An Appreciation of Teachers
"They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." -- Dan. 12:3
The Hebrew word here translated "wise," means literally, "to cause to understand." And so my text may be read, "They that teach, or they that cause to understand, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament."
How the teachers that we had in the days of our youth shine in our memory. Never can we forget them. Truly they shine in our memory like the brightness of the firmament. I remember the first teacher I had in the day school, and my first Sunday School teacher. Indeed, even now as I write, there passes in review before my mind the familiar faces and forms of all those who were the instructors of my youth. How patient they were. What wholesome precepts they were continually impressing upon me, as well as to teach the lessons of the textbook. Through all the years since I have grown to manhood they have occupied a sacred and hallowed place in my memory.
But beyond shining in our remembrance of them, these teachers of our youth shine even more brightly in our characters and lives, wherein we have achieved anything worth while. All that we are, and all that we have accomplished, we owe very largely to those who taught and guided us in youth. But for my teachers, including my mother who taught me the most and best, I do not see how I could have ever amounted to anything in the world.
"They that teach shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." And how they are shining to-day. How they shine in the broad and bright firmament of all human achievement and the world’s civilisation. In every realm, in religion, in business, in politics, they shine through the successes and triumphs of those they have taught and trained. When the roll is called of those who have rendered worthwhile service to the world, among the first and highest on the roll will be the names of our consecrated and faithful teachers.
