The work of teaching divine truth is so difficult and important that every teacher should do himself the justice to make the most clear and careful preparation. No teacher can impart more than he has prepared to teach, and he should therefore bring to his class only beaten oil, well-digested and well-adapted thoughts, something worthy of being taught, and that will command attention for their own sake. It is well for the teacher to have method and system, as well as a set time and place to begin that preparation. The time to commence, we think, should be on the afternoon or evening of the previous Sabbath, and the place in the quiet of the home circle or the study. 1. Pray and read, and read and _think_ and PRAY over the lesson; the words and the spirit of it. Here look for the best thoughts to use. 2. Search the Scriptures with the aid of a Concordance, or good reference Bible, for the most pointed and practical parallel passages and references; they will wonderfully illuminate the lesson. 3. By aid of the Bible references, and a good dictionary, be careful to get the clear, exact meaning of the important words of the lesson, in words adapted to your class. 4. Next use your Teachers' Helps, Commentaries, Bible Geographies, Bible Dictionaries, Maps, Antiquities, etc. 5. Go out into the world and gather excellent things for illustration of the Bible truth from what you see, hear, read or do. 6. Visit your scholars' homes in the preparation of your lessons, and learn their peculiar trials and temptations. Study well your children, child-nature and child-language, "Peep of Day" and "Line upon Line" are pure specimens of child-language. 7. Get something for _each_ pupil, for Johnny is not at all like Willy, and Willy is not like Charlie, etc. Break up Bible truths into small pieces for the children and youth. Do not wander afar for simile, but remember "knowledge is _before_ him that understandeth, but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth." 8. Make full notes, write out your facts and references, etc.: (_a_) Of your best thoughts. (_b_) Of your best plan of teaching. (_c_) The aim and object of the lesson illustrations. (_d_) Of the commencement and closing of the teaching lesson. 9. Think it all over so carefully and repeatedly that you will need scarcely to look at the notes to the end. Select just what to teach, and do not stuff the children. Memorize the lesson and you will have special unction in teaching. 10. Prepare more, far more, than you will want to use, that you may have ample material for selections; for no teacher can impart all that he is prepared to teach, and the teacher should be careful NEVER TO EXHAUST HIMSELF.