Teachers an Example by F. G.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 8, 1904

Teachers an Example

By F. G.

A FOUNTAIN will not rise any higher than its source. When the source of its supply rises, it will rise correspondingly; and likewise when the source lowers, the fountain will lower. This law of liquids is not any truer than a law governing the mind, which makes it impossible for it to rise any higher than its source of thought. But it likewise occurs that when the source of thought rises, the mind, in all its operations, is stronger and purer.

Our line of advance and progress will pass directly across the way of indolence and idle content. It is not hard for a teacher to cease to grow. But just when a teacher ceases to grow, he ceases to be a teacher. A teacher has to deal with facts of knowledge in a material way, but the vital truths of life do not necessarily lie in these facts in themselves. The vital, living truths of life come directly from God. It is true that they often come by the way of the facts taught. But they come far oftener through the teacher. His life is to be, under God, an inspiration and an example to those whom he would teach; and here again, unless it is such, he can not claim the name of teacher, and should not attempt the work of this high office.

Growth is a natural result of life. Progress and advance are always the result of growth, if indeed they are not synonymous with growth. Our denominational system of schools can make the right sort of progress only when all our teachers are growing. And they can grow only when they draw daily from the source of life. To be educators we must be educated, and to be educated we must study. When we have this spirit of a student ourselves, it is not difficult to inspire our pupils with a similar spirit. It is not right for teachers to go on year after year making no definite advance along the highway of knowledge. We have heard much, but none too much, said about the importance of the spiritual nature of our work. Perhaps, however, not enough has been said of the importance of securing a good fund of the facts of science, history, language, and other fields of knowledge for ourselves and our pupils. I do not think I state it too strongly when I say that much of our educational work is greatly hindered by a lack of the knowledge of many of the common facts to be observed on every hand. This knowledge is within the reach of every one who will seek it. Religion is practical, and is given us in order that we may deal with the material things of life in a proper way; but when we lose a sense of the just importance of the material things, our religion and religious experience degenerate into mere form.

Let us then, as teachers, be students, and make real advance in the field of knowledge, setting for ourselves definite tasks, and then mastering them. This will not detract from the spiritual features of our work, but to the contrary, will make our religion one of life, and not form. We shall then be leading our pupils in an unconscious, though forcible way, instead of consciously driving them. We teach far more by what we are and what we do than by what we say.

F. G.