TEACHING OR BEING TEACHER.
THE idea is quite too common that it is more important to have a Sabbath-school class than to teach a Sabbath-school class; that somehow there may be a gain in allowing scholars to do just as they please in a class, rather than to insist firmly and with kindness on their being orderly and attentive. The truth is, that it would be better to have one scholar whom you can teach, than forty scholars who receive no instruction from you. Here is a New York State teacher, who is in perplexity on this point. He writes:— "I have had a class of boys in a large Sabbath-school for about two years. It is the custom in this school for the librarian to distribute the library books before the lesson is half done. When the books are distributed, the lesson is out of the question, and the scholars pay no more attention to me than if I were not there. My time, as far as they are concerned, seems to be simply wasted. True, I could take the upper hand with them, close their books, and compel them to listen to the lesson. But the question with me is, would it not do them more harm than good to force the lesson upon them against their will? I am perplexed about this; and I think that I am not the only one in this condition. Would you be kind enough to assist me by giving me a few practical suggestions that will apply to my case?" Of course it is wrong to permit the scholars to read their library books during the time allotted to the lesson. Would it be right to permit them to play cards, or the gem puzzle, during the lesson hour? Would the teacher think it would "do them more harm than good" to interfere with such an amusement, and "to force the lesson upon them against their will"? If it is right to have any control over the class, it is right to insist on the duty of the hour receiving exclusive attention. "Let all things be done decently and in order" is just as truly an inspired injunction, and just as binding on the Christian teacher, as "Quench not the Spirit." As it now is for those scholars, the teacher's "time, as far as they are concerned, seems to be simply wasted." Surely that is wrong in a Sabbath-school. In the first place, the librarian ought not to distribute books to the classes while "the lesson is half done." It would be better to have no librarian and no library in the Sabbath-school than to have that state of things. It is quite unnecessary. It is an unknown practice in a well-managed Sabbath-school. But if the books are left at the class seat, the teacher should see to it that they are not distributed until the lesson is finished. He should hold them meantime, if he dies for it. It is well to have a full class of scholars; but it is more important to do right, and to be faithful with a single scholar, than to have an overflowing class overrunning the teacher.—S. S. Times.