General Conference Bulletin, vol. 1

SABBATH-SCHOOL COUNCIL

THE Sabbath-school Council held its ninth meeting in the Review Office Chapel, Feb. 27, 1895. It was led by Mrs. L. Flora Plummer on the subject of “Sabbath-school Conventions, their Importance, and How to Conduct.” She said:— GCB March 4, 1895, page 459.1

It is upon the line of giving instruction as to the specific work in the local churches that I particularly wish to speak to-day. I believe that the more practical, the more efficient, way of educating our people in their Sabbath-school work is by meeting with them in their churches, and becoming acquainted with them in their local work. There is something about this matter of giving instruction that must be taken into consideration. We must come where the people are; we must know their difficulties; we must come where we can understand their needs, and place ourselves in the place they occupy, and make the obstacles that confront them our obstacles, and then with the wisdom that God gives, instruct them as to how they may best overcome these difficulties and surmount these obstacles. GCB March 4, 1895, page 459.2

It will not prove effectual for me to sit down at home and formulate a certain theory in regard to what is best to do, and then start out and advocate in half a dozen schools the theory which I am convinced is good. I can sit down at home and say that, after studying the matter over carefully, I am convinced that the superintendent should conduct the review exercises every time, and I might start out and teach half a dozen schools that idea. Perhaps that would be just the thing for the first school, while if some other school should follow it out, it would be a real detriment. I must understand the needs of the people, and be capable of adapting myself to those different needs, and recognize the difficulties where they exist. Perhaps I may feel that I will be progressive, and after attending this Council meeting, I will decide that Iowa shall stand in the front ranks, so far as contributions are concerned, and wherever I go, I will advocate that donations should all be given to foreign missions. Perhaps the first place I go may be an old church in the midst of a good farming country, and the people will be able to do, and everything favorable, and they may take hold of it, and it may be all well and good. But the next school I may visit may be in entirely different circumstances. They may be hardly able to furnish necessary supplies for the school, and keep up the running expenses. How foolish it would be for me to advocate it to them. I simply cite these instances to show the importance of adapting ourselves to the needs of each particular situation. That is just what the Saviour did; he adapted his instructions to our needs. GCB March 4, 1895, page 459.3

Our people need a knowledge of how to start the work; they need to come in contact with the instructor. You can instruct them through the papers, and in various ways, but they need a knowledge and a spirit of enthusiasm. They need to be aroused and awakened to the work; but they need more than that. They need to be taught how to carry out that desire, and do better work. The instruction must be definite; it must be specific; it must be in detail, in order to be of any practical advantage. I may talk and talk about the superintendent’s conducting better reviews, and looking after the school more, and about doing this, that, and the other; but if I go no further, I have not helped him really in carrying out these ideas. I must teach him how to do this. GCB March 4, 1895, page 459.4

I may talk to the secretary about writing such monotonous reports, that they should be more interesting; but if I do not tell him how, it will accomplish nothing. And I may talk to the teachers about their work, about using objects, and illustrations, and doing more personal work, etc.; but if I do not teach them how to do the work, how to use objects and illustrations, I have given them no great help. GCB March 4, 1895, page 459.5

One great field of usefulness in this work, one great good that we may accomplish, is in teaching them how to use the talent they already have. I was reading the other day in the BULLETIN one of the papers that was read in the canvasser’s institute which preceded the General Conference, and in that the author was trying to tell how to deal with persons who subscribed for books, and when they were delivered, refused to take them. The writer said that probably the reason for it was that they had lost their interest, and the best way to do was to give them another canvass. Well, as I read that, I thought, What a splendid idea that is for Sabbath-school workers! We visit various schools and churches, and we find maps and blackboards, and in many schools we find that there is no one who has any talent in drawing, and of course these things are of no use to them. We take them, and show them how to use these helps. If they cannot draw, we show them how they could put the lessons for the little ones on the blackboard, and how various other things can be printed on it, and teach them how to use properly what they already have. Thus a great point would be gained. Then I go to some other school, and I find that there are young people attending the school who can draw maps and other things quite intelligently. What a field there is then for me to teach them how to use that talent to the best advantage, and show them the legitimate use of these things. It seems to me that those who visit our churches should lay plans to use all this latent material lying around unused, suggesting some plans whereby it may be used to advantage. GCB March 4, 1895, page 459.6

