and wrong are only in process of
development, and he must not be judged harshly when he
reveals by some foolishness his immaturity."
Off the coast of Norway there is a famous whirlpool,
known as the Maelstrom, which is fabled to suck in and
swallow up vessels that are caught in its current, even on
the outer edge. The force of the swirling waves draws
the ship with irresistible swiftness nearer and nearer the
vortex, which, when reached, engulfs the vessel, and it
passes from sight forever.
No more perfect illustration can be found of the situation which confronts us today. How can those who have
been caught in the maelstrom of sinful pleasures be
rescued? Thousands of our young people are riding the
circular waves in their tiny pleasure crafts, many of them
unconscious of their danger. Perhaps their feeling of
security is increased by the fact that church members
who are older, and some to whom they have looked for
guidance, are also sailing along in the same current, with
no apparent fear of the consequences.
How to break the power of the pleasures of the world

T H E SPIRIT OF YOUTH
over the hearts of our young people is the supreme question of these last days. More difficult of solution than
any phase of our foreign mission work, is this problem of
rescuing the young people of the remnant church from
their deadly peril. W e are facing a new era, a time such
as never was.
The picture of these days has been given us by the
servant of the Lord:
"The youth are swept away by the popular current.
Those who learn to love amusement for its own sake,
open the door to a flood of temptations. They give themselves up to social gaiety and thoughtless mirth. They
are led on from one form of dissipation to another, until
they lose both the desire and the capacity for a life of
usefulness. Their religious aspirations are chilled; their
,piritual life is darkened. All the nobler faculties of the
soul, all that link man with the spiritual world, are deba~ed."-"Testi~~~onies1)1Vol. I X , f . 90.
Te~1derlyand lovingly has the Lord called after the
wanderers. The record in heaven is complete after each
name.
''It will be found in the day of final settlement that God
was acquainted with every one by name. There is an unseen witness to every action of the life.
It is known
what opportunities have been slighted, how untiring have
been the efforts of the Good Shepherd to search out
those who were wandering in crooked ways, and to bring
them back to the path of safety and peace. Again and
again God has called after the pleasure lovers; again and
again H e has flashed the light of His word across their
path, that they might see their peril, and escape. But
on and on they go, jesting and joking as they travel the
broad road, until at length their probation is ended. God's
ways are just and equal ; and when sentence is pronounced
against those who are found wanting,
every mouth will
.-

. ..

108

THE S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

Another side of the picture is also strongly presented

by the same writer:
"He [Satan] well knows that there is no other class
that can do as much good as young men and young women
who are consecrated to God. The youth, if right, could
sway a mighty influence. Preachers, or laymen advanced
in years, cannot have one half the influence upon the young
that the youth, devoted to God, can have upon their associates."-Id.,
Vol. I, p. 511.
WHAT WE SHOULD DO

In the foregoing quotations our d u t i in behalf of the

youth is set forth very plainly, and along lines in which
little has been done. Is not this question one which should
now receive study by Sabbath school workers everywhere?
Should not the influence of the Sabbath school be much
more strongly exerted in behalf of our youth? Officers
and teachers should feel a personal responsibility for the
young people of the schools. How can any of us sleep
spiritually at a time like this? What can the Holy
Watcher in heaven think of us who are even now living
on borrowed time, when we are indifferent or neglectful
of those who are directly under our care? Shall we not
hurry? Does not the King's business require haste ? Terrible as the outlook is, for many feet have already slipped,
and others are turning toward the slippery places, the
situation is not beyond the control of God. Can He not
find those who will surrender themselves so fully that
He can work out His will through them ?
Here is what is said to those who would work for the
youth,-+ very familiar quotation :
"It will require the most delicate tact, the most thoughtful consideration, the most earnest prayer, that heavenly
wisdom may be imparted. The youth are the objects of
Satan's special attacks ; but kindness, courtesy, that tender
sympathy that flows from a heart filled with love to Jesus,

T H E S P I R I T OF Y O U T H

109

will give you access to them. You may win their confidence so that they will listen to your words, and thus be
saved from many a snare of the enemy."-"ChAstian

Edzlcation," pp. 222,223.

