The Bible-school: a manual for Sunday-school workers

Front matter

.H.McKlNNEY.

'-'allFBOOKS FOR PRACTICAL WORKIR

Chap........ Copyright No.

CHAPTER II. Some Prewminary Considerations

Principles rather than rules. — The worker's *' peas " : pluck, patience, perseverance, push, piety, personal integrity, power. — The worker's knowledge of God, of his Bible, of his pupils, of how to apply truths. — Essentials and devices.

Chapter I

The Importanck of Biblk-Schooi. Work.

There sits a young woman with six active bo3^s around her. They are mischievous, tantalizing, and one might sometimes say, devihsh. To the superficial observer they seem to take great delight in devising methods for teasing one another, for annoying the teacher, and for disturbing the school in general.

The teacher leaves school with aching head and heavy heart, almost determined that she will notify the superintendent that she does not care to try any more to bring those six boys to Christ. To her, it seems as if Bible-school work were of little importance compared with other efforts that might be put forth. She thinks of many ways in which she could employ her time to better advantage than in submitting to the pranks of her boys.

But there is to be another scene. The nations are assembled before the judgment-seat of Christ. The teacher is there, and with her on the right-hand

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side are the six who were her boys in the Bible-school, redeemed and cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ. They now stand to be presented to the Father, perfect through the merits of Him who gave His life for their teacher and for them.

Judged from the standpoint of the bad boy's action on the Sunday afternoon, the work of the Bible-school does not seem to be very important, especially if it be tested by the result of any one day's effort; but viewed from the standpoint of eternity, where six souls are in the enjoyment of everlasting life, the work of the Bible-school teacher not only seems to be important, but it begins to look as if it were a privilege which the angels would covet to enjoy.

I know that there are those who will say : We cannot see the connection between six bad boys in Bible-school and the six redeemed souls. Possibly not ; but if you could hear the testimony of those six, the probabilities are that the majority of them would declare that they had received their first real impression of spiritual truth in the Bible-school.

There are other standpoints from which it is legitimate to view the importance of Bible-school work. It may be looked at from the standpoint of the:

I. Statesman. — From Washington to McKinley we have had a number of those whom this country has honored with its highest gift, who have declared that the greatest benefits that can be conferred upon our land come from the study and practice of the truths of the Word of God. The Bible is

THE IMPORTANCE OF BIBI.E-SCHOOI. WORK. 1 3

the text-book with which we have to do. If we are faithful we are not only preparing souls for immortalit}', but we are preparing men to serve their country.

II. S0C101.0GIST. — Many schemes of sociology are being considered. It may be said without any fear of successful contradiction, that if the principles enunciated by the Great Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, were to be practiced by many in their ever^'-day life there would be no necessity for discussions concerning sociological questions. In the Bible-school the teachings of Jesus hold first place.

III. PHII.ANTHROPIST. — If the teaching referred to in the above paragraph were imbedded in the hearts and lived out in the lives of the masses, there would be a great decrease in the number of cases to which philanthropy would need to be applied, and a great increase in the number of philanthropists who would devote time and money to the help of the incapables and unfortunates.

IV. Educator. — No text-book has ever become the heritage of mankind that will do as much for the education of the whole man physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually as will the Bible if its teachings are followed. Hence the educator should be the first to appreciate and to defend the value of the work of the Bible-school.

V. Preacher. — He who preaches the truth as it is in Jesus realizes, perhaps as none others can, the value of the work of the Bible-school, because he finds that the vast majority of those who give heed to his preaching are those who have been tramed in

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the knowledge of, and in obedience to, the love of God. Hence, from his standpoint the work is of inexpressible worth.

CHAPTER II. SoMK PrkIvIminary Considkrations

In no department of human effort more than in the Bible-school, should it be kept in mind that, while rules and details vary, principles are always the same.

At Bible-school conventions, the objection often made is, that what the speaker or teacher brings before the delegates is suitable in certain localities, but not applicable to others. If the leader has been urging the adoption of some specific rule or work, this objection is valid. If, however, he has been striving to inculcate a principle, the objection falls to the ground. Principles of work are always the same. The details and the rules evolved from those principles must vary according to circumstances. Hence, what is said in the following pages has to do, except when illustrations are given, with principles rather than with rules. The wise worker will strive to comprehend the principle, and from it deduce such rules as may be suitable to local conditions.

