76. The Teacher Installed.—The Sunday-school is a church service, hence the teacher should be properly recognized by the church. It is desirable that all the officers and teachers should be assembled and installed in their offices for the coming year with fitting exercises, at a regular service of the church. Such a service as this dignifies the office of the Sunday-school teacher, places upon him the approbation of the church, and makes him feel that his work is appreciated. The installation service should be in charge of the pastor of the church, and the officers and teachers should be seated in a body. Appropriate exercises for such a service have been arranged, and may be easily secured from the denominational publishing houses.

77. The Teacher Protected.—During the general opening and closing exercises of the Sunday-school session the superintendent is in charge. But during the teaching period the teacher outranks everybody else, and is entitled to the full time set apart for teaching without any interruption. The officers of the school should not be allowed to disturb the classes in any way. The making of the class reports, gathering of the offering, and similar matters, should be attended to before the recitation begins, and in such a manner as to make the least interference with the class work. It is a sin to disturb a class unnecessarily after the teaching has begun.

78. The Teacher Between Sundays.—The wise teacher will regard the intervening week between two sessions of the school as the time of his greatest opportunity. He will review in his mind the experiences of the previous Sunday, endeavoring to learn therefrom how to improve his work in the future. He will give himself diligently to the preparation of his lesson and to the visiting of the absent, and will be especially careful to call upon the sick members of his class. He will attend the Workers' Meeting, and avail himself of every opportunity for improvement. He will seek personal interviews with those of his scholars who have been troublesome in the matter of discipline, and will talk individually with all the members of his class in order to win them to Christ. He will identify himself with the International Reading Circle, as a member of which he pledges to read at least one good Sunday-school book each year, and thus keep in touch with the Sunday-school movements of the world.

79. The Teacher's Aim.—The teacher should aim, first of all, to win the confidence and esteem of his scholars. Until this is done little else is possible, because there can be no effective teaching without co-operation. He should give his scholars faithful and efficient instruction in the Word of God. The lesson itself should be taught each Sunday, and not allowed to be brushed aside by the discussion of any other topic, though other topics may be used to introduce or illustrate the lesson. He should endeavor to lead his scholars to an acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. This is oftener accomplished by a personal interview than in the class. He should aim to lead his scholars into membership in the local church. He should aim, by careful training and instruction, to build his scholars up into strong Christian characters, and to fit them for the duties of civic and religious life. Let him remember that his work is for eternity.

80. The Teacher's Reward.—The teacher receives much of his reward as he goes along, but not all of it. The privilege of being associated with the Great Teacher, and laboring in obedience to his command; the joy of leading souls to Jesus Christ, and sending them out into the world as witnesses for him; the consciousness of growing power in service because of work well done; the companionship of kindred spirits engaged in the same great work—these are surely rewards enough. But there is another reward when the work is done. It is God's "Well done" to the faithful.

Test Questions

1. What should be the most important feature of every Sunday-school session?

2. What is the solution of the problem of getting teachers?

3. Who should be in a teacher-training class?

4. Who should choose the teachers?