LESSON III.—THE TEACHER’S OFFICE AND WORK. In this brief outline we propose to consider the teacher’s office and work in five aspects: I. _The work of the teacher is for the gospel of Christ, hence, first of all, the teacher should be a Christian._—No person can properly instruct others in the Gospel unless he be devoted to the service of Christ. 1. _He should be a Christian in belief._—No one can speak confidently and earnestly in behalf of a cause unless he believes in it. One can teach mythology, but not Christianity, without a firm conviction that the Bible is God’s book, and the Gospel the declaration of the divine plan for saving men. 2. _He should be a Christian in experience_; having passed from death unto life, enjoying the consciousness of sonship, and a communion with Christ; for only in this state can he enter into sympathy with the Gospel, understand its mysteries, and guide others into the way of salvation. 3. _He should be a Christian in Life._—The example will teach more weightily than the words; therefore he must show forth in his conduct the character which he would impart, and live in the realm to which he would lead his class. II. _The teacher’s work is under the auspices of the church, and therefore the teacher should be a church member._ 1. _He should be a church member in profession_, giving to the church the benefit of his influence in the community, in return for all the benefits that the church gives to him. 2. _He should be a church member in loyalty_, holding an attachment, not to the church in general, but to that particular church whose doctrines, forms, methods and spirit are most nearly in accord with his own views, and best adapted to aid his growth in grace; devoted to it, laboring for it, and self-denying in behalf of it. 3. _He should be a church member in work._—There are two classes of people in every church, the idle and the working, those who are carried, and those who carry. The teacher should be one of the working members, bearing the church upon his heart and its work in his hands. III. _The teacher’s work is with the Bible, and therefore the teacher should be a Bible student._ 1. _A Bible student in teachableness_, going to the Word, not in the spirit of criticism, but of reverence; studying it not to inject into it his own opinions, but humbly to obtain truth which shall feed his own soul, and supply the needs of his class. 2. _A Bible student in diligence._—The cursory glance at a book may answer for the careless reader, but he who has it as his work to teach the Word, must study it; not only the lesson, but the volume which contains the lesson, for unless he has knowledge of the book at large, he cannot understand the specific lesson for his class; therefore the teacher should be a constant, persevering, laborious student of the Bible.