Again, it must be remembered that, while principles remain the same, the rules derived from those

SOME PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. 1 5

principles may be changed from time to time. For example : It should be a fixed principle that all entering the school-room after a certain hour are late. But what is that certain hour ? In a country school, in the summer season, this may be one hour, but in winter time it will, very probably, be a different hour.

THE workers' ''peas/'

I once read an article entitled, ''Dried Peas in Sunday-School Work. ' ' The writer named the peas as follows : Pride, prejudice, personal ambition, and parah'sis of spiritual life.

There are some peas of quite another brand, concerning which there should exist no doubt in the mind of the progressive Bible-school worker. They may be divided into two classes. The first class, w^hich is the least important one, contains the following :

Peuck. — When we consider the discouragements incident to Bible-school work, the difficulties which from time to time arise, and the temptation either to allow things to run as they may, or to give up the work, it will easily be seen that great pluck is needed, not so much in beginning work in the Bible-school, as in continuing it.

Patience. — Any one can begin something new, but it needs great patience to continue what has been begun. While there are many new things connected with Bible-school work, and it is hoped that some of these new things will be adopted for the good of the school, after all it is the old truth that we are to teach, it is the old human nature that we have to deal with in our fellow workers and in those for whom we are laboring, and we ourselves suffer from the old infirmities that ever afflict mankind. Hence, we need patience, after a new work is begun, after new methods have been proven to be good or bad, to go on week after week, teaching the old truths, dealing with the old human nature and bearing the old infirmities.

Pkrskvkrance. — This virtue is closely allied to the foregoing, and yet there is a little difference, because some Christian workers are so patient that they simply endure without doing very much. They come to the school and they go, as if they were bearing a cross from which they would like to be delivered. More is needed in aggressive Bible-school work than mere patience. The perseverance that conquers all things should be the motto of the Bible-school worker. Paul put it: "And let us not be weary in well doing ; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." That means more than patiently enduring our crosses; it means doing, in spite of the crosses.

Push. — This word partakes of the nature of slang, and yet we venture to use it because it expresses an idea. * ' The kingdom of heaven suff ereth violence, and the violent take it by force." These are not our words but the words of the Great Teacher. The lesson that we should learn from them is that we should be very active and energetic in our efforts to get those for whom we work into the Kingdom.

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The other class of virtues are not so apparent as the foregoing, but they are perhaps more essential. We say perhaps, because we feel that if they are possessed by the workers the others will follow as a matter of course. They are : —

Piety. — Not of the kind possessed by the one that dies young and becomes an angel, but of that kind which is in vital connection with God, which draws its life from God. The one possessing this kind of piety will recognize what sin is, the atonement that was made for it and how cleansing is to be obtained. He will himself seek for pardon and cleansing and then, because of what God has done for him, will teach others the way. If you have never read a little book called *^ The King's Son ; or A Memoir of Billy Bray ' ' get it and you will understand what I mean by piety, as you read how the wicked, blasphemous miner was transformed into a pious practicer and teacher of the truths of God's own word.

Person AE Integrity. — The Bible-school worker should be sincere. There should be no wax in his composition. We are told that a dog and a child are equally expert in recognizing honesty and dishonesty in those with whom they come in contact. A Bible-school worker may lack many qualifications good in themselves and not to be depreciated, and still be successful if he is honest and sincere. If he is not he cannot hope to hide it from his associates in the work and the scholars will soon find it out. We read of a superintendent who lost his influence over the boys of his Bible-vSchool because he occa-

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sionally cheated a railroad out of a nickel, and we are sorry for such a man. Perhaps there are those in our school who have lost the influence that they might have exerted by actions just as reprehensible as this one.

Power . — It has always seemed to me that the Apostle Paul would have made the ideal Bible-school superintendent or teacher. When I ask myself, Why? the answer is : He always seemed to be ready for emergencies. That drives me back to a further question. Why was he ready ? and the answer is : He was a man of power, in contact with God through the Holy Spirit. He received that power which enabled him to do those things at which we look back in astonishment. That same power is for us, fellow workers, if we will put ourselves in the position to receive it.

KNOWIvKDGK.

There are some things concerning which every Bible-school worker should have knowledge. This knowlege is not all gained at once, and the better the worker the longer will be his term of effort to obtain the knowledge. Here are some of the things that he should know :

I. God. — Not as a far off being, not as a judge who shall one day pronounce sentence upon him, but as a living father near by, his leader and director in all things, as one who is more interested in the Bible-school work than is the worker himself.

