When for the first time there comes to anyone the privilege of teaching in the Christian Science Sunday School, he naturally turns to the Manual of The Mother Church to find out what provision the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, has made for this work; and on page 127 of the Manual, in the order of exercises for the Sunday school, he is at once impressed by the demand for united action. First a hymn—sung together; then the Golden Text—recited together; the Responsive Reading—read together; silent prayer— offered together; the Lord's Prayer —repeated together—all this before the classes take up their individual study of the lesson in accordance with the Manual.
This unity in Sunday school work must also be found in the individual classes, which are the active and harmoniously related parts of the school as a whole. Each class must be a unit in itself, before it can be a worthy part of the united Sunday school. To one teacher, starting for the first time into Sunday school work, this need for class unity came with great force as the time for "instruction in classes" put her face to face with children all strangers to her. As they drew around the table, she realized that here were not merely several children and one teacher who were to be together for a specified length of time and then separate; but here was a group studying together the marvelous revelation brought to the world by Mrs. Eddy. The teacher saw that they must work together just as the crew of a boat pull together, or a body of marching men step together, if they were to make orderly progress. With this thought recognized from the first, it was not long before that class was one of the solid units of the Sunday school to which it belonged, doing its part to keep unbroken the unity of promptness, attendance, interest, study, and purpose.
Promptness and steady attendance are necessary beginnings of unity in any body of workers. The easiest way for a teacher to get his scholars into their places in time on Sunday morning is for the teacher to be there early himself. That rule holds, too. with attendance. If a teacher stays at home for a week-end guest, he cannot wonder if a child stays away for a picnic! But a teacher who knows how to handle the suggestions that try to keep him away from his class can show his scholars how to meet similar suggestions, and how to watch and pray that they may be always in their places at the proper time. They can be brought to regard the Sunday school hour as a fixed engagement not easily to be broken, and they can be taught that if it is necessary for them to be absent they can endeavor to communicate the fact to the teacher, just as they would for any other broken engagement.
