24
The Voice in Speech and Song
it,” will be heard and obeyed.—
Fundamentals of Christian Education,
526
.
Encouraging Words—Show sympathy and tenderness in dealing
with your pupils. Reveal the love of God. Let the words you speak
be kind and encouraging. Then as you work for your students, what a
transformation will be wrought in the characters of those who have not
been properly trained in the home! The Lord can make even youthful
teachers channels for the revealing of His grace, if they will consecrate
themselves to Him.—
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students,
152
.
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Force and Enthusiasm—The teacher should constantly aim at
simplicity and effectiveness. He should teach largely by illustration,
and even in dealing with older pupils should be careful to make every
explanation plain and clear. Many pupils well advanced in years are
but children in understanding.
An important element in educational work is enthusiasm. On this
point there is a useful suggestion in a remark once made by a celebrated
actor. The archbishop of Canterbury had put to him the question why
actors in a play affect their audiences so powerfully by speaking of
things imaginary, while ministers of the gospel often affect theirs so
little by speaking of things real. “With due submission to your grace,”
replied the actor, “permit me to say that the reason is plain: It lies in
the power of enthusiasm. We on the stage speak of things imaginary
as if they were real, and you in the pulpit speak of things real as if they
were imaginary.”
The teacher in his work is dealing with things real, and he should
speak of them with all the force and enthusiasm which a knowledge of
their reality and importance can inspire.—
Education, 233
.
A Few Words, Not Long Speeches—Those who instruct children
should avoid tedious remarks. Short remarks and to the point will
have a happy influence. If much is to be said, make up for briefness
by frequency. A few words of interest now and then will be more
beneficial than to have it all at once. Long speeches burden the small
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minds of children. Too much talk will lead them to loathe even spiritual
instruction, just as overeating burdens the stomach and lessens the
appetite, leading even to a loathing of food. The minds of the people
may be glutted with too much speechifying. Labor for the church,
but especially for the youth, should be line upon line, precept upon