II. His BiBivK. — The Bible-school worker should study the Bible in at least three ways. First, to

SOME PREIvIMIXARY CONSIDERATIONS. 1 9

learn its truths, so as to live them. Secondly, to be familiar with the contents of the Bible as a whole, so that he will not be merely teaching a set lesson for a day without any truths behind that lesson, but be using the whole Bible to emphasize the truths of a particular lesson. Thirdly, to master the lesson for the da}-^, with especial reference to the needs of those he is called upon to teach.

III. His Pupils. — The old-fashioned way of teaching has been compared to a man striving to fill a number of bottles by throwing water at the mouths of the bottles. A few drops more or less would of necessity enter each bottle, but most of the w^ater would be spilled on the ground. The modern way of teaching has been compared to a man who strives to fill his bottles by taking each one, determining what that bottle was made for, and putting into it that which it was destined to hold. Truths taught in a general way are like water thrown at bottles. Truths taught to individuals produce results. The teacher knows the truth, next he must know what truths the individuals whom he is to teach can receive and what truths they need. In order to do this, constant study of the individuals wdll be necessary. It will not be enough to see them for one hour and a half on Sunday, but they must be studied in connection with their home life, their companions, their reading, their occupations and whatever they are engaged in through the week.

IV. How TO Appey Truth. — Knowing the truth and knowing the needs and capacity of the pupils, the next step is to learn how to apply those truths. Here is where the teacher needs to be led constantly by the Holy Spirit. His prayer should be for wisdom. Intellectual keenness and careful preparation will be great helps, but they will be of little avail unless the Spirit's power is present and manifested through the teacher.

V. H1MSK1.F. — The Greek proverb says: ''Know thyself.'' In no respect are there more lamentable failures than in this one. Many superintendents and teachers know their Bibles, have a knowledge of the needs of their pupils and even know how to apply the truth, but they do not know themselves. The result is, they blunder and let self stand in the way, and the truth has but little effect. If every Bible-school worker would take a few minutes each day and ask himself a few questions, he would improve rapidly in power to do the Master's work. Questions might be something as follows :

What do I think of myself ?

What does God think of me ?

What do my associates think of me ? What do those for whom I am working think of me ?

VI. What othkrs ark doing. — While no Bible-school worker can succeed by merely copying the methods of others, he will certainly suffer, unless he is willing to learn from others. Great good will come to any school, the superintendent and officers of which are constantly on the alert to learn what others in the Bible-school w^ork are doing. The methods of study are varied. Such as

Visiting other schools.

SOME PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. 21

Reading what has been written by other

workers.

Corresponding with other workers. Attending Sunday-school conventions or

institutes.

ESSENTIALS AND DEVICES.

In the fall of 1896 the Paducah Sunday-school Union Institute appointed a committee which was * 'instructed to correspond with the leading Sunday-school workers of the United States and formulate a report showing what up-to-date Sunday-schools are doing. ' ' In accordance with these instructions the committee corresponded with noted and successful Bible-school workers in various parts of the country, and also examined recently written literature on Bible-school work. In presenting their report they divided their subject into two divisions, showing what they considered essentials and what they thought were helpful devices. We give a list of these two divisions of what this committee considered were necessary for the welfare of an up-todate school :

ESSENTIALS.

1. Teachers' Meeting.

2. Home-Class Department.

3. Normal Classes.

4. Graded school.

5. Teachers' Library; Pupils' Library.

6. Bible Drills.

7. A Reserve or Substitute Corps of Teachers.

8. Quarterly Reports of All Officers,

9. A Permanent Record of Each Member of

the Sunday-school. 10. Good Music.

DEVICES.

1. Parents' Day — to Interest the Parents.

2. Star Classes — to Stimulate Large and Reg-

ular Attendance.

3. Roll of Honor.

4. Quarterly Reports to Parents.

5. Birthday Recognition.

6. Rally Day.

7. Varied Opening Exercises.

8. A Free Use of Printers' Ink.

9. Cards of Merit in Lower Grades.

10. Correspondence Between Pupil and Teacher when either is Absent.

CHAPTER III. The Bible-School Workers' Aim

Half a century ago there was little method in Bible-school work. What is now known as Bible-school machinery was then almost unknown. As developments were made in secular teaching, it w^as thought by many earnest workers in the I^ord's cause, that it was a shame to allow all that was good in method and machinery to be used for the development of the mind, while little attention was paid to the proper methods of teaching spiritual truths. Hence, many improvements were made in

THE BIBLE-SCHOOL WORKERS' AIM. 23

methods and in the application of these methods to Bible-school work. The time has come when many thoughtful, earnest workers feel that there is danger of becoming so fascinated with methods, and so busily engaged with machinery, that the spiritual in Bible-school work will be forgotten or pushed into the corner.

