History records that the first teachers of the young were religionists. Their duty was to instruct the child in the particular creed of which they were representative, and to inculcate general morality. Subject matter was for some time not especially adapted to youth, the child receiving what little he could according to his power of comprehension. Later, as church and state became separated, the duties of the teacher became strictly secular, save in parochial and other private schools, education was adapted to little children, and under the benign influence of democracy came the full flower of this long growth,—the public school of America.
Along with this growth of secular education, the Sunday school kept steady pace, but took on much of the atmosphere and technique of the day school. The Scriptures were rearranged and presented in carefully prepared lesson series; play, stories, objective material, and social functions were added. In a word, Sunday school work was given strong intellectual and social stimulus. Whether it has at the same time received equal spiritual impetus is an open question among earnest workers in many churches. To this problem, so important to parents in particular and to all citizens in general, Christian Science offers a mode of procedure unique and helpful. In accordance with its fundamental teaching of the nothingness of materiality and the allness of Spirit, it discards as far as possible all material accompaniments, all appeal to the senses, all dependence upon mere personality. It offers to the child the absolute truth, the understanding to interpret the Scriptures, and the method of their demonstration. We find in the Christian Science Sunday school the most enthusiastic body of young religionists in the world, though without material stimulus of any kind.
Those who enter this vineyard of labor as teachers are richly blessed. It is the sacred duty of the Christian Science Sunday school teacher to impart to youth the fundamentals of the revelation of Truth to this age. In the Manual Mrs. Eddy says: "The instruction given by the children's teachers must not deviate from the absolute Christian Science contained in their textbook." The teacher's success depends not upon intellectual training, not upon personal charm, not merely upon a correct theoretical knowledge of the subject, but upon practical demonstration of the Principle which is professed. The technique of teaching a Christian Science Sunday school class is best worked out by the individual. The novice may be somewhat dismayed when he finds there is no other instruction given for his benefit than that contained in the Manual of The Mother Church. The teaching method must be demonstrated; so the class is approached with such thorough preparation as would be applied to any other problem. The teacher's lips are opened with the prayer that God will supply the word in season, and upon this and spiritual receptivity of the class, success will depend.