Let us see how well the Sabbath schools of the denomination are equipped for taking up the responsibility of
leading and guiding our youth, first to the Saviour, then
into His service. In a very striking way the Sabbath
school workers are leaders of the people. The humblest
teacher in the smallest school is a leader, the shepherd
of a little flock. I n all our schools, whether large or small,
the teachers of the classes are leaders. What a company
they make! I n each school there is a superintendent.
We may rightfully think of him as a leader of leaders.
The conference, union, and mission Sabbath school secretaries are quite officially placed to lead. With this company of over 100,000 persons who are rightly entrusted
with a large degree of responsibility for leadership in
Sabbath school matters, we can say with all assurance that
the denomination is well equipped, so far as organization
and workers are concerned, from a Sabbath school view~ o i n talone, to reach our great objective-the
salvation
of our children and youth.
Add to these the young people's army of soul-winning
leaders and the workers connected with our educational
institutions, and it would seem that united effort would
enable us not merely to take the outposts of the enemy's
stronghold, but to overthrow the highest and loftiest barriers he has erected, and put him completely to rout.
Should we not, in justice to our work, be studying the
question of leadership? I t would seem so. From what
standpoint should we study? Are the most vital questions, How may I manage to retain my position? How
may I acquire greater authority? How may 1 secure
greater appreciation of my work? Such questions will
never arise in the heart of one who cherishes any true
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T H E SPIRIT O F T H E TEACHER

ideal of the responsibility, the obligation, or the ministry

of a true leader.
Where shall we turn for a glimpse of higher ground in
leadership? There is only one place-one Book-in which
the ideal leadership is set forth. But how rich and clear
and distinct are the pictures of leadership portrayed in
this Book. Does there not at once arise in your mind
that heroic figure-that leader whose preparation included
forty years of feeding the flock of his father-in-law, while
at the same time he fed upon the thoughts that God gave
him? When called definitely to his work as leader of
Israel, he shrank from it, keenly aware of his own limitations. But he became wise enough and strong enough
to speak for God before the Pharaoh of Egypt, and to act
for God in the wilderness, and to talk with God alone, on
the heights, above the mists of the mountains. What did
leadership mean to Moses ? Let his own words answer:
"This people have sinned a great sin, and have made them
gods of gold. Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin-;
and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which
Thou hast written."
How far is his ideal of leadership above yours? What
do you do and say when those whom you seek to help will
not be helped by you? I have noticed a tendency to great
liberality in this matter, a liberality which leads us to
lay blame and responsibility entirely upon some one else.
T o illustrate : Suppose the superintendent ponders over
the question, How can we develop the spiritual life of
our school? H e may easily shift the responsibility to the
teachers with the thought, They are more directly responsible than I ; let them do it. When it is still not done, he
may well say, Why don't thcy do i t ? We may say, "Why
do not the superintendents do what ought to be done ?" and
the superintendents say, "There are the teachers. Why
don't they do it?" and the teachers oftentimes pass the
responsibility on to the parents.

T H E SPIRIT O F YOUTH

111

W e shall never bring our work up on any ground that

is higher than where it now stands, while we consciously
or unconsciously reason in that fashion. W e must arouse
to a sense of our own individual responsibility to God and
our personal responsibility to the people who look to us
for leadership. We cannot now work lazily, hazily, or
uncertainly without being in the way. Every worker
must have his definite, clearly understood duty, place,
responsibility.
The one great question is our own personal relati011 to
Jesus Christ. The path to the higher ground is by the
way of personal consecration. The same reading of the
Bible, the same praying, that has held us steady in days
gone by, is not sufficient now. Men and women must
now
walk with God as Enoch did, if they are t o be trans.
lated as Enoch was. There must come new life, a new
spirit, a new power into our activities. Let no one think
that we should be any more busy than we are now. We
need not put in any longer hours at the office, or run to
and fro any more swiftly. Our zeal, our unceasing efforts,
our tireless endeavors, are well known. But I truly believe that it is possible to multiply the results a thousandfold, with no greater effort, for many times we work as
one beating the air.
Now, while the times are different. and the youth are
different, God is the same. The situation is not beyond His control, providing H e can find men and
women who will surrender themselves to Him so
fully that H e can work out His will through them.
You remember the familiar quotation: "It is the nicest
work ever assumed by men and women to deal with
youthful minds."-"Counsels
to Teachers." By "nicest"
is meant, not "most pleasant," but "most delicate." We
are also told who are disqualified for this "nicest work."
I t is those who have not learned "self-control, patience,
forbearance, gentleness, and love." Quite a formidable

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

list of qualifications! Truly, I believe that if parents,

teachers, and workers were generally qualified in these
five essentials, our army of youth would be quickly
brought to Jesus and made ready for service. We are
past masters in the art of faultfinding, reproving, scolding,
teasing, and nagging; but amateurs in self-control, patience, forbearance, gentleness, and love.
Although we are so faulty, although our failures have
been so many, we yet have opportunity to redeem the
time. My heart rejoices today that we can by faith claim
the promise of the mighty Jesus, "I will contend with him
that contendeth with thee,and I will save thy children."
Isa. 49 :25.
T o your knees, 0 Israel, in behalf of our youth! Omnipotent power only can rescue one who is engulfed in the
maelstrom of sin. Our dependence must be on God. The
victorious life for ourselves and prevailing prayer for
our beloved youth, should be our daily program. Every
department that touches the life of our young people
should make this the supreme thing.

