Chapter 19—To Teachers
Every one who has to do with educating the younger class of stu-
dents, should consider that these children are affected by, and feel the
impressions of, the atmosphere, whether it be pleasant or unpleasant.
If the teacher is connected with God, if he has Christ abiding in
his heart, the spirit that is cherished by him is felt by the children.
When a teacher manifests impatience or fretfulness toward a child, the
fault may not be with the child one half as much as with the teacher.
Teachers become tired with their work, then something the children
say or do does not accord with their feelings, but will they let Satan’s
spirit enter into them, and lead them to create feelings in the children
very unpleasant and disagreeable, through their own lack of tact and
wisdom from God? There should not be a teacher employed, unless
you have evidence by test and trial, that he loves, and fears to offend
God. If teachers are taught of God, if their lessons are daily learned in
the school of Christ, they will work in Christ’s lines. They will win
and draw with Christ; for every child and youth is precious.
Every teacher needs Christ abiding in his heart by faith, and to pos-
sess a true, self-denying, self-sacrificing spirit for Christ’s sake. One
may have sufficient education and knowledge in science to instruct;
but has it been ascertained that he has tact and wisdom to deal with
human minds? If instructors have not the love of Christ abiding in the
heart, they are not fit to be brought into connection with children, and
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to bear the grave responsibilities placed upon them, of educating these
children and youth. They lack the higher education and training in
themselves, and they know not how to deal with human minds. There
is the spirit of their own insubordinate, natural hearts that is striving for
the control, and to subject the plastic minds and characters of children
to such a discipline, is to leave scars and bruises upon the mind that
will never be effaced.
If a teacher cannot be made to feel the responsibility and the care-
fulness he should ever reveal in dealing with human minds, his ed-
ucation has in some cases been very defective. In the home life the
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