Chapter 70—Teacher, Know Thyself
To know one’s self is great knowledge. True self-knowledge will
lead to a humility that will allow the Lord to train the mind, and mold
and discipline the character. The grace of humility is greatly needed
by the workers for Christ in this period of the world’s history. No
teacher can do acceptable work who does not bear in mind his own
deficiencies and who does not drop out from his reckoning all plans
that will weaken his spiritual life. When teachers are willing to drop
out from their work everything that is unessential for the life eternal,
then they can be said indeed to be working out their salvation with
fear and trembling, and to be building wisely for eternity.
I am instructed to say that some of our teachers are far behind in
an understanding of the kind of education needed for this period of
earth’s history. This is not a time for students to be gathering up a mass
of knowledge that they cannot take with them to the school above. Let
us carefully weed out from our course of study all that can be spared,
that we may have room in the minds of the students in which to plant
the seeds of righteousness. This instruction will bear fruit unto eternal
life.
Every teacher should be a daily learner in the school of Christ,
lest he lose the sense of what constitutes true physical, mental, and
moral excellence. No one should place himself as a teacher of others
who is not constantly working out his own salvation by receiving
and imparting an all-round education. The true teacher will educate
himself in moral excellence, that by precept and example he may lead
souls to understand the lessons of the Great Teacher. No one should be
encouraged to do the work of teaching who will be satisfied with a low
standard. No one is fitted to teach the grand mysteries of godliness till
Christ is formed within, the hope of glory.
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Every teacher needs to receive the truth in the love of its sacred
principles; then he cannot fail of exerting an influence that is purifying
and uplifting. The teacher whose soul is stayed upon Christ will speak
and act like a Christian. Such a one will not be satisfied until the
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