There are some, active in Bible-school management, who seem to care but little for the aim of the teacher so long as he is brilliant and can present the truth, or something connected with the truth, in a striking way to the minds of the children and 3'oung people. There are others, however, who care very little for method or attractiveness in presentation, and who think that all that is necessary is that the teacher of the Word knows its truths and strives to live according to them.

Why should there not be a combination of the two? Why should we not have really spiritual men and women presenting the very highest forms of Christian truth in the most modern and approved ways? This, of course, is the ideal toward which we must constantly strive.

The aim of some teachers seems to be to get Scripture history drilled into the minds of the pupils. One of the best teachers of this country claims that he has nothing to do with the teaching of the truths of the Bible, that his work is to teach what the Bible contains, and then leave to the Spirit the application of the truths.

Some very honest teachers believe that they have fulfilled their whole duty when they give their class each Sunday a sort of a homily on some Christian duty or form of living.

We might go on in this way and indicate what is in the minds of many teachers in reference to their work, or what is the actual teaching of many, whether they have any clear method in their mind or not.

In his book entitled, ''Revised Normal Lessons," Dr. Hurlbut declares : ' ' The Sunday-school is a department of the Church of Christ in which the Word of Christ is taught for the purpose of bringing souls to Christ, and of building up souls in Christ."

An examination of this definition reveals three facts as to what should be the real aim of the teacher.

1. He is to teach the Word of God. This may include history, geography, and many other things which are necessary to obtain correct ideas for the studying of the truths of the Word.

2. The aim of the teaching of this Word is that souls may be brought to Christ. You may translate this into whatever language you please, using the term conversion, regeneration, or any other that suits you. The fact is, that the chief aim of the Bible-school teacher is to help his pupil to become a new being in Christ Jesus. Any teacher who does not hold this constantly before him as his chief aim, is lowering the dignity and the possibilities of his office.

3. But conversion is only the beginning of Christian life. Hence, it should be the further aim

THE BIBLE-SCHOOL WORKERS' AIM. 25

of the Bible-school teacher to develop in the pupil that Christian character which is so desirable. A study of the lives of Biblical characters will readily convince one of the need of patient, persevering effort in this direction.

Teachers of the Word, when thinking of those things which should influence them in regard to their work, should have clearly defined in mind some basal principles :

1. What their aim should be. This we have tried to indicate above.

2. The determination of what is the proper aim will not do the work which we so much long to see done. With the very highest motives and the very highest aim in view, there is much work to be done. In fact, even after our pupils are converted, the higher our aim in regard to Christian living is, the more we will have to work for the development of our pupils along the lines which we have laid down.

3. In carrying out our ideal, we will meet with many discouragements and disappointments, and the question will often come to us : May we not, after all, be mistaken ? If our aims are true and in accord with God's Word, ought we not to have more success? The only antidote to this feeling of discouragement is an intelligent study of the life of Christ and His apostles, who, in spite of their high aim and untiring energ}^ in teaching the truth, had apparently but comparatively little success.

The school that keeps clearly before it what .its true aim is, and makes everything subsidiary to the

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carrying out of that aim, will not fail oi success^ even though other schools with different aims seem to be successful.

For the encouragement of the teacher who may be tempted to turn aside from the effort to bring souls to Christ, because of seeming lack of success, the following extracts are taken from a booklet entitled : '' Our Scholars for Christ " (Presbyterian Board of Publication).

' ' One of the most striking triumphs I have ever met with of this Christ-like sympathy was that of a delicate, timid young lady who, reared amid wealth, culture and fashion, was led from the hoUowness of the world to decide for Christ. She became an enthusiastic worker in the vineyard, and tasted the sweetest of all luxuries — the luxury of winning souls to Christ. One day, walking along the street, she saw a little ragged boy running out of a shoe-maker's shop, and behind him was the old shoemaker with a last in his hand. He had not run far when the wooden last was thrown at him, and he was struck on the back. The boy stopped and began to cry. The Spirit of the Lord touched that young lady's heart ; so, stepping up to him, she asked him if he was hurt. He told her that it was none of her business. She at once w^ent to work to win the boy's confidence. She asked if he went to school. — ' No.' — ' Well, why don't you go to school? ' — ' Don't want to.' So she coaxed and pleaded with him. He rudely resisted. It was obviously a difficult case — just about as difficult as any one ever took in hand. Still the boy felt a