WERE I A GIRL AGAIN

A Message to Girls

ANY

young person might be pardoned for paraphrasing the desire of Robert Burns to read:

0 wad some power the giftie gie us,

To see oursel's as we shall see us!
Had that gift been mine when I was a girl, it would
have made a great change in the woman I am today.
Youth lives much in the present. Desires are then keen,
and disappointments hard to bear. I t is comparatively
easy to barter the treasures of the future for a mess of
pottage. Middle age, old age, is far, far away, and
"today" is at hand and has the right of way in the youthful mind. Then, too, "by and by" affords ample time for
improvement, for changing habits, for acquiring right
ideals, and for living up to them. Alas! Every day in
the springtime of life deepens quite perceptibly the marks
of character that make up the personality of a youth.
Habits are then formed that will take weeks and months,
aye, sometimes years, to conquer. In later life one
must cry mightily to God for strength to overcome a
habit carelessly acquired in youth.
So, going back in my thoughts to girlhood, with the
experience of years to guide me, the one thing that stands
out preeminently as more attractive than the most brilliant
diamond on display in the Tower of London, is the pearl
of great price. Were I a girl again, I would consecrate
my life absolutely without reservation to the service of
God, for I would realize that without this surrender, all
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T H E S P I R I T O F T H E TEACHER

knowledge that I might gain would be "vain," all wisdom

that I might attain would be "foolishness."
A man returning from Africa with the whole of his
fortune invested in one glittering diamond, amused himself while on board the ship by tossing up the gem and
catching it as it fell. The time came when he failed to
catch it, and the jewel fell into the ocean. That man was
not so foolish as I when in youth I tossed about "the pearl
of great price" as carelessly as if it were a bauble of little
worth. It is only by God's mercy that it did not slip from
nly grasp forever.
I must speak of the things of which I have need nozw
that could easily have been acquired then. I would try
to develop in my mind the power of concentration of
thought. Attention is a habit. One may cultivate it.
The power to give fixed attention comes by training.
Reading in a listless, careless manner, hearing the words
of a speaker in a preoccupied way, or permitting oneself
to skim the surface of a subject to be studied, increases
the disinclination of the mind to give steady attention.
One should learn how to give undivided attention to
specific things. Careless, irresponsible, unreliable, superficial, forgetful persons abound, because of lack of selfdiscipline in early life in this principle which is fundamental.
One must learn the meaning of faithfulness if one
desires to fit oneself to bear responsibility. Manifold
forces are at work to hinder any person, young or old,
from achieving faithfulness. These forces are antagonistic, wayward, and even malignant. They attack the mind
and the heart in their most vulnerable places. A seemingly
reasonable excuse in various guises presents itself continually as an obstacle to faithfulness. We may be the
master or the slave of environment, of temptation, of
every opposing force. It takes the will of the conqueror

W E R E I A GIRL AGAIN
to rule one's own spirit, and overrule the forces that array
themselves as hindrances to faithfulness.
As evidence of the failure of young people generally
to achieve an admirable degree of faithfulness in the performance of duty, note the broken promises, the tardiness
in keeping appointments, the absences from posts of duty
without explanation, the breakdown of plans due to the
unfaithfulness of some one, the disappointments, anxieties,
embarrassments, uncertainties, and the irretrievable losses
we suffer, because of the unfaithfulness of those upon
whom we have depended. The list is long, but in one
form or another we meet these hindrances day by day,
especially in our contact with young people. A training
in faithfulness in home life, in school environments, in
office work, in every detail of our association with others,
is of greater worth than a master's degree from any
school in the land. The Lord Himself places faithfulness
as esteemed in the sight of heaven above brilliancy of attainment, for H e says to the servant having two talents,
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler
over many things."
Sincerity is defined as "the quality of being true, honest ;
freedom from hypocrisy, disguise, or false pretense."
How rare is this virtue among young people today! It is
quite easy to use a degree of tactfulnas, diplomacy, and
even cleverness in such a way that the grossest insincerity
is covered by them. These, of course, are graces that
should be cultivated. Without them one bungles and
offends inexcusably. But when there is an element of insincerity in one's "niceness" to others, an ulterior motive
back of acts of kindness, an interest expressed that is not
genuine, words of commendation or approval offered that
are not honest, the victim of such attentions is sooner or
later made aware of this insincerity, and is crushed in
spirit by it. No one can number the heartaches caused by