Then we will study what helps may be given to the secretary. The secretary needs to be taught to go around among the different classes and from division to division, and gather together the things that you and I know nothing about, and write them up neatly, and read his report in an intelligent way. Then when we visit the school, we should look over the secretary’s book, and when we come to a page that is written nicely and neatly with a pen, commend such a page, and the commendation of that page will cast a slight reflection upon the other page that is poorly done, although not in words. Instruct the secretary in regard to the quarterly reports, and the necessity of being prompt and faithful in filling out the reports and sending them in, and the effect of it will be felt throughout the State as soon as you have covered any sufficient portion of it. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.1

When we come to teachers, I can only touch upon a few of the main points. They need help. I do not know of any class of workers that need help more than Sabbath-school teachers. They need to be instructed and assisted; they need to be instructed how to teach, and how to do personal work for their classes. We should teach them above everything else that they can help their class in their Christian experience only so far as they have had an experience themselves; teach them not to get their ideas from the superintendent or Sabbath School Worker, or from any lesson helps; but teach them to get their ideas from the Bible, and then they will be able to lead their class to get ideas from the same source, and in that way lead them to the Bible, and then they will study the Bible for themselves. We do not want to teach the Bible as though it were a bottle corked up, and when we took the cork out and passed it around, they could have a taste. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.2

I believe that in giving instruction, we should give it in a guarded way. Very wrong ideas may be given in illustrations; that is, you may convey a different idea from what you wish to convey. I once heard of a teacher trying to illustrate to her class the effects of sin, and that whenever one committed sin it always left a mark; and to show the effect, she poured some ink on a piece of paper. Well, a little girl caught the idea, and said, “Whenever I commit sin, there is a great spot of ink on my heart.” That was the impression she received from the illustration. Now we need to illustrate, but we want to use illustrations in a guarded way; we need to illustrate in such a way as to carry the thought to the mind that we wish to convey. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.3

You see, the Sabbath-school worker must be what is sometimes termed an “all-round” worker. Sometimes people think that Sabbath-school workers are a sort of one-sided people; but we see that in adapting our work to all grades, it will take a well-rounded person, and the more we progress in that direction, the better it will certainly be for our schools and the better for ourselves. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.4

Just a word in regard to a few points that we should bear in mind when we give instruction: The same methods that are employed in giving instruction will be used by the schools in carrying it out. If the instruction is given in an authoritative way, — in the manner of, “It must be so,” — if that idea is conveyed in the instruction, just in that way the superintendent and teachers will carry out the instruction given them; but if the instruction is given in a gentle way, in a suggestive way, the same carefulness will usually attend those who carry it out, and the same spirit will be manifested. If we come to them and give that instruction in the spirit of Christ, and the spirit of Christ accompanies all that we do, the same spirit will be shown by those who carry out the instruction. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.5

It is always well to invite and answer questions, because you are sure that you are trying to talk about something that some one is interested in; but just a word of caution upon this point: You will find people who will ask you all sorts of questions; they will ask questions on conscience. That is, they may ask; “Is it best to have family prayers when there is one member of the family who is not in the truth, and is opposed to it?” and, “Should the secretary wear a face vail when reading the reports?” I have been asked these questions. It is all right to present what God has said on any of these points; but be careful not to go too far, and say what things mean. It is always safe to be on the right side, but you will find that many are most interested in questions that touch the conscience, and we need to exercise great care in answering them. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.6

Now the necessity of avoiding a criticizing spirit in any of this work. It is true that when we come to talk to the people upon any line of work, it is necessary for them to unlearn a great many things. They have their way, their preconceived ideas many times, and if that which is better is presented in a criticizing spirit, it arouses a spirit of opposition to it. It does not do me any good for any one to find fault with what I am doing, if he does not tell me some way that is better; and if I am told some way that is better, it obviates the necessity of saying anything about what I have been doing. Now if I meet a person down in the street eating a crust of moldy bread, I do not need to stand there and say, That isn’t good to eat. All I need to do is just to give the person a good loaf, and the old one will be thrown away quickly enough. Just given them that which is better; leave it around where they can find it, if there is any pride about taking it from us. Prof. Lewis suggested that to me once when I was speaking on the subject, and I think that it is a good idea. Give them the best you have in a way that they will take it. Give the instruction in such a way that others will feel free to take it, and not feel criticised in it. In all this, we need the spirit of Christ to attend it; that is the remedy for everything. GCB March 4, 1895, page 460.7