THE BIBLE-SCHOOI. WORKERS AIM. 27

strange influence stealing over him. It was something that seemed to stream forth from her words and actions like fragrance from the opening rose of summer. By-and-by he consented, and so on an appointed day she led him by the hand into the Sunda3'-school, and asked the superintendent if he could give her a place to teach this little boy. He looked at the lad, but they had no such boys as that in the school. A place was found, however, and she sat down in a corner to win that young heart to Christ. Many would have looked on that effort with lofty contempt or hopeless despair ; but she felt she had a work to do for the Master, and so she labored on, phnng all the arts that a holy ingenuity could suggest or a Christ-like patience apply. Yet the one resistless element in the case was the holy fire of Christ-like sympathy that glowed in her heart, and that radiated forth, from all she did. At length, light broke in upon his heart ; he became a decided Christian. Some time after, he was standing at the railway station, when a train approached unnoticed by him and passed over both his legs. A physician was summoned, and the little sufferer looked up into his face the first thing after he arrived, and asked, ' Doctor, shall I live to get home? ' ' No,' said the doctor, *you are dying.' — 'Well, then, will you tell my mother • and my father that I die a Christian ? ' They bore awa^^ that little boy's body to the wretched hovel which he called home, and with it his last message — that he died a Christain ! What a noble work was that young lady's in saving that little wanderer ! What a splendid triumph of Christ-like sympathy !"

^ ' Two gentlemen met on a holiday on a steamer as it moved in one of the Scottish lochs, and they talked with interest of many things, and among others of Sunday-schools.

'' 'To tell the truth,' said one, 'I am not very enthusiastic in that kind of work. I was a teacher for many years, and after all I seemed to have done no good.'

'' ' Well, I do believe in Sunday-school work,' said the other. 'As a lad I received life-long influences for good in my old class at school ' ; and he named the school with which he had been once connected.

'' ' Were you fkere f exclaimed the other. ' That was where I taught. Were you there in my time ? My name is . '

* ' 'And I was your scholar. I remember 3^ou now, and recognize you as my old teacher.'

"The young man gave his name, and memories succeeded each other concerning the old school, so familiar to both in days gone by. There, side by side, stood the teacher who believed he had done nothing and the scholar whose heart he had won for Christ, and whose life was being consecrated to His service. The poor, despondent teacher had been, all unknown to himself, in the highest degree successful. He had not only led that soul to Christ, but through him he had set in motion a series of influences rolling on in ever-widening circles toward the great eternity."

CHAPTER IV. Forward Movements

Within the last quarter of a century, many forward movements have been made in Bible-school work. An eminent divine, who has set his face toward the sunrise of eternity, describes the Sunday-school work of his day somewhat as follows :

'' A group of boys are on their way home. William says to John : ' We did eleven to-day.' John says to William : ' Oh! that's nothing; we did thirteen.' Another boy is appealed to. * How many did you do?' He did nine, ten or twelve, as the case may be."

This means that these boys, representing different classes of the school, were boasting of how many chapters of the Bible had been read in their respective classes during the session just closed. The goal of their ambition was the reading of a large number of chapters of the Bible. It is needless to say that great improvements have been made in instruction since those days.

Here we simply refer to those matters which are considered in the following chapters :

Architecture. — This is a subject that is being dealt with from a broad, scientific standpoint. Instead of shoving the Bible-school into the worst part of the church building, whole buildings are being devoted to Bible-school purposes.

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Grading. — There has been a long, and in some quarters a fierce, struggle over the question of the wisdom of grading the Bible-school. Many objections have been offered to the graded school. These objections, however, are being gradually overcome.

Teaching. — The practice of reading chapters in the Bible gave way to hearing recitations, which in turn, in many quarters, was superseded by talking on the part of the teacher. Now real teaching is done in many schools. The teacher is not satisfied until the pupil grasps an idea and gives evidence that that idea is understood. This teaching should be tested by examinations of the pupils.

NoRMAi, Work. — The Bible-school has learned much from the day-school and the college. Tirades against poor teaching are giving way to instruction of teachers, in order to fit them for better work. Many of the State Sunday-school organizations have normal courses which they offer to the teachers within their respective territories. Township and city organizations carry on normal classes for the instruction of the teachers in the lesson for the coming Sabbath, and, better still, for their instruction in normal methods.