Preparation and Spiritual Training in Sunday School Teaching

My brethren and sisters: While I stand before you I trust I may be guided by the same Spirit as were those who have spoken before me. President Smith in his remarks spoke of one great qualification that every teacher should possess, namely, the spirit of love for the pupils. A teacher who has that one great qualification will probably acquire all others necessary to the successful doing of his work. Love inspires him with a desire to benefit those placed under his watchcare. He studies their needs and prepares himself to supply his class with the necessary spiritual food. ¶

A teacher filled with love for his students learns to love the Gospel as the means by which he can lead them into the right kind of spiritual life and draw them nearer to the Master. He enjoys searching the Scriptures and leads others into that same enjoyment. He carries a life into the class that is felt by all present and leads them to regularity of attendance. ¶

A teacher who loves his pupils will seek unto the Lord for assistance that he may be helpful to them. He will thus acquire the Spirit of the Lord, whose mission it is to bring to remembrance things past and to show things to come; and which gives the power of discernment that he may see the needs of others and be instrumental in supplying them. ¶

If the hearts of all who are called to teach were filled with love, it would not be necessary for others to plan for them. That feeling would prompt them to make the necessary outside preparation, and the Spirit of God would use them as instruments and guide them into natural and wholesome methods of work. Instead of cramming the minds of pupils mechanically with disconnected religious and historical facts, they would give them the daily bread of spiritual life. ¶

As the qualification mentioned does not universally inspire teachers and spur all on to the right kind of effort, the plans of which have been spoken have been prepared. Their chief value will be that they aid the teacher to make the proper outside preparation. A commendable feature of the plans being prepared is that they do not do the work for the teacher. The lessons are not prepared for the teacher, nor can he prepare them from the plans; but if he is willing to put forth effort the plans will guide him in making the right kind of preparation directly from the Scriptures. ¶

The plans will help him to make this preparation easily and to find the most inspiring parts of the scripture. ¶

It is to be hoped that the plans will be properly received and used, and that they will help teachers to get inspiration from the scriptures and a love for their work and for the children whom they teach. May God grant the aid of His Spirit and fill the teachers with love for their pupils, that they may be successful in winning souls to Christ. Amen. ¶