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T H E S P I R I T OF T H E TEACHER

W E R E I A GIRL AGAIN

the insincerity of so-called friends as it is manifested in

church relation, in Sabbath school classes, in young people's societies, and especially in school life.
Not only those who are made to suffer by the insincerity
of others should receive our sympathy, but the one who is
ruining his life by the development of this trait of character should receive our help. Insincerity will ruin and
devastate every other good trait even as a noxious weed,
if not entirely eliminated, will ruin every plant in a garden
of flowers. Having been both the victim and the guilty
one at different times in my life, I believe that if I were
a girl again, I would fight against that temptation with
all the help that God could give me, lest my usefulness
in life be almost wholly nullified by this hideous deformity
of character.
Thoughtfulness for others is a great antidote for selfishness. So many times we are thoughtlessly selfish. I
recall a general meeting held in a corner of Iowa. A Bible
worker and I were tenting together. Some one brought
us two extra-fine peaches. Profusely thanking the donor,
I began eating mine at once. After a few moments, I
asked Mollie why she did not eat hers. She evaded a
direct reply. An hour later I saw her peach on a sick
girl's bed,--a girl who had met with an accident on the
way to the meeting. Had I thought of it, I would have
been as eager as my friend to give my peach, but I had
thought only of self. 1 pondered over that incident quite
seriously a t the time, and it has had its effect upon me
through all the years. Many a courtesy have I extended
because I remembered that peach. My embarrassment
and humiliation upon that occasion taught me a never-tobe-f orgotten lesson.
Were I a girl again, I would give myself a thorough
course of training in overcoming the desire, so frequently
mine, "to get even." Usually this originates in a spirit of
fun, and sometimes is harmless. I firmly believe, how-

ever, that the germ of a revengeful spirit is in it, and that

it may become a dominant characteristic in the life, if
indulged. To pay back a slight, fancied or real ; to resent
in an unkind way some one's affront, intended or not;
to develop the spirit of retaliation by constantly indulging
it, is contrary to the spirit of Christ. The effect upon
one's own character is strongly marked. The resentful
person is eagerly watchful for things to resent. He is apt
to become bitter, even cynical, It requires much prayer
and great watchfulness to check this habit, for the trend
of natural thought must be changed. That always means
a struggle. One who would be pure and true and honest,
must uproot from the heart the spirit of the "comeback,"
which leads one to make another smart for any grievance
or injustice of which one may be the victim.
Were I a girl again, I would guard myself with the
utmost diligence against the power of secret sin. I have
tried to write of its danger, but have torn up the page and
the fragments are in the wastebasket near by. To take the
place of that page I am giving the lesson as told by Mary
Whiting Adams :
:.

:.
i'
I

"

'Just let me spin a single thread,'

The spider to the rosebush said.
'Under this leaf, quite out of sight,
1'11 spin it so delicate and light
N o one will ever know and no one well ever see
Excepting only you and me.'
"So beneath the leaf its thread is spun;
But it did not stop with only one,
It spun another-two-three-four,
And so 012, steadily, more and more
Till the rose felt the web, and cried, 'Dear w e !
You'd better stop, or people will see!'

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T H E S P I R I T OF THE TEACHER

"But the spider smiled in satisfied nzood,

F m it had Izatclz~da .warming brood,
And over the rosebush they crawled atzd spun
Till all its beauty and strength were gone,
l'ill tlze buds and leaves were choked and dead,
And over it all the gray webs spread.
"Just one small spider-just one stnall sinA h , thut is the zrltiy the troubles begin!"
I shall never be a girl again. I can pass over that road
but once. I must strive now to keep the beautiful grace
of girlhood in my heart, for I would not grow old in spirit
as the years pass. "Hats off" to our girls! How we
rejoice in their strength, their enthusiasm, their charm,
their ability to plan and to do. Steady them, keep them,
we pray, dear Lord. May they, every one, be as the
King's daughter, "all glorious within."

I
3